Gracie Nelda Carroll, age 82 of Howe, Texas passed away at her home surrounded by a family who loves her deeply on Monday, March 26, 2018.  Funeral services are under the direction of Dannel Funeral Home.

Nelda was born on March 27, 1935 in Nevada County Arkansas.  She grew up in Hope Arkansas.  After graduation from Hope High School in 1954, she moved to Dallas, Texas where she was employed by Bell Telephone Company and met TC Carroll.   TC and Nelda were married February 25, 1956.  She moved to Howe, Texas with her family in July 1968.

Nelda devoted the years of married life to her dear husband, precious children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.  She loved them more than anything and was a beautiful example of living a godly life.  Nelda accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior at age twelve.  Her life, expressed in her own words, is this: “Living for Christ has given meaning, purpose, and joy to my life and great hope for the future.  Knowing, one day, as I depart this earthly life I shall see Christ face to face and forever I shall be there to await my loved ones.”

In addition to caring for her family as a wife of a Pastor, Nelda was active in church as a Sunday School Teacher and was involved in Children’s Ministry at church and Bible Study Fellowship (BSF).  She attended BSF ladies Bible Study classes for six years.

Nelda is survived by her husband of 62 years, TC Carroll, sons: Tony Carroll and wife Susan, Shawn Carroll and wife Sharon, daughter: Dana Carroll Orr and husband Bob.  Grandchildren: Ashley Carroll McCloud and husband Michael, Tyler Carroll and wife Julianne, Kalen Orr, Charis Orr, Sloane Carroll, Stratton Carroll, Sisters: Sara Butterworth and husband Walt, Marguerite Downs, brother Lindol Ellis and many nieces and nephews.

Nelda is preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Ruth Ellis, brother James Ellis and sister, Pansy Mandeville.

The family will greet friends at Dannel Funeral Home from 6:00 – 8:00 pm on Thursday, March 29^th.  Funeral Services will begin Friday at 11:00 AM at First Baptist Church in Howe, Texas.  Nelda’s nephew, Rick Rothwell will officiate with her brother-in-law, Bobby Carroll.  Pallbearers are Tyler Carroll, Kalen Orr, Stratton Carroll, Michael McCleod, Gregg Downs, Andy Downs, David Carroll, Brad Stephens, Chad Stephens, Weldon Day and Ronnie Ellis

You may sign the online guestbook at www.Dannelfuneralhome.com.

This year’s Howe Hall of Honor class will be tallied on Sunday by the Howe Area Chamber of Commerce board members and results from the fourth induction class will be announced in Monday’s edition of the Howe Enterprise.  Paper ballots are available at the Howe chamber office and online voting can be done by clicking here.

The chamber sends voting out for two categories of deceased and living. The top two in each category that receives the most votes will be enshrined on May 4, 2018, at a 6:30 pm ceremony. The May event serves as the kickoff to the Founders Day Festival which takes place the following day starting at 2 pm. The Hall of Honor ceremony is also the night in which the chamber announces other local awards including Business of the Year and the Norman J. Wallace Citizen of the Year. Last year’s inductees included Jean Norman, Donal Gilstrap, J.J. Chisum, and Bob Walker. The 2016 class included Norman Dickey, Steve Simmons, and Jimmy Bearden. Howe’s initial Hall of Honor Class included Jabez Haning, W.P. Thompson, A.M. Ferguson, Mame Roberts, Charles Thompson, Arthur Boyle, Tony Brinkley, L.B. Kirby, Norma Wallace, Ray Bledsoe, Carrie Waller, and Elmer Schenk.

In the deceased category, this year is Price Hanning, Overton Jay, Marshall Robertson, Tommy Skipworth, Artie Stockton, and Bob Williams. The living category consists of Norman Bennett, Harold Taylor, Linda Wall, and Donna Wormsbaker.

