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07/25/12 09:15 AM

#479

Virginia Danforth Allen

July 7, 2012

Frances Virginia Danforth Allen, 92, passed away peacefully July 7, 2012, in Wilmington, NC. She was born April 2, 1920, in Granger, Texas to Izora Cook Danforth and Frank Coleman Danforth. After graduating as Valedictorian from Granger High School in 1937, Virginia attended San Marcus Teaching College and graduated from Southern Methodist University. She subsequently received medical technology training at Scott and White Hospital in Temple, Texas. In 1941, Virginia married Walter Barton Allen, MD and shortly thereafter, Walter B. was overseas for four years during World War II as a physician in the United States Army Air Corps. With her husband abroad, Virginia worked in Dallas and enjoyed the friendship of a great group of Dallasites.

Always ready for challenge, she sold her blood to pay for flying lessons, receiving her pilot’s license at Love Field. In 1948, Virginia and Walter B. settled in Nacogdoches, where she raised her three children, supported her general practitioner husband and contributed greatly to the small East Texas community.

She served on the local school board during the difficult time of integration. She helped establish child protective services in Nacogdoches.

Active in Christ Episcopal Church, Virginia oversaw the completion of the needlepoint kneelers project, served on the altar guild, contributed to the formation of Christ Episcopal School, and was a member of Daughters of the King. Having been a member of Tri Delta sorority, Virginia was instrumental in procuring land for a house for the Tri Delta chapter and the other sororities at Stephen F. Austin University.

Furthermore, she was a member of the Medical Auxiliary, Daughters of the American Revolution and the United Daughters of the Confederacy and president of Meals on Wheels. She received her teaching certificate from SFA and student taught at Thomas J Rusk Middle School. After the death of her husband in 1973, she became owner of Nacogdoches’s Courtesy Travel and toured the world, leading groups and traveling herself extensively.

Virginia is preceded in death by her husband and her son, Marvin Danforth Allen, DDS. She is survived by her son, Barton Cook Allen, DDS, and wife, Ann, of Dallas; daughter, Molly Virginia Allen, MD, and husband, Eric Keefe, of Wilmington, NC; granddaughters, Cody Michele Allen Villasenor, Kelly Virginia Keefe and Kathryn Allen Keefe; great grandson, Dominic Villasenor; cousin, Lajuana Danforth Carabasi and husband, Robert J. Carabasi, MD, and special friend, Jimmy Seal. Thank you to the Davis Care Community and Cape Fear Hospice for their care and concern.

Goodbye to “the Little Red Hen” still taking care of us all; she was a beautiful, classy lady to the end. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Christ Episcopal Church, 502 East Starr Ave, Nacogdoches, TX 75961 or to a charity of your choice. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Aug.

4, 2012, at Christ Episcopal Church, Nacogdoches, with reception to follow at Hotel Fredonia.

08/17/12 11:54 AM

#480

Debra Jan Dobbs (Barton)

Archie McDonald

Andrew D. Brosig/Daily Sentinel File

Dr. Archie P. McDonald listens as interview subjects answer questions July 26, 2011, during The Meeting in East Texas With Legends event, part of the Archie P. McDonald Speaker Series at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches. McDonald, a long-time history professor, lecturer and Daily Sentinel columnist, died Thursday following a prolonged illness.

Posted: Thursday, August 16, 2012 9:57 pm

Community mourns loss of Archie McDonald By Robbie Goodrich rgoodrich@dailysentinel.com The Daily Sentinel | 0 comments

It didn’t take long for the news to circulate.

By mid-morning Thursday, everyone in Nacogdoches was talking about it with an almost overwhelming sense of loss.

We’d all lost a valued friend. We’d lost part of our Nacogdoches family.

The death early Thursday of Dr. Archie P. McDonald prompted an entire community to grieve.

A longtime professor of history at Stephen F. Austin State University, beloved columnist for The Daily Sentinel and commentator for Red River Radio, chamber of commerce Citizen of the Year, noted published author, university/community liaison for SFA, husband, father, grandfather, colleague and friend to all, McDonald died as a result primarily of complications associated with cancer treatment. His loving wife, Judy, and son, Chris, were with him.

McDonald taught history at SFA for 48 years and served as director of the East Texas Historical Association and editor of the association’s journal for 37 years, according to information released Thursday from the Office of Public Affairs at SFA. He is a past president of the Texas State Historical Association, past vice chairman of the Texas State Historical Commission, and author/editor of more than 20 books on historical topics, as well as one book of humor, “Helpful Cooking Hints for HouseHusbands of Uppity Women,” which landed the McDonalds a guest spot on “CBS This Morning” in New York. The book was the result of McDonald assuming household responsibilities while Judy served first as city commissioner then as mayor of Nacogdoches. She also served as the president/CEO of the Nacogdoches Economic Development Corporation from 1996 through 2008.

The Archie McDonald Speaker Series was created in 2010 by SFA’s College of Liberal and Applied Arts. The annual event was designed to honor and preserve the legacy McDonald established as a distinguished scholar, educator and community commentator who brought American culture to the average person, the release from SFA said. In the tradition of McDonald’s writing and his oral presentations, the series hosted individuals who discussed contemporary issues surrounding a broad range of topics. Previous guests included former boxer George Foreman, astronaut Alan Bean and James A. Baker III, the 61st U.S. secretary of state.

A valued colleague

“It is with great sadness that I let you know that Dr. Archie McDonald passed away early this morning here in Nacogdoches,” Dr. Richard Berry, SFA provost and vice president for academic affairs, wrote in an early morning email to faculty and staff. “As most of you know, Dr. McDonald had been a member of the faculty of Stephen F. Austin State University for well over forty years and, with his family, was a ‘fixture’ in Nacogdoches. He is known and admired by countless students, colleagues and friends. Archie will be missed tremendously. I know you will join me in keeping Judy and Chris in your thoughts and prayers in the days and weeks to come.”

The death of McDonald caused Dr. M. Scott Sosebee, associate professor of history at SFA and executive director/editor of the East Texas Historical Association succeeding McDonald, to let association members know of their mentor’s passing in an e-newsletter Thursday morning. Excerpts are as follows:

“This is a message that somehow I hoped I would never have to write, and I do so with a very heavy heart,” Sosebee wrote in the letter. “It is with great sadness that I have to inform you that former executive director/editor and association life director passed away early this morning (Thursday) due primarily to complications from cancer treatment.

“We knew Archie McDonald as our director, our leader,” he wrote. “To his family he was certainly that, but so much more. He and Judy were, in every sense of the word, partners; in fact I have rarely encountered two people who loved each other as much.”

