|
Today's Featured Biography
Bobby Bybee
After graduation from PHS, I attended Frank Phillips Jr. College, Baylor and Texas Tech. I had a great time at each institution of higher learning, but accumulated very few transferable credit hours. I returned to Phillips and went to work at the Phillips Copolymer Plant in Bunavista. In November of 1959, I persuaded my high school sweetheart, Judy Laney,(PHS Class of 1960), to become my wife. In 1962, our son, Greg, was born, followed by our first daughter, Leslye, in 1963, and then our second daughter, Angie, in 1968. During that time, I was employed by Phillips Petroleum Company and the Atomic Energy Commission, Pantex Plant, near Amarillo.
In January of 1969, Judy and I did what friends and family thought was insane. We sold all our possessions, bought an old, worn-out Volkswagen, and moved with our three young children to Brownwood, Texas, where I enrolled for the spring semester at Howard Payne University (the only school that I could find that would accept my poor academic history). They even let me transfer seven credit hours! Judy was a true inspiration for the family. She worked for the Texas Department of Mental Health/Mental Retardation, took care of the kids, and kept the family motivated. I worked for campus maintenance, delivered newspapers, pastored a small rural church, and carried a full class load. We attended classes year-round: during regular semesters, summers, and even mini-semesters during the Christmas holidays. Graduation came in 1971, two and one-half years after that chapter of our life began. We graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Science degree, and two very exhausted people.
Following graduation, we moved to Dallas and served as Houseparents at a Children's Home operated by Buckner Baptist Benevolences, and I took some additional courses at El Centro College. Later, I became the Director of Purchasing for all Buckner Children's Homes. Nursing Homes, and what was then called Homes for Unwed Mothers. In 1973, I accepted a position with High Plains Baptist Hospital in Amarillo, and Judy began an interesting career with Mesa Petroleum Co. After one year, I went to Michigan State University, Kellogg School of Business for some additional courses in Business Administration. Then in 1977, we moved to Rockwall, Texas, where I joined several friends in opening the Pleasant Grove Hospital in East Dallas. A year later, we moved to Canyon, Texas, where I became Administrator of Palo Duro Hospital; Judy joined Merrill Lynch as an Administrative Assistant. All three of our children graduated from Canyon High School.
After sixteen years in Canyon, we moved to Port Lavaca, Texas, where I became the CEO of Memorial Medical Center, and Judy worked part-time for Edward Jones and cared for the youngest addition to our family, a Beagle named Clementine.
During my hospital career, I was privileged to serve on many councils, committees and boards, including eight years on the Board of Trustees of the Texas Hospital Association. I also served six years on the American Hospital Association Council for Small and Rural Hospitals, and served on a panel of American Hospital Association administrators, educators, and ethicists in establishing ethical standards for hospitals in the U.S. and Canada. The highlight of my career was in 1994, when I was awarded the Earl Collier Award for Excellence in hospital Administration, an award given annually to one administrator from a list of over 400 across the state.
Greg attended West Texas State University, and is the Maintenance and Construction Manager for Valero Corporation, formerly Diamond Shamrock. he has been with them for over 20 years. His wife, Kathy, is a product of Dumas high School and Texas A & M University. She currently teaches in the Dumas school system. They have three sons: Zach, Tyler and Ryan, and a stepdaughter, Kara, a junior at Southwestern State in Weatherford, Oklahoma.
Leslye also attended West Texas State University and received her degree in education. Her most recent position was with Ethicon Endosurgical, a division of Johnson & Johnson. She recently married Jeff Langen from Dalhart, and became the mother of his two young children, Carson and Birkley. Jeff is the son of Shari Dobkins Langen (PHS Class of 1959), and Charles Langen, (1956 graduate of Borger High). Jeff and his family own and operate the Ford and Chevrolet dealerships in Dalhart.
Our youngest daughter, Angie, attended West Texas State University and Amarillo College, and is a Registered Nurse in Houston. She is still single, living with her two babies, one black and one white Labrador Retrievers. She is either working, golfing or in her pool.
We retired and moved from Port Lavaca to Amarillo in December, 2000. Judy took her retirement seriously, but after six months, I began consulting for various healthcare organizations. I currently work out of my home as a full-time consultant for Health Affiliated Services, an affiliate of Hendrick Health Systems of Abilene.
VIEW ALL BIOGRAPHIES
|
Indicates an included photo
