The most interesting person I've ever known personally will probably die in prison. Because he always met with the new sales hires that I taught at Worldcom, I had the chance to get to know Bernie Ebbers quite well. There has never been a better example of a guy who grew up with very meager means to become an extremely successful businessman, only to lose it all by surrounding himself with the wrong people. A basketball coach turned hotel manager, Bernie got into the long distance business by chance. There were so many chance events in his life that a believer would say the man was singled out by God for success. But like so many, his problem wasn't finding success but holding onto it.

Vincent Genovese. Came from the bronx and played baseball in the air force. did some minor leage but ended up founding Powr Flite (a commercial floor machine maker). He was the hardest man I ever worked for, but he did me right. Build his multimillion dollar company from the ground up. He also hung out with all the old rangers. Met several that came by.

The most interesting person I've ever known is me. No one else even comes close.

Man I don't know that would take some deep thought.

Robert E. Davis

R.I.P.

Bob Bolen (RIP) - former Mayor of Fort Worth. I worked closely with him for several years and was amazed at his accomplishments, the way he interacted with people, and his great stories. If we ever had a need, no matter how obscure, he could pick up the phone and get us in touch with the right person - without fail. He knew everyone in N. Texas business and politics.

Played poker with Willie several times. He's a hoot. Also spent 6 years working for a retired USAF General who's last position was Commanding General at SAC. He taught me a lot about leadership that's really helped my career. .

Have to think about known real hard. But I rode around with Donnie the late owner (I heard he passed) of Rays sporting goods. He had some stories from him military days.

Tom Landry is #1, Norman Brinker #2. Both were true gentleman, never bragged or inflated their success.

Command Sergeant Major Fred Griffin.

My main man txcornhusker

For me, it was Ray Murski.

One of this countries great sportsmen....fished in the first BASS tournament, owned Strike King Lure Co. and built one of the largest sporting goods rep companies in America. A man that never had a bad word to say about anyone. He called everyone "Buck".....that way he'd never forget anyones name. When the phone rang and the fellow on the other end said "Hey Buck", you knew you were going to enjoy the conversation.

I think Ray got more kids out into the field or on the lake than anyone ever knew. Every time I was at Flint Creek, he was doing something with kids. Ray made it possible for a lot of kids to do things they never would have the opportunity to do.

The times I got to spend sitting in a deer blind with him were, without a doubt, the best times I have ever had hunting....the things I learned amazing.

I have never known such a humble guy. The outdoor world is a better place because of Ray.

Probably would be my wife's grand dad, Rex Cross. He was born in 1910. His family had some land in New Mexico and here in Fisher County. They would drive cattle from New Mexico to here horseback. He told me a story one time that while they were driving some cattle here from New Mexico, they were watering them on a ranch somewhere close to Big Spring. The rancher liked the horse that Rex was riding and asked his old man, who evidently was a mean ol' cuss, what he would take for the horse. They agreed on a price and he sold the horse out from under Rex. Rex argued with the old man about the horse and said "what am I supposed to ride?". The old man told him he could ride one of the pack mules or walk. Rex finished out the drive from Big Spring to Fisher County on foot. He also rode horseback from New Mexico to Sylvester, Texas to attend his sweetheart's high school graduation. He asked her to marry him the next day and they spent over 65 years together. He was a unique individual for sure.

Conway Twitty.

William Sr. Oxner III

Nolan Ryan, very nice guy, down to earth and very easy to talk to.

My paternal grandfather. He fought in WWII, owned a beer joint in a rough part of town in his 20s, started a custom home company from nothing, retired and went to work for Merv Griffin and Players Internation building casinos in Lake Charles and Nevada. He was born in Houston but his 5 siblings were born in South Louisiana so he called himself a coonass. He could cook gumbo and smoke a brisket and was a scratch golfer.

When I was around 8 years old he showed up at my parents house around midnight. He was beating on the front door so loud it woke everyone up. My dad answered the door and there He stood with a broken nose and ripped shirt. He shouted to my dad "Give me a GD shotgun, I'm gonna go kill the bastard!" When my dad refused he said "I'll just run the mfers down with my truck!" Turns out he got sideways with some bikers while out dancing with my grandma at an icehouse down the road.

He drank Chivas and sprite when I was a kid and always kept a full bar and a Wurlitzer jukebox at his house. He threw toga parties and held Luaus with roasted pigs. He wore the apron with the fake wiener hidden beneath a towel.

When we were in college, he would always make me, my brother and my cousins bring whoever we were dating over to his house to meet him. He would tell the girls "Come over here and sit on Pawpaw's lap, I've got a bad knee and it hurts to walk."

He chewed Redman and shot Beretta shotguns. He won a fully restored 1951 F100 in a poker game and gave it to my brother for his first truck. He later won a bathtub Porsche that he promised to me but lost it in a poker game before I turned 16.

He gave me my first rifle and taught me how to fish. Everyone on Lake Houston knew him. He was the definition of a character. He died in 2008 and I miss him dearly.

I wish I could have known him. My kind of guy.

Great story. My Grandmother was born in Sylvester.

My dad.

I met Ray a couple of times and dove hunted on his place a few times before he passed away. I always heard he made his fortune when he supplied fishing lures to Walmart, and Sam Walton paid him in stock that, of course, turned out to be a fortune.

He started doing business with Sam Walton before Walmart....think it was Ben Franklin stores....he was one of the first investors in Walmart. But I think you are right, it was a good move.....and Walmart was Strike King's biggest customer.