Log in

Top Stories        News         Sports

Tyler County News - Breakout

Remembering Mayme Canada Brown

Write a comment

User Rating: 5 / 5

Star ActiveStar ActiveStar ActiveStar ActiveStar Active

Mayme Canada Brown

Editor’s Note: In celebration of Black History Month, it is our pleasure to present the following column, originally published in the Feb. 2, 2017 edition. This piece, by former Booster columnist Huntley Kenesson, celebrates the life of longtime local scholar, educator and community leader Mayme Canada Brown, who died in 2016. Brown helped organize the annual parade to honor Dr. Martin Luther King and was a beacon of light throughout our corner of the Piney Woods.

 

By Huntley Kenesson

Courageous, energetic, refined, remarkable, unforgettable are terms that describe Mrs. Mayme Canada Brown.  My earliest recollections of Mrs. Brown are from the early 1950’s, when I worked in my family’s department store in Woodville. Mrs. Brown, then Mrs. Canada, was a person one just automatically noticed and knew was someone special.

A frequent Saturday shopper, a day when many folks “came to town” to shop, Mrs. Canada stood out because of her quiet, dignified demeanor.  Always well dressed in high heel shoes and usually a tailored suit and a hat, she was a wise and frugal shopper. She never tarried but made decisions quickly, always complimentary of the store and the merchandise.  Well known to other shoppers and employees, she conversed modestly with others. If members of my family were not present, she inquired about them and expressed her interest in our lives.  She was a loyal customer whom we enjoyed seeing and serving.

When I returned to Woodville in 1980 to manage the store following my father’s retirement, Mrs. Brown was still a good customer.  In addition to knowing her in this capacity, I began working with her on the Tyler County Historical Commission and the Heritage Society.  There I came to respect and admire Mrs. Brown for her faithful presence, her ability to work with others while building lasting relationships, and her fervent desire to preserve our county’s heritage and improve the lives of its people.

As a columnist for the Booster, I interviewed Mrs. Brown in January 2014. My canine companion, Joy, and I were doing the monthly column “Wanders With Joy”, and wanted to talk with Mrs. Brown about the Scott School, established for Tyler County African American children in the 1930’s.  Joy and I wandered with Mrs. Brown through the old campus, where she described the buildings and told of additions and developments added after she and her first husband, Professor John K. Canada, came in 1947. She and her husband were instrumental in constructing new classrooms and establishing athletic teams and student organizations. Enrollment increased as students arrived from Cherokee-Dies, Colmesneil, Hillister, Warren and Spurger. A home economics teacher, she helped organize a Future Homemakers of America chapter for the school.  A gymnasium was constructed, and students voted to name it for their beloved principal, John Canada.

Mrs. Brown’s accomplishments extend beyond the classroom and school campus. Always interested in preserving our heritage, she will be remembered for her work in organizing the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade and Festivities, and the annual Black History Month exhibit at the Heritage Village Museum. These activities continue under the competent leadership of persons she mentored for these important roles.

I shall always cherish the memory and miss my good friend, Mrs. Mayme Canada Brown. I remember her entrances to historical commission meetings when she would announce, “The cake is on the kitchen table.”  I miss her telephone calls (at any hour of the day or night), particularly the November call when she would take my order for her church holiday bake sale. “Do you want the pound cake or German chocolate?”  My reply: “Could I have both?”  I remember the unforgettable taste of her cakes, so unbelievably light, moist, and flavorful. I remember the last sale I made to her at the store, a set of Samsonite luggage she bought for a special trip at the turn of this century. She purchased several pieces and was prepared to load them in her car by herself.  Of course, I would not allow that and insisted on taking them for her.  She had parked around the corner from the store on Bluff Street, several blocks away. Although she was determined to accomplish the task by herself, I was happy—and somewhat relieved—that I was there to assist. I do not remember her immediate destination with that luggage, but I hope she enjoyed many happy travels, and that her eternal journeys live forever.

  • Hits: 863

Tree farmer, engineer Clark dies at 98

Write a comment
Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive

Jack Clark is shown at the 2023 Kirby High School reunion. MICHAEL G. MANESS | TCB FILE PHOTOJack Clark is shown at the 2023 Kirby High School reunion. MICHAEL G. MANESS | TCB FILE PHOTO

By Chris Edwards
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

WOODVILLE – Jack Clark, a sort of modern-day Renaissance Man and Tyler County native, died last Wednesday, at the age of 98.

