TVA retiree Ed Markert, 78, puts handyman skills to work for multiple agencies

Ed Markert is known as “Mr. Fixit” around the halls of Partnership for Families, Children and Adults social services agency.

The 78-year-old TVA retiree volunteers as many as three days a week doing home repairs for Partnership clients, just one of several volunteer projects the handyman undertakes each week.

In recognition of his tireless service, Mr. Markert has been named the Volunteer Advocacy Award winner by the Tennessee Conference on Social Welfare. He is one of two Tennesseans being honored Wednesday at the TCSW state conference at Loews Vanderbilt Hotel in Nashville.

TCSW will honor Sherrie Yokley of Nashville as Professional Advocate of the Year for her work with Waves Inc. Waves develops programs for people dealing with developmental disabilities, according to TCSW executive director Shelby Tabeling.

Mr. Markert’s selection for the citizen recognition marks the second consecutive year a Chattanoogan has won, according to TCSW past president Phil Acord. Susan Shulman Taylor was the recipient in 2007.

Since Mr. Markert began volunteering for the Partnership’s Services to the Elderly department in 1992, he has served hundreds of clients identified by case workers as being in need of home maintenance, said Eleanor Johnson, coordinator of Services to the Elderly.

“He fixes sink drains, repairs washing machines, stoves, electrical receptacles and minor plumbing problems. He’ll replace door hinges and door frames,” Ms. Johnson said.

“He has built ramps, repaired ceilings and porches, replaced broken windows and solved heating and plumbing problems — situations where the cost of parts may be minor, but you would have to pay big bucks to get the work done,” she said.

“When maintenance problems arise, elderly clients on fixed incomes find it difficult to locate affordable and reliable repairmen. Without Ed’s help, many of the repair needs would have gone unmet, resulting in a need for even more expensive reparis later, or, worse, the need to move,” Ms. Johnson said.

“He’s willing to tackle just about anything. If he identifies the problem as being more than he is qualified to do, he tells us and the client exactly what needs to be done and will even stay with the client the day the work is being done, if needed,” Ms. Johnson said.

Ms. Johnson said the handyman’s “gentle manner and quality of work” have built such trust in Partnership clients, that many call to request “Ed” for their jobs.

Funds for the needed materials are provided by the Partnership, all labor is donated by Mr. Markert.

On his days off from Partnership projects, Mr. Markert volunteers for his church, Ridgedale Baptist, and for the Hamilton County Baptist Association.

Every Wednesday, Mr. Markert teaches a free weekly computer class at the HaCoBa ministry of the Hamilton County Baptist Association. He said in the five years since he began, his students have ranged from teens to senior adults in their 70s.

“I had an 18-year-old who had just finished his homeschooling who came to the class before starting college. I had one man who was a painting contractor, had fallen and hurt himself and was changing professions. He felt he needed computer training,” said the volunteer.

Since HaCoBa accepts donations of computers, the tech-savvy retiree checks them for useability and makes needed repairs. He also repairs computers used in the HaCoBa office.

HaCoBa volunteer Odie Earl says the repaired donated computers are packaged with keyboard and mouse and sold for a nominal amount. That money buys food that HaCoBa distributes to neighborhood people in need.

“Ed Markert goes out of his way to meet all requests, no matter what the weather, the problem or distance,” said Ms. Johnson. “Because of his diligent efforts, many elderly people have been allowed to stay in their homes a little longer, thereby improving their quality of life.”