DECEASED CATEGORY (TWO WILL BE INDUCTED)

Price Hanning, Sept. 26, 1926 – Nov. 26, 2002. He established a car repair shop in Howe after returning from World War II. Afterward, it became the oldest continuous business in Howe as Hanning Garage and Wrecker Service. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Howe, The Howe Masonic Lodge #430 for 36 years and the Scottish Rite in Dallas. He was a doctor of automotive technology. Hanning kept vehicles running for people he knew could not afford new and improved cars. Sometimes, he did it without charge. He worked through bad weather in all seasons, and deep into many nights to help whoever he could. With a wry sense of humor and a grin, he contributed to the lives of other wrecker drivers, police and Department of Public Safety Troopers. Hanning was honored as a co-Citizen of the Year in 1985.

Overton Jay, Nov. 17, 1916 – Aug. 11, 2001. He was a hometown boy and a third generation native Texan. Jay was a member and elder of the First Christian Church of Howe. He was a graduate of Howe High School and attended Austin College on a track scholarship. As a US Army tank crewman in World War II, he worked for the Corps of Engineers on the preliminary survey for Lake Texoma. He later worked in transportation at Perrin Air Force Base as a Civilian Traffic Management Officer for 21 years before retiring to his Howe farm. Throughout his working career, he was also a servant to his hometown of Howe by serving as a long-tenured city council member.

Marshall Robertson, Nov. 27, 1919 – Sept. 16, 1993. He was a pillar of the Howe business community for many years. Owning and operating Marshall Robertson’s Texaco filling station on Highway 5 and later to Highway 75, Robertson became entrenched in the public eye and was always an ever-ready neighbor and servant to the community. He operated Robertson Texaco until his retirement in 1980. In the early 1960s, Robertson joined other key local businessmen and lobbied Austin for a bank to be independently operated in Howe. Howe State Bank opened in 1964 thanks in part to the efforts of Robertson, who served as a director until health reasons forced him to resign. The children of Howe loved him and knew they could always count on him for a piece of bubble gum. He was a longtime member of the First Baptist Church of Howe and was honored as a co-Citizen of the Year in 1985.

Tommy Skipworth, Feb. 14, 1945 – Nov. 4, 2005. Originally from Sherman, Skipworth made a name for himself as a superb multi-sport athlete at Sherman High School and later Austin College where he was eventually inducted into the Austin College Hall of Honor in 2014. Upon graduation from Austin College in 1967, he began a career in the education field at Howe I.S.D. that ended in a legacy. He served as a teacher, varsity basketball and baseball coach, counselor, and principal, all while furthering his own education with a master’s from East Texas State University.

Artie Callaway Stockton, Sept. 16, 1889 – Feb 8, 1979. Artie Callaway was the first valedictorian of Howe High School in the first graduating class of 1908. Becoming the Mrs. George Stockton, she and her husband owned and operated Stockton’s Drug Store beginning in 1910 until 1961. Perhaps Howe’s first true businesswoman, Stockton would travel by train during World War II to purchase 1,000 yards of cotton print and sell it to the ladies of Howe for $0.49 per yard.  After high school, without a college requirement, Stockton took a county exam and gained her certificate to teach. She was a life-long member of the First United Methodist Church and was an advocate for Mame Roberts’ Prettiest Little Town in Texas project as Stockton arguably maintained the prettiest yard in the prettiest town. In a 1972 interview with the Howe Enterprise, she said, “I just love life. There’s just not anything I don’t like to do.”

Bob Williams, May 12, 1933 – March 14, 2000. Bob Carl Williams was born in 1933 and grew up in Sherman, Texas and was a 1952 Sherman High graduate. His contributions to Howe are well documented during his 23 years as Senior Vice President of First Bank Howe. Williams was a charter member of the Howe Band Boosters, as well as serving as president of the Athletic Booster Club, and president of the Howe Lions Club. He was also involved with the Upper-Elm Red Water Conservation Committee and served on the Loy Lake Livestock Board of Directors. Williams used loaning money for FFA projects to teach students a lifelong lesson. He would take extra time to explain the details of a loan with each FFA student. Most of all he wanted them to learn responsibility, that if they kept their end of the agreement he would be there the next time they needed money. Williams was often taken for granted as he quietly did whatever needed to be done for Howe, especially for the youth in the community. He worked in many places not seeking recognition for his deeds but doing all for the community he loved. He was the recipient of the 1999 Norma J. Wallace Citizen of the Year.

