A sweet farewell

'Preacher' Ellis ends his run of syrup-making on the midway

Preacher Ellis, center, greets Caroline Sanders and Jim Borning, far left, and answers questions about the art and science of cooking cane syrup Friday during the 2012 Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair.

101912 FAIR PREACHER ELLIS 01 — Preacher Ellis, center, greets Caroline Sanders and Jim Borning, far left, and answers questions about the art and science of cooking cane syrup Friday during the 2012 Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair.

He is 79 and has a heart full of memories. As Jesse "Preacher" Ellis worked Friday night making syrup at the Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair, it was bittersweet. After far more than 20 years, Ellis says he's hanging up his skimmer.Cooking cane syrup has long been a major attraction at the agricultural fair, and Ellis has been overseeing the task for a long time."Billie Joe Deal got me cooking syrup here,” Ellis said.

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