7 individuals to be inducted into Dunklin County Hall of Honor

The Dunkin County Hall of Honor will induct seven new honorees at a ceremony on Oct. 26, for their work and commitment to Dunkin County. Staff photo by George Anderson [Click to enlarge]

In order to be considered for induction into the Hall of Honor, individuals must be or have been citizens of Dunklin County and have distinguished themselves within their occupation, trade, or field of endeavor, through intellectual, creative, humanitarian and professional accomplishments.

This year's inductees include James Fenton Dement, Edward Donald (T-Bone) Hall, Rocky Hamrick, J.T. Moody, Sylvester Pulley, Sr., Mary Jane Rogers, and Louis Jean Slankard and will make a total of 116 honorees in the Hall of Honor.

Dement, who grew up during the depression in a home without electricity, was the first in his family to graduate from high school.

At the age of 19, he became a teacher at Upper Davis School near Qulin, Mo., and worked in the school system for 34 years.

Dement served in World War II for more than three years in the China Burma India (CBI) theater with the "Flying Tigers" under Gen. Chennault. He was also part of the Hump Pilots.

Following the war, Dement attended college on a GI Bill and received his masters at George Peabody College in Nashville, Tenn.

During his years as a teacher, Dement made every effort for students living in poverty to continue their education, including personally driving a few students to college.

During the 1960's, Dement was appointed chairman to the board of directors to a five county anti-poverty board, which was later incorporated at the Delta Area Economic Opportunity Corporation (DAEOC).

Hall, who acquired his nickname, T-bone, while playing sandlot football on the grounds of Kennett Elementary School, enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1950 and served in Texas and the Eglin Air Force Base in Florida as a bomb sight mechanic during the Korean War.

After returning from service, Hall attended the University of Missouri in Columbia.

As a member of the Kennett Jaycees, he was very active in participating in community fund raiser projects and was elected Jaycees President in 1960.

Hall also served on the Kennett Park Board and Delta Fair Board.

In 1983, Hall was elected Dunklin County Recorder of Deeds and served in that position for 12 years, retiring in 1995.

Hamrick, a loan officer most of his life, worked with clients at the Bank of Hornersville, Kennett National Bank, and First National Bank.

For many years, Hamrick was involved in both the Hornersville and Kennett communities, even serving as mayor of Hornersville. A memorial was placed at the community building in Hornersville in honor of Hamrick's life.

Moody, a lifelong resident of Dunklin County, stepped into the role of farm management at a young age, following his father's health crisis.

Moody experimented with several different types of crops, and was one of the people instrumental in establishing purple hull peas as a staple crop in Southeast Missouri.

Moody is active in numerous organizations, and has served on the board for Federal Land Bank, General Baptist Nursing Home, Senate Bill 40, Ozark Border Electric Coop., First National Bank, the Dunklin County Extension Board, MFS, the National Watermelon Grower's Association, the Missouri Cotton Producer's Association, and the Clarkton School Board.

Moody was the focus of a human interest piece covered by KFVS 12 Television in Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Pulley, who continued his education late in life following an interruption due to social and economic conditions, was awarded Mason of the year by the Masonic Lodge in Malden, Mo., in 1984.

Pulley is the founder and president of the Malden/Parma National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and was awarded a certificate of appreciation for his service from region 4. His work with the NAACP opened the job market for many young black men and women in the Bootheel area.

Pulley has served as president of the board of directors for the Missouri Delta Ecumenical Ministry in Caruthersville, Mo., and was co-founder of the Dunklin County Heart Health Coalition.

Rogers, who dedicated her life to education, graduated from Kennett High School at the age of 16. She attended Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) for three years then returned to Kennett to teach.

In 1968, following her work at the Malden Air Base during World War II, Rogers returned to SEMO and received a teaching degree in 1970 at the age of 53. She taught first-grade in the Kennett school system for 15 years before retiring in 1985.

Rogers was one of the founders of the Dunklin County Genealogy Society, formed in 1975, and has been the editor of their newsletter since 1984.

Rogers is also among the original group of people who formed the Delta Children's Home.

Rogers has served on the Dunklin County Fair Board, 20th Century Club, Chapter HU of PEO, a member of the Daughter's of the American Republic, a member of the Missouri State Teacher's Association, and as a Sunday School teacher for First Baptist Church.

Slankard, a 1944 graduate of Campbell High School, served in the U.S. Army Air Corps. from 1945 to 1946.

Slankard received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Missouri and a Masters degree from Arkansas State University.

Slankard served as a coach at Houstonia, Mo., school and Holcomb, Mo., school and later became the principal of Holcomb High School. He served as Dunklin County Superintendent of Schools from 1961 to 1963.

In 1962, Slankard was named chairman of the Dunklin County Heart Fund, where he went door to door to collect money for their nationwide campaign.

Slankard has served as a member of the Campbell Masonic Lodge, the Missouri State Teacher's Association, Secretary-Treasurer of the Dunklin County Teacher's Association, and a member of the Holcomb Methodist Church.

Slankard later worked for the Education Publishing Company in Albuquerque, N.M., where he still lives today.

For their commitment to the betterment of their community, these people are being inducted into the Hall of Honor. For more information, contact JoNell Minton, Dunklin County Library directory, at (573) 888-3561