LIVING CATEGORY (TWO WILL BE INDUCTED)

Norman Bennett was born in 1932 and raised in Gainesville, Texas. Shortly after graduating from Southern Methodist University, Dallas, he moved to Sherman where he taught math at Sherman High and coached the tennis team in the late 1950s and 1960s. He then taught at Howe High where he taught in three different decades at Howe High School. Bennett was known for his contagious smile, his knack for math, his ability to connect with and “mesmerize” his students. He would write math problems on the board with his eyes on the class the entire time.   While involved in his teaching career, Bennet also starred in plays and musicals at the Sherman Community Players Theater. Working at KXII TV, he hosted an afternoon movie show, “Dialing for Dollars”, had roles in commercials, and was the weekend weatherman. After his children were grown, Norman Bennett decided to earn extra money by auditioning for commercials in Dallas. In 1983, he starred in two movies – “Terms of Endearment”, starring Shirley MacLaine and Jack Nicholson, and “Tender Mercies”, starring Robert Duval – both movies winning Academy Awards. In “Terms of Endearment”, he played the role of banker Edward Johnson, one of Shirley MacLaine’s suitors. In the movie “Hope Floats”, he starred opposite Sandra Bullock and Harry Connick, Jr.

Harold Taylor is a hometown boy, graduating from Howe High School in 1956 from his class of 13. After attending North Texas State University, he began a 37- year career with the United States Postal Service including the last 13 as the postmaster in Howe from 1984-1997. Taylor is the only person to ever be selected as the Norma J. Wallace Citizen of the Year twice (1987, and 1997). Taylor was an active Howe Chamber of Commerce member and served as the treasurer of the Howe Lions Club for many years where he helped less fortunate children obtain eyeglasses. Taylor also served as Scout Master and Assistant Scout Master for many years for Howe’s Troop 45. Taylor was also a supporter of Howe ISD by becoming a charter member of the band boosters and also a supporter of the athletic booster club. He and his wife have been faithful members of the First United Methodist Church of Howe for 59 years.

Linda Wall could easily be argued as the most important figure in the history of the Howe Chamber of Commerce. Her supreme volunteering spanned five decades in various organizations. Coming to Howe during the 1970s during the Texas Instruments boom, as so many others did, Wall immediately became involved with the First United Methodist Church of Howe and her first volunteer activity was as a Cub Scout Den Leader. Being active in PTA and helping to push forward a plan to start a band program in Howe ISD, she joined other Howe community leaders such as Jean Norman to help form the Friends of the Library. Her volunteer work with the Howe Chamber earned her not only respect but also the 1997 Norma J. Wallace Citizen of the Year honor. Her latest volunteer achievement was the upkeep and organization of Howe’s free clothing distribution center known as Peggy’s Porch.

Donna Wormsbaker is a hometown girl, born Donna Moses to previous Howe servants, the 1968 Howe High School graduate returned to teach in her hometown in 1976 as Howe’s second ever kindergarten teacher. She’s a lifelong member of the First United Methodist Church in Howe where her family has served for over half a century. After a 38-year teaching career in Howe and 43 overall, Wormsbaker set off on a volunteer rampage dedicating her time to her city. The former teacher became involved with the Howe Area Chamber of Commerce, Peggy’s Porch, and the Save the Church organization. But her true skills are seen as her work as executive director and president of the Keep Howe Beautiful organization. KHB annually holds a Trash-off as well as plants flowers throughout the city. Just as Hall of Honor member Mame Roberts did in the 1940s, Wormsbaker’s dedication has helped lead Howe to be a cleaner and more attractive place.

Joe King passed from this life on March 26, 2018 at Medical City Hospital in McKinney.  He was born in Howe, Texas on August 24, 1931 to Nancy and Clyde King.  He graduated Howe High School in 1948 and attended North Texas University.

