Josiah Wildebour has been a drill operator and foreman for 15 years, working in 33 states. He’s seen a lot. He’s the kind of guy who likes to build his own stuff, no matter what the job is. When he started his falconry apprenticeship with Richard Brunotte, making his own bells and other falconry gear was a natural progression. It was Richard who introduced Josiah to Larry. They hit it off instantly, and they became great friends.
After working together making bells, Larry kept telling Josiah he wanted him to take over his business. Josiah wasn't so keen on it at first; he didn't want to step on Larry’s toes, and he never thought his bells could be in the same category. But things changed, and one Thursday Josiah got a call from Larry telling him he was going to take over his business and keep his legacy going. Larry told him he needed to be there tomorrow. So, Josiah’s son and he packed up and traveled to Tennessee.
If you knew Larry, you'd know he put a lot of thought into this. He wasn't just thinking about keeping the bells going; he really wanted to make sure his legacy and the quality he built were preserved. He reminded Josiah several times throughout the next few days that if he had listened to him from the beginning, he wouldn't have been in such a rush. That was Larry for you. Even though Josiah could tell he didn't have much time left, Larry was still telling his son and him they were coming back in the spring to get a sharpy—it's something Larry had tried to help Josiah with.
Josiah says he’ll never forget sitting around Larry’s deck, drinking the world's worst tea, talking about making moonshine, falconry and traveling. Larry will be missed, but we’re glad to know his legacy will live on through Josiah Wildebour’s bells.
