Gary Garnett started a business after retirement – Big Gun Kettle Corn. He also was elected to a Laddonia Board of Alderman seat after retirement, a post he’s held for six years. Garnett put his name in the hat for the mayor’s seat, as well. Plus he has rental properties in town.

All this after he stepped down from his position as a Moberly firefighter and moved back to Laddonia where he was born and raised to take care of his parents.

That was eight years ago and, he says, “I’m still here.” And he’s still active.

1. It seems like you are doing retirement all wrong.

Definitely. But I have to get out of the house. I’ve seen too many friends who don’t do anything. That’s not me. I like to do things. I don’t see myself sitting at home.

2. Such as run for mayor?

I just signed up a couple of days ago. I thought long and hard about it. You have to answer to a lot of people and not all of them are going to be happy. But we’ve got a lot going on in Laddonia.

3. So no big campaign plans?

No, no. I’ll probably do a little Facebook, but I think everyone in town knows me. And Glenn Jenson [who also filed to run for mayor]. He’s a good guy. We’d do just as well if he wins. We see eye to eye on a lot of things. In this small town you have to get along.

4. Why get involved in local politics?

I’ve seen small towns decline. I saw things that could change. And with people working from home, more people are moving to rural areas, escaping the city. Plus I was born and raised here, so a little nostalgia.

5. What got the popcorn business started?

That’s a funny story. I was in Tulsa and we had a granddaughter with us. She saw kettle corn and started screaming. I guess she had gotten it before and went crazy when she saw the kettle corn guy. And it was good. I needed a hobby. It was supposed to have been a hobby, but it turned into a business. It’s fun.

6. Do you have a favorite flavor?

My caramel – hands down. It’s the one a can keep eating.

7. Do you experiment with flavors?

Oh, yeah. We have dill pickle, blueberry, strawberry, cheeses. If you get an idea, let me know and I’ll try to make it work. This woman came up and said ‘you gotta do dill pickle.’ It was a hit. I was surprised.

8. And now you’ve added pork rinds. You’re still doing retirement wrong.

Yeah, but I only do pork rinds once in a while. But starting in the summer we go three months nonstop.

9. You mentioned there’s a lot going on in Laddonia. This is a big year for the town.

Yes, it is. The sesquicentennial. Missy Deimeke is putting that together, doing a fantastic job. I think she’s trying to get some old time baseball teams in. I can’t keep up with her.

10. Would you still call Laddonia a small town on the Fourth of July?

The town is packed. You can’t get another person in here. It’s the best fireworks in the state. It’s all the stuff that goes on at county fairs and more.