Virginia Ann Myers

March 29, 1930 - January 22, 2022

Virginia Hunter Myers March 29, 1930, to January 22, 2022 Virginia Hunter Myers gained her wings on Saturday, January 22, 2022, after a struggle with Dementia. Virginia Ann Hunter was born in Benjamin, Texas, on March 29, 1930, to Roy and Ruth Hunter. Virginia spent her childhood in various locations in the Texas Panhandle until her parents settled in Canyon. There she attended the John Dewey Demonstration School at West Texas State Teachers College. She graduated from WT High in 1946 and transitioned from high school to college, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Education with emphasis in English and Theatre from West Texas State College in 1949. It was at WT where she met the love of her life, Don Myers, from Lockney. They married in 1950 and embarked on a lifetime spent pursuing their passion of education. In their careers, they taught, directed, and coached hundreds of students in Miami (1950 - 55), Denver City (1955 - 1962), Pampa (1962 - 1967), and Lubbock (1968 - 1978). In 1968, Virginia was selected to represent Texas in a summer program conducted by the National Communication Association at the University of Wisconsin (Eau Claire) to investigate the implementation of the study of speech communication in high schools. This added a new dimension to her career as she began to develop and lobby for a required speech communication course to be included in the Texas High School Program of Studies. In this quest Virginia worked to develop a High School division for the National Communication Association, as well as with the Texas Communication Association, and West Texas Speech Communication Association. In 1978 a life-long dream came true when Virginia was asked to return to West Texas State to teach in the Communication Department. There she continued to promote the study of speech communication in the Texas high school curriculum. In 1984 Virginia left West Texas to return to Lubbock where she taught at Lubbock High School and at Lubbock Christian University. In 1991, she joined the Communication Studies program at Wayland Baptist where she would ultimately co-chair the department. Her affiliation with Wayland would continue in full time and part-time capacities until she "retired" in 2015. Throughout her career, she actively lobbied Texas Education Association to include Speech Communication and the Arts as vital components of a well-rounded education. In her teaching and speech-coaching career, Virginia directed 6 state-champion one-act plays, had 8 state champion debate teams, 9 state-champion poetry readers, 6 state champion prose readers, 9 state champion persuasive and informative speakers, and even more district and region UIL speech competition winners. She co-authored two high school speech textbooks and was a contributor to three other textbooks as well as writing innumerable articles for scholarly journals and presentations. She worked with Texas Education Agency to develop and write curriculum in Language Arts as well as Speech Communication. When Lubbock Public Schools were under court order to integrate, Virginia was asked by the US Justice Department and LISD to use her communication training with to develop workshops to train building administrators and teachers to implement the court order. She was an active member of and frequent presenter for West Texas Speech Association, Texas Speech Communication Association, Southern Speech Association, Western Speech Communication Association, National Communication Association, Texas Forensics Association, National Forensics Association, the International Thespian Association, and the Texas State Teachers Association. Along the way, she served as President of Texas Speech Communication Association as well as of West Texas Speech Association, was a Regional Director for Texas Forensic Association, and served as State Director of the International Thespian Society. She was a member of the National Federation of High School Activities Conference to select the national debate topic in 1980 and 1981. Among the honors and awards she received, Virginia was elected University Educator of the Year in 1995 by the Texas Speech Communication Association. She was recognized for her Outstanding Contributions to Education, Distinguished Americans, and as a Distinguished Woman of the South, Education in 1987. She received the Mamie Doud Eisenhower Award for Contribution to International Friendship for her work with the People-to-People Program in Texas. In 1998, she was recognized by the National Communication Association for her 30-year dedication to Speech Communication education. In 2015 she was selected for the Communication Hall of Fame at West Texas A&M, formerly West Texas State University. In addition to her pursuits in Education, Virginia served on the Board for the Miss Lubbock Program as an interview and talent coach as well as a substitute chaperone. She went on to be an interview coach and judge with the Miss Texas Program. However, Virginia's favorite role was that of "Mom-mom" to her three grandsons. She spent many hours telling just one more story, reciting poems, or counting stars with her "boys." Some of her favorite times were watching them perform in school productions or cheering them on at their baseball and hockey games. She was quite proud of finally understanding "off-sides" in a hockey game. She could always be counted on for good advice and being a great listener. In 2016 she added "Great Mom-mom" to her list of titles. Virginia was predeceased by her husband, Don; her parents, Roy R. Hunter and Ruth Coffey Hunter; second husband, William Dorman; and brother, John C. Hunter. She is survived by her daughter, Marcia Swanson (Tom) of Seaford, Virginia; her sister, Louise Burks of Lubbock; brother, Roy R. Hunter II (Lynda) of Amarillo; Grandsons: Nathaniel Swanson (Natalya) of Kalamazoo, Michigan; Geoffrey Swanson (Christine) of Seaford, Virginia; and Nicholas Swanson (Megan) of Edmund, Oklahoma; and Great-grandson, Parker. She also leaves the many students she taught (her "kids" - no matter how old they are) and the colleagues she mentored throughout Texas and the rest of the country to carry on her legacy of love for communication and competition. Virginia's family would like to thank the "Village" that helped care for Virginia throughout the past couple of years: Comfort Keepers (especially Stella and Margarita), Accolade Home Health, Raider Ranch Memory Care, Crown Point Rehab, Carillon 1North, and Interim Hospice. Sanders Funeral Home in Lubbock is in charge of arrangements. A family visitation will be held on Tuesday, March 1, from 5:00 until 7:00 pm at the funeral home. A celebration of Virginia's life will be held at First Christian Church in Lubbock at 10:00 am on Wednesday, March 2. Burial will be at Resthaven Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donating in Virginia's name to The Garrison Institute on Aging or The Burkhart Center for Autism Education and Research, both at Texas Tech University. The family is planning to establish an endowed scholarship in Virginia's name at West Texas A&M. If you wish to contribute to that scholarship, please contact Marcia Swanson.