The memory of Dusty Moore, who taught at Brownwood High School from 1968 until his passing in November 1981, is being honored as his name is now emblazoned on the “Dusty Moore Vocational Building” on the high school campus.

Former students Herb Ragsdale and Mike Smith were among those who presented the idea of renaming the building after their former auto tech teacher to the Brownwood ISD Board of Trustees, who approved the idea this past spring.

“He was a mentor,” Ragsdale said during a Monday morning gathering of former students and family underneath the letters that now adorn the building on the west side of the school. “My dad was an electrician, but he wasn’t really mechanically inclined. I had a brother that was very mechanically inclined, he raced all his life, but by the time I got big enough to turn wrenches he was gone. He was the oldest in the family. So, when we got to high school, Mr. Moore took us under his wing, and he didn’t have to. He went above and beyond. We weren’t big enough to play football and cars were our thing.”

Smith also reflecting on his former teacher, stating, “Mr. Moore was an extraordinary teacher, and we were very fortunate to have him. He always stressed to do what was right, and if you’re going to do something, do it to the best of your ability and do it right. It was a benefit for our lives to have him as a teacher, and there isn’t anyone more deserving of this. He helped so many students, and those students that took his class are still using the skills he taught them today, even if they’re not an auto mechanic. He taught you how to reason, how to think for yourself, and he was a great Christian man with family values. It was a great opportunity to have him as a teacher.”

Among their fondest memories of Moore, Ragsdale recalled, “Back then you could go to his house in the summer and get the key and work on your cars here in the summer. We worked until 12 or 1 at night and shut it down and brought him the key and nothing was ever lost or misplaced or stolen. It was a different avenue, but he took care of us. And there’s probably more kids that are living off turning wrenches than playing football.”

Moore’s daughters – Monique Berggren and Melody Casey – were also on hand Monday.

“This program meant so much to him and having this building named after him is just awesome,” Casey said. “I know he would be humbled by it, and it means the world to me that someone would think that much of him to want a building named after him and see his legacy live on.”

Berggren added, “This is just a beautiful day, and we are very honored that former students wanted to do this. I was honored to hear how my father impacted these students’ lives. He was a wonderful man and I’m so glad he impacted so many lives. After all this time the building is still here and now it has his name on it.”

The daughters also reminisced about their father in his role as a teacher.

“My dad taught us to change the oil in our little Mustang,” Berggren said. “And I used to come down here every day to ride home from school with him before I had a car.”

Casey spoke of, “Coming up on here on Saturdays, he would be changing brakes and I would bleed brakes for him. A lot of times we were just hanging out and Coach Wood and Coach Southall would be here, too. I was a daddy’s girl so coming up here and spending time with him, being able to help him, that meant a lot to me.”

Moore’s son, Mitch, is the current assistant superintendent for Brownwood ISD and was also on hand at Monday’s event.

“My dad got it,” Moore said. “He saw the same need over 50 years ago that we are seeing in education today – the need for students that are skilled in career and technology. He didn’t go to college but learned a skill and wanted to pass that onto his students. He understood that relationships are important and that teachers can make a difference in the lives of their students. He understood that hard work pays off and passed that on to his students and they responded with success in their own lives and businesses.

“This is a great honor and I appreciate Mike, Herbie, and the others for honoring my dad and putting forth the effort to have this building named in his honor. I believe BISD was a leader in education when my dad taught at BHS and I believe that same commitment to excellence exists today in BISD – providing choices for students so when they graduate, they can continue the path that is best for them, whether it be college, technical school, or straight into the workforce. All students deserve the opportunity to succeed, and I know my dad would be excited today to see all the growth that has taken place with Career and Technology opportunities at BHS.”