North Texas Mother Honors Son’s Memory By Publishing Children’s Book
Sue Barker can’t help but smile when talking about any of her kids or grandkids, but she beams with pride while telling a particular story. It all began with the untimely death of her son, Cole Barker, in March 2017. It was at Sue and Ronny Barker’s house when a childhood teacher of Cole’s, Jeanne Lawrence, approached Sue to tell her a story long forgotten by Sue. Sue was thrilled to hear the story. Jeanne reminded Sue that when Cole was in her class at 10 years of age, Cole lamented over a particular assignment. In fact, he just downright refused to complete the task. The assignment was for each student, Cole included, to write a story and provide illustration. Although Cole had a vivid imagination, and was not bashful in telling stories, the thought of actually putting pencil to paper terrified him. Through much encouragment and prodding by his teacher, Cole finally completed the story just ahead of the deadline, Open House.
Cole was relieved, to say the least, that the project was complete, and the Open House was over. His time with the short story, The Boar Named Bob, was over. Mischievously, he held the book over the trash can until he caught the attention of his teacher. As her eyes met his, he dropped the book into the trash can, a glorious gesture of his thoughts of the project. So he thought.
Jeanne Lawrence promptly retrieved the book from the trash and told Cole she was keeping it. He smiled and told her “to keep it since she liked it so much!” This began a 25 year not so “private” joke between teacher and student. When their paths would cross, Jeanne would remind Cole that she still had his book. Cole, always quick with a comeback, would say “better you than me”, or “I guess you still like it” or something similar.
As time went by and other students lamented over similar projects, Cole’s book, along with others, became prime examples of what the current 10 year olds could do with their imagination. The lights would dim, bowls of popcorn would appear, and Ms. Lawrence would tell the tales as written by previous students. With tons of expression, and certainly some dramatic effect, the current class was hooked. Now they volunteered to read, or offered to change the stories, telling them from a different character’s perspective. They would even change the ending. The creative juices were now flowing. The students were much more at ease. Long gone were the days of prodding that it took to make Cole complete the task, albeit with Cole’s help.
Fast forward 25 years, as the result of a tragic skiing accident, Ronny and Sue Barker lost their son Cole in Colorado. He achieved most everything in life that he wanted: graduating from Mount Vernon High in 2000, then from Baylor University in 2005 and moving to Colorado and working as a drilling fluid engineer. He later started his own excavation business. He married Allison Rennemo in August 2013. Cole left behind a sister, Karen and husband Matt McClard, as well as a niece, Lucy, and nephew Hayden.
Now, Cole’s imagination and determination, continues to live on as his book The Boar Named Bob has been published. Now parents and other teachers can tell the story that so many other students have heard and become inspired. Sue recently had a book launch event at NorthPark Mall in Dallas inside the Pinto Ranch store. Now the almost forgotten project is accompanied by coloring books and props and there is even a puppet show in the works. Many more items are coming to “The Boar Store”. Sue pushes forward not only to help other younger children to get past their literary fears but the resulting proceeds from this valiant effort all goes to the Cole Barker Memorial Scholarship Fund. This fund was first started by Cole’s classmates from Mount Vernon graduating class of 2000 but now gains much more traction from sales of the book. The Scholarship Fund awards one-time scholarships to a graduating senior of Mount Vernon High School each year. Multiple scholarships are planned this year.
You can learn more about Sue’s journey and Cole’s legacy by visiting the link below. You can also purchase a book, or several, to share with a niece, nephew, or grandchild. Read the story, tell the story, share the legacy. It is a story you will never forget.
Lady Cats Softball Coach David Carrillo Releases Regional Quarterfinal Series Versus Hallsville
Lady Cats Softball Coach David Carrillo released the Lady Cats’ Regional Quarterfinal schedule for next week against former district foe Hallsville.
All games will be at Grand Saline on Thursday and Friday, May 9-10. Game one will be Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Game two will be Friday at 5:30 p.m. and game three, if necessary, will take place after game two.
