1971 The Roar R. L. Turner High School Carrollton, Dallas Co., Texas Faculty   ARTICLE Born and reared in Dallas, Texas, Shirley Demus Tarpley, AKA Sister and Mother Tarpley, believes in a commitment to God, family, church, education and the community. She grew up in a home that consisted of her godly parents (Mr. Lloyd David and Mrs. Cedella Baker Demus), four sisters and three brothers. Sister Tarpley was educated in segregated schools in Dallas; she attended elementary and middle schools, and in 1959 she graduated from Booker T. Washington High School (known today as Booker T. Washington Arts Magnet in North Dallas) which was one of only three African American High Schools in the Dallas Independent School District (DISD.) She graduated from Prairie View A & M University, a Historical Black College & University (HBCU) in Prairie View, Texas, with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Business Education and a Minor Degree in Economics. After graduation from college, she married and began working for Collins Radio Company (the name was changed to Rockwell International) as a Production Secretary. The company was contracted by the United States’ government to produce the communication system for their first space ship launched by the U.S. Space Program. This is one of the highlights in her life, because she received the highest security clearance from the federal government to work on the project. In 1965 she and the late Mr. Lorenzo Tarpley moved to Carrollton, Texas, and purchased their first home, which at the time was a small suburban town of only 9,000 plus residents; today its population is approximately 150,000 and Blacks comprised of approximately six percent of its population; it was still geographically segregated, making the Tarpley’s the first Black family to integrate the “all-white” section of town. Sister Tarpley integrated R. L. Turner High School (RLT), the only high school in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch I.S.D. (C-FBISD) at the time. With the exception of her first year of teaching at RLT, she was voted one of the Top 10 Teachers by each senior class until she transferred to the new high school. In 1978 she integrated Newman Smith High School (NSHS) the second high school built in C-FBISD; she remained at NSHS until her retirement in 1996. She and her husband had two children, a son, Jarrell Edwin, a graduate of RLT and the University of North Texas University (UNT) in Denton, Texas. Jarrell was a standout, award winning football player and attended UNT on a full football scholarship. He had the honor of being on the prestigious and highly covered Texas All Star Football Team from the North; only 30 are selected from all of the high schools in Texas each year. He lives in Venus, Texas with his wife, Cleo Spann Tarpley, they have one son. Her daughter Sheila Donnise is a graduate of RLT and Texas Woman’s University (TWU) in Denton, Texas, was a standout cheerleader in Peewee, Junior High and Senior High Schools (she integrated all three cheerleading squads.) Sheila was honored by the RLT Football Team as their personal Sweetheart her junior and her senor years. She was the first Black and only cheerleader honored with this title two years in a row, and this honor stands today. Sheila attended TWU on an academic scholarship. She is married to William (Bill) Lott; they have three children, and they live in Carrollton, Texas. Sheila is also a minister in the gospel. Sister Tarpley is the proud grandmother of four: Tyanna Donnise, David Edward, and Philip Immanual Lott and Deven Jaquan Tarpley. In 1991 she became the first Black female to integrate and serve on the Carrollton City Council. In 1993 she ran unopposed for council and received the second highest votes in the history of Carrollton’s elections. This record stands to this day. In 1995 she became the first Black to serve as Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Carrollton. Sister Tarpley received her Master’s Certificate in Dispute Resolution (Mediation, Negotiation, and Arbitration) from Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas. In 2001 she became the first Religious Editor for the North Dallas Gazette weekly newspaper in Plano, Texas - "North Dallas' Weekly Paper of Choice." She continues to serve in that position. Her parents taught her to take pride in her heritage, to strive for the best in everything you do, to accept all people as they are, and to love and trust God above everybody and everything else. She continues to live by the teachings of her late parents and has always shared this philosophy with her children, her family, her church, school and her community. Sister Tarpley is a proud member of Bethel Bible Fellowship Church in Carrollton, Texas where her spiritual guidance is lead by Dr. Terrance Woodson, Senior Pastor and Sister Ve Woodson is the First Lady; the Associates pastors are Larry (Chap) Gardner and Brenda Patterson Throughout Sister Tarpley’s 75 years she has received many awards, accolades and “firsts” in her teaching profession and life: 1. The six child born of eight children, she was the first to go and graduate from college. 2. Personal Secretary for her Church’s Senior Pastor. 3. Church Announcer. 4. Sunday School Superintendent at church. 5. Sunday School Teacher at church. 6. 1993, KDFW-TV, Channel 4, selected Mrs. Tarpley as their first “Class Act” Teacher in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Metroplex. 7. First Black Board Member of Carrollton's Park Board. 8. Executive Board of the City of Carrollton Bi-Centennial Commission. 9. Executive Board Member of Carrollton’s Peewee Football Association. 10. Executive Board Member of Carrollton’s Peewee Cheerleader Association. 11. Peewee Team Mother for many of Carrollton’s football and cheerleader teams. 12. Executive Board Member of the Parents, Teachers & Students Associations (PTSAs) at Central Elementary School, Dewitt Perry Jr. Middle School and R. L. Turner High School. 