The purpose of the Van Buren High School Hall of Honor is threefold. First, to recognize and honor the great students and other individuals who have brought Honor to Van Buren High School (VBHS); second, to establish in the hearts of our Van Buren youth a motivating influence to excel; and third, to foster pride, preserve good sportsmanship, scholarship, and citizenship in our school, city, and community.
Van Buren High School Hall of Honor is a memorial to the outstanding students and other individuals who, through their achievements and or athletic endeavors, have brought honor to themselves, their school, and the community of Van Buren.
Candidates for membership in the Van Buren High School Hall of Honor shall be former Van Buren High School students and/or personnel who meet the requirements set forth in the constitution. Candidates must receive a two-thirds majority vote from the Van Buren High School Hall of Honor Board of Directors.
- Academic — All men and women who were outstanding scholars, were on the honor roll after eight semesters, and brought Honor to VBHS by their outstanding post high school academic and/or professional careers.
- Contributions — All men and women who have made outstanding contributions to the athletic programs at Van Buren High School.
- State Champions — Individual and team State Champions from any sport. Candidates shall become eligible for induction five (5) years after graduation.
- All State — Individuals who have been selected to any recognized All State Team. Candidates shall become eligible for induction five (5) years after graduation.
- Memorial Award — All men and women who earned varsity athletic monograms during high school and, after high school, brought honor to Van Buren High School by their outstanding civic achievement or post high school athletic careers.
- Distinguished Service — All men and women who have contributed meritorious service to VBSD.
VBSD Hall of Honor
Bobby Parks
Education
- 1950 VBHS Graduate
- Senior High Honor Society
- Starter in football, basketball, track, and baseball as a senior
- Starting quarterback on 1949 football district championship team
- Starting guard on 1950 basketball state championship team
- Senior Class Secretary, Senior Play cast member, and Senior Prom Master of Ceremonies
College
- Oklahoma A&M College (1950-51)
- Harding University (1978-80), graduating with a 4.0 GPA in Bible Studies
Military Service
- U.S. Navy Reserve (1951-1955)
Career
- Farmer: Dairy and produce farming for 15 years
- Agricultural Leadership: ASCS Committeeman for 12 years
• Harding University:
- Assistant Director of School of Biblical Studies (12 years)
- Preached, recruited, counseled, taught, and mentored over 300 ministerial students and their families.
- Directed 12 Foreign Mission Evangelistic Campaigns (England and Scotland, 1982-1993).
Evangelist and Minister (53 years)
- Preached at Pleasant Valley Church of Christ (20 years) and Hutchinson Mountain Church of Christ (8 years).
- Traveled as a fill-in preacher in eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas.
- Elder at Pleasant Valley Church of Christ (11+ years).
Awards and Honors
- 1960 Crawford County Farm Family of the Year
• Harding University:
- Senior Class Speaker (1980)
- Chosen to speak at Harding Bible Lectureship (1990)
- Graduation Ceremony Speaker (1993)
Family Legacy
- Married Sue Corrotto Parks in 1952 (1953 VBHS graduate).
- Daughters: Carole (1970 VBHS graduate) and Sandy (1972 VBHS graduate).
- Grandchildren: Taylor Graham (2001 VBHS graduate) and Zachary Graham (2004 VBHS graduate).
- Mother: Morene Parks (1931 VBHS graduate, age 94).
- Two great-grandchildren.
Joe Ray (J.R.) Jones
1978 VBHS Graduate:
- Basketball: 3 yr. letterman; All-District, 77, 78; All-SWTR 77, 78.
- Golf: 3 yr. letterman; AA Golf State Championship 76, 77; AA Golf State Medalist Runner-up, 78; Arkansas State Individual Golf Runner-up, 76.
- President, Mu Alpha Theta, 78.
- Honor Society, 3 yrs.
- Boys State Delegate
- Co-Valedictorian, 78.
College:
- 1982 University of Arkansas, BS in Mechanical Engineering
Career:
- Product Development Engineer - Rheem Manufacturing (83-86)
- Principal Design and Development Engineer - The Trane Co. (86-88)
- Director Product Development - Heatcraft Refrigeration (89-97)
- Vice- President R&D and Product Marketing - Heatcraft Refrigeration (97-2000)
- Vice-President and General Manager, North and South America Business Units, Refrigeration Products Division - Lennox Industries (2000-02)
Rheem Manufacturing Company:
- President Air Conditioning Division - (2002-2007)
- Corporate Senior Vice President & Chief Operating Officer – (2007-2008)
- Corporate Chief Executive Officer – (April 2008 – present)
Honors:
- University of Arkansas Mechanical Engineering Hall of Fame (AAME), inducted 2003
- AAME Board of Directors, 04,05
- Air Conditioning Refrigeration Institute (ARI) Board of Directors, 04, 05
- Fort Smith, Arkansas Chamber Board of Directors
- University of Arkansas College of Engineering’s Distinguished Alumni, 2007
Family:
Wife, Becky Cameron Jones, and son, Brandon Jones
Richard Lee Mulloy
1951 VBHS Graduate:
- VBHS band under James Guerin, 4 years
- Student manager for Clair Bates, 3 years
- Lettered as manager for football, basketball and Fort Smith Boys’ Club baseball
College:
- Attended Fort Smith Junior College, 1953
- Attended State Teacher’s College, 1955
- Master’s Degree from University of Arkansas, 1965
Career:
- Taught and coached for El Paso, Texas school system, 6 years
- Special deputy under Sheriff Bill Cauthron (school program), 1961
- Counselor at Fort Chaffee, 1962
- Fort Smith School System:
- Assistant Principal, Kimmons Junior High, 1965-1973
- Principal, Darby Junior High, 1973-1987
Accomplishments:
- Past president, Arkansas Secondary School Principals
- Past president, Arkansas-Louisiana Exchange Club
- Board member, William O. Darby Memorial Foundation
- Member, Darby Rangers Association
- Delegate to Cisterna, Italy, Fort Smith’s sister city where he made a presentation to junior high students about Gen. William O. Darby who founded the Darby Rangers
- Member, Phi Delta Kappa
- Member, American Numismatic Association
- Member, National Association of Secondary School Principals