The Lady Cats have defeated Whitehouse in bi-district 14-4 and 6-3 and Midlothian in area 10-0, 10-1. The Lady Bobcats got by Lindale in bi-district 7-2 and outlasted North Forney in area, losing game one 3-2 and then winning game two 3-2 and game three 5-2. As district foes last season, the two teams split games. The Lady Cats won at Hallsville 7-3 and then the Lady Bobcats won at Lady Cat Park 10-4.
City of Sulphur Springs Election Results
For Place 4, Freddie Taylor is reelected. He received 412 votes and challenger Reiko Alexander 340 votes.
For Place 5, Jeff Sanderson beat incumbent Emily Glass 407 votes to 360 votes.
For Place 6, Doug Moore is reelected, receiving 566 votes to challenger Landon Thornton’s 158 votes.
Also, all 13 propositional amendments to the city charter passed as well.
It should be noted, all election results are unofficial until canvassed by the City Council at an upcoming meeting.
Yantis ISD School Board Election Results
May 4, 2019 – In the Yantis ISD Board of Trustees Election, incumbent April Johnson and challenger Jeff Quinn defeated challenger Jennifer Larkin for the two seats on the school board. Johnson and Quinn each received 60 votes to Larkin’s 28 votes.
April Johnson and Jeff Quinn are scheduled to be sworn in at the May 21 school board meeting.
All election results are unofficial until canvassed.
Miller Grove Bond Election Results
The Miller Grove Bond Election passed with 87 votes cast for and 45 votes against the proposed $2 million bond for a new multipurpose building, school officials report.
Como-Pickton CISD School Board Election Results
In the Como-Pickton CISD Board of Trustees Election, incumbents JJ Cummings and DJ Carr, and challengers Jim Murray and Brittney Smith have been elected to the four full-term seats on Como-Pickton CISD Board of Trustees. Shiloh Childress, who was unchallenged, is elected to the unexpired term on the school board.
Vote counts were reported as follows:
JJ Cummings 130
DJ Carr 122
Jim Murray 111
Shiloh Childress 107
Brittany Wright Smith 65
Shane Wilton 47
Felicia Smith 32
Lee Skidmore 30
All election results are unofficial until canvassed by the board at an upcoming meeting.
Como City Council Election Results
The City of Como posted the following City Council Election results:
Darla Henry, who was unchallenged in her bid for re-election as the city’s mayor, received 27 votes.
Incumbent Jerry Radney, who was unopposed for Place 1, received 16 votes.
Steve Smith defeated Ronny Nabors 18 votes to 12.
North Hopkins Baseball Season Ends At Bi-District
North Hopkins Baseball Season Ends With Pair of Friday Losses to Rivercrest in Bi-District
Rivercrest 10, North Hopkins Baseball 6
Rivercrest 3, North Hopkins 2
The North Hopkins’ baseball team lost a pair of games to Rivercrest Friday (May 3) at Chism dropping their bi-district series two games to none. Rivercrest won in a slug fest in game one, 10-6 and then held off the Panthers in a low scoring game, 3-2.
In game one, Rivercrest jumped out to a 7-0 lead after two innings. The Panthers rallied but could never catch up. Rivercrest outhit North Hopkins 10 to 8. The Panthers were plagued by four errors. Geoffrey Stewart took the pitching loss lasting only an inning and a third allowing five hits and five earned runs with a strikeout and two walks. Easton Lewis threw 4 2/3 innings giving up five hits and two earned runs with one strikeout and one walk. Colby Cameron was 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI. Victor Rojo was 2 for 4 with an RBI. Stewart was 2 for 3 with a run scored. Wyatt Wharton was 1 for 3 with a double and an RBI. Brycen Gillespie was 1 for 3 with a run scored. Branson Thomas, Kevin Clement and Cody Booth all scored a run.
