My life has been blessed by many good people. I owe them a huge “thank you” for helping me through the obstacles life throws in our path.
I have to start by thanking my beautiful Joy who put up with me for at least 55 years! I have not always been the easiest to live with due to my passion for throwing myself into whatever I was doing. Our years of crises with Executive Services Inc., my long absences lobbying around the country, and now my solar car obligations have always tugged at us. But Joy has always remained good and true, and blessed my life with two beautiful daughters Deborah and Rebecca.
My daughters have always been a bright spot in my life. I always loved supporting their Girl Scout activities, Cheerleading adventures, college life, and now professional careers. I am blessed with a wonderful grandson (Parker) who shares my passion for Star Wars.
I have to add my true love is for Star Trek because it focused my attention on the important choices we have to make so that we can have a better world. I was also overwhelmed with Mr. Spock’s emphasis on logic rather than emotion. If nothing else, my search for logic has been a driving force throughout my life.
There are memories that stick out! I remember when Debbie and Becca would help me get out my Texas-In-Action Publication. They would help me organize the magazines for mailing and often helped me take them to the Austin Post Office.
I remember when Debbie would ask me to help her with boyfriends. It seems girls like to dump old boy friends in the Spring and find new ones! Who knew? There were several occasions when I was asked to discourage boy friends from returning to our home.
Becca was always more rambunctious. I remember the surprise on my face when I learned just a year ago that she would take my car keys, sneak out of the house, and drive around Plano! How could I have missed this?
The years have a way of smoothing over rough episodes, but I feel blessed to have a wonderful family.
My Dog-Babies
I think the thing that always got me through rough times were my dogs. I always had a dog! I have little memory of my first dog. He was a large Lassie-like dog who loved to run up to me, jump up on my shoulders, and push me over with his displays of love. Of course, I was only five, but Dad thought that a dog would be a good influence.
Butch, my first true dog, introduced me to Billy Bammel by biting him on the butt. Billy was walking by our house when Butch decided Billy needed some special attention. Poor Billy crawled up a telephone pole trying to evade the snapping teeth, but not quite high enough. I never knew what got into Butch that day. He never went after any other person. Maybe Butch knew that Billy was the guy who would help me learn how to socialize with people, and in Butch’s own way, he helped introduce us!
David Vinson, the Best Man in my wedding, gave us purebred W.P. Buffington of Walnut Creek, the dumbest cocker spaniel I have ever known. I liked the dog, but it had little sense. Remember, this was this poor animal that got attacked by a skunk.
I found King-King wandering the State Capitol grounds. He was a six week old German Shepherd. He grew up to be a wonderful friend who accompanied me every day to my office in the Westgate Building. On one of my lobbying trips, he apparently got out of the house and was killed. I never fully understood the details of his death.
My sister-in-law gave us a less-than-nice Pick-a-Poo named Pupa. The daughters liked him but he was less than sweet. I then found a small black and white terrier named Spunky that would bring lots of love into our lives.
Spunky was with us when the family made the move from Austin to Plano in 1978. She rode the whole way to Dallas wrapped around the back of my neck. This made driving a bit challenging, but apparently Spunky needed the personal assurance.
Unfortunately, Spunky was a true “runner.” She was out the door any time the front door opened! Luckily, Mother Nature provided us with a built-in (genetic) stopping mechanism for Spunky. A ligament that controlled her back legs would come loose when she would go tearing down the street. I always knew if I chased her long enough, her back legs would stop functioning and I could catch up to her. Bless her heart . . . her little front legs would still be going when I would pick her up to bring her home.
The girls wanted a second dog so I took them to an animal shelter-sponsored display. We found Kinsey, a sweet blond Lab-Collie mix. She would become the object of my daughters’ affections for many years.
I would find my sweet Cassie during a Winston Middle School Camp Out near Glen Rose, Texas. I saw two puppies along a dirt road, so I pulled the school van over to check on their safety. Of course, the kids wanted to adopt them. I took them back to Winston and fostered them out to two families. The next day, one of the families returned Cassie with a broken leg. I was told she fell off a couch, but I knew the leg break was the result of abuse. I adopted Cassie and had this sweet girl for 20 years.
When I thought Cassie’s time had come to an end, I took her to the Vet to have her put to sleep. Cassie was a 100-pound Chow-Shepard mix. When my good friend, Dr. Allen, set about to inject her, Cassie turned and bit his hand leaving him with a wound requiring seven stitches! Dr. Allen looked at me and said: “I don’t think she is ready to go!” Cassie lived eight more happy months.
