Crockett ISD to Induct Three into Ring of Honor

Ceremony Set for Friday, Sept. 29

By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter

CROCKETT – The Crockett Independent School District will induct three new members into an exclusive fraternity on Friday, Sept. 29 during a halftime ceremony. This fraternity includes doctors, lawyers, professional athletes, teachers, coaches, mayors, city council members, a congressman and just plain old folks who made a significant contribution to the betterment of the school system in Crockett. It is the Ring of Honor.

This year’s class is composed of three inductees. They are: Earnest “Buster” Evans III; Richard Spruill; and Beatrice Denman Wordlow.

In a prepared statement from Crockett ISD Superintendent Terry Myers read, “On behalf of the Board of Trustees, Administration and Staff, I want to extend a hearty welcome and congratulations on your being selected for the Crockett ISD Ring of Honor. You were selected for contributions to the Crockett School Communities. You are part of a rich legacy and demonstrate a road map to success for the young people of today. The Ring of Honor is a blend of age, race and areas of accomplishment. The Ring of Honor represents the hard work and the extra effort it takes to reach standards of excellence in your lives. Thanks to all of you for that effort. There is a process in place to add up to five new names annually to the Ring of Honor. An announcement will be made concerning this in April 2018. This announcement will be starting the application process for the selection of the 2018 honorees. We at Crock

ett ISD wish you and/or your family representatives the very best in the future. God bless you all.”

Here are biographies on each Ring of Honor inductee:

Earnest “Buster” Evans III – Evans is a graduate of the 1987 Class of Crockett High School. He lettered in varsity football and track from 1984-87, receiving District Honorable Mention his sophomore year, and First Team All-District his junior and senior year in football. Evans received a football scholarship at Tyler Junior College in Tyler, where he received his basics in general studies.

In 1993, Evans attended The Center for Advanced Legal Studies where he received a certification in studies of law as a Paralegal. Evans is currently a 23-year veteran of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office in Houston. He is a Master Peace Officer, Senior Deputy I, assigned to the Patrol Division, in Northwest Harris County.

Richard Spruill – Spruill graduated from Crockett High School in 1965, after attending CISD from the first through 12th grades. He participated in numerous school activities while in school. Spruill played on the varsity football team for four seasons, lettering his sophomore, junior and senior years. He was chosen as the Unanimous All District Quarterback during his senior season and made Honorable Mention All-District as a defensive back during his junior year.

Spruill also excelled in baseball. He lettered all four years in high school and was selected All District during his sophomore and senior seasons and named Honorable Mention All-District during his junior year. He served as the team captain his junior and senior seasons. Crockett was District Co-Champion his sophomore year and District Champion his junior year.

Spruill also lettered in track his junior year. He also served on the Student Council as a freshman and made Honor Roll his senior year.

After graduation in 1965 from Crockett, Richard went to Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches. In 1966, he attended Angelo State University where he played quarterback and defensive back before sustaining career-ending knee injuries. He made the Dean’s List his second semester while at Angelo State. He later made the Dean’s List at Sam Houston State University.

 

From 1969 to 1971, he served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam with the 25th Infantry Division in Cu Chi and Dau Tieng as a Platoon Sergeant. He became a decorated combat veteran and received an Honorable Discharge while also receiving a service-related permanent and total disability. He is a Lifetime Member of and donor to the Disabled American Veterans organization.

After leaving the Army he received an Associate’s Degree in Civil and Mechanical Engineering from San Jacinto College in Houston.  He also attended the University of Houston where he studied Business as well as Civil and Mechanical Engineering.

Spruill’s business career included time with Cameron Iron Works where he worked as a Construction Inspector/Field Engineer. He also worked for Brown & Root as a Construction Project Manager and Chief Project Engineer. His clients included, but were not limited to Ethyl Corporation, Occidental Petroleum, Cameron Iron Works, Lone Star Steel, International Paper, Burro Chief Copper Co. and Phelps Dodge. The Phelps Dodge project involved the construction of an SX EW Copper Mining Plant located in Morenci, Arizona. The Phelps

Dodge plant was an EPC project in excess of $400 million and was the second largest one in the world at that time.

Upon retirement from Brown & Root after 20-plus years, he worked in the Pipeline Right of Way Acquisition line of work for Contract Land Staff, Inc.  He became a Project Manager for oil and gas companies including but not limited to Mitchell Energy, Enron, Enbridge, Kinder Morgan, Enterprise Products, Calpine, Eagle Rock Energy, El Paso, Louis Dreyfus and Quantum Pipeline.

Spruill worked as Project Manager in 2006 for the Enbridge East Texas Pipeline Project with the field office located in Crockett. He was responsible for hiring many locals for jobs in the right of way acquisition line of work as well as helping many get jobs in the surveying, pipeline inspection and construction areas of work for the project. During his career Richard traveled to and worked in 15 different states and in three foreign countries.

Spruill retired in 2009 and returned to his roots in Crockett where he enjoys his time playing golf at Spring Creek Country Club. He also enjoys spending time during summer and holiday visitation with his 14-year-old nephew, Nathan Spruill, who resides with his family in Tennessee.

Beatrice Denman Wordlow ‑ Beatrice Denman Wordlow is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. WC Denman and a graduate of the Crockett High School Class of 1983.

While attending Crockett High School, she participated in numerous clubs and activities. One of her favorite clubs was Mrs. Martinez’s Spanish Club.

Wordlow enjoyed sports most of all and excelled in basketball, volleyball, and track. During her high school sport days, she received several all district awards, team captain, all-state and most valuable player awards.

She held the fastest female track award for over three decades in the 100 yard dash (meters). She finish

ed school with over a hundred metals and trophies.

She was offered several track scholarships during her senior year, and choose to attend Wiley College and was a proud member of their track, basketball and volleyball team.

During her stay at Wiley, she received numerous awards in sports and was a member of the Texas club, Mrs. Delta Sigma Theta 1985, Vice President of Delta Sigma Theta, and countless recognitions for public service work through her sorority.

Her most memorable track meet was competing against Carol Lewis (Carl Lewis’ sister) in the high jump.

Wordlow presently is an elementary teacher with over 28 years teaching experience in the city of Dallas.  She has been married for 21 years with two teenagers, Brock and Blake Von Wordlow.

She spends a lot of time shopping, reading, working out and traveling with her 11 siblings.

She is the Children and Youth director at the Cornerstone Church in Dallas and is an active member of The Dallas- Fort Worth Wiley College Alumni Club.

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].