He married Katie Koeninger in 1951 to whom he was married for 66 years. He was a member of the Howe United Methodist Church, the Howe Fire Department, served on the Howe ISD School Board, the Howe State Bank Board, and had been a member of the Hall Cemetery Board.

Joe was a farmer and rancher in the Howe area most of his life. He loved to garden, was proud of his flowers and loved to share his food. He was an FFA Lone Star Farmer and involved in helping countless FFA and 4H students with their projects.  He loved his white cows and enjoyed seeing them at various stock shows over the years. He never hesitated to help those who were willing to put in the hard work and effort. He grew pecans that were legendary. He will be missed by those who knew and loved him.

He is survived by his wife Katie, sister Mary Ann and husband Travis Arterbury of Russellville, Arkansas, three daughters Kathie and husband Bruce Allen of Whitewright, Susan King of Plano and Lesa and husband Terry Williams of Garland. He had 3 grandchildren, Bailey Williams of Garland, Karen (Allen) Seabourn and husband Justin of Westminster, Colorado and Stacy (Allen) Wilson and husband Jared of Garland as well as 4 great-grandchildren, Brandon, Zoe, and Kendyll Seabourn and Katie Wilson.

He was preceded in death by his parents and sister Nancy Jane Yarbrough.

Funeral services will be held at 2 pm Friday, March 30, 2018 Howe Methodist Church with pastor Zack Landis officiating.

Donations may be made in Joe’s memory to Howe Methodist Church, Hall Cemetery Association or MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Services are under the direction of Waldo Funeral Home.   The register book can be signed online at waldofuneralhome.com

In discussions with the Donal Gilstrap family over the weekend and last several days, it was revealed to them that the audio of the conversations we had back in 2014 with him to construct the article entitled, “A walk to remember” was saved.  Mr. Gilstrap’s son Patrick thought his students and friends might want to listen to some of the stories told directly from the longtime Howe High School principal.

Here he discusses a principal he had that made a huge impact on his administrative career.

Here he discusses how he was lucky to get an education and recalls an English teacher that stood out to him.

Here he discusses how he became a football player without ever seeing a game.

Here he discusses how he was recruited to Howe ISD and the process of getting the high school principal position.

Here he discusses how it took three people to replace him when he moved to high school principal and three people to replace him when he retired.

Here he discusses his lack of desire to learn about computers.

Here he discusses his retirement and working with Norman Farms.

Here he talks about meeting Barbara.

Services for Donal Gene Gilstrap, age 84, of Howe, Texas will be held at 2:00 PM Thursday, March 29, 2018, at the First Baptist Church in Howe. Private family burial will follow at the Hall Cemetery in Howe, Texas. The family will receive friends from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Wednesday, March 28, 2018, at Scoggins Funeral Home in Van Alstyne, Texas.

Donal passed away on Sunday, March 25, 2018, at the Homestead of Sherman. He was born on July 14, 1933, in Breckenridge, Texas the son of Edmund and Martha Gilstrap. Donal enlisted and served in the United States Army becoming a First Lieutenant. He met Barbara Helen Mahan while at Fort Sill & married her on August 8, 1959, in Madill, Oklahoma. Donal received his degree from Hardin Simmons University and later got his Master’s Degree from Texas Tech. He taught & coached in Memphis, TX & Lubbock, TX, before moving to Howe, TX to be a Principal for Howe Schools from 1972 until his retirement in 1993. He was a faithful member of the First Baptist Church in Howe, Texas.
Donal was preceded in death by his parents, then his wife, Barbara Helen Gilstrap.

Survivors are daughter, Catherine Gilstrap; son, Patrick Gilstrap & his wife Loretta; Grand-daughter, Dallas Wilburn & her husband, Lonnie; great-grand-daughter Zoey Wilburn; step-grandsons, Aaron Williams & Colton Williams; brother James Gilstrap & his wife Delores.

