The Jagoe family is known for their community generosity, but many of their donations are not written on plaques for people to see.
“Hometown,” a bronze sculpture created by George Lundeen of Loveland, Colo., was on a two-year lease to the city when the Jagoes’ sons, Bill and Scott, decided this would be the perfect way to honor their parents.
“Mom and Dad celebrated their 60th year anniversary in February of this year before Dad passed away in June,” Bill said. “Scott and I wanted to do something special for their anniversary, so Scott reached out to Al Mattingly to see if the purchase of the sculpture had been finished.”
David Smith, director of legislative services at the Daviess County Fiscal Court said the bicentennial committee already thought the sculpture would be a great gift to the community and was looking for sponsorship to offset the cost.
Thanks to a joint effort between the International Bar-B-Q Festival, the Daviess County Bicentennial committee, the Pride of Owensboro and the final donation from Bill and Scott Jagoe, the city was allowed to keep the sculpture.
The sculpture, located on the north lawn of the Daviess County Courthouse on Second Street, depicts a couple sitting on a bench while looking at blueprints for a home.
“We liked the fact that he [their dad, Bill, Sr.] was a builder as is the gentleman with his wife,” Bill said.
Betty Jagoe, Bill’s mom, was in charge of the bicentennial celebration in Owensboro in 1976, and she liked the fact that the bicentennial group had sponsored the sculpture as well, Bill said.
