The following is a press release from the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office:
On November 13th, the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office received a report of two missing students from S&S Middle School. These students were last seen leaving the school in Sadler, Texas after school was released for the day. The students were seen walking away from the school in the direction of the railroad tracks just north of the school. They were spotted a few hours later on the railroad tracks east of Sadler. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice K9 Tracking Unit attempted to track the students from the school. They lost the trail around Old Southmayd Road. As of 9 AM on 11-14-2018, they have had no contact with their families.
If you have any information, please contact the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office at 903-813-4411.
Torres, Destynee – 13 years old Female, Height: 5ft 4in Hazel Eyes/Blonde Hair Willingham, Ashton – 14 years old Male, Height: 5ft 11in Blue Eyes/Blonde Hair
Monte Walker of the Howe Enterprise with Hugh Aynesworth after winning the 2017 award for weekly news publications.
Dallas, TX, Oct. 31, 2018 – The Press Club of Dallas has selected 27 finalists in 16 categories for the second annual Hugh Aynesworth Awards for Texas Journalism.
The competition was open to Texas reporters, columnists, editors, photographers and videographers from throughout the state of Texas for work done in the calendar year 2017.
“We increased the number of categories this year, and we’re excited by the response,” Press Club President Paul Wahlstrom said. Entries came from journalists and their news organizations in Dallas-Ft. Worth, San Antonio, Houston and smaller communities, such as Howe, a North Texas town with a population of about 2,600.
“The judges wrote some really complimentary comments about the finalists,” Wahlstrom said. “Our judges are well-known journalists from the East Coast and have not been involved in Texas journalism, so their deliberations were based on what they read and saw, not who they knew.” The awards dinner and ceremony will be held Dec. 1, 2018 at the Irving Convention Center, beginning at 5 pm. and is open to the public. It will be hosted by John McCaa, longtime news anchor at WFAA TV. Tickets are available through Eventbrite.
The Howe Enterprise was a finalist and eventual winner of the first-time award in 2017 for weekly newspapers. The story entitled, “EF-1 Tornado; EF-5 Community” won the award for the 55-year-old publication. This year’s nominated story was entitled, “Two Howe ladies blessed to survive weekend in Vegas.”
The competition is named for Hugh Aynesworth, an award-winning reporter and editor, whose first-hand recounting of the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy resulted in his best-selling book, November 22, 1963: Witness to History. A long-time Press Club member and past president, Aynesworth is the author of several investigative books and is a four-time Pulitzer Prize finalist.
Finalists in 2018 Hugh Aynesworth Awards for Texas Journalism
Daily Newspapers – Feature Writing
Speaking up for Kara
Reporter, Naomi Martin, Dallas Morning News, March 26, 2017
—-
What Kind of Father
Reporter, Frank l. Christlieb, Dallas Morning News, June 15, 2017
A graveside service for Carol Lee Webb Crites, 73, of Denison, who passed away on Tuesday, October 30, 2018, will be held on Saturday, November 3, 2018 at 2:00 PM at Friendship Cemetery in Sherman. The family will greet friends prior to the service from 12:00 until 2:00 PM at Dannel Funeral Home in Sherman. Pastor Steve Rice from First Baptist Church in Sherman will officiate.
Carol was born in Bonham, Texas on May 18, 1945 to Jack and Merl Turner. She was raised in Sherman and attended Sherman Schools, graduating from Sherman High in 1963. She was a member of East Sherman Baptist Church. She met and married Von Roy Webb and they lived in Sherman until his passing in 1991. She met and married Bob Crites on October 4, 1997 and lived many places including Sherman, Tucson, and Roy, Utah, while Bob was employed by TI/Ratheon. Bob and Carol were very active in the Masonic Lodge and the Order of the Eastern Star in every place they lived. Carol was past president of the Social Order of the Beauceant in Denison, and a past member of the Carpenters Chapter Order of the Eastern Star #183, among several other lodges. She was passionate about her family and she loved “old movies”. Her 6 grandkids were her “little angels”. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
Carol was preceded in death by her parents, her husbands, brother, Bill Turner, son in law, Casey McClain, and granddaughter Elizabeth McClain. She is survived by 4 children: Becky McClain, Richard Crites and wife Carol, Jon Crites and wife Valerie, and Steven Crites and wife Jennifer; 5 grandchildren: Matthew Fortney, Alex Fortney and wife Cynthia, Caleb McClain, Charles Crites, and Timothy Crites; sister in law Billie Turner, brother Larry Turner and wife Sharon, sister Nancy Turner.