Services are under the direction of Scoggins Funeral Home & Crematory, 637 W. Van Alstyne Parkway, Van Alstyne, Texas 75495. Pallbearers will be Sam Haigis, Buddy Baker, Ray Bledsoe, Charles Farris, Charles Loftice & Bill Loftice.

The online register book may be signed at www.scogginsfunealhome.com

 

To send flowers or a remembrance gift to the family of Donal Gene Gilstrap, please visit the Tribute Store.

Viewing for longtime Howe High School principal Donal Gilstrap will be Wednesday, Mar 28, 2018, from 6 pm to 8 pm at Scoggins Funeral Home, 637 West Van Alstyne Parkway, Van Alstyne, TX 75495.

The funeral service will be Thursday, Mar 29 at 2 pm at the First Baptist Church, 100 Davis Street, Howe, TX 75459.

Services for Donal Gene Gilstrap, age 84, of Howe, Texas will be held at 2:00 PM Thursday, March 29, 2018 at the First Baptist Church in Howe. Private family burial will follow at the Hall Cemetery in Howe, Texas. The family will receive friends from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Wednesday, March 28, 2018 at Scoggins Funeral Home in Van Alstyne, Texas.

Donal passed away on Sunday, March 25, 2018 at the Homestead of Sherman. He was born on July 14, 1933 in Breckenridge, Texas the son of Edmund and Martha Gilstrap. Donal enlisted and served in the United States Army becoming a First Lieutenant. He met Barbara Helen Mahan while at Fort Sill & married her on August 8, 1959 in Madill, Oklahoma. Donal received his degree from Hardin Simmons University and later got his Master’s Degree from Texas Tech. He taught & coached in Memphis, TX & Lubbock, TX, before moving to Howe, TX to be a Principle for Howe Schools from 1972 until his retirement in 1993. He was a faithful member of the First Baptist Church in Howe, Texas.
Donal was preceded in death by his parents, then his wife, Barbara Helen Gilstrap.

Survivors are daughter, Catherine Gilstrap; son, Patrick Gilstrap & his wife Loretta; Grand-daughter, Dallas Wilburn & her husband, Lonnie; great-grand-daughter Zoey Wilburn; step-grandsons, Aaron Williams & Colton Williams; brother James Gilstrap & his wife Delores.

Services are under the direction of Scoggins Funeral Home & Crematory, 637 W. Van Alstyne Parkway, Van Alstyne, Texas 75495. Pallbearers will be Sam Haigis, Buddy Baker, Ray Bledsoe, Charles Farris, Charles Loftice & Bill Loftice.
The online register book may be signed at www.scogginsfunealhome.com

To send flowers or a remembrance gift to the family of Donal Gene Gilstrap, please visit our Tribute Store.

 

A walk to remember

Originally published in the Howe Enterprise, Monday, June 16, 2014 

Kids and newer residents of Howe have no idea who the heavily bearded, heavily clothed man is who walks continuously around the east side of town. They just might be shocked of the impact he made on countless individuals who call this city their home.

After the announced retirement of longtime Superintendent, Charles Thompson, the school had a vacancy for the position. Gilstrap, who was best friends with Ray Culp (brother of then-school board member Ned Culp), was asked to apply for the superintendent position.

“I knew I wasn’t qualified for it. I was still working on my master’s degree. But it was something that I was interested in and I thought I’d apply and if nothing else, it would be a mini-vacation,” said Gilstrap. Gilstrap was not hired for the job as it went to Glen Mitchell.

“They told me that I was not going to be the superintendent, and I knew that, but they said that we want you to be a high school principal in a year. The entire school board came out to Lubbock and I was in my shop working and they came out to my shop where I was welding and I couldn’t believe that they had driven all the way out there just to see me and to say ‘we want you’ and that made me feel good,” Gilstrap remarked.

Gilstrap became the middle school principal with the understanding that he would become the high school principal the following year. He was worried about replacing H.L. Linker, who was the current high school principal and wondering how that was going to work.

