Interview by Abernathy Cochran interns and Gainesville High School seniors Anna Kate Embry and John Jessup
Meet Sterling Embry! Sterling was a longtime Gainesville resident before retiring to Sautee Nacoochee. He was formerly the director of the Gainesville Housing Authority and graduated from Gainesville High School and the University of Georgia. Sterling is married to Karen and has three children and six grandchildren.
We want to thank Sterling for spending time with us recently and telling us more about his life and love of Hall County.
Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
A: “I like the Inn-Between and the Collegiate Grill, that’s about my style.”
Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
A: “I’ve actually lived in Gainesville for 46 years.”
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
A: “I guess Italy just because of all the art, the old buildings and the Roman history that’s there.”
Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
A: “My favorite movie, I guess would be ‘The Godfather’ and my favorite TV show, maybe like ‘The Andy Griffith Show’ or ‘Friends.’”
Q: What advice would you want to give or leave with people?
A: “Number one, be kind. Put yourself in other people’s shoes before you judge. And respect other people’s opinions.”
Q: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about our community?
A: “Probably the Dairy Queen, not where it’s located now, but it used to be across the street…that used to be the Dairy Queen and Brazier, and that used to be where we hung out when I was in high school.”
Q: If you could choose anyone that’s alive today and not a relative, with whom would you love to have lunch. And why and where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
A: “Warren Buffet, just so I could pick his brain. He’s a pretty low key guy, so I guess he could go for The Collegiate.”
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
A: “I think just the people and their commitment to the city. In all the years that I’ve lived here, we’ve always had quality people who have taken leadership roles and it continues to be so, and they’re probably solely responsible for what Gainesville is today.”
Q: What’s something you hope our community has or does in the future?
A: “The growth, I think is something that we have now and I think it’s been for the best. It’s given a lot of opportunities. People don’t leave here, they stay and more people come and I think it just makes a quality community and I hope it just continues.”
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
A: “I’m 75 now. In five to 10 years I’ll be 80-85, so if I can still be here, I’ll consider myself lucky.”
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A: “I just completed my first bucket list. My wife and I had a goal to visit every state in the United States. Our last one was Hawaii and we’ve just finished that. We have been to every state, spent the night in every state, done something in every state so that bucket list is done.”
Q: What is your go to band when you can’t decide what to listen to?
A: “I’m a Bluegrass fan and I really like the older Bluegrass as opposed to the modern Bluegrass. My go-to band would maybe be The Dillards.”
Q: What is the most beautiful place you have ever been?
A: “Of all the 50 States we went to, I would say the prettiest were Idaho and Washington.”
Q: Favorite month? favorite holiday?
A: “My favorite month would be one of the months during the summertime because I like the hot weather, so I’m just gonna say July or August. My favorite holiday would be Christmas.”
Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
A: “My family including my grandchildren.”
Q: Who would you want to play you in a movie about your life?
A: “My life is a joke so Will Ferrell.”
Q: What is one or two of your favorite smells?
A: “My favorite flower with a scent would be Gardenia. My favorite food smell would be Pecan Pie.”
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
A: “My mother.”
