Reflections on Alabama and Notable Figures
Living in Alabama my whole life, I can’t help but be a huge fan of college football. As a kid, I used to follow Major League Baseball closely, but those days are behind me—I just don’t watch professional sports anymore. It’s interesting, though, how I feel this urge to tune in during certain events. You know, like the Super Bowl, the Kentucky Derby, and, of course, the World Series. It’s almost a patriotic duty, or maybe just a tradition?
This Saturday, just before heading out for my run, I received a text from an old friend and fraternity brother, Rev. Mike Watson. He shared some intriguing information about the legendary racehorse, Secretariat. It seems all 21 horses in this year’s Kentucky Derby are descendants of that remarkable champion.
Can you believe it’s been 52 years since Secretariat won the Kentucky Derby in such a spectacular fashion? He went on to clinch the Triple Crown at a record pace that still stands today. Even if nobody else remembered him, his legacy would be honored through the generations that followed. It’s fascinating how genetics play such a significant role, not just in horses, but in people too, really.
Speaking of legacies, Mike Watson is a fascinating success story. A lifelong Methodist, he eventually became a bishop for the entire Methodist Church in America. We met at the University of Alabama, where we were fraternity brothers in Sigma Nu. Most of us in the fraternity hailed from the southeast, and many were raised in conservative Baptist or Methodist households. Mike, though, really embraced his role within the church community. Growing up in Dothan, he was the son of a well-known real estate developer. He really thrived there, displaying leadership and academic excellence while at Capstone. He even pastored a small Methodist church near Tuscaloosa.
After graduation, he married Margaret Lee, who was also deeply rooted in the Methodist community. Her father was a prominent attorney in Dothan. Mike became quite influential himself, building churches from the ground up, including the Covenant Methodist, which is now the biggest Methodist church in the area. He later served as the pastor for one of the largest Methodist congregations in America, and about 20 years back, he took on the bishop role, becoming the global Ecumenical Officer for the United Methodist Church.
Now at 75, he’s semi-retired, enjoying life with Margaret in Birmingham, where they attend Canterbury Methodist Church. It’s heartwarming to think about them spending time with their daughter and four grandchildren.
Another notable family from Dothan is the Buxleys. Bill and Wade Buxley both became respected lawyers, with Kenner Buxley achieving fame as a solo circuit judge in Houston and Henry counties. There was never any doubt in their minds about becoming lawyers. In fact, Bill’s first legal job was with Margaret’s father’s law firm. He eventually became a district attorney and at just 28, was elected Alabama’s Attorney General, serving for eight years before becoming Governor.
Wade Buxley was known for his skill as a lawyer and passed away from cancer a few years ago, while his wife, Joan, succumbed to illness a year later. I’ve heard some remarkable stories about how Wade faced his prognosis with bravery—it really struck a chord with me.
Wade was possibly the last true yellow dog Democrat in the predominantly Republican Houston County. He remained fiercely loyal to Alabama football while advocating for the Democratic Party. Both he and Bill attended the University of Alabama and later, law school.
When Wade learned he might only have a week to live, he called his sons and made a rather bold statement about switching his loyalty to the Republicans and being an Auburn fan. Can you imagine their reaction? They were understandably confused! “Yeah, in a few days, even fewer Auburn fans and Republicans will be on this planet. ” It was classic Wade.
Alabama is, after all, a unique place packed with history and character—especially in small towns like Dothan. Until next week!
