By Sam Jokich
Marble – As I was driving back to Murphy from Andrews on April Fool’s Day, my eye caught something different. There was a Ferris wheel, gleaming in the falling sun.
I was struck by how odd it looked, as it appeared to be in someone’s yard. Curiosity got the best of me, so I drove off the four-lane highway and came up on a local home.
Sticking out from behind the house was a big wheel with seats. I pulled in and could make out someone working on a fence. I got out and yelled hello, and slowly he stood up and waved me over.
When I introduced myself, he said, “Hi Sam, we met at Richard Parker’s memorial service.” In a flash, I remembered meeting Merlin Ramsey and his 1946 Swift airplane on March 14 at Western Carolina Regional Airport.
I told him that I saw the Ferris wheel from U.S. 19/74 and had to see it. Merlin is a collector of sorts, and he showed me around. What a treat it was.
The Ferris wheel is operational, with lights and everything. Merlin said he had not run it for a year, but with “a little TLC” it would fire up. Then he opened a garage door, and there was a beautiful 1932 hot rod in bright yellow with a 327-cubic-inch motor built by NASCAR legend Bill Elliot’s mechanic.
Next, I noticed a wrecked airplane and asked him about it. He told me it was an old Bulldog trainer he used to fly, but it crashed in a stand of pines several years back. Merlin has lived a charmed life; he’s someone in our community we all should get to know.
Many already do.
“I’ve been an admirer of my cousin’s talents since Tri-County Raceway opened 50 years ago,” Murphy Mayor Rick Ramsey said. “Merlin drove a powder-blue 1955 Chevy, No. 36, with lettering on the side – ‘Ramsey’s Body Shop’ – and ‘Go to Church’ on the top.”
The mayor asked his cousin if he had some photos of his race cars that he could share, which today are proudly on display in City Hall.
“He drove hard, won a lot of races and he was my hero – and still is,” Rick said. “Since returning to my hometown of Murphy after 40 years, I want to get to know my cousin better than ever.
“Whether it’s flying planes, racing cars, building anything and operating his crane with perfection – he recently removed the historic Harshaw Church steeple – Merlin continues to be a special person to me.”
Everyday People of Cherokee County is an occasional feature in the Cherokee Scout. If you would like to nominate someone for a story, please email editor@cherokeescout.com or call 837-5122.