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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBoone, Mora & James L., Sr. r George L. Nelson '64 \-Veils Fargo/Mervin Peters/ George Nelson '64/Heep Endowed ProfessorshiP in Finance Sarah & Ray B. Nesbitt '55 Rqy B. Nesbitt Fund I Howard Joseph Newton Ruth &: Howard Newton Memorial Graduate Student Teaching Award in Statistics 1\ I I Bruce, Patsy & Travis '03 Nichols Nichols FamiJy LeadershiP Endowment Elizabeth & Sam A. Nixon, Jr. '47 Gift,Annui!y-Sam &: Elizabeth Nixon Student Loan Fund Sharee & David R. Norcom '73 David R. Norcom '73 President's Endowed ScholarshiP Becky B. & Joseph H. Nussbaum '84 Bec9 &:Joe Nussbaum '84 Big Event Matching Fund Alice A. & Erie A. Nye '59 President's Special Discretionary Account Olive & Thomas Michael O'Connor Chemical Engineering Building Fund Ingrid & John C. Oliver, III Bequest- Bush School of Government &: Public Service FellowshiPs ( Bequest-Student Financial Aid Endowed Opportuniry Awards Melanie & Billie D. O'Neal '53 Bequest- College of Engineering B. D. O'Neal '53 ScholarshiP Fund in Petroleum Engineering Robert J. Overly '48 Robert]. OverJy '48 General Rudder Memorial Corps ScholarshiP Murry D. Page '51 Charitable Remainder Unitrust- Emma ynn &: Charlie Case '38 ScholarshiP Fund in Engineering Kathreen E. & Perley G. Parr, Jr. Kathreen E. &: Perlry G. Parr, Jr. Research Fund for Oyster Disease Studies Janet & Thomas C. Paul '62 President's Board of Visitors Marshall D. Payn North Star Archaeological Research Endowment Spirit -:-Spring 2005 Carl M. Pearcy '55 Carl M. Pearty, Jr.lHeep Endowed Graduate FellowshiP in Mathematics Lenette & Clifton E. Pfeil '50 Lenette &: Clifton Pfeil, DVM '51 Endowed Fund in Veterinary Anatonry &: Public Health Harriet E. & Richard F. Phillips '47 Gift Annui!y- Texas A&:M Foundation Ginger V. & G. Willard Pool '39 Bequest- Ginger V. &: G. Willard Pool '39 Large Animal HosPital Equine Teaching &: Research Endowed Fund Bryan & Raymond G. Post, Jr. '61 Rqymond G. Post '23 &: Rqymond G. Post, Jr. '61 Endowed ScholarshiP in Architecture Lee R. '53 & Betty R. Radford Dr. &: Mrs. Lee R. Radford '53 General Rudder Memorial Corps ScholarshiP Joan C. Read Dean of Veterinary Medicine Priori!y Fund Thomas A. Read Center Activities Fund Thomas &: Joan Read Fund for Disadvantaged Youth Jo Anne & Roy E. Reed '51 Jo Anne &: Rqy E. Reed '51 Sui Ross ScholarshiP C. Keller Reese, IV '29 Bequest- Civil Engineering Enrichment Fund Michael L. Richardson '65 Charitable Remainder Unitrust- Texas A&:M Foundation Sue & Jess C. Rickman, III '70 Bequest-College of Education &: Human Development Rick &: Sue Rickman Endowed Foundation Excellence Award Carol & Forrest E. Roberts, Jr. '59 Bequest-Corp of Cadets LeadershiP Excellence Program Leonor Tijerina Romero Bequest-Albert Tijerina, Jr. '65 Endowed Foundation Excellence Award Sandie & Jimmy N. Roppolo '69 Bequest-Jimnry N. Roppolo '69 Fund for Excellence in Agricultural Education Rosalyn Rosenthal Man'DI &: RosaJyn Rosenthal Chair in Food &: Nutritional Sciences Texas A&M Foundation 20 Boone does not lament about not being able to complete her degree at Texas A&M. Instead, she expresses great joy when discussing the university's integration of women in 1963. "The women won at lastl" she exclaims. ~ At !O3 years old, this great-great-grand- mother does not miss a beat when discussing her life. It has been filled with the richness of educating students, raising a family and sharing it all with her beloved husband. Mora Evelyn was born in Greenville, Texas, two days before Christmas, 1901. She was the fifth of eight children of Homer and Susie Waddell. Life in those days, she says, was one of simple pleasu~~s. Boone recalls celebrating her fifth birthday in a covered wagon as her family moved from the Panhandle town of Floydada to Alpine in far West Texas. Boone's mother had given the children a small paper sack of candies for Christmas, and she remem- bers savoring a chocolate Santa along the Journey. Boone's family eventually settled in Houston, where she attended Central High School-the only high school in Houston at that time. At the end of her last semester, she still lacked one or two credits required for graduation. Since it was not considered important for girls to have a high school diplo- ma, she never returned. Boone was later admit- ted to Texas A&M even without the diploma. Boone's life forever changed one evening when she met a "very handsome man" at a community dance. His name was James L. Boone, and he was a farmer and teacher in Alief, 15 miles outside of Houston. The two were married on Christmas Day in 1921. - The young couple shared a passion for edu- , cation - both in terms of learning, and teaching. James Boone was a member of the Texas A&M Class of '21, but he wouldn't receive his degree until 1937. Like many of his fellow cadets, his time at Texas A&M was cut short for service in World War 1. Respon- sibility also