“I told Mr. Mitchell that I will never take somebody’s job and have him fired simply to please me,” said Gilstrap.

Mr. Mitchell set it up for Gilstrap to take the elementary and middle school principal position and also tax assessor in order for it to be an increase in pay from what he was already receiving in Lubbock.

“A lot of people thought that Mr. Mitchell and I knew each other, but I never knew him until I got here,” said Gilstrap.

When Mitchell left Howe and Arthur Boyle was hired as superintendent, Boyle named Gilstrap the high school principal when it opened up, knowing that it was in Gilstrap’s contract to be offered the position.

Gilstrap, as a principal, was a bit intimidating, although he only stood 5′ 9″. He looked like a man that was either a wrestler or football player. However, he was as caring and protective of his students as anyone could ask.

“There were a couple of boys that I kept out of serious trouble. And it was one of those where not a big deal was made of it. I told someone that it’s not me that’s keeping these boys out of serious trouble, it’s that old principal that I had in Colorado City, Texas.,” said Gilstrap.

He molded himself after his high school principal. In fact, Gilstrap was very lucky to even have a high school principal and an education altogether.

Gilstrap grew up picking cotton in the 1940’s and was not able to go to school until all of the cotton was picked, which was usually around November. His mother had a sixth-grade education and his dad received no education at all, but he was a hard oil field worker.

When Gilstrap went to school at Colorado City, his principal set him up, knowing he wouldn’t be there long. He took him to an English teacher who demanded excellence from him. She was upset at his showing up in November.

“She said, ‘young man, every student in my class is up to date. When Christmas starts, you will have said 100 lines of poetry and you will give me nine book reports. It will be done.’ I said, ‘yes ma’am.,’” remarked Gilstrap with a smile.

Gilstrap turned in three book reports in the first three days and completed all of her assignments by her deadline. She soon realized that he was an avid reader and had done literally two things in his life to that point – work and read.

That English teacher not only challenged him to push himself, but she also taught him how teachers would react to stressful situations like that which would help him down the road in his administration position.

It was also in high school that a coach told him that he needed to try out for football. Even though Gilstrap grew up in the hot-bed of high school football in West Texas near Midland and Big Spring, he had never played or even seen a football game due his constant working and reading.

With his mother insisting on him staying in school at Colorado City, his dad found a job nearby so that could take place. He did as his coach had asked and tried out for the football team in 1949, his sophomore year.

“On my first day, there wasn’t anyone who could show me how to put the football uniform on. If you think about it, it’s difficult. It took me 15 minutes to get the knee pads to stay in. I couldn’t figure out how to get the thing buckled. I just went out there without some pads,” said Gilstrap.

After having to explain to Gilstrap what the word “tackle” meant, the coach had him on the kickoff team and wanted him to tackle the ball carrier on the kick return.

“I grabbed him, picked him up and threw him on the ground. The other kids were clapping and carrying on and what I didn’t know was that this kid was the typical bully,” said Gilstrap. “The next time, I did the same thing. I picked him up and threw him down. The third time, he wouldn’t pick up the ball.”

Not knowing any football terminology, Gilstrap was a real-life Herman Munster on the field with little understanding, but amazing strength. He became the starting middle linebacker in the first game that he’d ever seen. His skills in football earned him an athletic scholarship to Hardin-Simmons University to play football.

After college, he went to The U.S. Army for four years, spending time in Korea, he made money for the first time of his life. Being an officer, he got paid more than the rest. After his duty to his country, he found himself working in Fort Sill, Oklahoma where he joined a church and on one particular church event, the young people walked up Mount Scott near Lawton, Oklahoma.

“About halfway up the hill, I looked up and there was a girl standing there and I never saw such pretty red hair. It was the reddest hair, you can’t believe how red it was. But she was with an enlisted man,” Gilstrap recalled. “I got her name – Barbara, but that was it.”

After calling a friend and confirming that “Barbara” was a college graduate and the church secretary. One evening after the church service was over, the group of younger people went for some coffee. Gilstrap told Barbara that he had a G.I. inspection the next morning and that he couldn’t go. That’s when she put her hand on his shoulder and said, ‘Aw, you’ve got time for a cup of coffee.’

