A.M. "Mac Secrest, 1923-2010, A Life Well Lived

Mac Secrest's Self-written Obituary

Excerpts from Mac's email to Lucia Holliday Buie on March 14, 2010, approximately one month before he died. As he anticipated surgery to remove a cancerous tumor on his throat, he mocked his worrywart nature:

I have had a good time writing parodies of obits, most of which start, "So and so dies this week after a long, courageous fight with cancer." So I wrote one that read: 

"A. M Secrest, nearing 87, died this week after a long, cowardly, complaining battle with cancer. Secrest, from the moment he got the diagnosis, whined, complained, bitched and made life as miserable as possible for everyone. Never known as one who tried to make the best of a bad situation, but who loved to make the worst out of good ones, was so self-absorbed and obessive in his talk about his hard luck that people began to walk in the opposite direction as soon as they saw him come their way.

"Although his relatives might deny it, they too will be delighted when he has kicked the bucket, praying only that he has left some loot for them. 

"As my father used to say when he had indigestion and found relief in resounding farts, no matter when or where he was or who heard it, always shouted out, "Thank the Lord for that," so I imagine my famiy and friends when they finally get the "good news," will echo that exact expression."

Related:

• Anticipating Life-Threatening Surgery, He Went on a Shopping Spree for Unhealthy Foods
• In Selma, Alabama, 1965, Mac Secrest Helped Reduce Civil Rights Conflict...Often With Humor

Not Only Blogging, But Networking Socially

 I want to become the oldest person on Face Book, interact with all generations, and always act my age. I am interested in being 86, goiing on 90. Opinionative? Argumentative? Always but agreeably so. -- Facebook profile.

Thanks to all who have accepted me as a friend and who will help enrich my life as a recluse finding solace in virtual reality.

Despite some physical ailments, my interests and spirits remain high, I don't feel any older and nothing's the matter so far with memory or recall, in any time frame, so that's a lot to be thankful for.

Mac Secrest at Historic Moments (Photo Essay)

Like Forrest Gump, I just materialize from anywhere, don't I?

Facebook Profile

Basic Information 

Sex:

Male

Current City:

Chapel Hill, NC

Birthday:

September 15, 1923

Hometown:

Carolina Meadows, Chapel Hill N.C., Monroe, NC

Children:

David Secrest
Molly Secrest Katz 
Phil Secrest

Relationship Status:

Married

Interested In:

Friendship

Political Views:

Independent/Democrat

Religious Views:

World not accidental; agnostic

Likes and Interests

 

Activities:

Telling anecdotes.walking the dog, petting the cat, running errands,telling other people what to do and how to do it, reluctant housework and kitchen slavery, complaining a lot, feeling guilty when I do,counting my blessing and not feeling very appreciative.

Interests:

Music, reading, history, popular culture of my era..golden oldies are the 1930's, and '40's...animals, discussions, esp. when you agree with me.

Favorite Music:

Popular romantic music, big band era, standards and classics; classical music, operatic arias, tunes from stage and screen musicals of the Golden Era: 1940's, '50's and '60's; folk songs; protest songs. real music died about 40 years ago.

Favorite TV Shows:

cable talk shows, from left to right, pbs sometimes, animal planet, the weather, cable channels such as Nat'l Geographic, Nature, History,TCMovies; no contemporary situation comedies or continuing dramas. Time has a way of paying one back. Used to ridicule mother for watching Laurence Welk and now I do some myself.

Favorite Movies:

Don't see many, just repeats of older films. Did enjoy Notes on A Scandal, Marley and Me, the Virginia wolfe one of some years back.

Favorite Books:

recent biography of Einstein, one on Hitler, The Nine(Supreme Court study); several historical biographies and related histories of WW 2 leaders, especially Winston Churchill, FDR, Truman, Ike and the like.

Favorite Quotations:

Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof;
Sweet are the uses of adversity...
For everything there is a season...a time to cry and a time to laugh; a time to sow and a time to reap; a time to live and a time to die (paraphrased)

This above all, to thine own self be true, for then thou cannot be false to any man(paraphrased again)

Never mistreat your enemies by half.

Do unto others as they would have you do unto them 
(slight revision of the Golden Rule)

About Me:

Journalist, writer, professor; civil rights worker in the 1950 and 60's; worked for Justice Dep't. in Selma , Alabama, in 1965, with Martin Luther King, Jr. and George Wallace amd Al lingo, among many, many others.Mostly just a family man whose greatest joys have been my wife, three childrren five grandchildlren, and eight nieces and nephews and now great nieces and nephews and now some great, great ones. Also my own immediate familly, my deceased parents, my two older sisters, and many wonderful aunts , uncles and cousins. Loved them all, tho we are, generally speaking, a rather curious lot.

Contact Information

 

Email:

amsecrest@nc.rr.com

http://don't
http://have
http://one

Education and Work

 

Colleges:

• Duke University '44
• ph.d in 1972, history, political science, economics

• Harvard University, Nieman Fellow '60
• History, journalists

High School:

• Walter Bickett High School,Monroe,n.c. '40

 

 

Employer:

university of north carolina at chapel hill

Position:

associate professor of journalism

Description:

also professor of english t NCCU, Durham, N.C.

Photos from Induction into NC Journalism Hall of Fame.

90 is the New 60.

5 Generations at Riverton, NC.