DENISON ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

 

 

 

 

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI & SPORTS HALL OF FAME 2009

 

By DONNA HUNT

Herald Democrat
 

The Denison Alumni Association recognized Distinguished Alumni and a Sports Hall of Fame inductee Thursday, Sept. 10, during its annual awards reception at the Senior Citizens Center, 532 W. Chestnut, immediately after the Denison High School homecoming parade.

The four honorees were recognized during Friday night's football game in Munson Stadium.

David Ray Smith's name was added to the Sports Hall of Fame plaque that hangs in the hall at the school administration building. David, who died March 8, 2009, was represented by his daughter Elizabeth Smith and his grandson Hunter, and Elizabeth's good friend Shannon Brown, in the parade, reception and football game.

Added  to the distinguished alumni's list of outstanding graduates was Gregory T. Davis, class of 1975; Don Lummus, class of 1954; and Dr. Don Russell, class of 1966. Russell was unable to attend the parade and reception, but was here for the ceremony during the football game.

Horace Groff, past president of the Denison Alumni Association, was master of ceremonies for the recognition program. This was a "come as you are event" he said. Food and cold drinks were served at no cost to the attendees.

 

David Ray Smith

David Ray Smith played football for the Denison Yellow Jackets in 1961. After losing two of the first three games, Coach Herman Bailey decided to realign his defense, moving Smith from offensive halfback to middle linebacker on defense. In the next seven games Jackets only gave up 35 points.

A gentleman and popular student at DHS, when Smith snapped on his helmet he became a man possessed to win the game. He was later sidelined with a dislocated shoulder suffered in practice. When the season ended sports writers of District 4-A voted Smith the outstanding defensive lineman of the year and picked him on the first string all-district team. The Associated Press picked him on the third string all-state team. The honors kept coming in. At the annual Yellow Jacket Booster's Club meeting Coach Bailey said that Smith "furnished us with the shoulders that carried us to the state quarterfinals.

When Smith graduated from DHS in 1962, he went to Henderson Junior College then to Stillwater to play for the Oklahoma State Cowboys where he received his B.A. degree in 1965. He tried coaching for a few years then joined the workforce and stayed there for the remainder of his life.

Smith died March 8 and was buried in Edmond, Okla. At the service his daughter, Elizabeth, met many of his old teammates from OSU.

 

Gregory T. Davis

Gregory Davis was active in the music program during his days at DHS, serving as band president. He was one of the first students to participate in the newly formed educational television network program at McDaniel Junior High School.

Currently he is general manager of WRR, Classical 101.1 fm in Dallas, a post he has held for 16 years. He has been honored with numerous awards including Broadcaster of the Year in 1997 by the Black College Radio Association. He also has been given seven Marconi Awards of Merit for classical music broadcasting and the Texas Public Relations Association Best in Texas Award for Advertising Excellence. As general manager of WRR, the station has received two White House special recognitions for classical music broadcasting from Presidents William Jefferson Clinton and George W. Bush.

Davis is actively involved in a number of civic and charitable organization in Dallas, where he makes his home. He serves on a number of philanthropic and community boards.

He was born in Denison and graduated from Denison High in 1975. He distinguished himself at DHS as a student earning honors for musicianship, academic performance and leadership, a foreshadowing of his success in his career.

 

Don Lummus

Don Lummus, a native Denisonian, is a product of Houston Elementary School then Denison High School (1954) before heading to Texas A&M University in College Station, where he received a BS degree in petroleum engineering in 1958, then to Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., where he received an MBA in 1964.

Beginning his career as assistant to the president of Dresser Industries in Dallas, he went on to be general manager or president, CEO of several industries, including President/CEO of Davenport Machine Tools in Rochester, N.Y. He retired in 2004 to Chapel Hill, N.C.

During his 32 years as an entrepreneur, Lummus tried to give back to the system that provided him such grand opportunities. He and his wife, Marilyn are donors of a Presidential Endowed Scholarship at Texas A&M and have supported many other educational and charity events across a broad spectrum of worthwhile causes. He said, "I can't do as much as Boone Pickens, but it has been a fun ride and I believe some good has been done"

During his career he has been active in civic activities including President of the Plano Rotary Club, a candidate for mayor in Plano, President of the Plano School District Education Foundation, chairman of the Dallas Chapter of the Texas Association of Business and chairman of the Texas Association of Business.

 

Dr. Don Russell

Billy Don Russell Jr., was born in Denison and educated in Denison schools, graduating from Denison High in 1966 as salutatorian of his class. Upon graduation he received a scholarship to Southern Methodist University to study engineering, but chose to attend Texas A&M University without a scholarship to study electrical engineering.

He received his bachelors degree in electrical engineering in 1970 and masters degree in 1971, then continued post graduate studies in theology and history at Abilene Christian University before going on to the University of Oklahoma to earn his Ph.D. in electrical engineering in 1975.