“That was it. We got married really quickly. I could’ve been married a week or two later, but we waited a little while. It was one of those things where I just knew,” said Gilstrap. “I knew from the time she told me that I had time for a cup of coffee that I was going to marry her.”

They were married August 8, 1959, and spent 54 years never having an argument.

“She was the most brilliant person that I have ever encountered. She knew every spelling and definition of every word. I could never stump her. I used to try all of the time,” Gilstrap said.

He also recalled that she was so popular when they were dating. He had all of the little old ladies in the church telling him to be nice to her.

“Barbara had 50 grandmothers in the same church,” he said. “She was the pastor’s secretary so he would also look at me and make sure I was good for her.”

The pastor told them that he never knew a couple that didn’t need a conversation before marriage because he knew they were meant for each other.

They lived the dream marriage and had two children: Catherine and Patrick, who both graduated from Howe High School.

As a student, Barbara was the secretary to the Oklahoma Baptist University president and continued in that position after graduation. She later worked in the president’s office at Texas Tech University, and she retired in 1996 from the president’s office at Grayson County College.

As mentioned, Donal Gilstrap retired from Howe ISD after the 1992-93 school year. After retirement, he went back to his first childhood job. He worked in the fields. This time he used a tractor when he worked for Norman Farms.

“I loved it so much. I had hardly any responsibilities. I didn’t have to have a philosophy and everything. I was with very intelligent people, but we didn’t have to be intelligent. We just worked. It was so much fun,” said Gilstrap.

But one day, while working on the farms, he realized that something wasn’t quite right with Barbara. She had been driving to Oklahoma regularly to see her elderly mother, who had started to treat her poorly as if she were a little girl. However, if her husband were around, her mother would treat Barbara like an adult.

Gilstrap soon resigned from working for Jack Norman in order to make changes to the routine. Barbara was working non-stop to prepare weekend meals for her visits with her mother and soon because exhausted. She then started to get lost on her way to the Oklahoma destination that she had traveled so many times.

Gilstrap started trying to take some of the stress off of her by doing some of the cooking.

“When we’d come home on Sunday evenings, that would be the only time that she would relax,” Gilstrap said.

Gilstrap became worried about her forgetting what the doctors were telling her, so he requested they have their exams together. The doctor would ask her to spell things backward and then spell very tough words. Little did the doctor realize that this was her specialty. He cleared her and said that she was as sharp as a tack. However, Gilstrap knew that this wasn’t the case.

A few years later, she was in fact diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.  In the early stages, Gilstrap made sure she had a cell phone everywhere she went so she could call if she would get lost. Those early stages, they often laughed about it, but the worse her condition escalated, it became nothing to laugh about. Always trying to please her, he would take her out to lunch or dinner anytime. However, she couldn’t think of what she wanted.  One particular afternoon they started in Howe and drove to Sherman and she refused each location they drove by. He drove to Denison to her favorite places to no avail. He continued to Durant and was told no, in which he drove her to Ada and told no. She finally decided on a place once they drove all the way to her hometown of Madill, Oklahoma. Another afternoon in the grocery store, Gilstrap found her talking to a young family and when asked, she said told the family that she didn’t have any kids and had never been married. She often would not remember being married and would take herself to a place in her life before marriage. She would often speak as if she were in college and with old college friends.

“All of the time I spent in college, 11 years in Lubbock, East Texas State, all of the counseling courses I took, I had to use all of it with Barbara,” said Gilstrap. “I told myself that I would never let it bother me. I don’t care what it is. I can do anything under any circumstance.”

Her suffering became his suffering. He would even listen to her say that she didn’t want to be married or want the responsibility of being married.

“She would say, ‘Don, I love you and I’m so happy with us, but you’re a good woman,’” (he laughed).

With that, he knew she wasn’t understanding what she was saying and he learned to take everything in stride as her condition grew worse and worse.