In game two, the Panthers scored the games first run in the bottom of the first going ahead 1-0. Rivercrest scored two in the second and one in the third to lead, 3-1. North Hopkins scored one in the bottom of the seventh but ended up one run short. The Panthers outhit Rivercrest five to four in game two. Rivercrest had three errors and North Hopkins one. Wharton took the pitching loss pitching all seven innings allowing four hits and only one earned run, striking out 12 and walking two. The Panthers left seven runners on base. Gillespie was 2 for 3. Caleb Wyatt was 1 for 4. Rojo was 1 for 3. Clement was 1 for 3. Cameron scored the two North Hopkins runs.
Wildcats Baseball Advance To Area Competition
Wildcats Baseball Come from Behind Win Saturday Results in Series Sweep Over Hallsville
Wildcats Baseball 4, Hallsville 3
For the second time in their bi-district series, the Wildcats’ baseball team came from behind in the late innings Saturday (May 4) to defeat Hallsville, 4-3 at Mike Carter Field in Tyler to advance into the Area round. The Wildcats trailed 3-2 Saturday going into the bottom of the sixth inning. Austin Dodd started the inning with a single. Jase Thompson laid down a perfect bunt for a single. Will Sims bunt was not fielded cleanly and the Wildcats had the bases loaded with no one out. Pacen Edwards had a clutch RBI single that brought Dodd home with the tying run. Kaden Argenbright’s sacrifice fly brought in Sims with the leading run putting the Wildcats up 4-3. Jaxon Chaney mowed down the Bobcats in the top of the seventh and the Wildcats captured game two and the series. Wednesday the Wildcats trailed 2-0 after five innings but scored three times in the top of the sixth to take the lead for good. The Wildcats got off to a good start Saturday scoring two first inning runs to take a 2-0 lead. Kolson Hale walked and Kamren Harrison hit a single. Dodd hit a double that drove home Hale and Harrison. The Wildcats outhit the Bobcats 8 to 4 Saturday. Chaney got the pitching win going all seven innings allowing only four hits and three runs while striking out six and walking only two. Dodd was 2 for 3 with a run scored, a double and two RBI’s. Edwards was 1 for 3 with an RBI. Argenbright had an RBI with his sacrifice fly. Hale was 1 for 2 with a run scored. Chaney was 1 for 3. Harrison was 1 for 3 with a run scored. Thompson was 1 for 3. Sims was 1 for 2 with a run scored. The Wildcats will play the winner of a Mesquite Poteet and Joshua series in Area next week. Poteet and Joshua were playing Saturday afternoon with the series tied one game apiece.
6 Cumby Seniors Recognized As Distinguished Honor Graduates
Cumby High School this week recognized its highest ranking students, the distinguished honor graduates for the 2018-19 senior class.
Distinguished honor graduates at CHS include Alyssa Hebert, valedictorian with a 4.04 grade point average; Brayden Freemen, salutatorian with a 3.94 GPA; Bethany Taylor, the third ranking student in the class with a 3.79 GPA; Akayshia Smith, fourth with a 3.68 GPA; Robert Hickman, fifth with a 3.54 GPA; and Dayton Wood, sixth with a 3.52 GPA.
Of the six honor graduates Hebert, Freeman, Taylor, Smith and Wood each have also attained 60 college credit hours while in high school, enough to graduate this springs from Paris Junior College. Although he did not attain not enough credits to graduate from PJC this year, Hickman also is commended for attaining more than 50 college hours.
Having five of the six honor graduates receive two diplomas this year is particularly notable because it’s only the second year this feat has been achieved by CHS students.
Last year, Lauren Hudson made school history as the first Cumby High School student to graduate from Paris Junior College with an associate’s degree before she receives her high school diploma. To make that even more notable, the 2018 CHS valedictorian did so summa cum laude and was 17 when she achieved both graduations.
At the time, Hudson said she hoped her achievements would serve as an example for other CHS students, show them that it is possible to have a social life, participate in athletics, and do well in both high school and college classes at the same time.
This year, five of the six honor graduates earned the distinction.
