Jessie Dorrill was chosen by the Pike County Cattlewomen’s Association as its 2010 Father of the Year.

Dorrill, of Brundidge, was honored at the Cattlemen’s annual summer picnic and accepted the award with the same humility that is his trademark, said Betty Hixon, president of the Cattlewomen’s association.

Hixon said the Pike County Cattlewomen’s Association was proud to honor Jessie Dorrill as the Father of the Year.

“Jessie is very deserving,” she said. “He has had a positive influence on so many young people — his two children and their friends and his nieces and nephews and friends. He is just an all-around great father.”

The honor came as a complete surprise to Dorrill.

“I didn’t expect anything like that,” he said. “But, it meant a lot to me and I can’t thank the Cattlewomen enough. It’s a great organization and the Cattlewomen are a wonderful group of ladies. Being named the Father of the Year was a real honor but the true honor goes to my family. They have supported me and stood by me always.”

Dorrill said he has always tried to put his wife, Edna, and his children, Shelly and Jason, before himself.

“Jessie’s children have always been most important to him and he has led by example,” Hixon said. “His favorite quote is from Forest Whitcraft. It basically says that ‘One hundred years from now, it will not matter what kind of car I drove, what kind of house I lived in or how much I had in my bank account but that the world may be a better place because I was important in the life of a child.’”

Dorrill’s dad died when he was a young boy and he was loved and raised by his mother, Verlon Dorrill, and nurtured by his grandparents, Dan and Molly Dansby.

“My mother and grandparents spent a lot of time with me,” Dorrill said. “My granddaddy was a role model for me. I learned about being a father from him. We did a lot of things together including farm work.”

Dorrill learned from his mom and grandparents that, if he worked hard and was kind and respectful of others, everything else would fall into place.

He enjoyed being with his children and supported them in all their endeavors.

“I coached baseball when Jason was playing and went to many, many dance recitals,” he said with a smile.

Dorrill’s influence is now extended to his own grandchildren — three with two on the way.

“Edna and I will soon have two more grandchildren, one in September and the other in December,” Dorrill said.

“We are looking forward to that. Grandchildren are special. There’s nothing like them.”

Dorrill has been a member of the Pike County Cattlemen’s Association for 25 years and a member of the board of directors for 18 years.

He works with the Alabama Department of Agriculture and raises Charolais cattle. He retired from the Army National Guard and is a veteran of the first Gulf War.