DeKalb Chamber Banquet 2023

This year’s Noble was chosen for their dedication to this community...whether they were leading the way, or behind the scenes. Regardless of position, the community could always depend on them to step up, serve and support.
After graduating high school, this Noble attended North Texas State University in 1959, and married the love of his life in 1960, right before joining the United States Army.
After returning home from the Army to his bride and exploring a few job opportunities, they settled in DeKalb, Texas, in 1965 and opened their own downtown department store on Front Street. They were seen in many Pioneer Day parade floats and won window decorating contests. Many from the community worked their first job in their store. During this time as a DeKalb business owner, this Noble served the DeKalb community in many civic ways serving as City Councilman for seven years with four years as May pro tem and served twice as Mayor, one of those times was as Mayor during the 1976 Bicentennial Parade.
From 1979-1981, he worked for the City of DeKalb as grant administrator and had an idea of planting the live oak trees in town on Highway 82. He took up donations to buy trees, the city planted some trees while the DHS FFA planted many of them in the early eighties.
In 1983, he began to work at Red River Army Depot. During those working years at RRAD, he served DeKalb Independent School District for 15 years as a DISD Board of Trustee serving with four superintendents (two of them Nobles, Mr. Allen Gerald Cooper and Mrs. Anne Farris) from 1986-2001. He served through the rebuilding of the high school, not only once, but twice. The first time after the fire of the high school in 1989 and again after the tornado damage to much of the elementary and high school campus in 1999. He was seen showing George W. Bush, then Governor of Texas, around the school district. 

This Noble also served on the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce 1991-1994 when the Annual 4th of July Fireworks tradition began. After 19 years at RRAD, he retired from the environmental department.
He has and continues to serve his church, First Baptist Church, DeKalb, the church he was saved and baptized in 1967. During his early years as a young man, he served as a Scout Leader and Sunday School Teacher for many young men of his church. He has volunteered for many committees, served as a trustee, and has served many years and is still serving as a Sunday School leader.
Although he was born in 1938 and graduated from Clarksville High School, he got to DeKalb as fast as he could following the love of his life. He says that he could not have done any of this without his beautiful wife of 62 years, DeKalb Native, Chris Warren Moore. They were the store owners of D&C Department Store from 1965-1984.
As of late, you can find him downtown discussing the topics of the world with Randy Barrett at Barrett’s Grocery or at The Ritz Downtown leading Wednesday Bible Study with Boyce Rhea, Richard Engle, Gary Chaffin and Howard Watson. Or just being the Ritz security. Sometimes, he hangs out with Gary McGill at the new domino building built by the famous John Flanery.
He is an example of a hardworking community member that stepped up to serve in many different areas throughout the years when needed. This Noble exemplifies that it takes all of us to serve and to pass on the legacy of service to the next generation as he did to his daughter, son-in-law, and grandsons.

2022 Noble Heart Award goes to Donald E. Moore (Donnie or Don to most of us and Moore to his oldest friends).

A 1994 DeKalb High School Graduate, this alumni continued their education at Texas A&M University – Texarkana and became an elementary teacher in 1999 .  They then received a master’s in education in 2011.  This person is an excellent teacher, true educator, cares about learning, and puts students first.  Doing what is best for students is their compass. 

This person is known to always jump in and help whenever needed serving as an officer on the DeKalb Professional Women’s’ organization, DeKalb Executive Oktoberfest committee, member of the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and member of the First Baptist Church DeKalb where she volunteered countless hours with the youth. 

Other organizations this person has helped with are DISD Band and Bear Booster Clubs, DHS FFA Boosters, and DeKalb Youth Sports Association to name a few. 


This person sees a job and fills the need. She volunteers selflessly, generously, and excellently. Honest, trustworthy, hardworking, and loyal, she only knows how to do it right! She encourages others to give their time through service and volunteerism.

Married to Kelly with one daughter Kaitlin and one son Klayton. The 2022 Alumni of the Year is Mrs. Kim Kinney.

Raised in this community and taught to give back to the community and uphold its traditions, this year’s person of the year like many other persons of the year have been involved in the community through a variety of service organizations such as DeKalb Youth Sports Association, DeKalb Booster clubs, DeKalb Chamber of Commerce, and events such as July 4th, Christmas in DeKalb and Oktoberfest.

