“Mr. Roger Grizzard was a
teacher at WHS for 21years,” said
Dr. David Belding. “He taught
Government/Economics during my
tenure as principal at Weatherford
High School. Roger was a busi-
nessman, teacher, community
servant, and most importantly, a
man who impacted thousands of
others in a positive way. Roger was
Weatherford’s George Bailey, from
It’s a Wonderful Life. A man who
made his community better because
he loved others.”
Roger didn’t stop teaching when
he retired from Weatherford ISD. His
work continued on as he mentored
dozens of young people every day
in his wonderful Weatherford eatery,
The Pizza Place.
“I could go on all day about
things this man has done to make
our world a better place,” Nadeen
Pickard Murphree said. “The many
years he owned the Pizza Place he
has donated a ka-zillion pizzas and
spaghetti suppers to help the less
fortunate of Parker County. I wish I
knew how many hours he has volun-
teered for churches, schools, non-
profits and other events. He was the
best.”
The original Pizza Place was
founded in Stephenville in 1968 and
was the birthplace of Mr. Gatti’s.
The Pizza Place in Weatherford first
opened its doors in 1975 with Roger
at the helm. The eatery was instantly
a big hit with Weatherford. Roger
took great pride in the fact that every-
thing at Pizza Place was made from
scratch including crust, sauces, and
pizza toppings.
Roger was an even bigger hit.
“Roger Grizzard was a great
businessman and teacher,” said
Weatherford’s former mayor and
business owner Craig Swancy. “He
was always keenly aware of the
pulse of Weatherford and its citi-
zens. By the same token, Roger was
also a great supporter of all things
Weatherford. I will miss him as a
friend and leader in our community.
His optimism was inspirational. He
always saw the very best in people.”
Both Roger and his business
were recognized with numer-
Continued on page 12
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Roger and Jeanine Grizzard