called him to the family farm following his father's death. But those cir- cumstances granted him a pleasure that few could enjoy in the 1930s: His wife also was his fellow classmate. James and Mora Boone began long careers as high school teachers. He' taught mathematics and civics courses and served as principal and superintendent. She taught English, and then worked as a schoollibrar- ian. Both served public schools in Lolita, Needville, H9uston and Beasley over 32 years. When Boone speaks of teaching, there is a sparkle in her eye as if she were back in the classroom. Even today, her greatest hope is that she prepared her students for the challenges of life. Henry Ellison would be among the first to attest to the Boones' lingering influence on his life. When Ellison was 15, his father passed away, leaving .him to support the family. He was on the verge of leaving school when the Boones intervened by providing him a main- tenance job at the high school. Ellison grad- uated from Beasley High, joined the Army Air Forces and completed 33 missions in a B-24 bomber during World War II. Ellison. told of the impact the Boones had on his life in a letter to American Profile magazine. As a result, Mora Boone was select- ed by the magazine as a "Classroom Hero" and featured in a 2002 edition. AT 103 YEARS OF AGE, MORA WADDELL BOONE SAYS SHE STILL HAS A LOT OF GIVING LEFT TO DO. In a lifetime of memories, Boone often returns to her time at Texas A&M. Some of her favorite classes were those in the history depart- ment. The Boones' love of history inspired : them to travel the co~ntry during retirement to research their genealogy. Boone is proud of her heritage. She is the granddaughter of a ~Confederate soldier from Georgia and a mem- "her of both the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Colonial Dames of the ~I Century, whose ancestors owned land in the colonies before 1701. She even traced her roots to Robert the Bruce, King of Scots. Boone is grateful that she and her ancestors shared the values of hard work and persever- ance. Honesty, leadership, a search for knowl- edge, and service to others were likewise cherished by her and her husband and were the very ideals they appreciated about Texas A&M. Their love for the college was passed down to their two sons, James Boone Jr. '44 and H.S. "Dan" Boone' 46. James Jr. taught industrial education at Texas A&M for 36 years. "There was no question that our boys were coming to Texas A&M for college. I want- ed them to go where their Daddy went," Boone says proudly. In addition to her two sons, three of Boone's five grandchildren and two of her 13 great-grandchildren are Aggies. She also boasts two great-great-grandchildren, with another on the way. James Boone died in 1996, but his lega- cy as a champion of education remains in . the form of an endowment to the Texas A&M Foundation. Mora Boone paid tribute to her husband of 74 years by establishing the Mora Waddell Boone and James L. Boone Sr. '21 President's Endowed Scholarship. It is through this gift that she both honors her husband's memory and continues to care for students. Mora Boone has dedicated a lifetime of service to others. While most would suspect the largest recipients of her generosity to be family, friends and students, Mora will tell you that she is the one who benefited the most from giving so much. And, at !O3 years of age, she says she has a lot of giving left to do. -:- Victoria N. & Robert A. Rowland, III '65 Victoria N. &: Robert A. Rowland, III '65 Visiting Artist in Performance Studies Elizabeth Dee & Theodore E. Saba '41 Gift Annuiry-Elizabeth Dee &: Theodore E. Saba '41 Agribusiness Teaching Enhancement Endowment Phillip Sain Universiry Special Gifts Marianna Schmitt Stevenson Companion Animal &: Life-Care Center Building Fund Sara N. & Perry J. Schwierzke, Jr. '60 " Bequest-12th Man Endowment/ Corps of Cadets ScholarshiPs/ Endowed C. D. Holland - Undergraduate ScholarshiP in Chemical Engineering / Sara &: Perry ]. Schwierzke '60 President's Endowed ScholarshiP Dene Shaver Universi!J Special Gifts Reba & Wayne A. Showers '53 Reba &: Wqyne Showers '53 Sui Ross ScholarshiP Beatrice & John C. Slattery Recognition Credit for Texas Engineering Experiment Station Cedomir M. Slipcevich Recognition Credit for Texas Engineering Experiment Station Jean G. & Charles B. Smith, Jr. Endowed Fund for Excellence in Agricultural Development Mrs. Mary Sue Smith & Robert Smith, III '61 Bequest-12th Man Foundation/The Association of Former Students/ Corps of Cadets/President's Endowed ScholarshiP Program" Marilyn & James R. Snell '73 Leslie Ann Snell '07/Young Life Endowed Opportuniry Award ScholarshiP Fund Bryan Snyder, III '43 Gift Annui!J-Liberal Arts J. Malon Southerland '65 Bequest - The Association of Former Students/Corps of Cadets/Memorial Student Center/ScholarshiPs/ Student Activities/Student Affairs- Discretionary Funds/Student LeadershiP Programs 21 Spirit -:- Spring 2005