We are blessed in DeKalb to have many people, that if given instruction or an opportunity, are willing to work and serve their community.
There are, however, an elite few people that we know in our lifetimes willing to shoulder the burden of taking on a task, researching it, building a plan, and planning the fundraising to make it happen. This year’s persons of the year exemplify all the traits to make that happen. As a team, they engaged the entire community to get involved and bring a dream to fruition. I bet if you asked them, they did not think it was possible, but they did it anyway. Who am I referring to?

Troy and Jody Crouch have been an active part of the DeKalb community for most of their lives as both went to DeKalb ISD. They have two sons, Trent and Logan, daughters-in-law, Kennedy and Bailee, and they are Lolli and Pop two four precious grandchildren. They both have businesses in DeKalb, TSSC construction, and Jody‘s flowers which celebrated over 20 years of service to this community.

When it was expressed to the Crouch’s that DeKalb was in need of a drug dog to assist DeKalb Police officers in the line of duty, they saw the need and took action, planning a Drug Awareness Benefit project for November 6, 2022. With hard work and many hours of planning for the benefit dinner and auction, this event brought in enough money and pledges to not only purchase a drug dog, Dokk, but ensure training for both the DeKalb Police officer and Dokk. Troy and Jody did not do this for the recognition, but we could not let this year go by without acknowledging their outstanding efforts.

The 2022 Persons of the Year are Troy and Jody Crouch.

The 2022 Business of the Year is one that everyone in this room and everyone you know in our community has visited. Visitors come from near and far to patronize this business. This business in on the must-do to do list of any college student coming home for a short visit.
DeKalb, Texas is so fortunate to have this business in the heart our town. Surrounding communities have begged them to move to their towns or to open additional locations, but they choose DeKalb has their home.
What makes this business extra special is that when you enter the door there is an anticipation and excitement that you will see someone you care about or haven’t seen in a while inside. You will shake a hand or give or receive a hug, or just share , a moment with someone you love, admire or haven’t seen in a while. There have been stories told and laughs had. Over the years, this is where you would see those staples that have come and gone in our community. This business provides an intangible feeling of community love when entering the door which is one of the charms that makes this business a very special place.

A cornerstone of Dekalb Texas, with an eclectic décor that establishes a warm feeling and great conversation, this family business has spanned four decades, employed four generations and over 700 community members.
Now for the food, need I say anything! It is all delicious.
If you want to know the level of commitment that this business has to DeKalb, the state of Texas can build a highway through the middle of their dining room, and they will just build a bigger and better restaurant.
Can I say again, we are so fortunate to have a business in our town.
Started in 1982 with the sweat and hard work of Ted and Suzanne Prather and continued with Ashley and Tommy Couch and spanned what will soon be three locations. The best is yet to come.

Congratulations to 2022 Business of the Year… the Front Street Junction!

Our 2022 “Organization of the Year”, is one that has been a part of our town for over 100 years. This organization has been a critical part of our town. Many of us in this room at some point in their lifetime may have had a conversation or meeting with this organization; it is one that keeps us safe.
Over the past several years, this organization has been under new leadership and our community has seen positive changes. This five-member organization has recorded service calls from 2017 until 2022 which each year decreasing from 1787 to 1596 to 1358 to 1094 to 1015 to in 2022—537. Showing a 70% decrease in service calls.

This year we want to recognize the DeKalb Police Department for all that they do for this community. They have shown dedication and unwavering determination to make DeKalb residents safe and drug free, showing crime is down 70% with the current police force.
The DeKalb Police force members are Chief Chris Atkinson, Lt. Norman Alexander with Police Dog, Dokk, Officer Dillon Gardner, Officer Jon Olbet, and starting Monday, Officer Nate Mcfaul.

Congratulations to the 2022 “Organization of the Year”, the DeKalb Police Department!

Trad'N Post ~ 903-701-2082

Perkins Buildings & Carports - 903-933-1133

Bates Family Funeral Home - 903-667-2009

Texarkana College - 903 823-3456

Texar - 903-223-0000

DeKalb ISD - 903-667-2566

City of DeKalb - 903-667-2410

State Bank - 903-667-3880

Bowie County Equipment - 903-667-2584

Twin Rivers Vet Supply - 903-667-2202

DeKalb Hope - 903-667-4341

Pierson & Fendley Insurance - 903-667-5211

DeKalb Pharmacy - 903-667-0880

T.S.S.C. Enterprises - 903-276-9652

SaddleBrooke Life - 903-219-0869

Front Street Junction - 903-667-3086