Clark, who traced his Tyler County roots back to 1855, with his great-grandfather William Clark, and even before the county was established, to 1834, with his great-grandmother Clementine Cruse, was born in the Campground community and grew up in Woodville.

In a profile of Clark published in the Booster May 1, 2014 edition, by Michael G. Maness, Clark was characterized as a man with a soft voice, an easy smile and a friendly demeanor, with a meticulous recall of his life and many accomplishments and adventures.

Last year, at the annual reunion of Kirby High School, he was recognized as the most senior alumnus in attendance, having marked his 81st year since graduating.

At the reunion, he recalled how his senior class grew sweet potatoes and sold them locally.  From the money made, they took a trip to Chicago to watch a baseball game.

Clark graduated from Kirby High School, class of 1942, and joined the Navy after graduation, where he served until his discharge in 1946.

Following his military service, Clark married Mary Frances Moulton in Longview, and the two started a family in Canyon, Texas, and he began college at West Texas State. After later earning a master’s degree in agriculture from Sam Houston State University, he worked various jobs, and in 1959, ended up at Texas Instruments in Richardson, where he started as a technician. He was with TI for 30 years and became a semiconductor processing engineer.

According to local writer and retired NASA engineer Chuck Royston, Clark played a part in one of the greatest technological advances of the 20th century.

While at TI, Clark worked alongside Jack Kilby, who invented the microchip. The two worked closely on the invention, and Clark helped to secure the paperwork evidence and proof to secure a patent. “He was intimately involved in a historical invention that we all use today,” Royston said.

In the profile piece, Clark recalled the advancements in processing power from the time he first began working at TI to when he retired in 1986.

“In the early 1960s, there were 32 to 64 memory spots per circuit in about ¼ inch square. When I retired in 1986, our integrated circuits were 3/8-inch square and had 8,000 memory spots, and they took no more power to process than the circuits of the 1960s,” he said in the article.

He and his wife moved back to Woodville after his retirement and started a tree farm. That 56-acre spread was a part of the original 295-acre tract that his great-grandfather had acquired in 1855. He’d inherited his portion of that original tract in 1931 when he was six years of age.

Clark was also active in the community, in many avenues of service. He taught Sunday School at First Baptist Church in Woodville, and volunteered with the Tyler County Hospital Auxiliary, until he was about 95. He also served on the Tyler County Forest Landowners Association for many years.

One of his passions, as the 2014 article noted, was in serving with the Volunteer Christian Builders group, which he volunteered with from 1988 to 2002, when his wife became ill.

In 2020, he received a special commendation from the TCFL, for which he’d served in many capacities, including vice president.

  • Hits: 547

MISS WOODVILLE WINNERS

Write a comment

User Rating: 5 / 5

Star ActiveStar ActiveStar ActiveStar ActiveStar Active

MissWoodvilleWinnters

The inaugural Miss Woodville pageant was held at the Church in the Country on Saturday and drew a large crowd and many contestants. Among the hopefuls, Brynli Felps, pictured third from left, was crowned the 2024-25 Miss Woodville. Also pictured with Felps were the winners in the following categories, from left-to-right: Kerstin Wright – Young Miss Woodville; Brelyn Venable – Junior Miss Woodville; Victoria Carter – Pre-Teen Miss Woodville; Keira Escareno – Little Miss Woodville (middle, pink dress); Aria Hancock – Tiny Miss Woodville (emerald dress) and Tynslee Conner – Baby Miss Woodville (front). Not pictured: Melanie Deblanc – Petite Miss Woodville.  Photo by Angela Marie Photography

  • Hits: 108

Black history exhibit focuses on clergy

Write a comment
Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive

Black History Bobby Cruse

By Chris Edwards
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

WOODVILLE – An exhibit on display at Heritage Village focuses on leaders in the clergy for Black History Month.

According to Heritage Village Museum Director Ofeira Gazzaway, the three men represented in the exhibit, Rev. Dr. Dan Settler, Rev. Michael Hadnot and Rev. Dr. Bobby Cruse, are all leaders in their respective communities, who continue to give back to the people, and are actively serving God.

