Let me tell you a little something about me.

I was born to Percy Howard Ivey and Verda Copeland Ivey
on January 2, 1940, the second child of four. My brother,
the oldest, resides in Levelland, Texas, and the youngest,
twin sisters, are both deceased.

I started school and graduated from Pettit schools in
Hockley County. Upon graduation in 1958, I accepted a
Womens Basketball scholarship to attend Clarendon Jr.
College in Clarendon, Texas. I was selected as an alternate
to the Pan American Games in Chicago that year, 1959, as a
member of the United States AAU women's Basketball Team.
I then traveled to Northeastern Oklahoma A & M Junior
College in Miami, Oklahoma, to attend my sophomore year of
college. I was selected as one of 12 members of the All
AAU League team that year. My junior year I attended
Wayland Baptist College in Plainview, Texas, and our
team became the National AAU Women's Basketball Championship
Team in 1961, and I was selected as a member of the USA
Women's Basketball Team to tour the Soviet Union and play
basketball against the Soviets, Swedish and Finnish teams.
This was a highlight year for me in my career as a player.
The next year, my senior year, I was selected as Captain of
my team the "Flying Queens." Our Team was runner-up to the
National Champions that year, 1962. My senior year in Wayland
I was also an All American AAU Basketball Player.

I began teaching and coaching in Slaton, Texas, in September,
1962, before graduating in 1963. I was the head coach of the
Fighting Tigerettes Girls Basketball Team from 1962 to 1977.
We won the District Championship for 15 consecutive years
and were runner-up at Regional Championships for several
years before winning the Texas State Girls 2A Championship
in Girls' Basketball in 1974. In 1977 I became the head
coach for the Texas Tech Lady Raiders Women's basketball
team. This was in the days of its infancy, before scholarships
were plentiful and money for travel was allocated. I remained
at Tech for 3 years and still have the most wins in a single
season as a coach of the Lady Raiders.

I left Texas Tech in 1980 and became an assistant coach at
Monterey High School in Lubbock, Texas. Our team won the
5A Texas State Girls Basketball Championship in 1981.

I became the Lubbock ISD Curriculum Coordinator for Health,
Physical Education and Dance for 10 years. Then I went to
Lubbock High School as an assistant principal and remained
there for 5 years. I retired from Texas Public Education
on June 30, 1997, after 36 years of service in
teaching/coaching and administration.

In September of 1997, I became the principal for the
Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Programs for
Lubbock County, the position I currently hold in highest
esteem. I had to retire to find the job I love doing.
This job I truly love because of the instant results I
can visualize daily in student's behaviors.

During my career I found time to also find the best man
in the West in Frank Benson. I married Frank on July 25,
1970, in Bangs, Texas. We have been married for 29 years,
and that was the best play I ever made in my career.

In 1992 Frank and I purchased 1680 acres in Roosevelt
County near Milnesand, N. M., (county seat is Portales, N. M.)
We are attempting to make a go of raising cattle, in a
cow/calf operation. Angus, Charolais and Beefmaster cross
are the breeds of cattle we are involved with. We
currently have 3 bulls, Alvin the Angus, Lubbock the
Charolais, and Dunbroke the Longhorn, and 69 mother cows.
In 1998 we purchased some Longhorn cattle. These are our
pets on the "dunbrokus ranch." The brand is -B2.

Frank retired from his meat cutting job in December of
1998 and has been working at the ranch full time.
Recently, he became a security officer for the Lubbock
Independent School District.

I can be seen on my horse, Chelsey or Princess, or on
my 4 wheel ATV. I sorta enjoy riding the ATV on and
through those sand hills in New Mexico. I also assist Frank
with branding and inoculations for the calves as well as
helping with barb wire fence repair, along with repairing
the windmills.

I have 3 nieces that are close and dear to me, and they
have children that affectionately call me "Mama Gay."
The 5 great nieces and one great nephew consume a great
deal of my time. However, we have lots of fun and a few
disagreements as we grow up together.

TEXAS HIGHWAYS

TEXAS LONGHORN TRAILS
TEXAS MONTHLY



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