Before Cassie’s death, I rescued Lucy, a brown Australian Heeler. Lucy loved to travel with me as I planned Solar Car Challenge cross-country races. This was an amazing girl! She taught herself how to play tether ball after watching the kids play the game at school. Lucy passed away in my arms after sixteen wonderful years together.
After two empty months, I rescued Sunny, a Vizsla mix, and taught him to be my Service Dog. He is absolutely the best animal (and friend) I’ve ever had. He spends every hour of the day with me except when I am teaching my college classes. This would be too much of a distraction for my students.
Sunny helps me with my Sleep Apnea. When I stop breathing, Sunny wakes me up! He also tells me when anything has changed around me. I can place a cup on a desk and he will point out the difference in the room arrangement! Sunny also serves as a Therapy Dog during the long solar car races. The students love coming up and seeking love from him! He loves giving that love!
Sunny is our “love-that-toy” baby! His single best pastime is going after thrown toys, and he will continue to fetch until he almost drops. This may be the Vizsla coming out in him! This Hungarian breed was known for their outstanding hunting and fetching skills.
I always loved going to our DFW Marriott & Golf Club for Solar Car Challenge events. The staff always welcomed Sunny first . . . . and then me!
Some of My Best Friends Thumbnails:
In High School: Billy Bammell and David Vinson (Best Man)
In College: Buddy Lindsey (Football Team Captain and roommate), Agatha Newitt (Tulane Director of Cultural Activities), Bruce Weinberg (roommate)
In Law School: Keith Markley (Classmate and Early Career Friend), Virgil Rambo, and John Sanders
In Early Career: Keith Markley (until his early death)
In Greenhill: Phil Foote and Skip Kilmer
In Winston School: Dr. Rita Serbenou, Dr. Pam Murfin, Linda Skylar, Alvaro Cano, Richard Hayse, Beverly LaNoue, Patricia Winner, Russell & Renda Carter. A special thank you to Board Members Randall Murphy, Walter Levy, and Emily Corrigan. I also can’t forget the wonderful parents who helped support my projects and adventures over my twenty-five years teaching at this wonderful school.
In Winston Solar Car Team: Mike Jobe, Matt Tunnell, Eric LeBlanc, Keith Plaskett, Jon Stien, Michael Foree, Grace Foree, Matt Craven, Matty Carter, Christopher Eyres, Matt Morgan, Preston Patry, Alex Davidovich, Bret Martin, David Newton, David Unfried, Neil Olney, Ben Thompson, Will Darnell, Max Redd, Jay Lentzch, John Ready, Colin Hills, and all the rest of my wonderful Solar Car Team Members! (just too many to list)
In Dallas College – Chancellor Jan LeCroy, Bob Little (teaching colleague), Ahad Din, Mark Skorik (teaching supervisors), and Resi Douglas.
In Solar Car Challenge: All the wonderful Solar Car Challenge Board members and outstanding staff who make the Solar Car Challenge a success! I also greatly appreciated Ben Krage for helping set up the Solar Car Challenge Foundation. Thanks Joel Pitts and all the other wonderful people for being there to help teach the Solar Car Challenge workshops and webinars.
In Prime-of-Life: Fred Varian, Roddy Parkinson, Mark Westlake, William Shih, and Chris Jones.
In Life: Mom and Dad, Joy Marks, Debbie Marks, Rebecca Baze, Parker Baze, Pam Roby, Margo Underwood, Leonard and Joel Stern, Alan Stern, Joe and Carol Ann Marks, Emily Ferguson, Peggy Ising
Best Friend Stories
David Vinson – When I was in high school, David and I set out to plan our “attack” on life, and to better understand who we were! We did this by learning how to drink really good Scotch. On so many wonderful weekday afternoons, we would spend glorious after school hours testing the value of the world’s smoothest brands of scotch while reading J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit. I am not sure how many times we read that book, or how many bottles of scotch we consumed, but we grasped a firm view of life. We developed our life philosophies!
I was to be greatly influenced by the movie Auntie Mame. In the 1958 version, Rosalind Russell proclaims: “Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death.” David and I agreed that we would live every day to the fullest so that at the end of life, we would not be one of those “poor suckers.” I think David and I both fulfilled this goal, but unfortunately, David died at a very early age.