Photos and biographical information of the three ministers, along with various pieces of memorabilia from their lives and careers are on display for the exhibit, which runs throughout February. The special exhibits room is located at the gift shop at Heritage Village.

Settler is the pastor of Believers Temple in Colmesneil, while Hadnot pastors Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church in Woodville and Cruse pastors at Hillister’s Little Baptist Church.

The exhibit not only highlights the three men’s pastoral roles and history within their respective ministries, but also features information about their military service as well as their continued efforts to serve their communities through working with the youth and volunteering with veterans.

The Village special exhibits room is open during the same operating hours of the Village, from 9 a.m. through 3 p.m., Monday through Sunday.

  • Hits: 654

Willis Motel has another new owner - Third time’s a charm…maybe

Write a comment
Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive

Woodville City SealBy Mollie LaSalle
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

WOODVILLE – The Willis Motel has another new owner. Todd Emmerton, of Livingston was present at Monday evening’s special called hearing about the property, which began at 5:15 at the Woodville Fire Station.

Emmerton presented all necessary documentation to show proof of ownership of the property to council; the sale was finalized and Emmerton took ownership of the property January 3, 2024. When asked point blank what his plans were, he said, “ I plan on leaving it as a motel”.

City Administrator Mandy Risinger advised council that “ the ordinance in place requires a written plan for remediation or proposed action and then proof of financial responsibility in order to carry out that plan, and a timeline for when the plan will be completed”. Mayor Amy Bythewood asked Emmerton, “have you identified a contractor to assist with this project for the asbestos removal”? Emmerton responded, “I wasn’t aware of the asbestos, that was a surprise to me. I called all around and talked to the one gentleman who has been out there before, but he didn’t do the actual report. I have been unable to get a copy of the report”.

Bythewood added, “I don’t believe the council as a whole has received a copy of the report. We were in communication with the person a previous owner had hired to demolish the property (Steve Baker) and I was able to see the report from him. The property is ate up with asbestos and a lot of hazardous material”.

Emmerton was asked what his plans are for the motel. “I plan on tearing it down to the studs and remodeling,” he said. He also said he was going to get a loan to take care of the cost of the asbestos removal.

Bythewood said, “we are looking at our third owner in three months of a piece of property that is hazardous to our community, and it needs to go away, whether that’s remodeled, demolition, or whatever, it’s been in this particular condition for years. I have spoken with the city’s attorney about moving forward with the city tearing it down at the city’s expense with the lien against the property. I don’t think any of us want to stop anybody from bringing something to the community, and if that could be rehabbed, that would be wonderful. I think that was a ten year ago plan”.  The city’s attorney was unable to attend Monday night’s meeting due to a prior commitment.

Bythewood further explained, “I want you to be aware that we are at the end grace of any extensions or anything. Because (the motel) is right on the highway in the middle of people coming back and forth from town, anything pretty is just overshadowed. It’s just so highly visible. We are at the end of the grace that we can give to an owner, even if it might be a new owner, and the next steps to actually removing it. You (Emmerton) are the newest owner and you’re hearing everything for the first time it seems like, which is unconscionable to sell you property like that”.

Risinger added that “we need to reconvene in 30 days, and have our attorney present, which will give Emmerton time to get an environmental report and an estimate for demolition, so he will know whether or not he wants to rehab, what the extent of the damage is, the environmental concern and an estimate of what it would be to abate it. The first thing that has to happen is abatement and clean-up”. Emmerton was asked if he had a timeline for bringing the building down to studs and starting over; “not that long, depending on the weather, and the timeline for removal of asbestos”, he said.

Curfew ordinance repealed

When council reconvened for the regular meeting, council approved ordinance No. 20240212, which repealed the citywide ordinance, which established curfew hours for minors. The curfew, originally adopted in 1994, allows minors (17 years of age and under) to be out and about until 11 p.m., Sunday through Thursday and up until midnight on Friday and Saturday.

Council also approved the purchase of a new patrol vehicle for the police department to replace a 2021 Dodge Charger that was damaged in accident recently. The value of the vehicle was determined to be $24, 850.00. The responsible parties (for the accident) insurance paid out a claim of $25,000.00, which left a difference of $12,865.00 to purchase a 2023 Dodge Charger from a dealer in Silsbee. Council approved the request.

  • Hits: 1850