Sosebee shared some of his personal thoughts about the man who Sosebee first knew as one of the “most prominent historians in the state,” and how that relationship evolved after Sosebee came to SFA and McDonald began to “share with me his extensive knowledge of Texas and southern history, and become one of the dearest friends I had. I began to cherish the minutes — hours, sometimes — that we would spend just talking.”

“Archie McDonald’s passing will leave a deep chasm for many of us,” Sosebee wrote. “In some ways, we will definitely be entering uncharted waters, but we also must remember that he left us a good ship in which to sail. His memory will be with us always, and our memories of him will be warm and comforting.”

A community treasure

“Archie was a treasure to the community,” City Manager Jim Jeffers said. “His position as liaison to the community from SFA was a natural for his skill set, and he did it so very well.”

As a historian, McDonald “could certainly correct us any time we made an inaccurate statement about something,” Jeffers said, “and he did that without any hesitation whatsoever. But also, he was a source of personal history about individuals and businesses. He was just invaluable to the community.”

On a personal note, Jeffers said McDonald and wife Judy are “dear friends.”

“And it’s difficult to imagine Archie not being there,” he said. “It’s a very sad day, but we can certainly celebrate his life and all that he’s done, for not only the community, but for countless others through the radio program that was uplifting, and we still have those to listen to.

“We love him, and we miss him,” he said.

Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Bruce Partain described McDonald as “a brilliant scholar but more importantly, a wonderful example of a thoughtful, caring human being.

“I appreciate his role model partnership with Judy,” Partain wrote in an email interview. “Some men lack the vision to comfortably work alongside a brilliant woman, but Archie’s confidence and good humor showed us how it is done. And he was smart enough to write a best-selling book about it.”

McDonald volunteered in many ways for the chamber, Partain said. For many years, he coordinated the “Nacogdoches Then and Now” portion of the chamber’s Leadership Nacogdoches program.

McDonald was the voice behind the popular Shop Nac First public service announcement.

“That’s an appropriate venue for Archie, because it basically says, ‘Do the right thing at the right time,’” Partain said. “We could always count on him for that.”

Bill King, president and CEO of the Nacogdoches Economic Development Corporation, described McDonald as “one of the nicest most genuine people I think I have ever known.”

“It was an honor and a privilege to know him,” King said. “He was well-grounded, particularly for someone with his notable accomplishments. He was always approachable. He was always level-headed. He looked at life in a way that everyone should. He was able to see things clearly and was able to communicate that.”

King called the Archie McDonald Speaker Series “first class,” saying he’d been to events like that at universities across the nation, and “that ranks among one of the finest I’ve ever been to.”

“He was a good friend to NEDCO and the entire Nacogdoches community,” he said. “It’s a huge loss. It’s a say day for all of us.”

Friend Bryan Davis said McDonald was an example of how one doesn’t have to be a BIN (Born In Nacogdoches) to get things done, adding sometimes it’s people who were not “brought up in Nacogdoches who make the most contributions.”

“Archie is an outstanding example of that,” Davis said. “He was so valuable to the community and still had so much to offer.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve had someone who contributed more to a community than Archie, and certainly Judy, too,” he said. “He’s one of the best things to happen to Nacogdoches.”

U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison issued the following statement on the passing of McDonald:

“Texas has lost one of our best historians. Archie’s knowledge of Texas history was unsurpassed. Living in Texas’ oldest town, Nacogdoches, and teaching at Stephen F. Austin University, he specialized in East Texas history and lore. His research was prodigious. He will be missed by all who knew him.”

Former Nacogdoches Mayor A.L. Mangham Jr. said McDonald’s passing was “a great loss to the university, the community and to mankind in general.”

“He was just a wonderful man,” Mangham said. “I’ve known him since the day he arrived in Nacogdoches. He was a kind, generous man who has done so much for so many. He left his mark here.

“He was a giving person and a great educator,” Mangham said, recalling the popular history course on the late actor John Wayne he taught at SFA and how the actor’s films highlighted various events in history. “He was a very dear friend, and I loved him very much.”

A loyal disciple

Archie and Judy McDonald were among the five founding families of Austin Heights Baptist Church, where they both, up until his illness, remained very active, according to the Rev. Kyle Childress, Austin Heights pastor.

“They were there every Sunday in their accustomed seats,” he said, “on that back row, and he could sing.”

Childress said McDonald was at home “in the loftiest, scholarly academic setting, or sitting on the back porch with someone talking about local history here in rural Nacogdoches County. At either of those places, he was equally at home.

“There was a great deal of humility in his compassion in dealing with others,” he said. “He was very sensitive to the burdens and troubles other people were carrying in their lives.”

Childress described McDonald as “sort of this rough, grumpy, tough old Texas history professor” ... on the outside.

“But underneath, he was very compassionate and had a strong sense that life is a gift, and we are all in this world because of the grace of God,” he said, “and that we need to be mindful of that in dealing with each other.”

Visitation will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 19, at Austin Heights Baptist Church. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 20, in Kennedy Auditorium on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus.

08/20/12 07:50 AM

#481

Debra Jan Dobbs (Barton)

