Comments on the County Beat

From: The Baxter Bulletin, 2 March, 1961

By Pete Shiras

Some men find satisfaction in seeking fame and fortune. Others make their place in their community and find their happiness in living a simple life, looking for neither acclaim nor any great share of the world's rewards. Enness Shiras was such a man, wholly unselfish, kind, unassuming -- a truly good man.

We've "hit many a lick" together and to us he has always seemed the most remarkable man we have ever known. He was always ready to pull his share of the load and more, whether it was poling a boat up the Northfork river, or in the office and shop, at home or in woods and fields.

During all the years that we have been together, as father and son, as apprentice and as partner, we never knew him to say an unkind word about anyone. He had high moral standards for himself, never deviating from the most strict requirements of honesty and truthfulness, yet he was always tolerant of the other man's opinions and habits.

He believed that every person should lead his own life according to his own wishes and desires, and he was unwilling to criticize or censure those who had different standards or different opinions.

Perhaps his finest quality was his innate kindness, his genuine love of his fellowman and his outstanding devotion to his family and to the best interests of every member of it.

He learned to work hard from his early youth, and until his retirement a few years ago it was a rare occasion when he missed doing a full day's work. To him, in the simplest of terms, laziness was a vice and work a virtue and he was happy only when at his job. Yet he was easy and pleasant to work with, and we'll always have happy memories of the years he spent helping us to learn the trade.

We'll remember, too, the fun we had together -- our first casting rod and our first shotgun, and the lessons that came from him with them on their use and care. These and many other moments are memories to be cherished.

No one loved the Ozarks more, nor had a greater faith in the future of this area than did Enness Shiras. He lived to see great changes since he first came to Mountain Home from Kansas City back in 1906. He made the trip then by train to West Plains and by hack from there to Mountain Home, a hard, full day's drive. He loved the town as it was then and as it is today, always taking pride in its growth and progress and always willing to do his part in every progressive move.

He lived a long, full life, never compromising his principles, honest, industrious, always helpful and kind. That, we think, is success.