13. Senior Class Sponsor at Newman Smith High School (NSHS). 14. Junior Cheerleader Team Sponsor at NSHS. 15. PTSA Member at NSHS. 16. Co-Sponsor of NSHSs ACT-SO Organization of the NAACP. 17. Sponsor of Black History Programs in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch I.S.D. 18. Instrumental in bringing the first Black History Class to C-FBISD. 19. Instrumental in C-FBISD honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with the schools being closed for his federal holiday each year. 20. Executive Board Member of Carrollton’s Country Fair Committee 21. Honored for contributions to C-FBISD by Christ Community Connection (CCC), a non-profit community organization in Carrollton.   ARTICLE   Sis. Shirley Tarpley is honored in celebration of Black History Month This year Bethel Bible Fellowship decided to honor members of its congregation by highlighting their contributions to Black History. One of the members selected for honoring for her community service is Sis. Shirley Tarpley. On Sunday Feb. 22 the church will honor another member, Mr. Scott Hunter who lived in Selma, Alabama during the march shown in the movie Selma. Although Sister Shirley Tarpley is a relatively new member of Bethel Bible Fellowship, I mentioned to Dr. Terrance Woodson, Senior Pastor of our church that she is so charming , he asked me if I knew she had been on the City Council of Carrollton. He pointed me to article written about her by the local NAACP. There I saw her many firsts and exclaimed to Pastor Woodson, “She is living history, what a great person for our children and congregation to hear from. A living witness of history.” The presentation included a video interview allowing Sis. Tarpley to share her story to the church, family, and friends. Always a delightful storyteller. in the video Sis. Tarpley shared a story about what would happen if a teacher had to call her parents because she misbehaved at school: This year Bethel Bible Fellowship decided to honor members of its congregation by highlighting their contributions to Black History. One of the members selected for honoring for her community service is Sis. Shirley Tarpley. On Sunday Feb. 22 the church will honor another member, Mr. Scott Hunter who lived in Selma, Alabama during the march shown in the movie Selma. Although Sister Shirley Tarpley is a relatively new member of Bethel Bible Fellowship, I mentioned to Dr. Terrance Woodson, Senior Pastor of our church that she is so charming , he asked me if I knew she had been on the City Council of Carrollton. He pointed me to article written about her by the local NAACP. There I saw her many firsts and exclaimed to Pastor Woodson, “She is living history, what a great person for our children and congregation to hear from. A living witness of history.” The presentation included a video interview allowing Sis. Tarpley to share her story to the church, family, and friends. Always a delightful storyteller. in the video Sis. Tarpley shared a story about what would happen if a teacher had to call her parents because she misbehaved at school: “I only said, it would be very bad for you, but I didn’t say how it would be bad, now I want to say for all Demus children, if a teacher called our parents about bad conduct, we would get at least four beatings, the first was because had brought shame to the name “Demus”, acting a fool in school, we were always told that we were given that name as a privilege to be respected and worn with pride and honor, as if we asked to be born! (Many times I wanted to say, “Can’t I just give the name back? But, I did not want to die right on the spot!) The 2nd beating was because we led the teacher to think that we had not been taught how to act in public, another big no, no! The 3rd beating was we failed to show proper respect to those who had authority over us when we were not at home. The 4th beating was because we lost our self-respect, you must respect yourself before others could respect you. The 5th beating was because we had caused them to whip us and they were already tired from working all day making a decent living for us and this made our parents really angry. And, maybe the 6th and last beating for the infraction in school was for just general principle (GP) they said. Now keep in mind, these beating would last for two or more days, according to how tired out parents were. Therefore, if we acted a “fool in school, as our parents would say, it was better to beg the teacher not to call home, we were more than willing to do anything they wanted us to do and to gladly take any punishment, just don’t call our parents!” Friends and family, including (back, L to R) Carrollton-Farmers Branch Superintendant Dr. Bobby Burns, Carrollton City Councilmember Steve Babick, Keimone Davis, Zuri Davis, CFB Boardmember Nancy Cline, Carl Goff, Carrollton City Councilmember Doug Hrbacek, (front, L to R) Tina Burns, Peggi Babick, CFB Board Asst. Secretary Richard Fleming, Carrollton City Council candidate Young Sung, Xavier Mottley, Elizabeth Mottley, Jarrell Tarpley, Shelia Tarpley Lott and Tyanna Lott, join (front, center) Sister Shirley Tarpley and youngest grandson Philip Lott in commemorating Tarpley’s contributions to education and the community.   