“Do what you can to show you care about other people and you will make our world a better place.”

Rosalynn Carter never knew Homer Homann but he was one of those people who, through his caring for other people, made the world a better place.

Homann’s sudden death on Sunday left a void in the Brundidge and Pike County communities that will be difficult to fill.

Homann was not a native of the area. He and his wife Barbara moved to Brundidge 16 years ago from Wisconsin and almost immediately became homefolks.

“Homer loved Brundidge and all its people,” said Brundidge Mayor Isabell Boyd. “He and Barb migrated down here but you would have thought Homer was born here. He became a pillar of our town.

“There was nothing Homer wouldn’t do to help Brundidge or Pike County. I have seen him riding around at six o’clock in the morning to see what he could do to help somebody.”

Boyd said Homann was always willing to do whatever his community asked of him.

“He would do even before he was asked,” she said. “If he saw something that needed doing, he just did it. Homer took care of the sound system for events on the grounds of City Hall and for the music that is played up town during the holidays. You won’t find many like Homer Homann. We were blessed to have had him in Brundidge. He will be missed in many ways.”

Homann was involved in many aspects of the Brundidge and Pike County communities. He was a member of the Brundidge Rotary Club, the Brundidge Business Association, the Troy Shrine Club and the Brundidge Masonic Lodge. He had been a volunteer with Pike County Habitat of Humanity and was a member of the Silver Haired Legislature.

Homann was a member of Brundidge United Methodist Church and could be always be depended on to represent his church at conference and district meetings and events, said the Rev. Ed Shirley, church pastor.

“And we could always depend on Homer to take care of church property, anything from changing a light bulb to tackling major issues,” Shirley said. “Let somebody tell Homer that something couldn’t be done and he would do it. Homer worked behind the scenes doing things few people ever knew about.”

Shirley said Homann was always looking for ways to help others and for ways he could give back to his church and his community.

“We are going to miss Homer at BUMC and all around the community,” Shirley said.

Shriner Freddie Turner said Homann was a devoted friend to the community.

“Homer was president of the Troy Shrine Club for many years and helped revitalize the Shriners’ Pike County Fair,” Turner said. “He was secretary of the Brundidge Masonic Lodge and helped renovate the old bus station into a fine meeting place for the lodge. Homer was actively involved in the Rotary Club with ringing the bell for the Salvation Army and the roadside trash pickup.”

Turner said the extent of the generosity of Homann and his wife is unknown to most.

“He was a blessing to this community,” Turner said. “We’re going to miss that good man.”

Dixie Shehane and Homann served together in the Brundidge Business Association and the Rotary Club. Shehane said, too, that Homann was a good man.

“Homer left a void that will never be filled,” she said. “He was always willing to do whatever needed to be done. Once he committed to something, you never had to look for him. He was where he said he would be and doing what he said he would do.”

Shehane said Homann had not been feeling well and the last words she said to him were “take care of yourself.”

“I told him we couldn’t do without him and he just laughed,” she said. “Homer was a dear friend and a good man. I really don’t know what Brundidge will do without him.”

Editor’s note: At press time, funeral arrangements had not been announced.