Farewell, Mr. Landrum

I heard the sad news that Hugh Landrum had died.

One of my editors came to me and asked if I'd write the obituary.

I have to tell you, Mr. Landrum was the perfect Southern gentleman. He was always very kind to me, and very nice to me. He was the interim director after Anne Timpano left. She left a museum staff in chaos. Not a lot of people remember those days, but I certainly do.

I never saw her at an exhibit opening. I could hardly get her on the phone. It was a difficult time for me, trying to get stories done.

Then Mr. Landrum took over, and my difficulties disappeared. He was always available. And like I said, very nice.

So when I heard the news, the first person I called was Tom Butler. Mr. Landrum was interim director of the Columbus Museum for about a year before Tom was hired.

I knew that Tom liked and respected Mr. Landrum. Tom was, understandably, distraught.

He told me the sweetest story. 

Tom said he and Mr. Landrum loved to "collect museums." If a museum was within driving distance, they'd go.

Then they'd discuss what they liked about that museum and what they didn't like about that museum on their way home. And they'd discuss if anything they saw could be done at the Columbus Museum.

The last museum they "collected" was the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University. It was Mr. Landrum's 90th birthday. The museum's director, Marilyn Laufer, is Tom's wife, and she gave Mr. Landrum a private tour. Betsy Covington, the executive director of the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley, and her family went, too. Betsy was the museum's development director when Mr. Landrum was the interim director. She, like Tom, was very fond of Mr. Landrum.

They all went to dinner and Mr. Landrum had a great birthday.

Tom said Mr. Landrum's health began declining when his beloved wife, Edith, died in 2006. Like many couples who are happily married for a long time, when one dies, the other often follows. Tom thinks this is what happened.

The one image that Tom will always carry with him is another sweet image. Mr. Landrum loved to sit on his deck overlooking Lake Oliver, sipping single malt scotch and watch the sun set over Alabama.

I think I'll remember Mr. Landrum that way, too.