It was a special time for two Hallsville graduates, Dr. Roy Francis Dickard Dowd, of Tyler and Richard Trimble, of Dallas. They were honored at a dinner in the high school cafeteria and during half-time ceremonies of the Homecoming football game on October 20th, 2006.

Richard Trimble, from the class of 1965, knows that hard work brings success. To read and know of Richard Trimble, our Distinguished Alumni for 2006, one must truly believe that he has certainly enjoyed his chosen profession, and life in general.

While at HHS, he was a member of the National Honor Society, Student Council, editor of the school newspaper, band, Junior Play Cast, FFA, Readers Club, and received the Honor Award. His second grade teacher, Miss Jean, fondly recalls, “He wanted to do everything the best he could. He was eager to learn and always read extra books on the subject matter in class.” After graduating from Hallsville High School, he attended East State University and then worked in Dallas with Tandy Co. Later, he worked in sales and marketing for a pharmaceutical company, but then found what he really enjoyed in 1974 when he earned a degree at North Texas State University School of Interior Design & Marketing and began his own business, Richard Trimble and Associates in Dallas.

He said the highlight of his career, was being selected as the local designer for the Dallas Symphony Hall and having projects included in over 25 books and magazines. Projects included are: offices, buildings and homes throughout United States including, ten states, London, and Europe.

Richard and his wife, Pat have one son, Carson, a graduate of Highland Park High as a National Merit Scholar, and a senior at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem North Carolina. Richard and his wife Pat have taken care of his mother, Wilma Trimble, fondly remembered in Hallsville as a retired teacher. She moved to Dallas 20 years ago. “I am very honored to be recognized by my peers and teachers at Hallsville School. Some of my fondest memories were in this community and school,” stated Richard.



Encouraged by a heritage of a love of learning, a desire to share that with others, and devoting her life to help children with learning disabilities, Roy Francis Dickard Dowd was selected HHS Distinguished Alumni 2006. Her elementary school years were spent at CentralElementary School north of Hallsville; in 1940, she graduated as valedictorian of Hallsville High School. During high school she was a member of the National Honor Society, Student Council, Home Economics Club, and Pep Squad. She then entered East Texas State Teachers College in Commerce, Texas.

With a move to Arlington, Texas, she found her area of expertise which was working with children with learning disabilities. She completed her Master’s Degree and a Doctorate in Philosophy in Developmental Disabilities from Texas Woman’s University. For many years she taught children with learning disabilities, was a diagnostician, counselor, supervised the special education classes, and became a consultant to other districts, using her gift of teaching and guiding. She served as special education consultant to three school districts in the special education cooperative as classroom consultant, and consultant in evaluations cooperative.

When she retired from the school system, she moved to Tyler. She and her husband, Col. Loyd R. Dowd, who passed away in April of 2006, had three sons, Dr. Loyd D. Dowd, Judge Steven M. Dowd, and Federal Officer Robert E. Dowd. Mrs. Dowd said, “I was very honored to be selected as an outstanding graduate of Hallsville High School.”