The Road to Retirement for Jerry Joyner

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Retirement is a goal that most people strive for at some point in their lives. The dream of retiring to a tropical island may be what they envision, or simply staying home, enjoying life and doing yard work. The years required to officially retire from a job seem to last forever. For many, the thought of retiring from a career seems like an impossible goal. But with perseverance and dedication, they can hopefully achieve their goals in the future. Sparrow & Kennedy service manager Jerry Joyner has arrived at the time in his life that he chooses to retire. The journey has taken Joyner 43 years to complete. Joyner, after graduating from Sumter High School, found a job as a mechanic at the John Deere distributor in Kingstree, which was called Tri-County Tractor Company. He worked there for a short time, then was hired by Manning Tractor Company, who was also a John Deere distributor. Manning Tractor Company was established in 1956 and would eventually be renamed Sparrow & Kennedy Tractor Company in 2006 at the same location that it is today. Joyner said that when the new owners bought the company in 2006, he and his co-workers were worried that they would be fired or laid off. But as everything developed into a routine, they were able to breathe a sigh of relief once they felt comfortable that their jobs were safe. Joyner describes the change as very positive for all who were involved. In 1976, Joyner was hired by the general manager of Manning Tractor Company, Henry Herlong. Being mechanically inclined, Joyner was able to quickly become a valuable part of the team. Although he had no professional training as a mechanic, he had spent a good portion of his life working on equipment, thereby training himself through trial and error. Over the years, Joyner attended various training programs through the company to expand his knowledge of how to repair the types of equipment that were brought in for repairs. He continued to do his best as a mechanic, and was promoted to service dept manager in 1992. Under his supervision, there were 10 employees that he was responsible for. Joyner valued the quality of work that was provided by the personnel. He attributes his longevity at the company to the dependability and professionalism that everyone put forth in their daily workload. During his career, Joyner and his wife Emma Jean became the parents of three children over the years. Those three children would eventually grow up and grace the Joyner family with six grandchildren. Joyner said that he has worked for only three general managers at Sparrow & Kennedy. Henry Herlong was the original GM that hired Joyner. His son, Gregg Herlong, would be his successor for many years, followed by the current GM for the past 17 years, Dan Darby. Joyner said that having only three over a period of 43 years was proof that the company was “a good place to work.” “Jerry Joyner has been a huge asset to Sparrow and Kennedy Tractor Company,” said Darby. “His diverse equipment knowledge and expertise across the John Dee product line has served both former employers Manning Tractor Company and Sparrow and Kennedy Tractor company well. Jerry has constantly provided the highest level of service to the customer and by doing so, has been a part of helping John Deere to keep loyal customers. I am proud to have worked with Jerry for the past 17 years and we wish him the best in this next chapter of his life.”

Over the years, Joyner has met many people who needed his help with their equipment needs. He has worked on equipment for as many as three generations of the same farming family. He said that the Lee family, the Cogdill family, the DuRants, the Witherspoons and many others would routinely stop by or call him in need of assistance. He laughed when he described a few of the farmers as becoming “really wound up” when equipment would break down and need a mechanic. But the years of service for the community has earned Jerry Joyner many lifelong friends who will miss seeing him at Sparrow & Kennedy Tractor Company.