Nacogdoches lost one of its treasures this past Thursday morning. Archie P. McDonald â€" teacher, author, lecturer, and Nacogdoches' own personal historian â€" died in Nacogdoches Medical Center on August 16, 2012. It was a dark, cold day for his many friends and kin. He left way before his time, but Archie finally got some rest and release from a long season of suffering. Archie seldom let his pain slosh over among his duties and his friendships. He kept a strong hold on life and his profession. His second coat of hair gave him a mature distinction, and proud to say, Archie still looked and dressed better than anybody else on campus. He was immaculate from sole to crown and wore his hats as if they were specially made for him. As far as his profession was concerned, he did not miss a deadline. His peers believed that he was just taking a holiday and would still keep the miles that he had to go before he slept. Thursday was indeed a dark, cold day. Archie was born in Beaumont, Texas, on November 29, 1935. He lost his father fairly early in life and was raised by a loving mother and Other-Dad, aunts, and uncles. His early life was rich in his recollections, and he always kept his family and his growing-up time near and dear in mind and memory, as well as in his writing. Archie graduated from Beaumont' s French High School in 1954, received his B.S. from Lamar University in 1958, his M.A. from Rice University in 1960, and his Ph.D. from Louisiana State University in 1965. Archie was quite proud of his Rice degree and that his LSU dissertation was directed by T. Harry Williams, a nationally renowned historian. Arch was equally blessed by his educational experience at Lamar. The main result was his meeting and falling goofily in love with a red-haired cutie named Judy Barrett. And it was soon thereafter that they married on December 21, 1957. It was one of those magic marriages where all the disagreements are agreed upon daily. Archie and Judy grew up joined at the hip, sharing all of life with its incidents and accidents, and talking about it for 54 years, when Archie could get in a word. They were a dear and loving couple, and Archie did not mind at all when Judy was Nacogdoches' mayor and â€œrequestedâ€? that he attend every City Council meeting, even those about oiling the streets. Their relationship was literarily defined by Archie' s â€œHelpful Hints for HouseHusbands of Uppity Women.â€? Archie taught at LSU and elsewhere, but his academic career at Stephen F. Austin State University began in 1964, when he signed on to the faculty as an assistant professor. Archie put down roots and began his 48 years of service at SFA. Archie gave all he had to SFA. He was a popular teacher, he published articles and books regularly, he served as an officer in all the academic historical meetings, he was active on the state and national academic levels, and he served the City of Nacogdoches as citizen and speaker. Stephen F. Austin State University recognized that Archie was a significant factor in the university' s reputation, particularly throughout the state of Texas. Among academicians a university is judged by the academic reputations of its faculty. Archie was a past president of Texas State Historical Association and Chairman of the Texas Committee of Humanities and executive officer of the Texas State Library, Texas Historical Commission, OSR Preservation Committee, among others. Archie was the Executive Director of the East Texas Historical Association and editor of the East Texas Historical Journal from 1971 to 2008. He was also an editor of the New Handbook of Texas and The Journal of Confederate History and many other academic publications. Archie had terrific energy, intellect, and drive, and his way of life was his profession, particularly that part of his profession that dealt with writing and editing. He wrote and/or edited close to 50 publications during his career. They were all sizes, but they all had to have a beginning, middle, and end. For years, he wrote columns in the local paper. On top of which, Archie wrote and presented a weekly commentary from Shreveport' s Red River Radio station. For the reasons above and many more, SFA recognized the far-reaching value of Archie' s professorship and awarded to him every honor the university bestowed. He was a Regents' Professor and Distinguished Alumni Professor. He received the J.P. Bryan Leadership in Education Award, the Faculty Achievement Award, and two awards from the Texas Historical Commission. A major recognition by both university and city was the establishment of the Archie P. McDonald Speaker Series, which brought nationally important people â€" such as boxer George Foreman, astronaut Alan Bean, and Secretary of State James A. Baker III â€" to SFA and Nacogdoches for the enlightenment of all. Archie spent much of his time in his later years as liaison between the City of Nacogdoches and SFA. He was active in the Rotary Club, the Chamber of Commerce, and was The Citizen of the Year in 2010. Archie was a close and intimate friend of this writer for well over 40 years. Archie was a picky eater, a Yaller Dog Democrat, and a Hardshell Baptist, but we always and often enjoyed each other' s company and conversation. I never ceased to admire his energy and his commitment to his discipline. I never ceased to admire his courage and vision. Archie was a true scholar. He searched for knowledge to share, never to hoard. Our loss! Arch was a good buddy. The day of his death was a dark, cold day. Archie was preceded in death by his parents, Archie and Pernemia Cowan McDonald, Other-Dad George Harvey Tucker, and son Tucker Barrett McDonald. Archie is survived by his wife-partner-lover of 54 years, Judy Barrett McDonald; son Christopher Lee McDonald; granddaughter Kelly Marie McDonald and mother Janet; brothers George Harvey Tucker, Jr. and wife Sherrie, John David Tucker and wife Donna, sister Nancy Lovenia Tucker; sister-in-law Cherry Coffman; and numerous nieces and nephews. Archie is also survived by his dear friend and co-conspirator, Mrs. Portia Gordon, whose virtue he protected for 17 years, while she ran the East Texas Historical Association and kept him pointed in the right direction in his own endeavors. The family wishes to thank Dr. Ted Ledet, Dr. Lloyd Whitley, Dr. Gerard Ventura, and the nursing staff and respiratory therapists on the second floor of Medical Center Hospital. The McDonald family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to one of the following â€" Austin Heights Benevolent Fund, 2806 Appleby Sand Road, Nacogdoches, TX 75965; East Texas Historical Association, Archie P. McDonald Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 6223 SFA Station, Nacogdoches, TX 75962; Archie McDonald Speaker Series, P.O. Box 6092 SFA Station, Nacogdoches, TX 75962; or charity of your choice. Visitation will be on Sunday evening from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Austin Heights Baptist Church. The body will be lying in state at Laird' s Funeral Home from 8 a.m. till 4 p.m. on Sunday. A memorial service will be held on Monday morning at 10 a.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the Baker Pattillo Student Center on the SFA campus. F. E. Abernethy

08/20/12 09:54 AM

#482

Debra Jan Dobbs (Barton)

Funeral services for Mrs. Margaret Hornbuckle, 83, of Nacogdoches, Texas, will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012 at 10 a.m. with Bro. Jerry Wilson officiating. Interment will follow at Gravel Ridge Cemetery. Mrs. Hornbuckle was born on May 4, 1929 in Nacogdoches, Texas, the daughter of Matt Mercer and Vera Kerr Mercer in Nacogdoches, Texas. She went to be with the Lord on Aug. 3, 2012. Margaret grew up in Nacogdoches where she attended Nacogdoches High School. Margaret was a member of the V.F. W. Lodge Auxiliary-Post 3893 and the DAV Auxiliary-Post Chapter 83 in Nacogdoches. She was also faithful member of Westside Baptist Church. A lover of the outdoors she most especially loved to watch butterflies and there was a special place in her heart for her cat â€œCallieâ€?. She spent many hours enjoying her favorite books she also enjoyed baking. Most of all, her family meant the world to her. She was an awesome mom and grandmother. She is survived by her sons: Gary Hornbuckle, and his wife Vicki, Jim Hornbuckle and his wife Cathy, and Russell Hornbuckle and his wife Sandra all of Nacogdoches; daughter Sandra Dearman and her husband George of Nacogdoches; sister Geraldine Mercer Dean of Timpson; sister-in-law Billie Mercer; fifteen grandchildren and thirty-three great-grandchildren. She is also survived by numerous loving nieces, nephews and other extended family and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Matt Mercer and Vera Mercer; brother J.T. Mercer; son Bruce Hornbuckle; and by grandsons Chad Hornbuckle and David Dearman. Pallbearers will be Chris Hornbuckle, Gary Hornbuckle, Matthew Hornbuckle, Gary Wayne Makries, Michael Dearman, Daniel Dearman, Jack Hornbuckle and Joe Triana. Honorary pallbearers are David Laswell, Donnie Brown, Ryan Brown, Lyon Brown and Wayne Hornbuckle. Memorial contributions may be made in her name to the Gravel Ridge Cemetery Association. Condolences can be shared on line at www.lairdfh.net. The family of Mrs. Hornbuckle is being served by Laird Funeral Home of Nacogdoches.