“I never allowed her to go to bed without being happy and I never left this living room without her giggling. To leave her there (Pecan Point Assisted Living) was the hardest thing to do.

Barbara passed away on a Saturday in November of 2012. It would have been about the same time of the year that Don Gilstrap would’ve finally been done picking cotton in West Texas and heading to school.

The man who walks in overalls, walking stick and long white beard resembles a picture of a shepherd from biblical days. He has seen a lot. He was the non-typical kid that had a great work ethic that was taught to him by his father. He also had a love of reading. All he needed was a chance.

Because of a hard-nosed English teacher that pushed him, a principal that cared enough about him to give him a chance, and a coach that bought him socks and shoes and taught him how to play football, Donal Gilstrap was able to use his work ethic to get through college, the Armed Forces, a long-standing career as an administrator and stick with the love of his life as she chartered in territory unfamiliar.

Gilstrap was brought here by six school board members who drove to Lubbock to make sure he came to Howe to help our kids grow in to being people that just might out-work the next guy.

His ability to endure without wavering can still be seen in the hot June sun every day on a trip from his home on Denny Street down to Duke, back of Hughes to Young, back to Denny to his house. Gilstrap has had a walk to remember.

The Howe Area Chamber of Commerce is once again hosting the Founders Day Festival and this year’s event could be the best yet if the number of street vendors is any indication.  The event which will take place on May 5, 2018, in downtown Howe from 2 pm to 8 pm has seen an unusual of early bird vendors reserve their spaces on the street.  Of the 42 street spaces, only two remain with six weeks to go.  The chamber has added an additional 20 overflow spaces which will be placed between City Hall and Abby’s Restaurant and behind the restaurant next to Stark Lane Farms Gift Shop.

Food vendors that have signed up so far are B-Dawgz Street Doggz, Magic Smoke BBQ, Pop Pop Popcorn, and Chill Out Shaved Ice.

There will be a Kid Zone with items including a bounce house (sponsored by Exalt Realty) and the chamber is seeking sponsors for the popular Interurban Kid Train and a 65′ inflatable obstacle.

“This is the chance we have to create positive lasting memories for our kids in this town and maybe one day when they start having families they’ll remember these great days and they’ll want to raise their kids here,” said Howe’s Economic Director Monte Walker.

Two bands will rock downtown starting with Bent Creek who performed at last year’s Founders Day Festival.  They will play from 2 pm – 4:30 pm.  Then Texas Flood will take the stage at 5:30 pm which is a free concert sponsored by Tomlin Investments.   Texas Flood is the highly-accredited Stevie Ray Vaughan tribute band that will have the crowd amazed at the likeness of sound, look, and feel.  Texas Flood has become one of the premier blues bands in all of North Texas. Evolving from the original tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan, Texas Flood pays tribute to the legends as well as the future of the blues through their own music and style. With an in-your-face show and raw high energy playing, Tommy Katona takes the listener on a journey through the blues.

The chamber will also host a wine-tasting event inside the chamber office that will take place from 5 pm to 8 pm.  No alcohol is allowed to be consumed outside of the contained area.   Tickets will be $10 to enter the wine-tasting.

Register a vendor space by clicking here

 

Howe ISD announced this morning that they have a contract on a property for the new primary school that is set to open in August of 2019.  The 15-acre tract is located on the northwest corner of Summit Hill Parkway and US Highway 75.

Howe Superintendent Kevin Wilson said that the contract identifies the property, but nothing is finalized until closing.   Now that the property has been identified, the school can begin the final stages of site-plan development.

 

The Howe Youth Baseball non-profit organization is preparing for a preseason 12U tournament to be held at Bicentennial Park’s North Field starting Thursday, March 22 at 6:30 pm.  Howe has three teams in the tournament that will lead up to regular season play next week.

Tickets are $3 for adults at the gate and $1 for children.  Weekend passes will be available.  All funds go to improve Howe Youth Baseball including upgrades to ballfields, paying for umpires, uniforms, chalk, playing surface, and equipment.