It was fitting that Harold Samuels’ last drive through Brookhaven Monday afternoon was a winding path through the community he loved so much. That last ride took him through his old neighborhood, past his beloved home, then wound through downtown Brookhaven before ending at the Rose Hill Jewish cemetery.

It was touching that at the end of the graveside services, as part of Jewish tradition, members of the family take a shovel and gently drops dirt onto the casket. Then friends are asked to do the same. As explained by the Rabbi, to those of us who were not familiar with the tradition, the purpose was to signify how a community helps a family during a time of need.

That was how Mayor Harold Samuels lived his life – helping others, insuring everyone around him was comfortable and putting the needs of others ahead of his own. A true southern gentleman, he devoted his life to making this community better, stronger and economically viable.

Monday afternoon, a community joined in that Jewish tradition as one-by-one shovels of dirt were dropped into his grave – giving comfort to his family just as Harold had given comfort to so many other families for so many years.

Harold Samuels was a modest man who did not like attention directed towards him but was quick to come to the defense of others who deserved accolades for their good deeds. He was a businessman – owning several retail stores in Brookhaven; he was a commercial real estate developer; an investor and he was a community leader.

He did not like the label of politician, but he was a city alderman during some very tough times during the late 1960’s. He was Brookhaven’s Mayor in the early 1980’s, and while he would never take credit, he was instrumental in the negotiations that landed the Wal-Mart Distribution Center on Manufacturer’s Boulevard.

The Mayor loved to walk the streets of downtown Brookhaven. He would go from store to store and from one bank to the other, always stopping along the way to greet whomever might be walking nearby. He held court in the old State Bank coffee room, where stories and laughter rolled out each morning at 10:30.

Ever present in his shirt and coat pockets – a trademark you might say, were envelopes and slips of paper. He had a filing system within those pockets and could produce just about anything – a fact about this or details of that.

Ever mindful of the city coffers and well understanding the importance of being frugal, he refused to buy postage stamps when he could deliver a letter personally. ‘Why mail something if I am going to see someone anyway,” he would say.

He loved the public and especially children. He served for 30 years as the Grand Marshall of the annual Brookhaven Christmas parade. Generations of Brookhaven children and their parents can fondly remember his loud whistle blowing and waving arms as he directed the lineup of floats, marching bands and horseback riders along Cherokee Street.

Growing up with his sons Hal and Joey, as well as daughter Ann, I knew him first as Mr. Samuels. Moving back to Brookhaven in 1980 as Managing Editor of the Daily Leader, he quickly told me to call him Harold. But I most enjoyed calling him Mr. Mayor!

He took a young editor under his wings to show him the ins and outs of city government. When one day I called him out in a newspaper story about a questionable executive session during a city board meeting the night before, he showed up at my office with a puzzled look. He listened to my reasoning and explanation. A smiled appeared. He offered his hand as well as his encouragement.

As I lifted the shovel Monday afternoon, memories of Mr. Samuels, Harold and Mr. Mayor were swarming in my head. Tears welled up in my eyes as I heard the clumps of dirt land on his casket.

Shalom, my old friend.

Bill Jacobs is the former editor and publisher of the Daily Leader.