A photo of the mural dedicated to Bob Jenkins on Woodruff’s super market in Liberty. The mural was officially dedicated to Jenkins on Sunday, which would have been Jenkins’ 75th birthday. Matt Sharp / msharp@newsexaminer.com
LIBERTY — As reported in June, a mural was being painted to be dedicated to the voice of the Indianapolis 500 Bob Jenkins. Over the weekend, the now finished mural was officially dedicated to its namesake.
Bob Jenkins grew up in Liberty. He graduated from Short High School in 1965 and then from Indiana University in 1969. Jenkins was a constant figure at Indianapolis Motors Speedway from the 1970s all the way through 2020. Before passing away due to brain cancer in 2021. Sunday, Sept. 4 would have been his birthday, and Sunday is also race day all across the world. With that being said, there was no better time to dedicate the mural that was created by Pamela Bliss on the side of Woodruff’s Super Market in Liberty.
Tim Woodruff went to Short High School with Jenkins and said in June that he wanted to be able to have something to memorialize the legacy of one of Liberty’s favorite sons.
Jennifer Woodruff said it has been great to watch the mural coming together over the past few months, and that she took a picture of it nearly every day when leaving the store.
Over the weekend Woodruff’s hosted community members as well as those from outside the community to the dedication. Guest speakers from Jenkins’ life shared what this mural meant to them and shared some of their fondest memories of Jenkins.
“It’s very satisfying to see somebody you knew personally attain what he did in life,” Tim Woodruff said of Jenkins back in June. “Bob was a very humble person, he came back to Liberty, he did a couple sock-hops here. Whenever he was called upon he would come in. Whenever people went to the speedway if he knew they were there he would come down and talk to them. It’s very easy to like someone like that.”
Though Jenkins is no longer with us, and one might not hear his voice when they go to the speedway anymore, this mural will endure as a testament to the legacy left behind by one of Liberty’s favorites sons.
Copyright © 2024 The Connersville News-Examiner