James Ezell Dodson

Friday evening, just after he knew the Bulldogs had taken the field, Doc entered heaven to a Homecoming Parade like no other. He now has the best seat in the house to watch his beloved Bulldogs and Horned Frogs.James Ezell Dodson was born April 22, 1936 in Fort Worth, Texas to Clyde and Beatrice Dodson, “Mom Bee and Pappy.” To his Fort Worth friends and family, he was known as Jimmy; His TCU family knew him as Hambone, and his Midland family affectionately called him “Doc.”Dad went to Poly High School in Fort Worth. Because of his small stature, the football coach asked him to be a Student Trainer, a job he fell in love with. After graduating from Poly in 1954. Elmer Brown, Head Trainer at TCU, asked him to be a Student Trainer for the Horned Frogs. Dad balanced his time between TCU and working at an insurance company his freshman year so that he could pay for his tuition. He had to park his 1939 Chevy on a hill on campus because the starter didn’t work. By his sophomore year, Elmer was able to give him a scholarship to complete his degree at TCU. During his years at TCU he took care of some of the greatest athletes, Jim Swink, Bob Lilly, Marvin Lasater, and Bob Schieffer.   His Senior year he worked with the baseball team when legendary football, basketball and baseball coach Dutch Meyer came out of retirement to coach that year. He and dad roomed together the entire season when they traveled. The team played for the Southwest Conference Championship but dad didn’t get to go to the game because he had a final – they lost. Supposedly Dad missed being named Mr. TCU by one vote. When he and his wife Gayle were dating, they ran into a couple from TCU. Gayle mentioned that she voted for them for Mr. & Mrs. TCU. Dad replied, “Thanks – he beat me by one vote.” He also had his share of mischief at TCU. One season the Aggie Corps of Cadets made a core trip to TCU for the football game. The TCU Football team managed to steal the senior boots of some of the Corps members. They hid the boots in Dad’s closet with the belief that no one would dare look in “Hambone’s” room. Fearing expulsion, a team member down below drove a convertible up under the window of Dad’s 2nd story dorm room. When the search party arrived at “Hambone’s” room, he distracted them with stories about the upcoming game, while the players threw the boots out of the window into the convertible. The boots mysteriously showed up the next day at the hotel where the Corps was staying.After his graduation from TCU in 1958 he served in the Air Force Reserves. Because Fort Worth only had one Athletic Trainer in the district, Dad volunteered as a trainer for the Carter Riverside Track Team in the Spring of 1959. He took the team to the Texas Relays in Austin. They dropped the baton in the mile relay or they would have won state. A gentleman from Midland, Texas, Audrey Gill watched him take care of the Riverside athletes, and told Dad he had a Head Athletic Trainer’s job open at Midland High School. Dad said if Audrey could get him an interview he would be interested. Doc drove to Midland May of 1959 in a 1948 Chevy. He met with Jerry Schneider, the MISD Personnel Director, and he took the job. There was a contract in the mail when dad got back to Ft. Worth for $5000 a year. His first address in Midland was “three trash cans West of the Press Box.” Because he was only a few years older than the students he taught and worked with, he was the victim of many jokes and pranks. One prank he mentioned was when a group of girls lit some manure on his back step. They called him to tell him there was a fire in hopes he would stomp out the fire, hence getting manure all over him. Little did they know he had been watching the entire time and jumped out and scared them. His service to our country began in 1958 when he joined the Air Force reserves.  He rode the train back to Fort Worth every Friday night after the MHS Football Game to fulfill his commitment. Doc was called back into the service in 1961 for the Berlin Crisis. Although many Fathers of his athletes pleaded with President Kennedy to allow him to stay in Midland, he returned to the service and reported to Fort Polk, Louisiana. In 1962 his younger sister, Margie, the LHS Cheerleading Sponsor at the time, introduced him to Gayle McMullan. She was also a graduate of TCU and remembered meeting Doc at a football event at TCU. They were to have their first date on Saturday night but Dad called Friday night from Amarillo and said he had an athlete hurt in the football game. He had to stay at the hospital in Amarillo with the kid and would miss their date. His schedule delayed their actual first date which was on Sept. 1, 1962.  They married November 27,1963 and spent their honeymoon in El Paso, TX at a basketball tournament. They spent summers at Sul Ross in Alpine, and received their Masters in 1967. In April of 1969, Doc began his most treasured assignment, that of a Dad and family man. Kelly was born in 1969 and Jamie was born in 1971. Because he had two girls, he was often asked if he wished he had any boys. He always responded that “he had plenty of boys he called his own.”Doc retired as Head Athletic Trainer for the Midland High Bulldogs in 1990, and began working with Dr. Don Floyd as the Director of Physical Rehabilitation. Doc spent the last 30 years with Dr. Floyd working with the athletes of the Permian Basin, and coordinating school physical days, Saturday morning football clinics, and early morning physical therapy sessions for local athletes. He continued to play an active role in Midland High Football watching from the sidelines with Dr. Floyd as Team Physician. Doc cultivated a valued partnership between our Orthopedic and Sports Medicine specialists and local athletic trainers spanning from Pecos to Big Spring, Fort Stockton to Andrews, and beyond.Dad was a very humble man but received many accolades for his extraordinary character.In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson awarded Doc a certificate of merit for saving a young girls life. He received the Distinguished Service Award as the Outstanding Young Man of Midland, 1972, Outstanding High School Trainer in the United States in 1977 & 1980,City of Midland “Centennial Citizen”, 1985, Midland Sports Community Achievement award, 1994. Doc also won the esteemed American Academy of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine’s award for Outstanding Athletic Trainer in the U.S. in 1991, and in 1998 was nominated for the prestigious Jefferson Award presented to 15 recipients throughout the United States whose lives, careers, and volunteer activities embody the finest examples of public service. He has earned many awards throughout his decades of service to the Permian Basin including being honored with his own day by the City of Midland three times, and Doc and his family were named Midland’s “Family of the Year”.In 1972, Doc had the distinguished honor of being the first High School Trainer selected to be the Athletic Trainer for the World Olympics in Munich Germany. He was assigned to the Kayak Team but had the privilege of working on many athletes as they floated into the Training Room. He had a special connection to the Israeli Athletes preparing them for their events before they were taken hostage. He came home to many accolades including the Outstanding Young Man of Midland in 1972. However, watching his daughter Jamie take her first steps upon his return at the airport was the most thrilling. His other honors included: Outstanding High School Trainer in the United States, 1977 & 1980City of Midland “Centennial Citizen”, 1985Midland Sports Community Achievement award, 1994American Academy of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine’s Outstanding Athletic Trainer in the U.S., 1991Champions Award of Excellence, City of Midland, 1999Midland Independent School District Hall of Honor, 2012.SWATA President, 1965-1966SWATA District Treasurer, 1966-2001SWATA Executive Secretary, 1967-1995SWATA Hall of Fame Charter Member, 1985NATA Hall of Fame Member, 1985Athletic Trainer, Texas High School Coaches All-Star Games, 1963, 1968Athletic Trainer, USA Olympic Team, Munich, Germany, 1972Cap Harding Award recipientEddie Wojecki Award recipientFrank Medina Award recipientNATA 25 Year Award recipientPermian Basin Jefferson Award recipientCharter Member, NATA Certification BoardNATA Representative to the American College of Health AssociationFamily of the YearIn May of 1992 his status as the only male in the family changed when Kelly married Todd Hullender. The male female ration evened out when Jamie married Jeff Brown in 2009.In 1995, Dad began the role he was created to play, that of the incredible Grandfather. He became Daddy Doc in December 1995 when Blair was born to Kelly and Todd, followed by Mills in 1997, Sam in 1999, and Jeffrey in 2011. He treasured taking naps with his Grandbabies, laying them on his chest and rocking them to sleep. He offered valuable advice and encouragement to his four grandchildren, along with the importance of a strong work ethic and positive attitude, but most importantly his love for Jesus.He had the privilege of watching Blair graduate from his beloved TCU, Mills and Sam from Midland High, and Jeffrey from Kindergarten. He never missed the girls soccer basketball and volleyball games and was so proud to watch Sam play in purple and gold as a Bulldog.Doc leaves a beautiful, Godly legacy to the love of his life, Gayle McMullan Dodson, his daughters Kelly Dodson Hullender and husband Todd of Midland; and Jamie Dodson Brown and husband Jeff, of Phoenix. His four grandchildren that he loved more than life, Meredith Blair Hullender, Millicent Brooke Hullender, Sam Henry Hullender, and Jeffrey Reed Brown III, his brother “Bud” Dodson of Hurst, his sister Jane Wilkinson of Bridgeport, his brother in-law Leslie Austin McMullan. His loved ones that welcomed him into heaven Friday night were his parents Mr. & Mrs. Clyde Henderson Dodson, his in-laws Mr. & Mrs. D.K. McMullan, sisters Nancy Dodson Opperman, Margie Dodson Thies, and his brother in-law Leslie Austin McMullan. Of all that Doc was known for, his most treasured title was that of a Believer. He loved His Lord and wanted to make sure everyone knew what a friend Jesus is to all. He always said it was better to see a sermon than to hear a sermon. He lived every day of his life as a reflection of Christ. No Regrets – All Out. He always had words of wisdom, also known as “Doc-isms,” including “If that is the worst thing that happens to us today, we are going to be okay.”When we told him to have a great day his response was “We’re gonna make it that way.” If he could tell everyone one more things, he would tell everyone to live each day glorifying God. The family will receive friends from 4:00 to 7:00 PM Sunday, August 26, 2018, at the Branch at Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home.  A graveside service will be held at 12:30 PM on Monday at Resthaven Memorial Park under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home and Crematory of Midland.   A funeral service will be held at 2:00 PM Monday, August 27, 2018, at First United Methodist Church, Midland, Texas.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Doc Dodson Memorial Scholarship through the Permian Basin Foundation, the UTPB Doc Dodson Student Athletic Trainer Scholarship, or First Methodist Church Midland Doc Dodson Memorial Fund. Pallbearers will be Todd Hullender, Jeff Brown, Jeffrey Brown, Sam Hullender, Steve Thomas, Steve Robnett, Shane Fletcher, Mark Edgar, Mitchell Nelson, Ben Fay, Jeff Bass, Bobby Henry, Mack Lawrence, Michael McKeller.Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Don Floyd, Dr. John Foster, Dr. Vincent Bash, Dr. Scott Lancaster, Dr. Kris Howard, Dr. Steve Hankinson, Dr. John Greer,  Dr. Michael Miller, Don Furgeson, Les Oppermann, Mickey Flippen, Wilson Heidelberg, Jeff Edwards, Jim O’Bryan, Ferrell Davis, Ben Hankins, Steve Dodd, Mike Long, Bill Worley, Ted Fay, Ted Harris, Mark Alexander, Harry Harrison, Ted Furgeson, Ron Dill, Student Trainers at MHS, First Methodist Midland First Impressions Team, SWATA Members, Services are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Midland.  Online condolences may be sent at www.npwelch.com.,