Remarks by Paul F. Tinkle, President of Thunderbolt Radio & Digital, on the passing of WCMT Weatherologist Mr. Charles Nethery
“This morning, I want to take a moment to share a very important message. As many of you know our dear friend Charles Nethery has been ill for several months. During this time, Charles and his wife Mary have continued to call in each morning on “Good Times in the Morning.”
Today, I share with you, with his wife of 70 years by his side, Mr. Charles passed away early this (Friday) morning after battling lung and liver cancer. His funeral arrangements will be Sunday at 2:00 at Murphy Funeral Home with burial in the Eastside Cemetery. Visitation will be Sunday from noon until service time.
We never told you that Charles had cancer and Charles rarely discussed it with us. He continued doing what he loved to do and that was to give you yesterday’s highs and lows, rainfall amount, wind speed, and of course the current temperature on Nethery Road.
I have been in the Nethery home many times and I can assure you they are two of the sweetest people in the world.
I never heard Charles ever say an ugly word. After growing up here in Weakley County he and Miss Mary moved to Chicago for a few years before moving back to Martin in the late 50s.
Charles Nethery always said he wanted to know what yesterday’s “highs and lows” were so he decided to keep up with it himself and called in that information to the radio station so he could share it with our listeners. This began in January 2004. And he kept records of these numbers so he could give us some comparisons.
Since he started doing his call-ins around 7:20, my math tells me Charles Nethery called our radio station over 5,000 times during these past 16-plus years and he rarely missed a day calling in. There were a few exceptions for him to miss a report, one reason was that he had to go to the doctor and another was to take Mary to the grocery store. As long as I have known him, he only spent a few nights in the hospital and most recently when he missed a day a month or so when he became weak.
After Charles began calling Chris Brinkley and me for a few months we had to come up with a title for him, so we dubbed him the “WCMT weatherologist” who gave us a weatherolgy report.
Charles has been a fixture with our staff and always came to the radio station during the Christmas season and would do his report in the studio.
Martin Mayor Randy Brundige and the Soybean Festival Committee named Charles and Mary the “grand marshals” of the Tennessee Soybean Festival parade, an honor that they truly appreciated.
Charles would have been 93 on his birthday this coming November 19th. Looking back he began doing his weatherology report on WCMT when he was 77. And again he rarely missed calling in.
Our hearts are sad this morning at the loss of our dear friend, Charles Neal Nethery, but we know he’s in Heaven, perhaps counting the number of angels near the throne while keeping tabs on highs and lows, rain fall amounts, winds, and reporting it to the Lord and saying…“Well, that’s it for today.”
To our dear friend, and Charles’ beloved Mary, our listeners love you and cherish the memories of your wonderful husband. You can be assured, Miss Mary, you have the prayers of our entire radio audience.
So, to the memory of Charles Nethery, we say thank you to Miss Mary, and for the years of great community service to so many who have depended on hearing Charles’ friendly folksy voice, we say rest in peace Charles. and thank you for your making us feel good each morning with your sign off.”