09/08/12 09:02 AM

#483

Debra Jan Dobbs (Barton)

Texas Heritage Songwriters Association 209 East 6th St, Suite 300 Austin, Texas 78701 facebook.com/txhsa

Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame

OFFICIAL BALLOT 2013

Roger Miller

Fort Worth, Texas

Roger Miller was an American singer-songwriter,

musician and actor, best known for his honky

tonk-influenced novelty songs. Miller began his

musical career as a songwriter in the late 1950s,

penning such hits as “Billy Bayou” and “Home” for

Jim Reeves and “Invitation to the Blues” for Ray Price. He later started

a recording career and reached the peak of his fame in the late-1960s.

Miller continued to record and tour into the 1990s, charting his final top 20

country hit “Old Friends” with Willie Nelson in 1982. His most recognized

tunes that he wrote and recorded included the chart-topping country/pop

hits “King of the Road”, “Dang Me” and “England Swings”, all from the

mid- 1960s Nashville sound era. Later in his life, Miller wrote the music

and lyrics for the 1985 Tony-award winning Broadway musical Big River,

in which he also acted. Miller died from lung cancer in 1992, and was

posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame three years

later. His songs continued to be recorded by younger artists, with covers of

“Tall, Tall Trees” by Alan Jackson and “Husbands and Wives” by Brooks &

Dunn, each reaching the number one spot on country charts in the 1990s.

Sonny Curtis

Meadow, Texas

Sonny Curtis has been involved in music for over

40 years, composing songs recorded by numerous

stars, including Buddy Holly, Ricky Scaggs, Leo

Sayer, Everly Brothers, Glen Campbell, Hank

Williams, Jr., and even Bing Crosby. Most of his

work falls into the pop and country genres. He

was a teenage pal and band member with Buddy Holly in Lubbock, Texas.

Although he had gone on the road with other musicians by the time Buddy

Holly put together The Crickets in 1957, Curtis joined the band after Holly’s

death in 1959. Soon after, Curtis took over the lead vocalist role in addition

to lead guitar. He was part of the band for the 1960 album In Style with

The Crickets for which they recorded the original versions of two of Curtis’s

best-known songs, “I Fought the Law” and “More Than I Can Say”. Curtis

also wrote “Walk Right Back”, a big hit for the Everly Brothers. He has

continued to record and perform intermittently as part of the band over six

decades, most recently in their album “The Crickets and their Buddies”

(2004). He wrote the theme song for The Mary Tyler Moore Show, “Love is

All Around”, which he also recorded. For the 2003 film, Intermission, Colin

Farrell also recorded a version of the song, singing it in the guise of his

character in the film. Curtis also co-wrote the 1987 Country Song of the

Year “I’m No Stranger To The Rain” recorded by the late Keith Whitley.

In 1991, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. In

2012, a special committee also inducted Curtis into the Rock and Roll Hall

of Fame as a member of The Crickets.

Jim Collins

Nacogdoches, Texas

Jim Collins, born in Nacogdoches, Texas, is

an American country music singer- songwriter.

Between 1985 and 1998, Collins released three

studio albums. He also charted seven singles on

Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. As

a songwriter, Collins has had more than fifty of his songs cut, including

singles by Kenny Chesney (“She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy”, “The Good

Stuff”, “Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven”), Chad Brock (“Yes!”), Jason

Aldean (“Big Green Tractor”), Gretchen Wilson (“I Don’t Feel Like Loving

You Today”), George Strait (“It Just Comes Natural”), Thompson Square

(“Are You Gonna Kiss Me”), John Michael Montgomery (“Love Working

On You”), Ty Herdon (“Hands Of A Working Man”), Trace Adkins (“Then

They Do”). “The Good Stuff” was Billboard’s Number One country single,

ASCAP Song Of The Year, and Academy of Country Music Song Of The

Year in 2002.

Ronnie Dunn

Coleman, Texas

Ronnie Dunn joined with Louisiana-born Leon Eric

“Kix” Brooks to create the most successful country

music duo of the 1990s. Brooks & Dunn’s remarkable

rocket ride would ultimately result in more than 30

million albums sold, countless crowd-pleasing and

arena shows and multiple CMA awards, ACM Awards, Grammys, CMT

Awards, People’s Choice Awards and Billboard Music Awards. The son of

a country music enthusiast, Dunn was born in Coleman, Texas, and raised

in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Playing in bands since his teens, he briefly studied

Psychology and Theology at Abilene Christian College. Of course, Ronny

is also an outstanding songwriter. Number one songs that he has written

or co-written, recorded by Brooks and Dunn include: “Neon Moon”, “Boot

Scootin Boogie”, “She Used To Be Mine”, “She’s Not The Cheatin Kind”,

“Little Miss Honky Tonk”, “Brand New Man”, “My Next Broken Heart”, “That

Aint No Way To Go”, “You’re Gonna Miss Me When I Am Gone”, “Red Dirt

Road”, “Play Something Country”, and “A Man This Lonely”.

Texas Heritage Songwriters Association 209 East 6th St, Suite 300 Austin, Texas 78701 facebook.com/txhsa

Tom Douglas

Atlanta, Georgia

Actively writing songs since the early 1990s, Tom

Douglas has written Top Ten hits for John Michael

Montgomery, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw,

Collin Raye and others. Douglas initially worked

in real estate in Dallas, Texas before beginning

his songwriting career. One of his first cuts was

“Little Rock,” which Collin Raye took into the country Top Ten in 1993.

In June 1994, Douglas signed with Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Also in

1994, “Little Rock” was nominated for Song of the Year by the Country

Music Association and received a “Million-Air” award from Broadcast Music

Incorporated (BMI) for receiving one million spins on country radio. Douglas

has also co-written several songs for Tim McGraw, including the Number

One singles “Grown Men Don’t Cry” and “Southern Voice,” as well as the

Top Five songs “My Little Girl” and “Let It Go.” He also co-wrote Martina

McBride’s Number Three #3 “Love’s the Only House,” as well as Lady

Antebellum’s Number One “I Run to You.” His song “The House That Built

Me”, co-written with Allen Shamblin, won the CMA and ACM Song of the

Year Award in 2010. In addition, he received an Oscar and Golden Globe

nomination for the song “Coming Home” for the movie Country Strong,

starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Tim McGraw.

