One Last Play Community Comes Together to Remember Charles Jeffers By Frank Bumb, Hickory Daily Record HICKORY, N.C. — Charles “Jeff” Jeffers’ hands were directly involved in more than 200 productions at the Hickory Community Theater since 1957. Even his death on June 6 couldn’t stop him from directing one last production: his memorial service. Dallas Greer, a protégé and friend of Jeffers, said Jeffers would often direct even outside of his many plays and productions. “It’s a rare director who can direct his own funeral,” Greer said. “I’m sure (Jeffers’ late wife) Suzie is sitting right next to him, telling him he needs to stop directing.” Before his death, Jeffers’ sent notes to his family and to Rev. Karla Woggon, detailing exactly how he wanted his memorial service conducted. A last hurrah for a man so embedded into Hickory’s Community Theater, the Hickory City Auditorium was renamed Jeffers Theater. While Jeffers is best known for his work with the Hickory Community Theater, he was involved in other endeavors in the area. Paul Fogleman said Jeffers’ time on the Hickory City Board of Education came right when the schools were forced to desegregate by Brown v. Board of Education. “I remember him talking to me about that and he, and the board, had to make some tough decisions during a difficult time,” Hickory City Councilman Brad Lail said. Ted Kramer Jr., Jeffers’ brother-in-law, remembers a man whom took control over every situation no matter its importance. “I was in the Navy for 30 years so while I was away, he was looking after my parents with Suzie,” Kramer said. “He wasn’t a brother-in-law, he was a brother.” Jeffers’ acting and directing chops were aided by a mischievous and almost child-like propensity for jokes and pranks, Greer said. “He’d had surgery on his hand and I’d come to get him,” Greer said during the eulogy. “And the nurse was filling out the release forms and one section was who would drive him home. So she looks at us and goes, ‘Who’s going to be the responsible adult?’ We both started laughing.” But Greer’s relationship with Jeffers was based on his ability to mentor and guide him as he had scores of others. “He had such an eye for stage work and stage design,” Neill Clark said. “A lot of people learned a great deal from him on stage design just by being around him.” Some men guide. Some men teach. Some men lead. Every once in awhile, a community is gifted a man who can direct. “He was the kind of guy who never met a stranger,” Lail said.