Submitted by Jerry Payne
The Bossier High School Alumni Association will hold the 2013 Hall of Fame Induction Saturday, October 19 at 4 p.m. in the BHS Auditorium.
Admission is $10 per adult. Students and children are admitted free. Eleven BearKats will be honored at this event.
Charles E. “Buddy” Roemer, III will serve as emcee. Roemer is a BHS class valedictorian, 1960. He received a BA and MBA from Harvard.
He served as Former 4th District Congressman, Louisiana State Governor, and ran as Presidential Candidate in the 2012 Election. He is a previous honoree in the BHS Alumni Sports Hall of Fame and BHS Hall of Fame.
Those to be honored are:
- Beverly Denver Ambrico – BHS ’66, BA, LA Tech, ’69, MA, LSU,’72. Beverly is a small town girl who grew up dreaming of a career in big city journalism. At age 16, Beverly’s work was printed first in the Bear Facts at BHS and then in the Shreveport Journal. Since then, Beverly has become an accomplished reporter, editor and publishing entrepreneur. In 2000, she was named Houston’s Print Journalist of the Year. In 2010, she was named a Texas Woman on the Move, and in 2012, she was named one of the Top 25 Women in Houston. Earlier this year, she was presented the Texas Media Award by the Texas Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Beverly is the founding publisher of Houston Woman Magazine, a publication currently celebrating its 10th year in print.
- Joe N. Averett, Jr. – BHS ’61. ‘Texas A&M University ‘65. Joe is a business and community leader. He served as Presidential Executive to Secretary Blumenthal, U.S. Treasury Department (’76-77). He was Chief Financial Officer at Penzoil Company Houston, and President and CFO at Crystal Oil Company and Crystal Oil Gas Storage until retirement in 2003. He currently serves as director of Martin Midstream Partners of Kilgore, Texas. He is an Independent Trustee and Director of Capital One Mutual Funds in New Orleans. Joe has participated in numerous civic and philanthropic endeavors, including serving as Chairman of Sci-Port $12 million Expansion Campaign. He was named to the Business Hall of Fame of North Louisiana in 2008, and in 2012 he was named a recipient of The Clyde Fant Memorial Award. He is Past President and Director of the Southern Badminton Association, and a past president of Sci-Port, and the Sons of the American Revolution, Galvez Chapter. He is a past president of LSU-Shreveport Foundation. He currently is a member of First United Methodist Church of Shreveport serving on its Administrative and Finance Committee
- Dr. Jo Ann Cain Botts – BHS ‘58. BA ’63, Church Music, Louisiana College. Texas Teacher Certification, Lamar University. Masters & Doctorate of Education, Texas A&M ’85. Jo Ann became the second female principal in the history of Plano ISD, ‘74. She served as principal in four Plano elementary schools. Jo Ann was named Director of Elementary Personnel in 1985. She retired in 1998 from her fourth principal’s post for a Plano ISD elementary. Jo Ann has served as a Sunday school teacher, choir member, and mission worker. She serves on the Hendricks Scholarship Foundation Board for graduating seniors who overcome adversities. In 1998 Jo Ann was named one of the “100 Heroes of the Plano ISD” during the Plano ISD Centennial (1898-1998).
- Emmett Cope – Faculty (Posthumous). BS, Northwestern Louisiana State University ‘39. Masters of Education, LSU ’50. Emmett Cope was a Haynesville High quarterback who went on to quarterback for Coach Joe Aillet and the NSU Demons. He was named member of the NSU Who’s Who. During WWII, he trained at Virginia Military Institute, and fought with the 84th Infantry Division during the Battle of the Bulge. He advanced from a math and chemistry teacher to become Principal of Bossier High School in 1952. In 1962 he became Superintendent of Bossier Parish Schools (1962-71). He initiated the building of Apollo Elementary, Airline High School, and the creation of Airline Junior College, the forerunner of Bossier Parish Community College. Cope Middle School and the Emmett Cope Student Service Building (BPCC) are named in his honor.
- Ann “Sunshine” Norris Dement – BHS ‘43 (Posthumous). Centenary, 1946. She started working as a school teacher. Sunshine was long involved in the community. She was a charter member of the Bossier Mother’s Club. She worked in business alongside her husband. Sunshine is remembered for serving graciously as First Lady of Bossier City during the four terms (16 years) of her husband, the honorable Mayor George Dement (1989-2005). She was named the BHS Homecoming Queen in 1942, when the BearKats won their first State Football Championship.
- Myra H. Davis – BHS ’66. Child Development Certificate, Florida. Myra Davis is a storyteller. Not just any storyteller. She is a contributor to the National Storytellers Producer’s guide, Published by the National Storytelling Network. She is a writer, festival organizer, motivational speaker, and performing artist who focuses on using story-telling teaching ethical values, to encourage acceptance of other cultures, and to promote environmental awareness. Myra has studied at theJohn F. Kennedy Educational Center, in Washington DC for the “Artist as Educators” program. JFK instructors are the finest anywhere in “Arts Education”. Myra appears each year in events across the USA. She is a former Pre School Early Childhood educator and Pre-School director of fifteen years. She is a nationally known storyteller with over 25 years experience. Myra is well known for her ongoing work in support of her BearKat Class of ’66 and church.
