Cherryville honors `Choo Choo` Justice

CHERRYVILLE —Cherryville has paid tribute to famed football player Charlie “Choo Choo” Justice who made the city his home for the last 22 years of his life.
“This was where he lived. This is where he came to work, and this is where he died,” said Woody Durham, a sports announcer for the University of North Carolina (UNC).
Durham was the keynote speaker at a memorial ceremony dedicating a piece of highway to the famous football hero.
Justice rose to fame in the 1940s when he played football for UNC. He became a professional football player in 1950 when he signed on with Washington Redskins.
“Even today there are some football fans who can’t commit completely to the Carolina Panthers because Charlie Justice made them Redskins fans,” said Durham.
Throughout his career Justice received many awards, including being named national player of the year in 1948 and runner up for the Heisman trophy in both 1948 and 1949.
“He is truly counted as one of the great historical figures and icons in the state of North Carolina,” said Wade Stroupe, Cherryville’s former mayor.
Justice settled in Cherryville in 1981 and opened an insurance business. He lived there until his death in 2003.
Many of his family members still call Cherryville home and were present at the ceremony.
“I didn’t know Charlie Justice the football player,” said Barbara Crews, Justice’s daughter. “He was ‘Daddy’ and he was ‘Grampy’ to my children.”
While living in the city, Justice began to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease.
“This community helped me so much to get through those seven years,” said Crews.
“In Cherryville, he was just accepted as Charlie, and everyone was so kind as my mother and I tried to take care of him.”
A matter of months after Justice’s death, his wife Sarah died as well.
“As we honor and memorialize Charlie Justice today, let us never forget, as they were truly a team, to honor Sarah Justice as well,” said Stroupe.
Speakers at the ceremony talked about Justice’s football career and the amazing speed and force he had that won him the nickname “Choo Choo.”
They also spoke of a kind and giving man who earned the right to be seen as a hero in the eyes of a nation.
“He wore the mantlel of fame better than any other athlete I’ve known,” said Durham.
Now Cherryville has added to Justice’s accolades with a sign announcing the strip of Highway 150 that runs through the city the “Charlie ‘Choo Choo’ Justice Memorial Highway.”
“For me this is so special because now this is truly home, and I have a sign to prove it,” said Crews.by Sarah Grano