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
Teddy McMurray
Education:
- Van Buren High School Graduate, 1976
- Bachelor of Science in Education, University of Arkansas, 1980
- Master of Education, University of Arkansas, 1981
Career:
- Arkansas Razorback Football Student Trainer serving in the 1978 Orange Bowl, 1978 Fiesta Bowl, 1980 Sugar Bowl and 1980 Hall of Fame Bowl
- Van Buren Junior High Civics Teacher and Student Council Advisor from 1981-1991
- Van Buren High School Social Studies Teacher from 1991-2021
- VBHS Social Studies Department Chairman for 28 years
- VBHS Student Council and Senate Advisor for 29 years
- VBHS Teenage Republicans Advisor for 16 years
- VBHS Homecoming Advisor for 25 years
- Arkansas Department of Education Teacher Mentor Trainer for 15 years
- Arkansas Department of Education ScholAR member from 1993-1995
- University of Arkansas – Fort Smith adjunct with AP Government class for 15 years
- Razorback Letterman’s A Club Lifetime Member
Awards and Achievements:
- 3 year Student Manager for the VBHS football & basketball teams
- Member of the National Honor Society, FCA and was elected Student Body President
- VBSD Secondary Teacher of the Year in 2004-2005
- History Day of Arkansas Teacher of the Year Senior Division Behring Scholar in 2013
- Arkansas Association of College History Teachers Outstanding Teacher Award in 2016
- Veterans of Foreign Wars National Citizenship Education Teacher in 2016
- Toney McMurray Spirit of History Day Award in 2020
- VBHS Top 40 Teacher for numerous years
Civic Activities:
- Member of Van Buren First Baptist Church
- Friends of the Drennen Scott House
Colonel James C. Johnson
Col. James C. Johnson was a 1957 VBHS graduate whose life epitomized service to one’s country and community. As a student, Johnson was a talented student athlete who played football and basketball. He was named 1956 Homecoming Captain alongside his future bride, Homecoming Queen Mary Ellen Bell. Four months before graduating, Johnson joined the United States Marine Corps (USMCR).
Johnson served in the USMCR for three years before transferring to the U.S. Army Reserve. He participated in the University of Arkansas’ Reserve Officer Training Program (ROTC). In 1961, he graduated with a BSBA in Insurance and Real Estate. That year, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserves and entered the United States Army that September.
Johnson’s distinguished military career included assignments in Arkansas, West Virginia, Indiana, Texas, Kansas, and Arizona. He also served overseas in France, Vietnam, and Korea. He was a unit commander three times at the company level, a civil affairs officer with the Marines in Vietnam, and was an educator for seven years while serving as an Instructor at the Army Institute of Administration. He was also a Subject Matter Expert, author, and instructor for the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. His other roles included serving as a staff officer at garrison, battalion, division, corps, and theater levels. During that time, he earned a wide range of prestigious military certifications and completed a Master of Arts with specialization in Management from the University of Northern Colorado.
His military career reached its pinnacle when Johnson was named Director of Personnel and Community Activities for the Army in Hawaii – a position that required a combination of leadership skills and an ability to manage a large, complex, and geographically-diverse organization serving Hawaii and the islands of the Western Pacific. During his tenure, he served on numerous boards, including the State of Hawaii Red Cross, as well as the Honolulu, Hawaii United Services Organization (USO). In 1987, he nobly retired from the military after 30 years of service.
Johnson was a highly decorated veteran who received a Legion of Merit, a Bronze Star, and a Department of Defense Meritorious Service Medal. He also was awarded four Army Meritorious Service Medals, two Army Commendation Medals, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, the Navy Unit Commendation Medal, and six service medals. He is also credited as founder of the Uniform License Plate for Military Veterans of Arkansas. In 2011, Johnson was inducted into the inaugural class of the Arkansas Military Veterans Hall of Fame.
Following his esteemed military career, Johnson returned to his hometown. He managed commercial properties for 17 years and was an active volunteer and community leader. Johnson was a member of the Van Buren Chamber of Commerce and served on its Board of Directors. He was also President of the Crawford County Board of Realtors. A longtime Lions Club member, Johnson held the offices of Club President, as well as Zone I and Region Chairman. In 1992, he was designated a Melvin Jones Fellow by Lions Club International for his dedicated humanitarian services to the local community.
Johnson passed away in 2008, survived by his wife of 48 years, Mary Ellen, and his three adult children. He was buried in the Fort Smith National Cemetery.
William Bill Keeton
William “Bill” Keeton demonstrated his determination and leadership capabilities from a young age. A member of the 1965 VBHS Class, Keeton served as Pointer Football Captain for two years, was elected Senior Class Vice President, and graduated Co-Valedictorian. He was a member, officer, and scholarship recipient for National Honor Society. Keeton was also selected for “Who’s Who” and was an Arkansas Boys State Delegate.
Following high school, Keeton attended Arkansas Polytechnic College (now Arkansas Tech University) where he graduated with his bachelor’s degree in 1969. That year, he joined the military, serving in the Arkansas and California Army National Guard until 1975. Keeton began his career in the insurance industry. At age 27, he was named United States Western Regional Director for American Fidelity Assurance Company, making him the youngest person ever selected for the position at that time. He was named National Man of the Year by the organization from 1972 to 1975.
In 1977, Keeton established Union Special Services, a national marketing and training organization to assist Professional Trade Organizations and National Labor Unions. He also authored articles and developed training modules to assist insurance and marketing organizations.
In 2001, Keeton accepted the position of Assistant Director of the Public Employee Department for the Laborers’ International Union of North America, while continuing to oversee Union Special Services. In his role, he coordinated LIUNA Public Sector training and membership development for thousands of public sector, state, federal, and provincial workers in the U.S. and Canada. Through his work, he collectively bargained for better wages and benefits for LIUNA members. Many of the modules he developed are still utilized today.
From 2001-2003, Keeton coordinated community organizations for a “Self-Determination Campaign” for indigenous Navajo national federal workers in Arizona and New Mexico. The campaign was highlighted in the publication The Work of Sovereignty by David Kamper. In 2005, Keeton coordinated a “living wage” campaign for university workers. He involved volunteer student advocates, civic leaders, and members of the local religious community at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. The initiative resulted in a 45% wage increase over three years for all eligible employees and was cited in a 2007 PBS documentary.
Keeton’s passion for helping others to succeed is also evident in his volunteer and philanthropic endeavors.
A resident of Phoenix, Arizona, Keeton is an active member of La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church, where he participates in community projects for the region’s homeless and at-risk populations. He is also a “Stephen Minister Caregiver,” and routinely supports the Paradise Valley Community Food Bank and disadvantaged families within the Paradise Valley Unified School District.
A sports enthusiast, Keeton also lends his time and talents to youth athletic programs. His U-10 youth soccer team was Arizona State Champion and the first ever American youth soccer team to win the prestigious International Friendship Cup held in Denver, Colorado.
Keeton also continues to give back to his high school and collegiate alma maters. He was a founding donor for the Van Buren School District Education Foundation – an organization which he continues to support to this day. Keeton was named to the Arkansas Tech University Alumni Association Board of Directors in 2020. He was also named a President’s Society and 1909 Loyalty Society Member for the Arkansas Tech University Foundation.