My wife and I have been married for 43 years as of this past June 2007. We have lived in the Midland/Odessa area for over 40 years.

After attending Frank Phillips Jr. College, I went on to attend West Texas State College were I earned a B.S. degree in Industrial Arts in 1963 and got my first teaching job in San Antonio, TX in the fall of 1963. I married my wife (formerly Veletta Fussell, a 1964 PHS graduate) in June 1964 and taught two more years in San Antonio before moving to Midland where I taught for the next 26 years before retiring in 1992. During those 26 years I had a cabinet business on the side and also got involved in craft shows with my wood work. I still do some cabinet work from time to time. After retiring from teaching in Midland, I later applied for a teaching certificate in New Mexico and taught drafting and woodshop at Hobbs High School and Highland Jr. High in Hobbs, NM for five years. After that I again retired and taught a home school drafting class to twelve to fifteen students in Odessa, TX. for three years. And in 2004 took the shop classes at Odessa High School from November 2004 to May 2005 because the shop teacher had health problems that prevented him from being able to teach that year. And again I have been retired since then.

January 2007 I had to have a complete knee replacement which has required therapy from time to time.

One of the highlights of my life during all the 35 plus years of my teaching career has been the summers I have spent at a children’s home (Tupelo Children’s Mansion) in Tupelo, MS. During the 20 summers of going to the home I was involved not only in building cabinets, remolding, etc, but also in relief work, taking care of dorm units so staff members could take vacations. One of the greatest joys in living is in helping others. The Lord says it is better to give than to receive and I have found that out first hand.

My wife and I do not have any children, but we have been “parents” to a lot of kids through my teaching experience and the children’s home. Today there is a lady and her husband (Sarah and Rod) who live in Tupelo, MS and we are “Dad and Mom” to her. She came to the Mansion (that is how everyone refers to the home) as an orphan from Oregon. She and my wife look so much alike that most people think she is actually our daughter.

May I add my sentiments to what others have said in their biographies--- God has been good to us and we give Him the glory and praise for all the wonderful blessings He has allowed us to be a part of these past 50 years.

One more thing---want to thank Luther Norman for providing this website for all of the class of '57. I think it it great! Hope to see everyone at the class reunion in September 2007.

David Butcher