Keith Markley – I never met anyone like Keith . . . . a young man so full of dreams and goals. His boundless enthusiasm made everything around him seem better! We met in the UT Law School hallway while waiting in line for registration. He was Markley; I was Marks. We seemed to always be next to each other during the years ahead.
Keith always had some kind of “plan-in-progress.” Plans like being a state legislator, or working as an Assistant to the Lt. Governor, or taking on the responsibilities of the Central Texas Council of Government. Keith was always loyal and truly cared about me and my family. I learned so much from Keith and the way he approached life.
When Keith needed a friend, I helped him through a hurtful divorce; when I needed help finding a home, Keith found me one that I could afford. That was our “normal.” Each of us was helping the other during those early days as we planned our careers. I will never forget Keith helping influence the Lt. Governor to get me into the Air Force. This was during the Vietnam War. I think Keith’s efforts probably saved my life.
Daniel Sandt, William Shih, and Chris Jones – Daniel, William, and Chris were the backbone of the infamous 1997 Northview High School Solar Car Team. These fine young men were the embodiment of the true spirit of solar car racing: commitment & dedication to the project wrapped in a splendid sense of camaraderie! I never met three people who worked so well together. They had the great ability to discuss, argue, and almost fight with each other while always maintaining a strong, enduring friendship.
All of these fine young men would later join the Solar Car Challenge to help make it the top project-based STEM Initiative in the country.
- Daniel would found the Intern Program which helped hundreds of former high school solar car racers return to the event to help mentor and judge new teams. Daniel joined the 2010 Race and saved the event by serving as a special Race Accountant. This made it possible for us to overcome an administrative crisis and maintain Race integrity. I will always be grateful for his help!
- William would become a Board Member and Deputy Race Director. He would share his outstanding skills building the web site, race regulations, and the foundations for solar car instruction. He always taught me to think the best of people. I have to say that he showed me how to be a better person. I will be eternally grateful to this fine young man. I so value his friendship!
- Chris would become a Board Member and Chief Race Judge. We were always able to have some of the most meaningful discussions to help bring the proper interpretation to Race Rules. This mutual respect helped us overcome many hurdles. I think we will always be friends. His support over the years has been so greatly appreciated. I so value his friendship too!
Mike Jobe – Mike is my oldest solar car team friend. He was one of the founders of the first solar car team, and has remained involved over these 30 years! Mike and I share dozens of solar car team trips, archaeology trips to Colorado and Alaska, white water trips, and solar car races in the U.S. and Australia. He has seen me at my best and worst, but has remained my friend throughout the years. I am proud to say that I had the privilege to play a small part in Mike’s life.
I was so proud to see Mike grow into such a fine young man. He now has a lovely wife and two outstanding kids. Thanks Mike for always being there when I needed your help, advice, and friendship.
Jarrett Dunn – Jarrett was a part of the early Solar Car Team Pegasus from South Carolina. He came back to the race as an Intern/Judge. Several years later, he became the Race Operations Officer and Board Member. I was always totally amazed at Jarrett’s ability to plan for events, and resolve issues arising during those events! His technology skills are outstanding! He is a wonderful young man.
Michael Foree – I first met Michael as a middle school student at the Winston School. He was fascinated with the solar car project, so he was invited to be a team member at a very early age. Michael went on to be a Team Captain, Director of Race Technology, and Board Member. We shared the successful 2003 World Solar Challenge Race in Australia. In many ways, I feel that I half-raised this fine young man.
Matt Craven – I feel I also half-raised Matt. I first met Matt as a middle school student at the Winston School. He went on to be a Solar Car Team Captain, but has remained in my life as a good friend and adviser. Matt taught me so much about computers, and was always there to help with computer “fixes.” But more than this, his sense of loyalty and good friendship are unparalleled.
John King – John is relatively “new” in my life, but has evolved into a wonderful friend and adviser. It seems that John can almost do anything! He was the captain of his own solar car team and is now the Special Assistant to the Solar Car Challenge Race Director. He has earned my friendship through his enthusiastic good efforts on behalf of the Race.
Russell and Renda Carter – I met Russell and Renda Carter first through their son Matty who wanted to be a member of the Winston Solar Car Team. This was a bright young man who shared my love for Archaeology and Solar Cars. I am so glad to have had a small part in helping this young man grow up; I was privileged to have his help in so many Solar Car racing events.
Russell and Renda are dear friends from Winston School, and have always supported the Solar Car Challenge in so many wonderful ways. You have to be truly special when you sit in 102 degree heat judging a solar car team!
