In Memoriam

Era Elizabeth Billingsley passed away Jan. 31, 2016, in Garrison. Born Oct. 24, 1907, Billingsley was SFA’s oldest-living alum, graduating in 1930 with a bachelor’s degree. In 1940, she received a master’s degree from Peabody College in Nashville, Tennessee.

The youngest of seven children, Billingsley’s family moved to Nacogdoches in 1923. Her family likely traveled with their belongings in a horse-drawn wagon from the Silas community near Timpson with one of her older brothers leading the family milk cow.

Five of the Billingsley children attended school in Nacogdoches and completed degrees at SFA. Subsequently, all five taught school for many years in Texas public schools. After serving 40 years teaching mostly second grade, Billingsley retired in 1972, and she lived in the Houston Heights area until 2008 when she returned to Nacogdoches. Since 2009, she resided at the Garrison Nursing Home.

Deana Bolton Covin passed away July 1, 2016. Covin was born in Henderson on June 22, 1922. She devoted her life to entertainment as a performer, director, organizer and producer, which began as a Henderson High School student and continued after her retirement from Kilgore College.

Covin served as the first drum major at Henderson High School. She won the national baton twirling championship twice, and during her senior year, she was named the most representative senior high school girl, received the citizenship award and was the highest-ranking female graduate.

At SFA, she continued twirling, serving four years as drum major for the Lumberjack band. Covin was named Miss SFA three consecutive years. She received her Bachelor of Science in 1943 — taking only three years to complete the degree. Covin later returned to SFA and graduated in 1971 with a Master of Education.

Professionally, Covin was the originator and director of the Kilgore Tops in Twirling Drill Team from 1956-84. She served as director of the Dallas Tex-Anns and director of halftime for the Dallas Texans. She was the coordinator of Superstar Drill Team camps from 1976-90 and taught twirling for 15 years.

As a Kilgore College employee for 27 years, Covin sponsored the cheerleaders and in 1979 was promoted to director of the world-famous Kilgore Rangerettes. She served in that capacity until her retirement in 1993. The gym where the Rangerettes practice daily was named the Deana Bolton Covin Rangerette Gymnasium in 2001 in her honor.

Vivian Earline Flanagan and Bobby G. Flanagan passed away March 18, 2014, and May 24, 2016, respectively.

Vivian and Bobby met at SFA where Bobby played basketball for the Lumberjacks, lettering all four years. The college sweethearts married Sept. 5, 1953. Bobby received a Bachelor of Science in 1954 and a Master of Education in 1955. Vivian also graduated in 1955 with a Bachelor of Business Administration.

The couple moved to Woodsboro, Texas, where Bobby coached, and Vivian taught business classes. Bobby coached basketball, football, golf, track and baseball for 37 years while also serving as athletic director for 25 of those years. In addition, he taught government, history and economics. His basketball and football teams won numerous district titles, advancing to bi-district and regional playoffs. In 1994, Bobby was inducted into the Coastal Bend Coaches Association Hall of Honor.

Judge Joe B. Golden Jr. of Jasper passed away May 29, 2016. Golden was born Feb. 15, 1933, in Wichita Falls, Texas. Golden served on the SFA Board of Regents from 1969 to 1981. A longtime resident of Jasper, he was a 1950 graduate of Vernon High School in Vernon, Texas, and a 1954 graduate of the University of Texas.

Golden served in the U.S. Air Force as an intelligence officer in England. After military service, he returned to Texas, attended law school and met and married Suzanne Collier. He later moved to Jasper, where he went into private practice until 1988 when he was elected state district judge, 1st judicial district.

Dr. Robert W. Gruebel passed away June 20, 2016, at his Nacogdoches residence. A native of LaCrosse, Wisconsin, Gruebel lived in Nacogdoches for 45 years and served on the SFA faculty as a professor of physics and astronomy. He was a Navy veteran, retiring from a 20-year career that included service in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

Jimmie M. Hudgins of Tyler passed away Feb. 19, 2016. Hudgins was born March 12, 1925, in Cumby, Texas. He was a musician and played French horn in the East Texas State Symphonic Orchestra at the age of 14. After graduating from Commerce High School in 1941, Hudgins joined the U.S. Navy and served on active duty until 1945. He remained in the Naval Reserve until 1949.

Hudgins received his Bachelor of Music Education from East Texas State Teachers College, where he was the drum major and a student coach of the boxing team. He received his Master of Education from SFA, became SFA director of bands and was the youngest college band director in the state at the time. Hudgins was honored with induction into the SFA Band Directors’ Hall of Fame and the Texas Bandmasters Hall of Fame. The SFA Twirl-O-Jack Jimmie Hudgins Scholarship was established in his honor.

Lt. Gen. Orren Ray “Cotton” Whiddon passed away March 20, 2016. He was born March 10, 1935, in Joaquin, Texas, graduated from SFA in 1955 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and earned a Master of Science in management from the University of Southern California. After his SFA graduation, Whiddon was drafted into the U.S. Army and was commissioned a second lieutenant, field artillery.

After serving in key military assessments in the United States, Vietnam and Europe, Whiddon retired in 1990. In recognition of his military service, he was honored with many awards and medals, including the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medals and the Army Commendation Medal. He also was authorized to wear the Combat Infantry Badge, Parachutist Badge, Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge and Army General Staff Identification Badge.

As the most senior military officer to graduate from SFA, he was inducted into SFA’s Alumni Hall of Fame in 1988. The cannon fired at SFA home football games is named Ol’ Cotton in his honor.