Deborah Talley, Pampa High School Class of 1976, and John Curry, Pampa High School Class of 1966, have been named as two outstanding PHS alumni who have contributed significantly to the betterment of their professions and their communities. These two Pampa High School graduates will be inducted to the Pampa High School Harvester Hall of Fame during an induction ceremony on Friday, September 22 nd . The festivities will begin with a reception at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 21st at the Pampa ISD Administration Building, 1233 N. Hobart Street. The formal induction ceremony will be held on Friday, September 22nd at 9:30 a.m. at Clifton McNeely Field House. The community is invited to attend both events.
Deborah Talley
Debbie Talley is a 1976 honor graduate of Pampa High School. Mrs. Talley showed signs of musical gifting at a very young age. She demonstrated at age 4, that she could “play by ear” without written music, and had the gift of “perfect pitch”. She became the pianist at First Baptist Church in the 8 th grade and continued in that position through graduation. After high school, she spent a year at North Texas State University and then transferred to West Texas State majoring in Music Education. Upon graduation from WT, and subsequent marriage to distinguished choral director Barry Talley, together they have had successful careers teaching vocal music at Deer Park High School. Mrs. Talley has taught all levels from grades 3-12 in her 26-year teaching career. She has been a voice teacher for 42 years. Her vocal music coaching is credited with 68 students being selected to the Texas All-State Choir. In 1985 she began recording the primary alto voice for the Texas All-State Choir for the Educational Enterprises Recording Company. After 10 years, she became the producer for all of the recordings. Since then, she has become the owner of the company and has been responsible for providing demonstration and audition recordings for Texas, New Mexico, Florida, and South Carolina. She also recorded for Alliance Music Publications and Silver-Burdett. She has provided demonstration recordings for various churches and college choirs. Mrs. Talley has also recorded in Sierra Studios in Fort Worth and Rivendale, Mickey Gilley Studios, Sugar Hill Studios and Wire Road Studios in Houston. In 2015, she traveled as a guest soloist with First United Methodist Richardson to Germany, the Czech Republic, and Austria. Through accompanying choirs, she has been privileged to play at Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Choral Directors Association, and American Choral Directors Association in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Riverside Church, Westpoint, the Crystal Cathedral, the Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, Constitution Hall, and various churches and cathedrals in England and Ireland. She has been recognized in Who’s Who among American Teachers and has received special mission recognition from the United Methodist Church. She and her husband have been on staff at Deer Park United Methodist Church for 41 years. She serves on the board of the Brenham State Living Center’s family association and devotes much time to the staff and clients at BSSLC.
John Curry
John Curry is a 1966 graduate of Pampa High School. He attended Southwestern University, where he was president of both the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and Interfraternity Council; and he was a leader in the Student Union. His rigorous study of history and business prepared him for his professional and civic life. During his college years, he served in the Texas Army National Guard. Following military training, he entered Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University, where he received a Master of Theology Degree. He then pastored several churches before he made the decision to leave the professional ministry and return to Pampa to join his father in the family business, Four R Industrial Supply. He contributed to the growth of Four R from a local business to a regional leader in the welding and industrial supply industry with 6 locations in Texas and Oklahoma. He was involved in leadership in the National Welding Supply Association and the Southwest Distributors Association.
He has been an active member of First United Methodist Church and now St. Paul United Methodist Church. He has served on every committee including Lay Leader, Sunday school teacher, youth minister, and benevolence director. He fills pulpits across the Panhandle as needed, and continues to perform many funerals and weddings. Scouting has always been a central part of Mr. Curry’s life. In his youth, he received the Eagle Scout Award. He has served at the local, district, and council level as a leader; and was awarded the highest adult award, the “Silver Beaver.” Through countless hours of meetings, campouts, and high adventure trips, Mr. Curry positively impacted hundreds of scouts. Mr. Curry has a servant’s heart for the citizens of Pampa. He has donated countless hours to the betterment of our community by serving on numerous Boards and Committees such as the Pampa ISD School Board, White Deer Land Museum Foundation, Pampa Meals on Wheels, Pampa Animal Welfare Society, Pampa Museum Promotions, Gray County Historical Commission, Pampa United Way, Pampa Regional Medical Center, Pampa Chamber of Commerce, Pampa Chamber Tourism Committee, and the Pampa Area Foundation. Mr. Curry was awarded the Pampa Chamber of Commerce “Citizen of the Year” award for his countless endeavors to improve the Pampa Community. Mr. Curry, and his wife Faustina, have been married for forty-four years, and presently live in Pampa. Together, this couple have been dedicated citizens of Pampa for over forty-four years!
Complete bio information may be found at www.pampaisd.net