Howe’s overall record is 385-354-24. Season 75, Game 764
Howe will be wearing this decal on their helmets tonight in honor of the late L.B. Kirby, a hometown hero who was the most decorated living veteran in Texas.
Howe is 5-5 vs. Van Alstyne in November and have outscored the Panthers, 164-157 in November matchups. Howe is 4-2 in November games played in Van Alstyne.
Series largest margin of victory for Howe = 40 in 1979 at Van Alstyne
Series largest margin of victory for Van Alstyne = 51 in 1992 at Howe
Most rushing yards by Howe vs. Van Alstyne (missing 1979 game):
406, 2016
360, 1985
359, 1986
324, 1989
303, 1998
Most rushing yards by Van Alstyne vs. Howe:
396, 2008
370, 1984
326, 2005
323, 1961
323, 1965
The first Silver Spike
1989 Full Game of the 32nd Silver Spike at Van Alstyne
1990 Full Game of the 33rd Silver SPike at Van Alsytne
1991 Full Game of 34th Silver Spike at Bulldog Stadium in Howe
1998 Full Game of 42nd Silver Spike at Bulldog Stadium
The Silver Spike trophy was the brainchild back in 2001 by sports writer Jeff Wood of the Van Alstyne Leader and Howe graduate Monte Walker. The winner of the Howe and Van Alstyne football rivalry receives a silver railroad spike, mounted on a three-foot trophy to keep in their trophy case for an entire year. Howe has yet to have it since its creation. The tall and heavy trophy features the silver spike which symbolizes the growth that the Houston and Texas Central railway brought to both towns in the early years of their existence. Not soon after the towns were formed, they started playing football against each other. But those early years prior to 1920 formation of the UIL do not formally count and Howe didn’t even field a UIL sanctioned team until 1935.
Howe first played Van Alstyne on October 24, 1941 which the Panthers won, 31-7. The Spike was created before the 2001 season and that was the year Van Alstyne started the current 11-game winning streak over Howe. It also happened to be the same time that Van Alstyne outgrew Howe in enrollment numbers due to the Georgetown edition in their community. Before the current winning streak, Van Alstyne led the series, 25-17-2 but now have double the amount of Howe’s wins thanks to the recent stretch. Howe’s longest winning streak versus the Panthers was four games from 1977-1980. When the trophy was originated in 2001, then Van Alstyne Head Coach Randy Matthews told the Van Alstyne Leader, “Because of the closeness of the two towns and what this rivalry means to so many people, I hope everybody will be up for this game and prepared to play. When you have a game like this with so much emotion, there’s always big plays involved.”
The Spike was is akin to Sherman and Denison’s Battle of the Axe which Walker was a radio broadcaster for those games from 1994- 2003 and television broadcaster in 2008. “The community involvement and the electricity that comes with that Sherman Denison Battle of the Axe is so impressive and Howe and Van Alstyne had the same rivalry, but on a smaller scale. We were able to work with those in Van Alstyne back in 2001 to share cost of the trophy and make this something special. However, it won’t be truly special until it comes to Howe’s trophy case.” said Walker.
The Howe Bulldogs will recognize and honor Howe’s military hero L.B. Kirby on Friday night by wearing decals on their helmets during the 56th Silver Spike game with Van Alstyne. The decal will be a purple heart with the initials “LBK” inscribed inside the purple heart. The decals are being produced and donated by local Howe citizen Amber Carter.
