Tony Hall is chosen as Citizen of the Year in Daingerfield

By Marlene J. Bohr
mbohr@steelcountrybee.com
 
Amidst a standing ovation, Tony Hall made his way to the front of the room to receive the prestigious Citizen of the Yard award Saturday night. This award was presented at the annual Daingerfield Chamber of Commerce banquet.
Mr. Hall is a retired SWEPCO employee and has served on the Daingerfield Volunteer Fire Department for 33 years. Mr. Hall spends countless hours working at his church, the First United Methodist Church in Daingerfield. Presenters were Bret McCoy and Brenda Howard.
Scott West accepted the Business of the Year award for Texas Tire & Brake, presented by Mike Alcorn and Tolita Teddleton.
“Doing business with this company reminds me of the type of hometown service that you would get back in the 1950s and 1960s,” Mr. Alcorn said.
Keitha Nilsson and Bryan Jackson presented the Community Service award to Northeast Texas Community College. NTCC President Dr. Brad Johnson accepted the award.
“Their mission is to bring service to their local communities,” Ms. Nilsson said. “They organize programs that benefit communities.”
Mona Tucker accepted the Community Pride Award on behalf of Nix, Patterson & Roach Law Firm. Presenters were Janice Bryant and Bobby McKay.
Daingerfield Volunteer Fire Department member and chamber president Rocky Thomasson, on behalf of the entire fire department, presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to their chief, Jimmy Cornelius.
“Chief Cornelius joined the fire department Feb. 3, 1973, and has continued to serve for over 40 years,” Mr. Thomasson said.
Travis Miller and Sam Pemberton accepted a joint award for Fireman of the Year.
“There were 250 recorded pages last year to the fire department, 197 fires or wrecks, and 53 first responder calls,” Mr. Thomasson said. “Seven men responded to over 50 percent of the calls.”
Carolyn Adkins was presented the Woman of the Year Award by Brenda Howard on behalf of the Business & Professional Women’s Club.
“Mrs. Adkins graduated from Daingerfield High School in 1959, attended the University of Texas in Austin and graduated in 1963 with a business associate degree in English. She is a retired teacher and serves as a member of the retired teachers’ organization.”
Keitha Nilsson acknowledged awards from the Daingerfield Days Fall Fest golf tournament. Beaverbrook Country Club captured first place, followed by Texas Heritage National Bank in second, and Cox Logistics was third.
Educators of the year were presented by the principals of each school.
Dr. Larry Miears presented Dana Carter with the High School Teacher of the Year; Linda Rhymes honored Robyn Shelton from the junior high school; Vicki Ochs honored Mary Thomasson from South Elementary School; while Lesia Lewis honored Debbie Gipson from West Elementary School.
Retired Morris County Sheriff Joe Skipper captured the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Daingerfield Lions Club, presented by Phillip Chapman.
“This man is a 1951 graduate of Daingerfield High School, served in the U.S. Navy, is active in work at First Baptist Church in Daingerfield, and was our county sheriff for 14 years,” Mr. Chapman said.
John Oddo, a senior at Daingerfield High School, won the Horizon award from the Daingerfield Lions Club, presented by Glen Weiss.
With a theme of “Remember When,” videos were shown of Rodney Dangerfield’s visit to the city, along with Judge William R. Porter, Harold Connor, Marc McDaniel, and Coach Curtis Lewis’s interviews. Chamber attendees dined on steak prepared by the Daingerfield Volunteer Fire Department and served by the youth of the First Pentecostal Church.