Bill Mack

Fort Worth, Texas

Bill Mack has been closely associated with the

truckers and millions of other listeners via his radio

programs out of the Fort Worth-Dallas Metroplex

since 1969. Broadcasting during the wee hours of

the morning and keeping the world company with

his music and chit-chat has allowed Mack to be featured in more publications

and to win more awards than any other country music disk jockey around

the world. He has been honored as the “Country Music D.J. Of-The-Year”,

“Mr. D.J. USA”, “Texas’ Number One Country D.J.” (for over 30 years) and

a member of the “Country Music D.J. Hall-Of-Fame” in Nashville. In 1999,

Mack was placed in “The Texas Country Music Hall-of-Fame” and “The

Texas Country Music Disk Jockey Hall-of-Fame”, both at the same awards

banquet. Mack has been hosting “Country Crossroads” on radio (now

heard on over 800 outlets) since it began in October,1969 and hosting

“Country Crossroads” on FamilyNet Cable TV since 1993, a real honor for

him. Mack is also recognized as one of the better songwriters in the nation.

His compositions have been recorded by over 60 artists including: Dean

Martin, Ray Price, Jerry Lee Lewis, George Jones and dozens of other

top names in country music. His composition, “Drinking Champagne”, has

been played over a million times on-the-air (radio & television). George

Strait’s recording of the song won Mack a Platinum Album as the Texan

sold over a million copies of the tune. His biggest moment in music came

in 1997 when his song, “BLUE”, made LeAnn Rimes a star. He won a

Grammy when it was voted “The Country Song Of The Year in 1996”.

KT Oslin

Houston, Texas

Kay Toinette Oslin was born in Crossett, Arkansas,

but soon after her birth her family moved to

Memphis, Tennessee and then to Houston, Texas,

which she considers her hometown. Oslin initially

performed as a folk singer with Guy Clark. She soon

began doing advertising jingles, which led to appearances in a number of

television commercials. During the late 1970s, Oslin moved to Nashville

and began writing songs. Her first Top 10 hit, as a writer, came when Gail

Davies produced her song, “Round The Clock Lovin’.” Her first top-ten

single, 1987’s “80s Ladies”, a self-penned song that became something of

an anthem for a generation of female listeners nearing middle age, proved

to be her breakthrough. This song would earn Oslin a Grammy Award,

and would be named the Country Music Association’s Song of the Year in

1988. Oslin wrote and recorded the Number One songs “Do Ya” (1987), “I’ll

Always Come Back”, “Hold Me” (1988), and “Come Next Monday” (1990),

as well as other hits including “Hey Bobby”, “Mary and Willie”, and “This

Woman”. K.T. Oslin was included in “CMT’s 40 Greatest Women in Country

Music” in 2002.

Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame

OFFICIAL BALLOT 2013

09/21/12 09:21 AM

#484

Debra Jan Dobbs (Barton)

Our Bryan's Uncle Lenvill

Lenvill Martin family to be honored as a Distinguished Alumni family

BY MELANIE THEISS Contributing writer

The Lenvill Martin family has a rich history with NISD, dating back to the 1920s. They will be honored this evening as Distinguished Alumni when the Dragons host the Carthage Bulldogs in their homecoming game.

In 1929, Lenvill Martin was the first NHS graduate in his family. The tough economic times of the day did not deter his determination to earn a teaching certificate from SFA Teachers College. While teaching school, he continued his studies and earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from SFA. In 1933, Lenvill married Marie Gann, also a teacher.

Serving as a technical surgeon in WWII, Lenvill studied pre-med at Shrivenham and Oxford universities in England. Although accepted to medical school, he returned home from the war, finding himself in demand once again as an educator. He then began a long and distinguished career at NISD, serving in many capacities, including principal at Nacogdoches Central and Raguet Elementary schools, as well as coordinator of elementary administration and assistant superintendent. In 1961, he became superintendent where he served until 1974.

Under Lenvill’s leadership, NISD experienced great expansion with the construction of the Raguet, Fredonia, Carpenter and TJR campuses — the latter of which was later named the Lenvill Martin Building. Throughout his career as an educator, he also taught Sunday school for 68 years and was a choir director for 15 years. Lenvill passed away in 2003 and Marie in 2010.

Lenvill and Marie’s two children, Danny and Kenny Martin, are secondgeneration NHS graduates: Danny (’65), and Kenny (’75). Danny eventually entered seminary and became a composer and minister of music, while Kenny left a 24-year career in the automotive industry to join NISD as an educator. He is known and loved at NHS, where he has taught automotive technology for the past twelve years. His wife, Sondra Grogan Martin (’76), taught third grade in NISD for 26 years.

Kenny and Sondra Martin have raised both of their children in NISD schools.

Stephen Martin and his wife, Brook Sutherland Martin, graduated from NHS in 2002. Amy Martin is currently a junior at NHS.

The game is tonight at Dragon Stadium; pre-game festivities begin at 7:05 p.m., and kick-off is at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are available at the gate.

09/21/12 09:35 AM

#485

Debra Jan Dobbs (Barton)

Memorial for Donald Curry (D.C.), 57, of Nacogdoches will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012, at 3914 North St. Church of Christ with Shak Arrington officiating. D.C. went home Sept. 17, 2012, at his home in peace. He was born Sept. 21, 1954, in Houston with his twin Ronald Dale Curry. Donations can be sent to Nacogdoches Medical Center Volunteer Auxiliary in care of the Cancer Center P.O. Box 1604, Nacogdoches, Texas 75963.

Published in The Daily Sentinel on September 21, 2012

01/24/13 09:23 AM

#486

Debra Jan Dobbs (Barton)

Lindsay Robbins Burr, age 59, was born Aug. 19, 1953, in Nacogdoches and died Nov. 18, 2012, in Tempe, Ariz. Lindsay was the son of Jesse Herndon Burr (deceased) and Betty Jane Fagan Burr (deceased). Lindsay was brother to Herndon Hutchinson Burr (deceased) and is survived by his sister Nona Burr Donahue (Jim) and his nieces Leah Jane Kaplan and Serena Louise Kaplan. A memorial reception honoring his life will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26, at the Burr residence, 613 Bostwick Lane, Nacogdoches. Please come by to share a memory or visit with Nona, family and friends. Memorials may be made to the Betty Fagan Burr Scholarship, c/o Stephen F. Austin State University, P.O. Box 13005, SFA Station, Nacogdoches, Texas 75962-3005.

Published in The Daily Sentinel on January 24, 2013

02/09/13 03:09 PM

#487

Debra Jan Dobbs (Barton)

Terrible shooting in Tyler at the Mall today. The victim was the quarterback of the Chapel Hill football team and a star on the basketball team in 2007 and 2008 when I first started taking pix for tylerpaper.com. He also went to SFA.

RIP Chris Mass.

02/14/13 09:26 AM

#488

Debra Jan Dobbs (Barton)

Over the last few weeks, a constant stream of friends and family has filtered through the Simmons home to bid farewell to their beloved friend, Jerry Simmons.

He was moved to Stallings Court Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on Sunday, where he spent his last days before dying of pancreatic cancer on Wednesday morning at age 57.

