Sawyer’s banking career spans over five decades

Retirement has finally arrived for one longtime friend of finance.

And this time, you can bank on it.

Leroy Sawyer’s career in the banking industry began 54 years ago, with 34 of those years spent behind a desk, and out in the community, working at Fulton Bank, later known as Reelfoot Bank.

The last day of this month, Sept. 30, will also be the last day on the job for Sawyer, who has begun to collect boxes for packing away his most recent years’ memories at The Citizens Bank branch in Fulton.

“I found myself out of the service, married, with no job. A friend of mine, Tommy Scearce, told me about an opening in Paducah with Time Financing Service. I went through the training program, six months and stayed there a year. Then, I was with Crestline Finance, where my brother worked, in Lexington, Tenn. and then to Savannah, Tenn. for about five years. Then, Harold Henderson, who was with Fulton Bank, called me about the bank opening an installment loan department. I was born and raised here, so I was interested. I met with Harold and M.R. Jeffress at the Park Terrace restaurant about being over that department, and that was how it all started,” Sawyer said in a recent interview.

Sawyer eventually went on to manage the Fulton Bank branch on West State Line for 15 years.

David Holland, with The Citizens Bank, in Hickman, then spoke with Sawyer about the bank’s plan to open a branch in Fulton and in 2002, when the facility was complete, Sawyer was there for the opening.

On Sept. 24, The Citizens Bank branch in Fulton will honor Sawyer for his contributions from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with current and past customers and friends invited to stop by for one last chat with the honoree.

“I really loved the loan department,” Sawyer recalled.

“It didn’t take much time to work up a loan. In the early days, there was not as much paper work and sure not as much regulations. It was more simple. Someone could come in and talk to me, and we could get the paperwork done. It was not unusual for people to call me at home about setting up a loan, and then the next day, we could have it all ready. If I loaned someone some money, and they were not making their payment, I would know where to find them. I would just go by and let them know, they needed to make their payment, and most times, they would come in and make it,” he said.

Sawyer also remembers, with fondness, multiple generations would sit across from his desk, to borrow money for the first time.

“Some of them would say, well, my dad or my grandfather told me to come talk to you about getting a loan. That made me feel good, to think people who I had helped with loans in the past, felt like they could have confidence in me, to help their children or grandchildren,” Sawyer said.

Sawyer credits business men in the Twin Cities for their help when he returned to the community where he was born and raised, including the late Guy Upton, Ed Holt, Nathan Wade, Dan Taylor and Brent Wade. He also praises those who worked with him at the banks where he has served, including Carolyn Butler, Sherry Taylor, Hill Holman, Margie Holder and Joann Williams.

“There is someone else who probably joins me in being just about the oldest bankers around. She actually still works here at The Citizens Bank with me, and thats Norma McClanahan,” Sawyer said, adding that he and Norma can both boast about being in their 80s and still at work banking.

“I will miss the people. I am a people person. I enjoyed having people come in to the bank, drink coffee...I will miss the customers, miss the people,” he said.

“But it’s time, now. It’s much harder to make loans now. I guess, it may not be quite as much fun. I enjoyed helping people buy their first house or a car...finance a business,” Sawyer said.

An avid golfer, as evidenced by his vast collection of golf balls from a number of countries and locales, Sawyer does not hit the links as much as he once did, but he said he still has a dedicated group of about 16 men who will play any time he is up for a round.

He has also stepped away from his longtime passion, as a member of the Cumberlandaires, but still sings occasionally at his church, Fulton Cumberland Presbyterian, in South Fulton, with a quartet.

“Oh, we were together for 21 years, the Cumberlandaires. Moose Ray, Dennis Bruner, Mark Bennett, Robert Dilday, Kenneth Stowell, Don Morgan, Gary Bradley...we had five recordings. We always had a good time going up and down the road, singing. We went to a music store we had seen, going through McKenzie, and bought some equipment. They let us just pay as you go, for it. We just went all over in a 15-passenger van. Those were great times. It was 10 years ago, we had our farewell singing,” Sawyer recalled.

He and his wife, Sue, are the parents of two daughters, Tracy, and Tina. They also have three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.