Jerry and Debbie Dover are well-known in Southwest City for their holiday displays.
Some are elaborate and eye-catching. For instance, the Dover's award-winning Christmas decorations are always a crowd pleaser.
"Jerry is a huge decorator," said Debbie. "Come Christmas, we have thousands and thousands of lights."
Others are more simplistic and solemn. Such is the case with their larger-than-life Easter display.
Each spring, like clockwork, the couple erects three towering crosses in their backyard. The tallest cross measures in at 9 feet and the smallest cross at 7 feet.
This year they've wrapped the symbols in LEDs to keep the message shining late into the night.
"It has become a landmark," Debbie marveled. "When people see us working in the yard, they'll stop and ask if we're decorating."
Worship and Woodwork
The Dovers have called Southwest City home for the last 15 years.
In that time, they've found a tight-knit community, a welcoming church, and a treasured friendship in Duwayne and Ivalou Womack.
"We got acquainted with the Dovers through their son going to church with us and now they attend also," Ivalou said. "We are like their family."
And the Dovers consider them family, too. It was at a family gathering seven years ago that Jerry and Duwayne began to brainstorm new ideas for holiday displays.
The two couples had recently redecorated Ivalou's classroom at First Baptist Church with three crosses adorning the wall. Debbie mentioned crafting something similar for the Easter display.
"Well, if you know Duwayne, he's the town Mr. Fix-it," said Debbie. "Three days later, I came home to find three huge crosses laying in my front yard. They were made of fencepost material, knotched out and screwed together; incredibly well made."
The crosses, which sit atop a small slope on the south side of the Dover's property, can be seen for multiple blocks under the cover of night.
"Duwayne can see them from his house near Main Street," Debbie said, chuckling. "He sends me pictures of them."
General News on 04/13/2017