The year began with residents remembering the December 2023 deaths of former Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins and trailblazing former U.S. Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson. This year we said goodbye to a number of prominent people from myriad fields and walks of life who helped make this region a more vibrant place.
Bobbie Wygant
For a couple of generations of North Texas movie goers, a trip to the theater wasn’t planned before hearing from NBC 5’s Bobbie Wygant first. Joining the station as it went on the air in 1948, Wygant was a rare sight on TV — a woman host. She interviewed the Beatles during their only Dallas appearance in 1964 before going on to interview countless Hollywood stars over the ensuing decades. Although Wygant retired in 1999, she made appearances on TV for many years thereafter, eventually publishing her memoir in 2018.“Well into her 80s and 90s, it was not uncommon to find Wygant at the NBC 5 studios sharing stories with friends, both old and new,” noted NBC 5 in its obituary of Wygant. “She was forever captivating and a force, even in retirement.”
Paul Alexander
Many Dallasites were reminded of a major bit of medical history when Paul Alexander died in March. Also known as “Polio Paul,” Alexander held the world record for longest surviving iron lung patient in the world. He was left paralyzed by polio from the neck down in 1952 and was placed in the iron lung because he could not breathe on his own. Even with the grim outlook at the time of his illness, Alexander went on to become an attorney, a published author and, more recently, a popular TikTok creator.“I’ve got some big dreams. I’m not going to accept from anybody their limitations,” he said in a 2022 CNN interview. “My life is incredible.”
Eddie Gossage
It’s hard to imagine a time when the Texas Motor Speedway didn't loom large over North Texas, or that there was ever a time when annual NASCAR races weren’t a major part of the local sports calendar. From 1996 until his retirement in 2021, Eddie Gossage was the outspoken voice of motorsports in Texas and a leading force in helping establish NASCAR’s popularity in Texas and beyond.“Eddie Gossage was a consummate promoter whose outside-the-box ideas helped engage fans across the country,” a May NASCAR statement read. “He was truly passionate about motorsports and always looking for the next great idea to bring new fans to the sport and keep them entertained at the racetrack."
Ellen Terry
Upon Ellen Terry’s death in June, The Dallas Morning News wrote that the 4-foot-10-inch real estate titan was “tiny but a mighty force.” Terry reportedly didn’t begin her career in residential real estate until she was in her thirties, but that didn’t keep her from becoming a go-to agent for some of the priciest properties in Dallas.According to the Morning News obituary, Terry “sold more than $1 billion in residential real estate. In 2002, she sold a $22 million Park Lane mansion, reportedly the most expensive home in Dallas at the time.”
Darron Burks
On Aug. 29, rookie Dallas police officer Darron Burks was killed in an execution-style attack that also resulted in the shooting and injuring of two other DPD officers and the subsequent killing of the murderer, Corey Cobb-Bey. Before joining the police, Burks had worked as a math teacher at the Texas Can! Academy and had served as a parking lot attendant at his church in Oak Cliff. Two days after his murder, a friend of Burks told WFAA, “He was just a very warm-hearted spirit guy who again would give you a big hug, embrace you when he saw you, would pray with you.”
Charles Tandy
Dr. Charles Tandy, who served six years on the Dallas City Council in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, was “a champion” for Oak Cliff, according to The Dallas Morning News. Tandy reportedly worked at Methodist Dallas Medical Center for 54 years and collected rare Bibles, some of which dated to the 1500s. Jerome Garza, a neighbor who worked with Tandy, emphasized to the Morning News Tandy’s many contributions.“He really will be missed,” Garza said. “He’s a legendary leader, not only in the medical profession, but also in what he’s done in the community of north Oak Cliff. So he will very much be missed.”
Donald Stafford
When he joined the Dallas Police Department in 1960, Donald Stafford was only the 14th Black officer hired by the city. He would go on to become the first Black officer to advance beyond lieutenant in Dallas and became the first Black DPD executive assistant chief of police in 1982. In 1992, Stafford was named as a “local Black living legend” by the Dallas Junior Black Academy of Arts and Letters.“He truly symbolized what excellence in policing looked like amid a pivotal evolution in law enforcement,” the DPD noted in a statement to The Dallas Morning News. “His integrity, courage and resilience continue to inspire all who knew him and those who will honorably serve the citizens of Dallas in the future. Chief Stafford’s dedication and leadership will never be forgotten.”
Al Biernat
You cannot tell the story of Dallas restaurants and hospitality over the past 30 years without devoting a chapter to steakhouse owner Al Biernat. Biernat’s luxe location on Oak Lawn has long been a top destination for high-profile guests, whom Biernat greeted just inside the front doors. In February, Biernat’s family announced he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of ALS, and in September, Biernat posted a message to Facebook saying he would no longer be able to correspond with friends and family on social media.“My prayer is that God will give a team of medical researchers the Wisdom, Knowledge, and Understanding to find a cure to this cruel disease that is affecting more people every year,” Biernat wrote in the post. “Sure, I want a miracle for myself, but I want that for everyone who is struggling with this disease.”
Pete Schenkel
One week after being recognized as Citizen of the Year by the Friends of the Dallas Police in November, businessman and philanthropist Pete Schenkel died at the age of 89. CBS News called Schenkel “the quiet pillar of Dallas,” thanks to his efforts in a number of areas including hospital construction and helping to keep the annual Texas-OU football game at the Cotton Bowl. "Dallas is going to be weaker because of Pete — somebody's going to have to come in and pick up what he's done," former Dallas Mayor Laura Miller said in a statement to CBS News. "There's no replacing Pete Schenkel in Dallas. He was the gentle giant in both the business and civic communities. He's the only man I ever knew who never offended a soul."