“It seemed like there was a steady flow of people who came by to see him during his last few weeks,” said Matt Williams, one of Simmons’ hunting buddies. “Anytime you went over to his house to visit him, very seldom was it one-on-one. That is just a reflection of what he meant to a lot of different people.”

Williams said he would describe Simmons as the very definition of a true friend.

“Jerry was my best friend in this town,” Williams said. “We first met during a business transaction at the bank where he worked in 1996. We just developed a really close friendship over time. He was my confidant.”

Williams hunted and fished regularly with Simmons, and not a day went by that they did not talk.

Williams received the phone call at 1 a.m. on Wednesday letting him know Simmons would not live much longer. He drove to the nursing home to be with Simmons and his wife.

“There were about 12 or 15 of his close friends up there,” Williams said. “I thanked him for being my friend for all these years. I know he’s in a better place now.”

Simmons was also friends with his direct supervisor at First Bank and Trust, Jimmy Mize, the company’s marketing president.

“Jerry and I first became acquainted when he went to work for Commercial Bank in 1984,” Mize said. “We quickly became friends, and hunting and fishing partners.”

They remained friends when Mize began working at Stone Fort Bank in 1993. Simmons left Commercial Bank in 1998 to help David Draper open a branch of First Bank and Trust in Nacogdoches. When Draper died in 2005, Mize came back to work with Simmons again.

“He lobbied for me to come,” Mize said. “He made it possible. He was such a good, selfless friend. And that’s how he dealt with his customers. He had the same relationship with each of his customers. They knew him and trusted him.”

Simmons was honest and genuinely caring, said John Derrick, who worked with Simmons at Commercial Bank from 1992 to 1998.

“He got to work early, about 5:30 in the morning, and got everything going,” Derrick said. “He’s always been loving and caring and looking out for others.”

Jerry Simmons will be remembered as a good guy and a strong Christian witness, Derrick said.

“He’s the kind of guy you would like to have as a brother, if you have a brother,” Derrick said. “There is no doubt in my mind he’s standing in Heaven now.”

Derrick said especially toward the end of his life, Simmons made sure to talk to everyone about Christ.

“He loved people. I never heard him talk bad about anyone — not even to pick and make fun,” Derrick said. “He left a good legacy in his son. Madison is a good young man.”

Simmons’ wife, Fern Simmons, said they shared 24 wonderful years of marriage.

“He was a wonderful father, husband and provider,” Fern Simmons said. “He taught his son about the love of the outdoors, and he was an inspiration to many others. Even when he was sick, he pushed himself to continue to do things with Madi. He continued to work and he visited with other cancer patients.”

Fern Simmons said she was thankful to Accolade Hospice and its nursing staff — Kathy Payne, Holly Randall and Brandee Best.

Dr. Bryan Davis made house calls for Jerry Simmons as well, she said.

She also expressed gratitude for the care of Brian Tyre, pastor at New Hope Methodist Church, and to Simmons’ coworkers at First Bank and Trust.

“I don’t know what we would have done without them,” she said. “I’m also grateful for my boss at Edward Jones, Gregg Nichols. He let me put my family first.”

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday at Laird Funeral Home. The funeral will be at First United Methodist Church at 10 a.m. on Saturday, followed by burial at Simpson Campground Cemetery in Woden.

During his last days, Derrick said Jerry Simmons often asked him whether he had met many people, then told him who they are, with whom they are related and where they worked.

“I told him, ‘Jerry, you know a lot of people in Nacogdoches County,’” Derrick said. “He answered, ‘I love Nacogdoches County. I was born and raised here, and that’s where I’ll die.’”

02/22/13 01:16 PM

#489

Debra Jan Dobbs (Barton)

Dr. Robert A. Low, 55, passed peacefully at his mother's home in Nacogdoches on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013. Robert was born on July 12, 1957, in Mineral Wells to Gene M. and Frances D. (Wilson) Low. Robert attended Nacogdoches High School where he proudly played football for the Dragons until he graduated in 1975. He married his high school sweetheart and fellow alumnus, Nancy Jill Beasley, who preceded him in death in 2009. He received his Bachelor of Art degree in history and political science from North Texas State University in 1985. He continued his education, receiving his Master in Education (1998) and his Doctorate in Education (2003) degrees from Stephen F. Austin State University. Robert devoted himself to teaching high school in Jacksonville, Texas, and in Arkansas, where he will be especially missed by the students and staff of Hot Springs High School. He was honored to teach and mentor gifted students at Arkansas Governor's School in Conway, Ark. In spite of his relocation to Arkansas, Robert remained an outspoken, devoted Dallas Cowboys Fan. Robert is survived by two sons, Joshua Low and wife, Jessica, and Matthew Low and wife, Kristin; two beautiful grandchildren, Aubrey Jill Low and Logan Cornelius Low; mother, Frances Low; sisters, Regina D. Low, Cassandra Low Ellis and husband Neuman; brother, Pete Low and wife, Robbie; fiancÃ©e, Terri Taylor and family; several loving nieces and nephews, and numerous friends. Robert was also preceded in death by his father, Gene M. Low. Friends and family are invited to a memorial service to be held at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22, 2013, at Apostolic Light House Church, located at 1801 Durst Street, Nacogdoches. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Hospice of East Texas, 4111 University Blvd., Tyler, Texas 75701. Online condolences and tributes can be sent at www.watsonandsonsfuneralhome.com Watson and Sons Funeral Home.

Published in The Daily Sentinel on February 21, 2013

03/13/13 04:50 PM

#490

Debra Jan Dobbs (Barton)

Obituary for Johnny Shivers

Funeral services for Mr. Johnny Evans Shivers, 57, of Nacogdoches, Texas will be held on Saturday, March 16, 2013, at 10:00 AM at Laird Funeral Home with Bro. Sonny Scarborough officiating. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Park.
Mr. Shivers was born on March 27, 1955, in Nacogdoches, Texas to the late George Shivers and Maxine Hawkins Shivers. He passed away on Tuesday, March 12, 2013, in Nacogdoches.
Visitation will be held on Friday, March 15, 2013, from 5-7 PM at Laird Funeral Home.

