| FFA Nation

Retired judge and Texas alumnus remembers his FFA days

03/23/2010 |

When Wilbur Ray Dunk served as national first vice president of the Future Farmers of America from October 1947 through November 1948, the national organization already had 264,000 members.

Dunk, who retired as Kimble County judge in 1995, reminisced about traveling during those years of his life and recalled the changes he has seen in later years as an elected official, while we visited recently at his ranch near Segovia, 15 miles east of Junction.

Dunk, 20 years old at the time he was FFA vice president, traveled 42,000 miles in 1948, mostly by air. He visited county and area livestock shows and attended FFA conventions in the 12 southern states under his immediate jurisdiction.

“I was privileged to travel throughout the FFA’s southern region,” he said. “During that year, many highlights stand out and certainly a visit to Washington, D.C., was among them. The FFA national officers were invited to the White House as guests of President Harry Truman.”

The National FFA Organization, founded as Future Farmers of America, changed its name to better describe the current image of the agriculture industry. Today, there are 506,199 FFA members, ages 12 to 21, in 7,429 chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Those living in rural areas account for 27 percent; the rest of the members are from urban areas.

During his years of public service, Judge Dunk would return to Washington many times. As president of the San Angelo-based Concho Valley Council of Governments and later as president of the Texas Association of Regional Councils, he spoke to committee hearings in Congress several times on behalf of Texas. In 1984, Dunk was elected first vice president of the National Association of Regional Councils. He served as president of the National Group in 1985-86.

“My wife (Joyce) retired from teaching school in 1984 so she could travel with me during those years,” Wilbur said. “We were honored to serve. In turn, we met a lot of good people and saw some beautiful places. I still visit with many of those friends on the phone or by e-mail.”