Fred Varian and Roddy Parkinson – These two great old friends and I have shared so many experiences. Our blood, sweat, and tears from the races will be our life-long bond.
- I can still see Fred making spaghetti as the Winston Team was one day out of Adelaide, South Australia. The spaghetti was cooking in a very tall metal container. We needed to stir the spaghetti, but we didn’t have a tool long enough to reach the bottom of the pot. Fred put on his huge electrically insulated gloves and used them to physically stir the spaghetti. It seemed to make that night’s dinner all the more “sweet”!
- Roddy and I have taken so many solar car team trips that we really no longer need to do much coordination! We just share that we are headed to McDonnell Observatory near Big Bend National Park, or that we are headed to California, or that we are traveling to Australia for three weeks. Roddy has always been there to support the wonderful solar kids, and to help me get through some tough times. His photos create a huge “memory” of these great adventures.
Randall Murphy – In my early years at the Winston School, I had the opportunity to share some of my ideas and dreams with one of my student’s parent: Randall Murphy. He asked me how much I needed to make these dreams come true. I told him $10,000 and the money was placed in my Science Budget that week. This was a personal donation. Randall would go on to help support Winston Science, and his company, Acclivus, would be the first company to sponsor the Solar Car Challenge. He was my friend and adviser. I had the greatest privilege of knowing this wonderful man and love his family. I had the opportunity to teach Science to both Emily and Scott Murphy.
Christian Negratti – I first met Christian as a Mansfield ISD student taking part in Winston Science. He would later become one of the founding members of the Ben Barber Solar Car Team and go on to be a Staff Member in the Solar Car Challenge. I so greatly appreciate his dedication, friendship and loyalty.
Mike Rogers – I so greatly appreciate Mike, a Radio Broadcaster on Dallas’ KRLD CBS station. The Winston Solar Car Team invited Mike to join us on our 2001 solar car race across the Australian Outback. Mike agreed . . . . and broadcast a daily episode from the race route.
This was true dedication. The team left comfortable Darwin, Northern Territory, and drove the Stewart Highway to Adelaide, South Australia. When 5:00 PM came, that day’s racing ended, and the team pulled off the road to find a place to camp. This meant we had to set up our camp site often times next to huge termite mounds, or other memorable Outback sites.
I remember one event when Mike awoke during the night due to some noise a few yards away. I couldn’t see what was happening due to the darkness, so I took a photo. When I got back to Dallas and developed the photo, it showed Mike looking nose-to-nose with a kangaroo!
Mike was undaunted! This kangaroo confrontation was featured on the next day’s broadcast!
Stewart Mayer – Stewart was also one of the brave souls that joined the Solar Car Team in Australia. Interestingly, Stewart was able to convince Dallas’ KERA-TV to loan him high quality camera equipment so that he could provide a video of the event. His punch line: “Let’s get a full recording of these solar people.”
Stewart was brilliant. He filmed every aspect of the World Solar Challenge. When we got back to the U.S., he presented his raw footage to KERA. It was at this time we learned the TV station misunderstood our efforts. They thought we were going to be recording a new race of solar people from the Outback of Australia. They were not interested in a solar car race.
KERA never used any of the footage . . . . hundreds of hours of footage. The only thing that was saved from this mega-effort was a 5-minute video showing some highlights of the Winston Solar Car Team.
I have to say that Stewart was an invaluable member of the crew! He was an outstanding Mechanical Engineer as well as being an Academy Award-Winning Videographer. His knowledge of engineering saved the team when we had a catastrophic mechanical failure in the Outback. Stewart’s solution to the problem saved the team, and made it possible for these great kids to finish the race. Kudos to Stewart!
Dr. Rita Sherbenou and Dr. Pam Murfin – I have to thank these two wonderful Winston School Heads of School. They gave me the opportunity to innovate and find new and better ways to teach. They gave me the latitude to try new techniques to motivate and encourage “learning different” students. They were always there to provide guidance and support; they were always there to applaud student success; they made teaching a true blessing.
Rick Schulte, Linda Norris French, Eileen Egan, Heather Lytle, Heidi Starnes Barr, Sister Cecilia Sehr, and all the Winston School Faculty and Staff – I have to thank so many great friends in so many schools who made Winston Science a huge Success. We all shared the fun and excitement seeing our efforts motivate students in Science. I love the camaraderie that grew up over the years.