03/15/13 09:15 AM

#491

Debra Jan Dobbs (Barton)

Funeral service for Mr. Johnny Evans Shivers, 57, of Nacogdoches, Texas, will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 16, 2013, at Laird Funeral Home with Bro. Sonny Scarborough officiating. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Park. Mr. Shivers was born on March 27, 1955, to the late George E. Shivers and Maxine Hawkins Shivers. He passed away on March 12, 2013, in Nacogdoches. Johnny was a devoted son to both his parents and was an exceptional caregiver to his mother her entire life. He was caring and nurturing to her in her last days. Johnny was employed at Foretravel in both the Nacogdoches and Dallas locations and then owned and operated the Fast Lube Oil Change before becoming the Snap-On-Tools representative for the East Texas territory. He was an avid motorcyclist; the roar of a Harley Davidson was music to his ears, as was anything with horsepower and speed. Johnny was a great animal lover. He cared for all animals, and his Labradors, Amalie and RT, were his favorites. He was also a very giving person. He would lend anyone in need a hand, a truck, a tool and most of all his knowledge and time. He loved being outdoors and working on anything he thought could be repaired or improved. He enjoyed the camaraderie of the Texas Thunder Harley Davidson Chapter, of which he was a charter life member. He was also a longtime member of the NRA. He is survived by his uncle, Buddy Hawkins and wife, Lady of Alpine, Texas; aunt, Betty Sue McClain of Nacogdoches; sister-in-law, Lynn Shivers of Nacogdoches; cousins, Mike and Brinda McClain, Robin McClain, Dottie McClain, Janet and Lyndell Pierce of Nacogdoches, Loretta Harper and Karen Dixon of Willis, Texas, Jimmy and Ann Masters of Dallas, Gil and Connie Masters of Lufkin, Tommy and Tammy Hawkins of Odessa, Terry and Doug Klepper of Lubbock and Chachi Hawkins of Alpine, Texas; as well as a host of extended family and close friends. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his two brothers, Tommy and Ronny Shivers. Pallbearers will be John Bradshaw, Jack Krenek, Jacky Hunter, Bill Davis, Ken Tomlin, James Krenek, Mike Greer and Dennis Taylor. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Texas Thunder Harley Davidson Chapter. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Texas Thunder Hog Chapter 8196 Toy Run, PO Box 631234, Nacogdoches, Texas 75963 or to the VFW Post #3893, PO Box 630986, Nacogdoches, Texas 75963. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, March 15, 2013, at Laird Funeral Home. Laird Funeral Home.

04/26/13 08:12 AM

#492

Debra Jan Dobbs (Barton)

Go Lady Dragons!!

05/04/13 11:28 AM

#493

Debra Jan Dobbs (Barton)

A sweet spirit now made whole----

Funeral services for Louis Allen Woeltje, 60, of Nacogdoches will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 5, 2013, at Laird Funeral Home with Bro. James Beene officiating. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Park. Louis passed away peacefully in Nacogdoches on May 2, 2013. He was born on June 13, 1952, to Mr. Walter John Woeltje and Mrs. Rose Ann Couch in Nacogdoches, Texas. Louis graduated from Nacogdoches High School in 1973 where he was the NHS mascot and also led the band during high school pep rallies. He loved singing and painting; he won second place state wide for his artistic paintings. He enjoyed being around and interacting with people. Louis always had a nice compliment to say to whomever he came across. Louis was very involved in his church, Fredonia Hill Baptist Church, where he was a Gideon Class Adult 6 member. He loved his Lord and Savior very much. Louis is survived by his loving mother, Rose Ann Couch; sister Trudy Autrey; brother-in-law, Lee Autrey; niece, Molly Tatum; niece, Dana Hanzich; and his aunt, Nancy Ross. He is preceded in death by his father, Walter John Woeltje; stepfather, Ray Ford. Pallbearers will be Pat Muckleroy, Buddy Castleberry, George Parker, Gary Stripling, Lee Autrey and Danny Jinkins. Honorary pallbearers will be the former members of the Adult 6 men's class of the Fredonia Hill Baptist Church. Visitation will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 5, 2013, at Laird Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Down syndrome research, P.O. Box 369, Grayslake, Ill. 60030 or to the Nacogdoches High School Band. Condolences can be shared on line at www.lairdfh.net. Laird Funeral Home.

05/10/13 11:40 AM

#494

Debra Jan Dobbs (Barton)

Mr. G.W. "Dub" Casper, 79, of Nacogdoches County, Texas, passed away Monday, May 6, 2013, at his residence.

Mr. Casper was born December 17, 1933, in the Lacyville community of Nacogdoches County to parents George and Josie Casper. He had been a lifelong resident of the area and graduated in 1953 from Nacogdoches High School. He was employed at NIBCO in Nacogdoches for 40 years, retiring as a foreman of the machine shop.

An avid fisherman and hunter, Dub also loved watching all sports on television. He was a charter member of Northwood Baptist Church.

His survivors include his wife, Sue Catlett Casper; sons, Marcus Casper and wife Maelena and Rick Casper and wife Janice; daughter, Kim Van Dunk and husband Kris; grandchildren, Angie Russell, Andrea Casper, Kati Van Dunk, Kaylyn Van Dunk, Colton Casper, and Laci Sims; and great-grandchildren, Sawyer Durham and Taylar Casper.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Joe Ollie Casper, Lacy Casper, and Buford Casper; and a grandson, Bradley Casper Swearingen.

Graveside rites have been set for 10:00 a.m. Friday, May 10, 2013, at Saints Rest Cemetery, located on County Road 538 off FM 1275 in Nacogdoches County, with Bro. Dock Lazarine officiating.

Visitation will be held Thursday, May 9, 2013, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Cason Monk-Metcalf, located at 5400 North Street in Nacogdoches.

Pallbearers will be Scott Catlett, Chris Catlett, Luke Peterson, Marshall Peterson, Gordon Casper, Jerry Sims, Troy Commander, and Thomas Cooper II. Honorary pallbearers will be Tom Bush, Howard Catlett, Al Hebert, Paul Peterson, and Leroy Casper.

The family suggests memorials may be made to Heart to Heart Hospice, 209 Christie Drive, Lufkin, TX 75904-5549

09/26/13 04:48 PM

#495

Debra Jan Dobbs (Barton)

Truancy

Pam Latham, from left, and Crystal Ball stand next to the Nacogdoches ISD truancy vehicle.

10/02/13 09:52 AM

#496

Debra Jan Dobbs (Barton)

01/14/14 08:54 AM

#497

Debra Jan Dobbs (Barton)

Check out Steve Cooper!

01/28/14 01:53 PM

#498

Debra Jan Dobbs (Barton)

The Big Chair in Cushing, TX--a present from Dan Rhodes to Jan Mooney Rhodes.

We are planning to go out during our 40th Reunion and take a group picture there.

Meet us there Sat July 26 at 10 AM!

Maybe we'll make the news!

About 16 years ago (1996 or 97) I saw a picture of a BIG chair in Country Magazine. I told Dan I'd love to have one like it to put out beside our swimming pool. Probably a year and a half went by. On Christmas Eve in 1998 I was coming home from Wal-mart (family joke in that also :)) with stocking stuffers. I drove up in our driveway, I thought, "who stacked all that lumber in the driveway"? Then my eyes focused in on it and I said, "That's my BIG chair!!" Dan had had it made for me for Christmas.