Services for Mr. Kirby will take place earlier Friday at 10:30 am at Scoggins Funeral Home in Van Alstyne.
Mr. Kirby, a former Bulldog, was a Purple Heart recipient who became the most decorated living World War II veteran in Texas. His awards include The Asiatic-Pacific Liberation Medal, Philippine Liberation medal, three overseas service bars, seven Bronze Stars, two Bronze Arrowheads and the Purple Heart.
Kirby is a 1943 graduate of Howe High School who entered the United States Army only two weeks after graduation. He was trained as a machine gunner under General Douglas MacArthur in the First Calvary Division of the United States Army. He was hit in the back by shrapnel from a Japanese rocket which landed him in a field hospital for three months. He later rejoined his unit to prepare for an invasion of Japan. Mr. Kirby was one of 25 men remaining from the original 250 of his unit when the Japanese surrendered on Aug. 25, 1945.
In 2013, the City of Howe named “L.B. Kirby Avenue” in his honor and later that year, he was honored at the Grayson County Commissioner’s Court where then-County Judge Drue Bynam read a proclamation honoring him as the most decorated living World War II veteran.
In 2015, the Howe Area Chamber of Commerce included Mr. Kirby into the Inaugural Class of the Howe Hall of Honor.
In addition to his heroism for his country, Mr. Kirby was a player for the Howe Bulldogs on the 1942 team that won a district championship without a head coach. Due to wartime, Howe did not hire a coach before the eighth season in school history and planned to not participate in a football schedule for that season. However, Mr. Kirby and fellow teammates petitioned Superintendent Charles R. Thompson to let them coach themselves. After careful counsel, the team was allowed to hold their own practices and eventually won the district championship serving as their own coach.
The deceased was Klaus Gabelgaard, 45, of McKinney. An autopsy was performed and the cause of death will be released once the medical examiner completes his report. There was no indication of foul play and Gabelgaard had no known ties to Howe.
ORIGINAL RELEASE
At approximately 1 pm, off-duty Howe Police Officer David Morris drove through the parking lot of Bulldog Stadium and discovered a deceased white middle-aged male inside a parked car near the baseball and softball area of the complex.
Grayson County Justice of the Peace Rita Noel was called to the site and has ordered an autopsy. Howe Police Department and Howe ISD Police Department worked the scene as well as fire departments from Howe and Van Alstyne. The investigation is on-going.
The victim’s identity is being withheld until next-of-kin can be notified. The incident did not involve a Howe student, Howe staff, or Howe resident.
L.B. Kirby, 93 years of age, passed away on Monday. Mr. Kirby is a war legend, a Texas legend, and a Howe treasure. He’s a hometown boy, who became the most decorated living World War II veteran in Texas. He held that position until Monday when his body finally gave up on him. Mr. Kirby’s awards include The Asiatic-Pacific Liberation Medal, Philippine Liberation medal, three overseas service bars, seven Bronze Stars, two Bronze Arrowheads and the Purple Heart.
Kirby is a 1943 graduate of Howe High School who entered the United States Army only two weeks after graduation. He was trained as a machine gunner under General Douglas MacArthur in the First Calvary Division of the United States Army. He was hit in the back by shrapnel from a Japanese rocket which landed him in a field hospital for three months. He later rejoined his unit to prepare for an invasion of Japan. Mr. Kirby was one of 25 men remaining from the original 250 of his unit when the Japanese surrendered on Aug. 25, 1945.
Two months and four days later, he was granted an honorable discharge from the Army the rank of corporal. He served two years and five months of which 23 months were served overseas in the Asiatic-Pacific operations.
Mr. Kirby never spoke about his honors. When his wife Dorothy became ill, she requested to see the Purple Heart. Before long, a request had been brought from Senators John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison. It was only then that the family learned of his military honors.
