This column serves as a spotlight, highlighting the everyday people who work and live in Callaway County. The Fulton Sun takes a moment to have a conversation with someone who is not usually featured in the news, but is just as instrumental in making our community the strong and beautiful place we all know and love.
Former Lt. Stanley Holt recently retired from the Fulton police force after 27 years with the department. He's since moved to Camdenton, but Callaway County is still close to his heart. Holt grew up in Guthrie, though he had many relatives in Fulton. After graduating from high school, Holt joined the Army Reserves and was stationed in Fort Jackson and Oklahoma. He met his now-wife Julia after being dragged to a bar in Jefferson City by his friend. Combined, the couple has four kids and three grandchildren, with a fourth on the way. Now that he's retired, Holt enjoys fishing with his father and driving motorcycles.
Q. What was your first job?
A. I tell people this story all the time. I worked at Cheeseborough-Ponds (now owned by Unilever). I sat around a big bin with six or seven women and snapped hair curlers together. This was while I was studying for the police department exam.
Q. Who inspires you the most (living or dead)?
A. My pop's my hero. We just went fishing yesterday. My mom passed away Nov. 9, 1999. Pop's like me. He's just been a great example.He always paid his bills in person, and I still do that. He taught me that if you work hard, it'll pay off.
Q. What have you done in your life that was the most fulfilling?
A. Helping people, meeting people. I've been a cop all of my adult life, and I don't hate nobody.
Q. What is something you are proud of that you have been recognized for?
A. People feel very comfortable with me. A lot of the time they'll come in (to the police department) and ask for me by name. I'll give anyone my phone number, even if I've taken them to jail. When I walk around town, people will come up to me and shake my hand. Their friend will ask, "How do you know him?" and they'll say, "Oh, he arrested me."
Q. What profession, other than your own, would you like to attempt?
A. I always told the guys I wanted to be a tour guide bus driver. I used to drive limousines part time, but I always wanted to be the Branson tour guide-type person. That's a more relaxed attitude; the people don't care as long as we get there when we get there and stop for bathroom breaks.
Q. What profession would you not like to do?
A. I don't think I'd do this profession again. I've seen enough. We moved to (a retirement community) and there's a security guy at the gate. They said, oh, you could do this, but I'm done. Bulletproof vests, guns and boots I don't want to do that anymore.
Q. What is something that nobody knows about you?
A. My favorite TV show in the whole wide world is the Beverly Hillbillies. I could watch that all day. The other thing, probably, is I love watching bull riding. I have a giant picture of J.B. Mauney hanging up in my garage. Beverly Hillbillies and bull riding - most people wouldn't guess that about me.
Q. What is your favorite thing about Callaway County?
Just the vibe, the vibe. There's good people, bad people, young people, old people. There are still values, but there are new things coming along as well. You can be friends with anybody. People will look at you and wonder, how can those two guys be friends? That's what I like about the town. It just happens.