Jerry Durant Award For Outstanding Philanthropy
We named an award for a man who , at the age of 23 , took his life savings and bought a shuttered Chevrolet Dealership . He then worked from before sunrise to long after sunset to assure that the name “ Jerry ’ s Chevrolet ” early on became synonymous with customer care , but soon meant , “ Pay It Forward .” Jerry Durant donated 80 acres of prime retail real estate , enabling Weatherford to build a high school that generations of young people would be proud to call “ my school .”
A few years would pass before Durant would step up to the plate again and donate funds for a Health Science Center for Weatherford College and another 30 acres for a senior center so that older folks would have somewhere that they would look forward to visiting . That same man would make countless generous gifts in between to make Parker County better and its residents happier and proud .
For this reason the Jerry Durant Award for Outstanding Philanthropy will shine as a great honor , recognizing those who go to extraordinary lengths to make Parker County a better place in which to live .
Roger Grizzard Innovative Educator Award
Weatherford High School seniors know Roger Grizzard for two important reasons . He is Mr . Grizzard , the economics teacher at WHS , and he is the owner and operator of The Pizza Place , a South Main eatery which has been serving and employing Grizzard ’ s students for decades . Grizzard was honored in 2008 as the winner of the James H . Doss Award .
Roger Grizzard is a gifted educator who has been known to wear several hats at once and to wear them all with a certain grace and flare .
For decades he devoted his days to working as a Weatherford High School economics teacher .
Once the school bell tolled , Grizzard raced to the kitchen of The Pizza Place , which he has operated since coming to town nearly 38 years ago .
What better lesson in economics than a family owned restaurant like The Pizza Place ?
Grizzard credits the success and longevity of his restaurant to the students who have been on his staff over the years .
Dr . Noel Bryan Veterinarian Medicine Award
Dr . Bryan bought an existing veterinary practice in Parker County 60 years ago and for the first 15 years was the only vet in the county . His first office consisted of half of a battery shop behind city hall . In 1958 , Doc Bryan built his office on Mineral Wells Highway where he still practices . In his early days as a vet he treated all species , large and small , and due to a lack of vets worked eight counties . He once boarded a kinkajou , a South American honey bear , until the family who owned him and was expecting a baby arranged for him to have a new home at the Fort Worth Zoo . Dr . Bryan retired in 2009 , but continues to work part-time .
Mary Kemp Award for Historical Preservation
Miss Mary knows where all the bodies are buried — no , really she does . She spent years cataloguing abandoned cemeteries in Parker County and restoring them . Anyone with a question about the history or genealogy of Parker County need only call Kemp , who , more than likely has the answer . Kemp , the author of several books on local history and characters , is also the founder of the Abandoned Cemetery Association , former member of the Parker County Historical Commission , and organizer and hostess of the annual Parker County rite of spring — the Shaw-Kemp Open House .
Jerry Blaisdell City Management Award
Jerry Blaisdell has become a fixture in Weatherford ’ s municipal administration and has proven he is not afraid to take on a challenge . After a 23-year career in law enforcement , he retired from the Fort Worth Police Department in 1989 . He was called back to duty as WPD ’ s Chief of Police in July of that same year . He held that job until 2007 when he was named assistant city manager . During a particularly difficult period at City Hall , Blaisdell took over the reins as interim city manager in September 2008 and became the official holder of that title until he retired in April 2015 .
Tim Buchanan Excellence in Coaching Award
Any football coach would be envious of Buchanan ’ s success at Aledo , of the Orange and Black in 1992 . He led the Bearcats to a Class 3A state crown in 1998 . He won back-to-back state Class 4A , Division II titles in 2009 and 2010 . The 1979 Killeen High School graduate has led Aledo to the playoffs for 15 straight years and at least to the quarterfinals each year but one . He is now the Athletic Director of Aledo ISD .
V . A . Littleton Art Award
A little more than half a century ago , Littleton picked up a paintbrush and hasn ’ t put it down since . The Weatherford native has lived on Davis Street her entire life and while her children attended high school , she picked up a new hobby . She has enjoyed drawing her entire life and finds painting satisfying . Over the years , Littleton has completed several hundred pieces and has had her work on display at the Doss Heritage and Culture Center , local banks and is a former member of the Weatherford Art Association .
The Don Allen Power Drive Award
It ’ s early spring , but it ’ s evident that North Central Texas is doomed to get another scorching summer . That means the staff of Jerry Durant ’ s dealerships will be pursuing two livelihoods — they ’ ll be going about the business of selling cars and collecting fans to be distributed to senior citizens in the area , people who don ’ t have the means to have their air conditioning repaired or worse , never had central air conditioning in the first place . When it ’ s almost too hot for anyone to want to test-drive a car , there are dealership workers who could make more money focusing on their sales , but are out gathering fans — something Mr . Allen clearly started .
Mr . Allen ’ s favorite charities included anything to help further education in Parker County , including Weatherford College , and anything to improve the lot of Parker County ’ s Senior Citizens .
Through the years , he inspired numerous young people , so the spirit of Don Allen is still visible in his memory .
Jim Duncan Regal Realtor Award
Jim Duncan is a native of Parker County who , after earning his college degree , partnered with his father beginning in 1968 in the family real estate business , C . T . & Jim Duncan Real Estate in Weatherford .
Since his career ’ s beginning , Jim earned the trust of the crème de la crème of Parker County businesses , helping count-
MAY 2017 PARKER COUNTY TODAY
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