Posted by
J.D. Marrs |
May 12, 2017 eparisextra.com
This Patron Saint is a Native Parisian
April’s Patron Saint has roots back to the days of the
Ayres Department Store. In 1943 his parents moved to Paris so his father could go to work for Mr. Henry Ayres. Twelve years later,
Derald Bulls let his voice be heard for the first time in Lamar County.
Derald said, “I’m forever grateful for the Ayres family’s friendship and for bringing my parents to Paris!” So that is where it all started, now let’s look at how we got to our month’s selection.
Derald attended Mrs. Baker’ Little School, Central Presbyterian Day School, East Paris Elementary, Crockett Junior High, Paris High and then Paris Junior College (PJC). While he was attending PJC and working with the student newspaper on campus, he found an interest in radio. Back in those days, Derald recorded a reel-to-reel weekly show covering PJC news and events. This soon led to a part-time job doing the late evening 7-11 p.m. and weekend 7-midnight show on KPLT-AM. He followed his education on to East Texas State University (ETSU – now Texas A&M-Commerce) with a double major in Sociology and Radio-Television-Communications. He worked in Commerce for KCOM and KETR while going to school at ETSU. He said some days he might do an afternoon Jazz show on KETR then come back and do the evening show on KPLT in Paris. After graduating from college, Derald got his first full-time start in radio in Hamilton, TX selling air-time in the morning and being an on-air personality in the afternoons for KCLW-AM.
Derald’s wife-to-be, Lesa, had travelled out to Hamilton to look for a teaching job in the surrounding area but couldn’t find one. It just so happened that KPRE, the country AM radio in Paris, had just been sold and the new GM was hiring. Derald interviewed and got a job selling air-time and being the Sports Director for the station. He said he never thought that he would have moved back to Paris after graduating from college. But we all know that Paris has a way of bringing us home. Lesa went to work teaching kindergarten at West Lamar School for two years before moving to North Lamar ISD where she has been for the last 37 years. She has taught primarily Kindergarten and 2
nd grade, and has served as the ESL coordinator for the last 14 years. Lesa plans on retiring at the end of the school year after 39 years of teaching.
In 1979 a friend recommended that Derald apply for an opening at McCuistion Regional Medical Center and he was hired as their Credit and Collection Manager. Two years later a new position was created and he was selected to be the Community Relations Director which he held for the next 26 ½ years. Then in 2008, two people he greatly admired asked him to consider applying for a position with PJC as the Director of Institutional Advancement and Alumni Affairs. Derald said “In every role I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of here in Paris, it gives me such pride to ‘sell Paris’ or ‘sell PJC’, so often the two go hand in hand because of the relationship the two have in supporting each other.” He has been at PJC for almost 9 ½ years now.
Derald has been recognized and received the following honors:
- Recipient of the Mary Walker Clark Leadership Alumni Award/Leadership Lamar County
- Gold Blazer Award Winner/Outstanding Alumnus-East Texas State University
- “Hero for Children” selected by Texas Education Agency as nominated by NLISD Board of Trustees
- Distinguished Alumni-University Ambassador, Department of Sociology- Texas A&M University, Commerce
- Rotary Paul Harris Fellow (2 times)
- Greater Paris Rotary Club, Co-Rotarian of the Year 2016
Here is why Derald Bulls was selected as our Patron Saint for April 2017. These are the organizations he has given back to Paris and Lamar County through his volunteering and leadership. He is currently active in or has been involved with the following:
- Texas Association of Community College Foundations Board Member 2016-2018
- Dylan’s Drivers Board Member 2013-Present
Founding Chairman and current Board Member of the North Lamar Education Foundation
- Former Chairman and current Board Member of the Visitors and Convention Council
- Member of the Paris Rotary United for 16 years (with perfect attendance), current Board Member at Large
- Deacon, Lamar Avenue Church of Christ
- Former President and Board Member of the Texas Society for Hospital Public Relations and Marketing
- Former Chairman and Board Member of the Lamar County Chamber of Commerce
- Former President of the East Texas Society for Hospital Public Relations and Marketing
- Former President, Drive Chairman, and Board Member of the United Way of Lamar County
- Former President and Board Member of the Lamar County Child Welfare Board Member
- Former Class participant, Board Member and Chair for Leadership Lamar County
- Former President, Officer, Board Member of the Paris Jaycees, former JCI Senator, and has received multiple local, state and national honors
- Former Board Member and Coach for YWCA Girls Softball
- Former President and Board Member of the Maddie’s Gift Scholarship Foundation
For allowing him the time to do so much for Paris and Lamar County we would like to thank Derald’s wife of almost 39 years Lesa, their son D.J. Bulls, Jr. and his wife Meghan, their 8 year-old granddaughter Mackenzie Jo, Derald and Lesa’s daughter Haley Bulls Smith and her husband Dustin, their 10 year-old grandson Laramy, and their latest 6 week old edition to the “Bulls Herd” – granddaughter Mazie Kate.
