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Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a series of six articles, each highlighting one of the 2024 inductees to the Franklin Community Wall of Excellence.

The Franklin Community Wall of Excellence gained six new names via its 2024 class.

Those names included Wyatt B. Durrette Jr., the late Charles “Chip” Fisher Kingery Jr., Dr. Chiquita L. Seaborne, Daniel T. Balfour, Dr. Amy K. Cheatham and James P. Councill III.

The eighth annual Franklin Community Wall of Excellence Induction Dinner and Ceremony took place Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Cypress Cove Country Club.

As noted in the event’s program, through the vision of some local Franklin City Public Schools alumni and school personnel, the Franklin Community Wall of Excellence Inc. was established in 2016 as a program to honor former Franklin and Hayden high school students, administrators, teachers and staff who have excelled or distinguished themselves through personal and/or professional success, as well as to recognize those community members who have made significant contributions to the public schools in Franklin.

“The Wall” is located at Franklin High School, adjacent to the gymnasium, a Wall of Excellence news release stated. Names and photos of each inductee are displayed for generations of Franklin High School students and community members to see as they walk by on their way to class or an event at FHS.

WYATT B. DURRETTE JR.

Durrette was inducted onto the Wall of Excellence in the category of Outstanding Career.

Brian Hedgepeth, who is vice president of the Franklin Community Wall of Excellence Board of Directors, noted that Durrette has had a stellar career as an attorney. 

“He not only established himself as a leader in high school but at every college he attended,” Hedgepeth said. “But he also unselfishly served the commonwealth of Virginia as a member of the General Assembly. And he was a candidate for governor. Again, a leader in all phases of his career.”

Clyde Parker then came to the lectern and said, “It is my pleasure to introduce and tell you some things about Wyatt B. Durrette Jr.”

Parker noted that Durrette was born in Richmond on Feb. 21, 1938.

“He spent a good part of his early life in Franklin, Virginia,” Parker said.

Durrette’s family had significant roots in the community. His father was employed from 1951-66 at Camp Manufacturing Company/Union Bag Camp Paper Corporation. After retiring from the mill, Wyatt Durrette Sr. served on the faculty at FHS. He was also active in Franklin Baptist Church.

“Wyatt (Jr.) was active in the Franklin Baptist Church as well,” Parker continued.

While attending FHS, Wyatt Jr. played football, baseball and basketball.

“I attended Franklin High School with Wyatt myself, and I played football with Wyatt,” Parker said. “Wyatt was quarterback, I was the right tackle.”

Durrette was a co-captain of the football team and captain of the baseball and basketball teams.

He graduated from FHS in 1955.

Then he attended Virginia Military Institute where he was president of his class and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics.

Next he attended the Washington and Lee University School of Law where he was again president of his class and where he graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Laws degree.

Durrette also attended Johns Hopkins University where he earned a Master of Arts degree in political science.

“From 1966 to 1968, he served in the United States Air Force as a Judge Advocate General officer, as a captain and as a lawyer,” Parker continued.

Durrette was assigned to California.

“After the military, he established a private legal practice in Fairfax, Virginia,” Parker said.

Later, Durrette became active in the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization, and he is a past member of the Vienna, Virginia, Jaycees, a group for which he served as a director and legal counsel.

Durrette became vice president and part owner of American Defense Systems Inc., which is a Northern Virginia-based Navy contractor that supplies sophisticated weapons to the military.

He also served as vice president of a property management company that owned a refurbished hotel in Richmond.

“From 1972 to 1978, he served in the Virginia House of Delegates for three terms, representing Fairfax County,” Parker continued. “While in the state legislature, he was chosen as one of the 20 young American political leaders to comprise the United States delegation to Puerto Rico to meet for a week with 20 young political leaders from the Soviet Union.”

Durrette was the Republican Party candidate for attorney general of Virginia in 1981. He narrowly finished as runner-up to Democratic Party candidate Gerald L. Baliles.

Then in 1985, Durrette was the Republican candidate for governor of Virginia. Baliles ultimately prevailed in that race as well.

“Wyatt’s credentials, associations and awards are far too numerous to detail in this introduction,” Parker said. “However, I will highlight some of his recognitions and accomplishments.”

Durrette is considered first and foremost a trial lawyer, and he is with the law firm Durrette, Arkema, Gerson & Gill PC, which, as Parker noted, deals with business litigation, intellectual property litigation and anti-trust litigation.