Mr. Kirby was a plumber and a preacher. He pastored churches in Lubbock, Texas, and Durant, Oklahoma. He held positions for churches in financial trouble and required no pay to pastor their churches.
In 2013, the City of Howe named “L.B. Kirby Avenue” in his honor and later that year, he was honored at the Grayson County Commissioner’s Court where then-County Judge Drue Bynam read a proclamation honoring him as the most decorated living World War II veteran.
In 2015, the Howe Area Chamber of Commerce included Mr. Kirby into the Inaugural Class of the Howe Hall of Honor.
In addition to his heroism for his country, Mr. Kirby was a player for the Howe Bulldogs on the 1942 team that won a district championship without a head coach. Due to wartime, Howe did not hire a coach before the eighth season in school history and planned to not participate in a football schedule for that season. However, Mr. Kirby and fellow teammates petitioned Superintendent Charles R. Thompson to let them coach themselves. After careful counsel, the team was allowed to hold their own practices and eventually won the district championship serving as their own coach.
Services are being arranged by Scoggins Funeral Home. Information will be updated here.
OBITUARY
Leslie Benton (L.B.) Kirby, Jr. passed away October 29, 2018 at 11:58 pm at the Clyde Cosper Veterans Home in Bonham, Texas. He was 93 years old. A service honoring him will be held at Scoggins Funeral Home in Van Alstyne on Friday, November 2, 2018 at 10:30 am. Burial will follow at the Belew Cemetery in Aubrey. The family will receive friends on Thursday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the funeral home.
L.B. was born in Aubrey, Texas, on November 11, 1924 to the late L.B., Sr. and Lillie Kirby. He graduated from Howe High School in 1942. After graduation, he joined the army to serve his country in World War II, and became one of Texas’ most highly decorated soldiers. When he returned home, he married Dorothy Faye Hanna in Celina, Tx. on November 27, 1945. L.B. worked at Hardwick Etter Cotton and Texas Power & Light in Sherman, but most importantly, he became an ordained preacher and pastored several churches in Oklahoma and Texas.
L.B. is survived by his brother, Jerry Kirby and wife Venita of Howe; sister, Bettie Gouard of Howe; nephews, Danny Gouard and wife Linda of Howe; Terry Kirby and wife Elaine of Howe; niece, De-Ann Mozingo and husband Trent of Howe; as well as 5 great-nephews, Cody Gouard, Clayton Gouard, Dylan Kirby, Russell Mozingo and Randall Mozingo; 3 great nieces, Alexa Brunner, Rachel Mozingo and Crystal Gregory.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Dorothy; and their 3 children, Leslie Benton, III; Dorothy Faye, and Jerry Lewis.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to TEXAS SCOTTISH RITE HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN, scottishritehospital.org.
A graveside service for Carol Lee Webb Crites, 73, of Denison, who passed away on Tuesday, October 30, 2018, will be held on Saturday, November 3, 2018 at 2:00 PM at Friendship Cemetery in Sherman. The family will greet friends prior to the service from 12:00 until 2:00 PM at Dannel Funeral Home in Sherman. Pastor Steve Rice from First Baptist Church in Sherman will officiate.
In 2013, the City of Howe named “L.B. Kirby Avenue” in his honor and later that year, he was honored at the Grayson County Commissioner’s Court where then-County Judge Drue Bynam read a proclamation honoring him as the most decorated living World War II veteran.
L.B. Kirby, 93 years of age, passed away on Monday. Mr. Kirby is a war legend, a Texas legend, and a Howe treasure. He’s a hometown boy, who became the most decorated living World War II veteran in Texas. He held that position until Monday when his body finally gave up on him. Mr. Kirby’s awards include The Asiatic-Pacific Liberation Medal, Philippine Liberation medal, three overseas service bars, seven Bronze Stars, two Bronze Arrowheads and the Purple Heart.
