MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WGNS) — After nearly four decades of service to Rutherford County, Mitchell Mote has officially retired from the University of Tennessee Extension. A trusted expert, teacher, and familiar voice to thousands across Rutherford County, Mote’s career has left a lasting mark on the people, the land, and the community he served.

His retirement was celebrated at a reception Thursday (5-1-2025) at the Lane Agri-Park, filled with heartfelt gratitude, warm stories, and Mote’s signature wit. Reflecting on his time, Mote understood that people valued clear, honest guidance:

For 37½ years—though, as Mote joked, “it took 42 years to do it”—he served farmers, homeowners, 4-H'ers, and families by helping them solve problems rooted in science and real-world experience. Whether it was diagnosing a lawn issue, guiding 4-H youth, or answering calls on live radio, Mote did it with humor, humility, and a clear love for people.

Nowhere was this more evident than in his long-standing role as a guest on WGNS Radio’s Action Line program. Hundreds of times over the years, Mote took listener calls on lawn and garden topics. He never knew what the next question might be, but always had an answer—often one that mixed expertise with a quick, neighborly wit. Listeners felt like they were chatting with a wise friend across the backyard fence.

WGNS station manager Bryan Barrett has known Mote since he was in 4th Grade, when Mote was his 4-H agent. “He helped guide me through so many years in 4-H,” Barrett recalled. “I may not be using knowledge from my horse project focus every day,” Barrett reflected, “but the confidence I gained—speaking in front of people, communicating clearly, and genuinely wanting to help others—those are skills I still rely on every time I go on the air.” Barrett credits Mote with helping him build the foundation for the communication skills he now uses daily as a broadcaster.

Mote’s love for rural people and agriculture began early in life and shaped his entire career. He believed deeply in the mission of Extension: to take research-backed knowledge and deliver it directly to those who can use it in their fields, homes, and lives:

Behind the scenes, Mote credits much of his personal success to his wife of 44 years, Kathilu. “I won the lottery when she accepted my proposal,” he said, smiling. He acknowledged that his long hours—especially during summer fair seasons and 4-H camps—meant she sometimes carried the load of a single parent. “But in spite of that, we raised three great kids. She’s the real reason it all worked.”

With his retirement, Mote leaves behind more than just a job—he leaves a legacy of education, public service, and neighborly kindness. His knowledge helped grow gardens, raise livestock, and develop generations of young leaders. His optimism, humor, and care helped build a stronger community.

In true Mitchell Mote fashion, he closed his retirement speech with a nod to country wisdom, quoting an old Hank Williams recitation:
"The hogs took the cholera and all the bees left, the corn dried up and the rain rotted the hay. But we're still living, so everything's OK."

Bryan Barrett's Radio Newscast of Mitchell Mote's Retirement: