The officers of The Heather & Thistle Society have selected Joan McClure as their choice for the 2005 Dixon-Hedges award.
This award is presented annually to a non-officer who has generously contributed their time and talent to our Society. It was established in order to recognize those individuals who have served us well. It is always announced and displayed at The Burns Supper.
Joan claims Clan MacLeod by marriage and Ferguson by descent. Both families were early Texas settlers and listed in First Families of Texas. Joan’s Ferguson was from Virginia and was a Revolutionary Patriot Soldier. Both families followed the Scottish migration pattern – Virginia and North Carolina, across thru Tennessee into Arkansas and then Texas.
Joan taught school while her husband, Bob was in medical school, and then worked as a secretary to the Chief, Professional Services at the VA Hospital in Houston while Bob was in residency. She “retired” to have a family and also kept active as president of the county medical society auxiliary and later of the state medical auxiliary. She has been a docent at Bayou Bend since 1979 and has served as General Chairman of the docent organization. She has served her DAR chapter as Registrar for four years. She is also a member of DRT and UDC.
Joan and Bob were members of the Scottish Heritage Society and served as board members. That group dissolved sometime around 1990.
Their son is a district attorney in San Antonio. He has a daughter who is a junior at Rhodes College in Memphis and a son who is a sophomore at Saint Mary’s Hall in San Antonio. Joan’s daughter is a police officer in the Plano department and teaches many training classes. She has a son who has just returned from three years overseas in the Air Force and a daughter who is working.
For the past six years, Joan has taken charge of handling the tickets sales for The Burns Supper. She participates in all the planning meetings to ensure that all flows smoothly.
Joan has also hosted many dinners for our “Immortal Memory” speaker. Joan regularly attends our H&T meetings, and is active in The Burns Club.
Congratulations Joan McClure for a job well done.
Previous Dixon Hedges Memorial Recipients Year 2000-2001 --- Alastair J. Campbell Year 2001-2002 --- Eileen Graham Moore Year 2002-2003 --- Linda Laxton Biddle Year 2003-2004 --- Maryann Munroe Year 2004-2005 --- Stephen E. McIntyre |