- Earl Ley – BHS ’61. BS, Electrical Engineering, LA Tech. Earl was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant Ley (USAF) at graduation from Tech. He was sent to the US Weapons Center in Albuquerque, and the next 20 years of his Air Force career would be spent on the cusp of the computer revolution and the birth of the Star Wars defense. His design teams developed the “Hurricane Hunter – C130” aircraft, the E-3A Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACs) aircraft, and the ring-laser gyroscope for Cruise missiles. Earl joined Boeing Aircraft Company after 20 years of service with the USAF, and spent eighteen years of aviation engineering in Seattle. The University of Illinois awarded Earl, the Industry Grand Challenge Award in 2004. As a youthful pilot and Jaycee in Albuquerque, Earl flew missionaries and medical teams into Northern Mexico. He is a deacon in his Seattle area church. Undaunted by his rare illness, Earl rode his bicycle from San Diego to Savannah, Georgia supporting the efforts of the Seattle Celiac Support Group. He was honored as the Volunteer Leader of 2006 by the National Gluten Intolerance Group of North America.
- C. A. Lincoln – BHS ’50 – Before there was a BHS Alumni Association (2005), there was C. A. Lincoln and the Reunion Committee. He led the unification of BearKat Classes of the 1940’s, 50’s, and early 60’s. “C.A.” is the publisher of the “Reunion Committee” newsletter keeping former BHS students up to date. He developed the first door to door fundraising campaign here for Cystic Fibrosis. He was instrumental in seeing ball fields put in place in Bossier where there were none. He attended LSU where he was a member of the Pershing Rifles. In the Korean War he served with the 82nd Airborne Infantry at Ft. Benning, Georgia. He sings in his church choir, and is a past president of the Shreveport Chapter of the Barbershop Quartets. “C. A.” was successful in sales and design in pneumatic and hydraulic equipment. “C.A.” and his partner have designed and patented a system that destroys the invasive salvinia plants found in southern waterways.
- Janie Marie Macey – BHS ’93. LA Tech, BS Speech and Hearing – ’96. LSU Medical Center , Masters of Communication Disorders ’99. Janey is speech language pathologist, and advocate of children with special needs. Her professional career as a speech-language pathologist began in East Texas She entered private practice in Shreveport-Bossier in 2004 opening Janey Macey & Associates. With 18 therapists on staff today, Janey Marie Macey and Associates has developed into one of the largest private speech therapy practices in Louisiana. She served as Treasurer of the Louisiana Speech Language and Hearing Association in 2012. Janey was named to the Shreveport Chamber of Commerce’s “Shreveport-Bossier’s Top Women Under 40” for 2012. At BHS Janey was a BearKat cheerleader, member of the Bossier dance line, and honor student.
- Jerry Payne – BHS ’60. Business and Accounting, Northwest State Louisiana University, Jerry learned to play music by ear, and won a music scholarship to NSU where he continued to play by ear. Jerry was a four year tennis letterman at NSU. He was honored as one the Ten Outstanding Jaycees of America 1973-74. In 1979, he was selected as one of the Three Outstanding Young Men of Louisiana. Jerry was the designer of a new banking software Operations System. This system included the latest idea in banking – Central Information Files (CIF), and while common today, in 1970’s and 80’s, it was a revelation to the financial institutions. While working for Ross Perot’s worldwide Electronic Data Systems, Jerry was honored with the EDS Pinnacle Award for outstanding professional and civic leadership. Jerry served as spokesman and marketing Director for Horseshoe Casino in its first years. As a political consultant, Jerry managed 192 winning campaigns, losing 21. Jerry authored two books, America’s Electronic Funds Transfer System, (1979), and My Life’s Buffet (2013). Jerry is a past president of the Bossier Jaycees, and the BHS Alumni Association.
- Terry D. Snook – BHS ’65, Louisiana Tech University, BS ’69 and University of Southern California, M.S ‘77. Terry served as the Air Force ROTC Cadet Commander and was a Distinguished Air Force ROTC graduate at La. Tech. He served ten years in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam Era and serving as a pilot earning a senior pilot rating as well as being a test pilot, instructor pilot, and flight examiner. Terry later owned a successful business in Dallas at four franchised retail locations. His company was chosen as the franchise’s best for consumer relations out of 2,600 North American outlets. He is president of Snook Industrial; a service disabled veteran-owned small business. Boeing Aircraft Company is his major customer. A lifelong supporter and leader in the Boy Scouts, Terry was awarded the Scoutmaster Award of Merit, District Award of Merit, Wood Badge, and The Silver Beaver, scouting’s highest adult award. He also served as The District Chairman of the Wisdom Trail District of the Circle Ten Council in Dallas. During Terry’s tenure, that District provided the scouting experience to over seven thousand scouts and adult leaders. He was a Texas Delegate to the White House Conference on Small Business during the Clinton Administration. In retirement, Terry is a active advocate for all Veteran issues. He is the President of the Barksdale Global Power Museum Association at Barksdale AFB, and he serves as scholarship chairman for the BHSAA.
