John provides closing remarks as he retires from his position in public health. He thanks the many colleagues, friends, family, and church community who have supported him throughout his career. While retiring from his direct role, he says he is "re-directing" to follow God's call to new adventures and tasks. He bids the audience an affectionate farewell, wishing God's blessings on public health and the people of Alabama.

1. John’s Closing Remarks
Dr. Williamson, distinguished guests, my friends in the faith and my co-laborers in
public health.
On December 15, 1982, Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant famously said, “there comes a
time in every man’s life when he must hang it up and that time has come for me.”
On May 18, 2011, that time has, too, come for this wandering poet.
We don’t know exactly what Coach Bryant had in mind referring to “it,” but I
submit that it was his great hound’s-tooth hat that you see remembered here
today. Coach Bryant was hanging it up because he had “run his race” and
“finished his course.”
But I, rather than hanging up the hat, merely am changing hats. I take off the hat
of direct and full-time service to public health and to the people of the State of
Alabama and put on the hat of service to the “Great Hatmaker,” Himself, the
author of my poems and the “finisher of my faith” to Whom is due all the glory
and praise forever and ever, Amen.
I would be remiss if I did not spend a few of our precious moments together
thanking Him and you.
First, thank you to my staff, co-laborers and friends in Public Health Legal who
worked so hard and spent their own time and money to present this banquet to
me and to you today: Pat Ivie, Greg Locklier, Samarria Dunson, Brian Hale, Carol
Gerard, Katie O’Mailia, Jason Watson, Christine Turner, and the coordinator and
chief chef of this event, Pam Kendrick. Let’s all thank them. (APPLAUSE.)
Next, I’d like to thank Dr. Williamson for being the best boss a man could have. He
and I have had this conversation before and I told him this, but he demurred. I
disagree with his demurrer because he has supported me and most of all he has
trusted me to let me advise him on legal matters and has given me the honor of
relying on my advice. Thus, I thank you, Dr. Williamson. (APPLAUSE.)
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2. To my former assistants, Pat Conner and Gloria Kleinsasser, commonly known by
“old-timers” as “Thelma and Louise,” and to Judy Letford, I also say, “thank you
for the support and ‘cover’ you have given me over the years.” The Bible tells us
that “love covers a multitude of sins,” thus they have loved me many times over.
I’d also be remiss if did not say, “thank you” to my church family at Gateway
Baptist Church, represented here today. You have been truly a family to me. You
took in an orphan child and allowed him to grow into manhood before your eyes
under your guidance, tutelage and love.
Thank you especially to my wife, Susan who has put up with my sometimes
arrogance, antics and poor judgment for nearly 40 years, many times having to
bite her tongue while she sometimes lived her life in my shadow, thus sacrificing
her own. Susan, thank you and I love you.
To my daughter, Amy Higginbotham with us here today who has been my
greatest supporter, friend and counselor, thank you, and I love you as well.
Thank you to Amy’s daughter and my granddaughter, Leslie Reese Higginbotham,
for being the greatest sunshine imaginable, enough sunshine to light up my life
and that of those around her. Leslie, thank you and “Poppi” loves you.
Lastly, let me say, “thank you” to the men and women of public health who gave
“in the trenches” daily through lay-offs, budget cuts, and a legislature that
seemingly has turned against them. Thank you for your service – service through
ice storms, anthrax scares, the threat of the “virus de jure,” hurricanes and most
recently, through tornadoes in my beloved Tuscaloosa, my birthplace,
Birmingham and other Alabama cities, commemorated by this lapel ribbon that I
wear today.
Thank you to my friends and co-workers who have come long distances to be with
me today. Your presence here is the highest honor I could be paid.
Thank you to my friends here in the “Ivory Tower” who have allowed me to be
myself, to offer counsel and to forgive bad counsel and sometimes worse ideas.
Yet, through it all, you have loved me well and never more so than during the
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3. time, 3 years ago when I fell out of my tree and hit my head. You were there for
me with visits, cards, letters, posters and gifts. You are a great people who
sometimes go unappreciated and un-thanked, but today, I say to you that I
appreciate you, your understanding, your dedication and your loyal work. 1
Corinthians 13 tells us that 3 things will “abide forever – faith, hope and love; And
the greatest of these is love. You have loved public health and the people of the
State of Alabama.
(SING) “How can I say, “thanks” for the things You have done for me,
Things, so undeserved, yet you gave to prove Your love for me.
The voices of a million angels could not express my gratitude.
All that I am or ever hope to be – I owe it all to You.
To God be the glory, to God be the glory, to God be the glory,
For the things He has done.
With His blood, He has saved me;
With His pow’r, He forgave me;
To God be the glory for the things he has done.
Retirement – There was time, even until recently, when the very thought of it
filled my heart with terror and foreboding as I thought of it as the end, the
dropping of the final curtain, the turning out of a light. But a couple of months
ago, the Great Hatmaker began to change my heart and to woo and to call me –
not to leave here, but to come to Him to fulfill some tasks He will privilege me to
fulfill; Some adventures to have, some structures to build and some more and
different people to love.
Thus, I do not “retire,” rather, I “re-direct” to follow that call until He tells me that
I, like Coach Bryant, have “run my race [and] finished my course;” And, through
His grace, having “kept the faith.”
“What will I do?” you may ask. Well, you can find some of that on my blog
www.johnwible.blogspot.com. But really, that’s not the question. The question is,
“What will I be?” “What will I become?”
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4. In January of 1968, I set out to become Harper Lee’s “Atticus Finch” because I so
admired his character, courage and ability to serve against all odds. He was but a
small-town lawyer, called to do a big-time task. Have I become Atticus Finch? That
is not for me to say. The legal term, “stare decisis,” look at the record, is apropos.
You make your own decision.
Ultimately, even your assessment matters not. The only judgment that matters is
that of the “Great Hatmaker,” the Great Judge of the Universe, before whose
bench and bema I – and you – will one day stand and give an account. Only then
will we know the answer to that and all the other questions, both great and small.
As I am wont to do, I have rambled too far, wide and long; waxed too poet; and in
short, have talked too much. Thank you for your patience and forbearance.
As I bring this, my last monologue to a merciful climax and close, I beg your
indulgence one more time to allow me to share 2 more thoughts with you,
neither of which are original with me.
In General Order No. 9, dated April 10, 1865, General Robert E. Lee said these
words to his valiant soldiers and comrades in arms:
You will take with you the satisfaction that proceeds from the
consciousness of duty faithfully performed, and I earnestly pray that a
merciful God will extend to you his blessing and protection.
With an unceasing admiration of your constancy and devotion to your
Country, and a grateful remembrance of your kind and generous
consideration for myself, I bid you an affectionate farewell.
And now, I bid you that “affectionate farewell” with one last song (GUITAR, HAT
SING.)
Happy trails to you, until we meet again
Happy trails to you, keep smiling until then
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5. who cares about the clouds when we're together?
Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather
Happy trails to you till we meet a-gain
May God bless each of you, this Department, the work of public health and the
people of the Great State of Alabama.
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