Parker echoed some information about Durrette that can be found with additional details on the firm’s website. The website noted that Durrette was named as one of 15 Leaders in the Law for 2007 by Virginia Lawyers Weekly and is named each year among the Top Fifty Super Lawyers in all practice areas.

The website stated that in 2018, Durrette was inducted, with the 33-member inaugural class, into the Virginia Lawyer’s Hall of Fame.

Durrette became a Fellow in the Litigation Counsel of America, The Trial Lawyer Honorary Society, the website noted. In 2010 he received the prestigious Hunter W. Martin Professionalism Award from the Richmond Bar Association.

Parker briefly highlighted Durrette’s children.

Then he closed his introduction by noting that Durrette now serves on the advisory board of The Wason Center for Civic Leadership at Christopher Newport University, and he also serves on the Board of Directors of the Virginia Military Institute Alumni Association.

Durrette began his acceptance speech by highlighting his eldest daughter, who was present for the induction dinner and ceremony. He said that after she graduated from Radford in 1985, she had a full-time job campaigning for him.

He expressed his gratitude to Parker for the introduction and “for the times that you managed to deter people in a different colored jersey intent upon doing me bodily harm.”

He later added, “You learn to love your lineman when you’re a back on a football team.”

While briefly addressing physical/athletic achievements, Durrette said that one of the things he was asked when he was inducted into the Virginia Lawyers Hall of Fame was, “Tell us something unique about you that you don’t think that anyone else can duplicate.” 

“And I had one, and what was unique about me was that I am confident that I was the last candidate for governor of Virginia who had plowed a cornfield behind a mule,” he said, drawing laughter from an impressed crowd at the ceremony.

Turning his attention to the Franklin Community Wall of Excellence’s 2024 class, Durrette said, “I would also like to note most sincerely the privilege that it is to be in this group of honorees.”

He noted that as he listened to all of the accomplishments that were represented by the people that are in the class, he was amazed at the caliber of individuals produced by the little city of Franklin in the past, present and those it will produce in the future.

“It’s important to keep perspective on things like this,” he said, noting that he always remembers a story told by former U.S. Sen. John Warner, who was married to actress Elizabeth Taylor from 1976-82. “(John) said he was in the bathroom one morning and he was shaving, and he was reflecting on life and his career and so forth. And Elizabeth came in, and he said to Elizabeth, ‘You know, Elizabeth, there are a lot of great people in this world.’ And he said Elizabeth looked at him and said, ‘Yeah, John, but there’s one less than you think there are.’

Amid laughter from those at the ceremony, Durrette drove home his point by saying, “So… perspective.”

In conclusion, he said, “I’ll share one other little thing which makes a point that has meant a lot to me in my life, and I hope maybe I can leave this thought with you.”

He told a story stemming from his time at VMI.

“Freshmen at VMI are called rats, and there’s a very good reason for that — because you’re treated like one,” he said. “If you finish your rat year, it’s a piece of cake, but it’s pretty tough for about eight months. But people in your class are your brother rats. 

“So one of my brother rats was a guy named Jonathan Daniels,” he continued. “After graduation from VMI, Jonathan went back to the northeast and went to seminary, and in 1965, Jonathan went to Alabama as part of the Civil Rights Movement and was accompanying a young Black teenager named Ruby Sales into a grocery store.”

Durrette said it was then that an individual pulled out a shotgun and aimed it at Ruby to take a shot.

“Jonathan stepped in front of it,” Durrette said. 

The VMI archives note that the shotgun blast killed Daniels instantly.

The archives also state, “In the years since his death, Daniels’ selfless act has been recognized in many ways. Two books have been written about his life, and a documentary was produced in 1999. The Episcopal Church added the date of his death to its Calendar of Lesser Feasts and Fasts, and in England’s Canterbury Cathedral, Daniels’ name is among the 15 honored in the Chapel of Martyrs.”

Durrette said, “Martin Luther King gave a beautiful speech about Jonathan.”

Then Durrette recalled a speech given by Daniels at VMI — his valedictory address.

“His final sentence in that address was, ‘I wish for each of you the joy of a purposeful life,’” Durrette said. “And the lives of the people that are part of this class tonight are lives that have had a purpose. And so with that thought about living a purposeful life, there’s a joy. Whether you’re recognized for it or not, I wish for each of you the joy of a purposeful life.”