In 1976 he returned to Texas A&M to begin his career as a professor of electrical engineering. He has accomplished many noteworthy achievements, including publishing more than 160 times and having three books to his credits. He has received over 400 professional awards and has 15 patents for electrical power systems equipment.

Dr. Russell has been actively involved with numerous national and international engineering organizations. He a member of four honor societies, Eta Kappa Nu, Tau Beta PI, Sigma Pi Sigma and Phi Kappa Pi.

Due to copious awards and accomplishments, Dr. Russell is highly respected among his peers in the engineering community. He is highly sought after for his expertise in many areas, especially large power systems.

Dr. Russell has made significant contributions to his profession and the critical power infrastructure of the United States and other countries.

 

    


                                                                                                                                                 

 

 

 

Denison Alumni Association

Distinguished Alumni & Sports Hall of Fame Recipients

1998-2008

 

2008

2008 Distinguished Alumni

Edmond Ellis, Class of 1957

Hon. Horace Groff, Class of 1958

Dr. Linda Chapman Medearis, Class of 1957

Judith Waldene Trim Nevil, Class of 1958

and

2008 Sports Hall of Fame

Natalie Polk Cobb, Class of 1978

Aaron Jackson, Class of 1986

Coach M.M. Marshall


 

 

2007

Distinguished Alumni

John Hoover, Class of 1956

Tom R. Murray, Class of 1957

Dr. C.J. Ransom, Class of 1958

 

Sports Hall of Fame

Coach Marty Criswell, 1981 - 1991

Tony Brown, 1956 - 2003 (posthumously)

Erick Harper, Class of 1986

Elmar Perry, Jr., Class of 1986

 

2006

Distinguished Alumni

Judge Paul N. Brown, Class of 1943

Hulen L. Jackson, Class of 1931

William E. (Bill) Martin, Class of 1959

Robert M. (Bobby) Noe, Class of 1948

Dr. Phyllis Shaw, Class of 1958

 

Sports Hall of Fame

William (Bill) Lane, Class of 1951

Coach Leslie Willard Cranfill

 

2005

Distinguished Alumni

David Bryant, Class of 1969

Jack Hicks, Class of 1947

Jack Lilley, Class of 1948

Gil A. "Sonny" Stricklin, Class of 1953

Gaylon Don Taylor Jr., Ph.D., P.E., Class of 1978

Dr. Francis Cornell Willis, Class of 1935

 

Sports Hall of Fame

Roy Sims "Butch" Goodman Jr., Class of 1957

 

2004

Distinguished Alumni

Dr. Claud H. Organ Jr., MD, Class of 1944, Terrell High

Dr. Judith Thomas Ph.D., Class of 1956

Don Rice, Class of 1952

Dr. Jerome L. Duggan, Ph.D., Class of 1952

 

Sports Hall of Fame

Melvin Brown, Class of 1949

 

2003

Distinguished Alumni

Danna Burns Harvey, Class of 1960

Donald Mayes, Class of 1932 (posthumously)

Donna Hunt, Class of 1953

Bill Jacobs, Class of 1947

Bob Cherry, Class of 1942

 

Sports Hall of Fame

Edward Butler, Class of 1949, Terrell High

 

2002

Distinguished Alumni

Clora Bryant, Class of 1943, Terrell High

Ray Clymer, Class of 1942

 

Sports Hall of Fame

Mike Jordan, Class of 1963 (posthumously)

Howard Minor, Class of 1953

Oliver Jackson, Class of 1938

 

2001

Distinguished Alumni

Claud Easterly, Class of 1925 (posthumously)

John Krattiger, Class of 1933 (posthumously)

Dr. Kendall Ray Phillips, Class of 1987

Dr. Dorothy Hawkins Rushing, Class of 1942

Noel D. Wall, Class of 1957

 

Sports Hall of Fame

Ralph Elliott, Class of 1969 (posthumously)

Glen Land, Class of 1948

Bob Leach, Class of 1952

Roy Jackson, Class of 1948

Fred Washington, Class of 1984

 

2000

Distinguished Alumni

Doak Blassingame, M.D., Class of 1928

Ann Sproule Rowland, Class of 1947

Frank Darnell, Class of 1938

Lola Mae Hensley Stevens, Class of 1924

Buddy Wagner, NSN, Class of 1937

Judge (Ret.) R.C. Vaughan, Class of 1931

 

Sports Hall of Fame

Kenneth Ellis Kinnamon, Class of 1951

Edwina Leuty Bates, Class of 1948

Phil Shaffer, Class of 1962

Charlie Jackson, Class of 1946

Bill Ashburn, Class of 1952

 

1999

Distinguished Alumni

Brigadier General (Ret.) Larry D. Lessly, Class of 1960

 

Sports Hall of Fame

Marvin J. Vincent, Class of 1949

 

1998

Distinguished Alumni

Linus Wright, Class of 1944

 

Sports Hall of Fame

Jim Freeman, Class of 1960

 

 

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