It's made from solid cedar and he'd given the proper dimensions to the man he wanted to build it because he wanted it to look like a real chair. (I called it my Paul Bunyan chair.) When Dan told the man how big he wanted it to be and that it was for his wife, the man said, "Just how big IS your wife, anyway"???

My cousin and her baby in the chair.

The chair stayed in our back yard for years and was also used in several parades over the years. We had my nephew's 7th birthday IN the chair. The last time it was in a parade was when my son in law borrowed it for the junior high cheerleaders to ride in on a float. It was getting pretty old by then and I told him he could just keep it. He put it in a vacant lot just outside of Cushing Texas, but before you get to Sacul, on Hwy 20. Cars stop nearly every day and people get out and take pictures of it, it has truly became an attraction.

The chair has been featured in 2 Texas magazines...once with the question "Does anyone know the story of this big chair"? and the next time with my story that I wrote and sent them. It had its own Facebook page for a while with pictures of all the people who'd sat in it. I've always liked seeing the chair...it reminds me of how much Dan loved me...and of the funny things we did together and the practical jokes we played during the 33 years we were married. We shared a BIG love for the Lord and for each other...and the chair symbolizes some of that.

02/11/14 02:03 PM

#499

Debra Jan Dobbs (Barton)

Father and son holding court one final time

Published on Monday, 10 February 2014 23:32 Written by Chris Parry, cparry@tylerpaper.com

Robert E. Lee senior Caleb Johnston (left) is coached by his dad, REL?head coach Alan Johnston (right). They will have their final game together on Tuesday in Lee’s season finale. (Sarah A. Miller | Tyler Morning Telegraph)

Want to buy this photo? Click here!

Any visit to Alan Johnston’s office requires a look at the many pictures and awards that adorn the Robert E. Lee basketball coach’s shelves.

One in particular shows a youngster trying to shoot a basketball that is bigger than he is.

“Look at that form though,” Johnston says with pride.

That youngster is all grown up now and leading the Red Raiders in scoring, rebounds, assists, blocks and 3-pointers.

Caleb Johnston is a senior for Lee and is hours away from stepping onto the hardwood at Lee Varsity Gymnasium for the final time as a high school player.

Lee will play its season finale against North Mesquite with a 7 p.m. tip-off. It will also be the final time Johnston and Caleb will sit together as coach and player.

The Red Raiders have been eliminated from postseason contention. Coach Johnston says injuries, key players suspended due to grades and playing in a difficult district are a few reasons why Lee is not making a return trip to the playoffs.

Lee is 15-12 overall and 3-8 in 12-5A with a chance to win its third league home game this season if the Red Raiders can defeat North Mesquite.

Caleb said the season has been bittersweet because of the finality of it Tuesday, but is looking forward to sharing one last game with his dad as his coach.

“I’ve always wanted him to be my coach and now that the time has come, it has been real fun for the last few years,” Caleb said. “We just have a connection where I can look over at him during a game and he’ll give me that look that says ‘you need to shoot more’ or ‘you’ve just got that third foul and you need to take it easy.’”

It is almost fitting that Johnston & Johnston take the court together one final time because the basketball court and gymnasiums in particular have been their home away from home. Caleb has joined his father on road trips since he was a toddler and was always a regular during halftimes — grabbing a basketball out of the rack and shooting shots before the teams came back out.

“He’s grown up riding that ‘yellow dog’ with me as a little-bitty kid,” Johnston said. “There were days that I remember taking him to the bus between games to change his diaper. He’s just been raised in a basketball atmosphere. He’s always at a gym somewhere working on his game.”

The work has paid off with Johnston entering Tuesday night averaging 12.8 points and grabbing 9.4 rebounds with 3.0 assists and 1.2 blocks. Johnston is also the team’s best outside shooter with 48 3-pointers.

It has taken hard work and dedication for Caleb to overcome what had been an injury-plagued high school career.

The first one occurred during one of his solo workouts in a gym and it ultimately cost him his sophomore season.

Coach Johnston remembers the day well.

“He was working out on his own and had chairs set out on the court. I was going to the grocery store and said I would come back to get him. Right when I pulled in the parking lot, he called and I could hear in his voice that something wasn’t right.”

Johnston said Caleb had been doing “Steve Alford drills” in which it called for setting up a chair at each elbow of the court and making various moves off each chair before shooting.

Caleb suffered a serious ankle injury, which plagued him throughout his sophomore year. Last year in the weeks before the season, Caleb suffered a fractured hand that kept him out of the lineup until district play. Finally healthy, Caleb helped contribute to REL snapping a five-year playoff drought.

This year the senior has been injury-free and taken on the team’s scoring, rebounding and sometimes assist load.

“He’s had one of those shining moments, like they play at the end of the NCAA Tournament,” coach Johnston said. “He’s been raised a coach’s kid and Caleb has taken a lot of unwarranted pressure on himself. He’s worked his tail off, so people can say that he’s the basketball player and not just the coach’s kid.”

Caleb provided one of those “shining moments” in REL’s home win over Rockwall in which the senior drained 6 of 7 3-pointers to finish with 19 points.

Lee has lost its last two games at home and last three overall. Caleb said he and his teammates are determined not to close out the season and his high school career with a loss.

“It’s been a pretty tough pill to swallow, but we still work hard every day,” Caleb said. “We practice just like we’ve got three or four more weeks left. It will be tough Tuesday night to come off the court one last time. It will definitely be tough.”

Caleb is being sought after by several colleges, but said he hasn’t made a decision on where he wants to continue his career.

As for Dad, rumors abound that Johnston will also coach his final Lee game on Tuesday. Johnston said that is not the case.

“In terms of me knowing that I am walking off the floor and never returning back to Robert E. Lee, I am not planning on that,” said Johnston, who will complete his 10th year at the helm of the Red Raiders.

“I am going to start preparing this team to be ready to go up against six Garland teams and Rockwall a year from now (in the district). There is unfinished business at Robert E. Lee as far as I’m concerned.”

- See more at: http://www.etfinalscore.com/ET-Basketball/194348/father-and-son-holding-court-one-final-time#sthash.kFak0vzI.dpuf

02/13/14 11:27 AM

#500

Debra Jan Dobbs (Barton)

Someone we know wrote a little song that is now in a viral video on youtube and social media....

http://www.tylerpaper.com/TP-Arts+Entertainment/194547/video-song-in-viral-video-was-written-by-nacogdoches-native#.Uvz_JHbnZdg

02/17/14 08:54 AM

#501

Debra Jan Dobbs (Barton)

And now the Sentinel has run the story!