Vearl Counts still remembers the life lessons offered in FFA
SALEM, MO. – Throughout his life Vearl Counts has cherished his FFA jacket and the memories he made as a young man in the Salem, Mo., FFA chapter. Vearl has lived his life by the original FFA Creed – I believe in the beauty of God’s open country; that life out of doors and in touch with the earth is the natural life of man.
Vearl grew up as a traditional ag kid in Salem, milking cows and doing chores alongside his father Pless Counts. Their farm was situated along the Meramec River. A typical day on the farm consisted of young Vearl waking up at 4:30 a.m., and sitting down to breakfast prepared by his mother Edna.
“I was what’s known as a river rat,” Vearl said. “In the winter I’d take my gig pole and walk down to the river and run my traps. I’d gig about four or five suckers, along with whatever I’d caught that night, then I’d walk back to the house and mount the hides from the nights’ trappings on my possum boards. After that, it was time to go out to the pasture and feed the cattle. Then I went to school. That sounds like an impossible schedule but I did it.”
Vearl was highly involved in FFA, holding the offices of secretary and treasurer. He also competed in a variety of supervised agricultural experience (SAE) events including public speaking, farming, livestock grooming and showmanship.
Vearl’s advisor, B. Oscar Brown, was more than a teacher, he was a friend. Mr. Brown taught shop and he was instrumental in organizing trips to Salt Lake City, Utah, and a trip to the Florida Keys. The Salem Chapter also held annual boxing matches with the funds used to finance projects.
“He took me by the hand and showed me things that made it much easier to understand,” Vearl said.
One of Vearl’s SAE projects – a bull calf named Silver Domino Larry – won reserve grand champion and was noted for its extraordinary growth.
Vearl was awarded the State Farmer degree, signifying outstanding achievement, active FFA participation and an exemplary scholastic record. After Vearl graduated, his parents Pless and Edna were made honorary chapter farmers.
In 1946, Vearl was just 9-years-old when his father was involved in a terrible accident while working for the Missouri Pacific Railroad. Pless had finished his routine run from St. Louis to Jefferson City and gone home when they called him to return for another trip to Jeff City. Initially, Pless refused until they told him that the brakeman on the train was drunk.
“What they didn’t know at the time was the engineer was drunk too,” Vearl recalled. “Dad went back to work, jumping on the train. The rain was falling as they pulled out of St. Louis when the engineer ran into the back of a work train. Dad was trying to swing himself up onto a refrigerator car when a coal car ran into to him, crushing both his legs in two. Dad laid on the side of the tracks until another train found him. Railroad workers put Pless in the caboose and transferred him to the Missouri Pacific hospital.”
After the accident, Pless underwent a year of rehabilitation and another year of acclimating to his physical state.
Vearl didn’t even think about it; he took over for his father the best way he could. Pless had instilled a wonderful work ethic in his son. Vearl still has the lantern and the rain suit his father wore during the accident.
Vearl went on to get married and have three children – Melanie, Brad and Melissa.
Vearl’s lifetime mottos – “I can” and “I want to make a difference” – served him well throughout his 86-years. He attended Graceland College in Lamoni, Iowa, and taught school for one year and later attended Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, Mo. Instead of returning to teaching, in 1957, Vearl enlisted in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. He went to basic training at Fort Leonard Wood where he was a cook.
“I was a head cook,” Vearl recalled. “I cooked for 250 trainees and cadre officers.”
Vearl’s company was called to Vietnam twice, but never deployed.
“I still feel bad, in some ways,” Vearl recalled. “I sent a lot of healthy boys to Vietnam with the food I cooked. Someone had to feed them, someone had to be a truck driver or mechanic. I just happened to be a cook and it still hurts me today knowing that many of those same boys that I cooked for died in Vietnam.”
Vearl didn’t even his veterans status after serving on active duty for eight years; three years in the United States Army and an additional four years in the Army National Guard. He didn’t feel “worthy” after not fighting in Vietnam. Six-years ago however, some of his friends told him “Vearl, you are a veteran.”
After his military career ended, opportunity knocked on Vearl’s door once again in 1960 when he was offered the position of caseworker 1 at the Dent County, Mo., Division of Family Services. By the time he retired in 1994, Vearl was County Director 11 of the Stone County Division of Family Services. The Missouri House of Representatives honored him with a plaque for 30 years of impeccable service including — providing for children in need, facilitating holiday food baskets, charter membership of the Springfield area OACAC, board member of the Red Cross, volunteer ambulance driver and attendant and welfare officer at the Salvation Army and he was Santa every year. Also, after retiring from family services he taught for an additional 10-years at Galena R- 11 School District, Galena, Mo.
Vearl feels his parents have had the greatest impact on his life.
“They were doers. They were ‘I can’ people. If it’s broken, fix it.”
Slim Davis, Vearl’s pastor, has also had a very positive affect on him.
“I asked Slim one time – if I do the things I’ve been talking to you about, whose going to know? He looked at me square in the eye and said ‘you will.’”
A musician all his life, Vearl is a well- known performer on the Southwest Missouri music scene. He attends music jams several times a week with his significant other Treva Brown.
