in which she also played the lead as Mary Rainer. She
starred in that role from 1959 to 1961.
Mary Martin was honored by the John F. Kennedy
Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., in
1989. When she died of cancer in California, her cremated remains were buried here in Weatherford, according
to her wishes. She always considered Weatherford her
home.
The Ric Williamson Charitable Innovator
Award
As chairman of the Texas Transportation Committee, Ric
Williamson helped all of Texas get to where they were
going more efficiently.
He was a creative, successful businessman in the
energy industry, at the same time he was a visionary
public servant who won awards for his legislative prowess while serving in the Texas House for five sessions and
creating successful partnerships and raising funds for local
candidates and causes. The Ric Williamson Charitable
Innovator Award recognizes someone who helps to
extend his legacy of public service and paying it forward
by making our community a better place.
The Dr. Stephen D. Newman Moving
Cardiology Forward Award
Patients tend to see doctors as either aloof scientists or
caring physicians. Dr. Newman is known throughout
Texas as the “cardiologist with a heart.”
Today that perception is applied to an entire group
of doctors, known as the Heart Center of North Texas.
Fortunately for us, they practice right here. I think I can
speak for all of Parker County when I say we are so grateful to a world-class team of cardiol ogists that chose to
come here and take care of us and the people we love.
MAY 2016
PA R K E R C O U N T Y T O D AY
Zan Prince Community Leadership
Award
A gracious leader with financial acumen is how to
describe Zan. She’s politically active; Zan has been at the
helm of the local Republican Party since 2004 as its party
chair.
She’s a charter member of the Bush Legacy
Republican Women, while also serving on the boards of
five community banks including First National Bank of
Weatherford. Her talents there have had strong impact
on the home-town feel of that financial institution where
customers feel at home. Zan is a stunning example of a
community leader, strong, fair and wise.
Mac Curtis Musician Award
Fort Worth native Mac Curtis began playing guitar at the
age of 12, entering local talent competitions. He moved
to Weatherford in 1954, and while there he formed a
band with two classmates, Jim and Ken Galbreaith. The
group played locally, and in 1955 they were offered a
deal with King Records, who released their debut single,
“If I Had Me a Woman”.
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Soon after Alan Freed heard the group, and invited
them to play on his Christmas radio special in 1956.
Curtis returned to Weatherford to finish school in 1957
and continued work as a DJ in the South, and released
a few albums; his 1968 release, The Sunshine Man, hit
No. 35 on the U.S. Country albums chart. As rockabilly
grew in popularity in the 1970s, he began recording with
Ray Campi and signed to Ronnie Weiser’s Rollin’ Rock
Records; his career took off there in the 1980s and 1990s.
He was later inducted to the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
He died on September 16, 2013 at age 74, following
a car accident a month earlier, after which he had undergone rehabilitation at a nursing home.
Jean Bryan Magnificent Marketer
Award
Jean Bryan has never met a stranger and knows how to
make you feel at home in Parker County. Working for the
chamber for years, she was the voice on the phone who
could help with the “best of” whatever you were looking
for in our community.
She took her talents to Weatherford National Bank
(now First Financial) and did what came easily to her:
marketing the bank and building a lifetime of relationships.
Now retired, Jean leaves a legacy that is being emulated but never equaled.
The Dr. Jack Eidson Physician Excellence
Award
For more than half-a-century, Dr. Jack L. Eidson helped
Parker County families with their health issues. But for
most of his patients, he was so much more than someone they went to when they had the flu. Dr. Jack, as his
patients fondly referred to him, was a beloved and trusted
family doctor of numerous local folks — he helped bring
their babies into the world (he delivered more than 3,000
of them). He also was there to help ease the suffering of
those who were leaving it and helped them through all
their health crises, whether they were major, minor or
anything in between.
Even after Dr. Jack retired from his family medicine
practice more than 15 years ago, his patients fondly recall
his kindness, his gentle bedside manner, and the way that
nothing seemed quite as frightening as long as Dr. Jack
was there to face it with you.
One great source of pride for Dr. Jack is that both his
son and his grandson followed him into the field of medicine.
Even though Dr. Jack is not with us any longer, his
former patients will never forget him. Parker County will
never forget him.