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Texas Agriculture Archive

December 2, 2005

TFB Pioneers honored

During the opening segment of the recent 2005 Resolutions Committee Meeting in Waco, Texas Farm Bureau President Kenneth Dierschke honored the organization's 2004 Pioneer Award winners.

Traditionally at this time, a picture plaque paying tribute to the previous year's winners is officially displayed, along with those noting prior years'pioneers,in the Hammond Auditorium on the 4th floor of the TFB State headquarters.

The 2004 Pioneers included the following:

• Ernest William Walden of Deaf Smith County, District 1. Walden has been a Farm Bureau member since 1955 and served on the Deaf Smith County FB board for 36 years, including three terms as president.

• Gary Theron Ivey (deceased) of Crosby County, District 2. Ivey joined the Crosby County FB in 1972, and served as president, vice president and treasurer of that organization.

• H.L. Ayers, Jr. of Foard County, District 3. A member of the Foard County FB since 1958, Ayers served on the local board for 40 years, including many years as president.

• Billie Ray Huddleston of Collin County, District 4. An active FB member since 1948, Huddleston has served as president, vice president and secretary-treasurer of the Collin County Farm Bureau. He also served on the state board of directors from 1988-1994, including terms as vice president and secretary-treasurer.

•Arthur Roy Lumbley of Bowie County, District 5. A founding member of the Bowie County FB board, Lumbley provided strong leadership through his roles on the membership, policy development, state and national affairs committees.

• Jesse Stephens (deceased) of Dawson County, District 6. First joining Farm Bureau in 1948, Stephens first served on the Dawson County FB board in 1956, and served terms as president, secretary and treasurer. He was elected to the TFB state board in 1986 and served there until his death in 1989.

• Iva Golightly (deceased) of Erath County, District 7. On the scene when the Erath County FB was organized in 1936, Golightly was named to the Erath County FB board for life in 1990 and remained at the center of Erath County activities until her death in 1998.

• J.B. Littlefield of Coryell County, District 8. A Farm Bureau member for over half a century, Littlefield has served as a director since 1951 for the Coryell County FB, except for a two-year cycle off the board.

• Bob Currie (deceased) of Houston County, District 9. Currie served as Houston County FB president and vice president and named to both the TFB and AFBF Forestry Advisory Committees.

• Theodore Lehman of Hays County, District 10. Lehman has been a leader in Hays County for over 20 years and served as president and vice president of the Hays County FB.

• Leon Hatterman of Colorado County, District 11. First elected to the Colorado FB board in 1962, he served until 1974. He was elected to the board again in 1976 and served as president and secretary-treasurer over the years.

• William L. Cude, Jr (deceased) of Bee County, District 12. A charter member and one of the original signers of the Articles of Incorporation of the Bee County FB, Cude's service on the CFB board included terms as president, vice president and secretary-treasurer.

• Dale Jeske of Hidalgo County, District 13. Served as president, secretary and treasurer of the Hidalgo County Farm Bureau in his 40-plus years of membership, and served on the state board from 1997-2003, with a stint as secretary-treasurer.

• Donald Neumann of McLennan County, Staff. During a 37-year career, Neumann oversaw the departments of Travel Services, Services Development, Health Services and Field Services.