Hooks, Texas is just like so many other small towns all across the country in that if you sit down and talk to different citizens from the different generations, you’ll hear story after story about the different people that have impacted so many lives.
The people that helped shape knot-head kids into the men and women that now work and volunteer to help shape the next group of knot-head kids into leaders. My dad used to tell me stories about Paul Thomas, Noble Sheppard, Billy White, & others.
Men that worked and volunteered to make things better than they were before. My 48 years on this earth are full of these types of people from this town, but what is frustrating to me is that we (Hooks) never seem to honor anybody.
Whether it’s Billy Sims (1978 Heisman Winner & former Detroit Lion) or somebody who stays around here volunteering their whole life. We need to do better, if for no other reason than how blessed we’ve been with people going on to be famous and with those who devote their whole lives to the rest of us.
In early 2025 a committee of community members was formed with the goal of honoring and paying tribute to the people of this town that have given and served so many of us here in Hooks.
The inaugural Hooks Ring of Honor Class was inducted this last Friday, September 19th at Hornet Stadium before the Hooks & Winnsboro football game. This year’s inductees consisted of Mr. Grover C. Godfrey, Ms. Evelyn Yeager, Ms. Jean Trout, & Mr. Eddie Trout.
Grover C. Godfrey (My Elementary School Principal) spent a remarkable 35 years at HISD. His first 17 years he taught Vocational Agriculture and his final 18 years were spent as Principal of Hooks Elementary. With that position he became the first Black Principal in Bowie County outside of Texarkana.
Evelyn Yeager has spent her entire adult life pouring back into the town that she grew up in. She’s been a School Board Member and she is the founder of the Hooks Children’s Ministry that has helped families in need here in Hooks for the last 48 years. She is the picture of HFND.
Jean Trout came to Hooks from neighboring New Boston in 1972 when she began her career as a teacher at HISD. She was my 7th Grade Math Teacher and the Elementary Principal for both of my children. She served as HES Principal from 2003 - 2017 while serving the Hooks community for a total of 44 years.
Eddie Trout is a Hooks native and 1962 graduate. He was the quarterback of the first Hooks team to go 10-0 while making a deep playoff run. He spent his adult life serving the Hooks community with anything from owning Trout Furniture to spending nights and weekends coaching hundreds of Hooks kids in Little League.
These are four of literally thousands of people that have helped make Hooks the place that I love and want to see be it’s best. The place that no matter where I was, my heart missed.
These are four people that have devoted their lives to being part of the solution. I’m sure there have been times when they were frustrated and maybe even convinced that their own efforts were in vain and might not matter in the long run. They were wrong…… Whatever town you live in while you read this article needs you to volunteer more instead of post about what isn’t great there. My life has forever been changed for the better by these 4 individuals. I promise you, there are kids in your town that need YOU.
