Page 80 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2017- Online Magazine

Charles Hankson
BBQ and a Slice of

Sunshine

speech in Lorenzo. His the school commander. In
message was as simple as 1967, he was discharged, but
ABC: Avoid Bad Company. joined the Army Reserves in
He has a passion to help 1975. He went on to become the
young people avoid pitfalls senior instructor for the combat
and stay on the right path for engineer until 2000.
their lives. People everywhere
he goes benefit from his Back in 1967, Hank had met a
personal story, especially the young lady named Rose Brown
ones at Mt. Pleasant Church at Dunbar. He was smart enough
(Lorenzo) where he has to marry her, and they raised
pastored for 32 years. The two daughters together. Rose
church has a summer BBQ recently retired from the Parkway
Outreach. They are also home Neighborhood Center where she
to a talented men’s vocal had worked for 25 years. She
group called UGP - Under loves to sew, and has become
God’s Protection. famous for her banana bread.

Charles Lee Hankson was Hank drove a street sweeper for
born in 1945 in Taylor, Texas, the City of Lubbock from 1966-
porting one of the brightest the second of eight children. 1972, then became the pump
smiles on the South Plains, His mother worked at Ft. Hood, designer for Gould’s Pumps for
SHank beams as he leans Texas in the mess hall, while his 35 years. He also earned a degree
out of his food truck serving father served in the Army. The in Business Administration and
his delicious, award-winning youngster quickly acquired skills took architect and design classes
BBQ and striking up lively to help whip up meals for his at Wayland Baptist.
conversations. Charles Hankson younger siblings. He graduated Thirty years after his nightclub
is loving what he does and the from Roosevelt High School job, he returned to tell his former
people that he in 1963. At 18
outlook in life is “ the army, and
he enlisted in
serves.
His positive
was sent to Fort
now he has settled
a big leap from into a more peaceful Polk, Louisiana
for basic and
where he used to lifestyle, and uses AIT (Advanced
be. At one time, he his experiences to Infantry
was familiar with help people (or at Training). Two
the “underbelly” least make them brothers and a
of the South Plains, sister followed
working as a club laugh). him into the
bouncer and living service.
on the edge; now “
he has settled into a The Army
more peaceful lifestyle, and uses sent him to Korea where he
his experiences to help people (or spent 13 months in the DMZ.
at least make them laugh). He received the EIB badge
(Expert Infantryman). He was
He was recently asked to give later deployed to Heidelberg,
the high school commencement Germany to be the driver for

80 Lubbock Senior Link