Born and reared in Dallas, Texas, Sister Shirley Demus Tarpley believes in a commitment to God, family, church, education and the community. She grew up in a home that consisted of her godly parents (Mr. Lloyd David and Mrs. Cedella Baker Demus), four sisters and three brothers. Sister Tarpley was educated in segregated schools in Dallas; she attended elementary and middle schools, and in 1959 she graduated from Booker T. Washington High School (known today as Booker T. Washington Arts Magnet in North Dallas) which was one of only three African American High Schools in the Dallas Independent School District (DISD.) She graduated from Prairie View A & M University, a Historical Black College & University (HBCU) in Prairie View, Texas, with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Business Education and a Minor Degree in Economics. After graduation from college, she married and began working for Collins Radio Company (the name was changed to Rockwell International) as a Production Secretary. The company was contracted by the United States’ government to produce the communication system for our first space ship launched by the U.S. Space Program. This is one of the highlights in her life, because she received the highest security clearance from the federal government to work on the project. In 1965 she and the late Mr. Lorenzo Tarpley moved to Carrollton, Texas, and purchased their first home, which at the time was a small suburban town of only 9,000 plus residents; today its population is approximately 130,000 and Blacks comprised of approximately two percent of its population; it was still geographically segregated, making the Tarpley’s the first Black family to integrate the “all-white” section of town. Sister Tarpley integrated R. L. Turner High School (RLT), the only high school in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch I.S.D. (C-FBISD) at the time. With the exception of her first year of teaching at RLT, she was voted one of the Top 10 Teachers by each senior class until she transferred to the new high school. She integrated Newman Smith High School (NSHS) in 1978, the second high school built in C-FBISD; she remained at NSHS until her retirement in 1996. She and her husband had two children, a son, Jarrell Edwin, a graduate of RLT and The University of North Texas University (UNT) in Denton, Texas. Jarrell was a standout, award winning football player and attended UNT on a full football scholarship. He had the honor of being on the prestigious and highly covered Texas All Star Football Team from the North; only 30 are selected from all of the high schools in Texas each year. He lives in Venus, Texas, with his wife, Cleo Spann Tarpley, they have one son. Her daughter Sheila Donnise is a graduate of RLT and Texas Woman’s University (TWU) in Denton, Texas, was a standout cheerleader in Peewee, Junior High and Senior High Schools (she integrated all three cheerleading squads.) Sheila was honored by the RLT Football Team as their personal Sweetheart her junior and her senor years. She was the first Black and only cheerleader honored with this title two years in a row, and this honor stands today. Sheila attended TWU on an academic scholarship. She is married to William (Bill) Lott; they have three children, and they live in Carrollton, Texas. Sheila is also a minister in the gospel. Sister Tarpley is the proud grandmother of four: Tyanna Donnise, David Edward, and Philip Immanual Lott and Deven Jaquan Tarpley. In 1991 she became the first Black female to integrate and serve on the Carrollton City Council. In 1993 she ran unopposed for council and received the second highest votes in the history of Carrollton’s elections. This record stands to this day. In 1995 she became the first Black to serve as Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Carrollton. Sister Tarpley received her Master’s Certificate in Dispute Resolution (Mediation, Negotiation, and Arbitration) from Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas. In 2001 she became the first Religious Editor for the North Dallas Gazette weekly newspaper in Plano, Texas–“North Dallas” Weekly Paper of Choice.” She continues to serve in that position. Her parents taught her to take pride in her heritage, to strive for the best in everything you do, to accept all people as they are, and to love and trust God above everybody and everything else. She continues to live by the teachings of her late parents and has always shared this philosophy with her children, her family, her church, school and her community. A look back at the accomplishments and accolades of Sis. Shirley Tarpley For over 40 years Sister Tarpley received many awards, accolades and “firsts” in her teaching profession and life and they include: 1. Personal Secretary for her Church Senior Pastor. 2. Church Announcer. 3. Sunday School Superintendent at church. 4. Sunday School Teacher at church. 5. 1993, KDFW-TV, Channel 4, selected Mrs. Tarpley as their first “Class Act” Teacher in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Metroplex. 6. First Black Board Member of Carrollton’s Park Board. 7. Executive Board of the City of Carrollton Bi-Centennial Commission. 8. Executive Board Member of Carrollton’s Peewee Football Association. 9. Executive Board Member of Carrollton’s Peewee Cheerleader Association. 10. Peewee Team Mother for many of Carrollton’s football and cheerleader teams. 11. Executive Board Member of the Parents, Teachers & Students Associations (PTSAs) at Central Elementary School, Dewitt Perry Jr. High School and R. L. Turner High School. 12. Senior Class Sponsor at Newman Smith High School (NSHS). 13. Junior Cheerleader Team Sponsor at NSHS. 14. PTSA Member at NSHS. 15. Co-Sponsor of NSHSs ACT-SO Organization of the NAACP. 16. Sponsor of Black History Programs in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch I.S.D. 17. Instrumental in bringing the first Black History Class to C-FBISD. 18. Instrumental in C-FBISD honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with the schools being closed for his federal holiday each year. 19. Executive Board Member of Carrollton’s Country Fair Committee 20. Honored for contributions to C-FBISD by Christ Community Connection (CCC), a non-profit community organization in Carrollton.   OBITUARY   Obituary for Shirley Demus Tarpley Family, friends, and dignitaries will gather on Saturday, May 25, 2024, to celebrate the Honorable Shirley Jean Demus Tarpley who transitioned to her heavenly home on Friday, May 10, 2024. - Born and reared in Dallas, Texas, Shirley lived her life committed to God, family, church, education, and community. She grew up in a home with her godly parents, Lloyd David and Cedella Baker Demus, along with four sisters and three brothers. In 1959, Shirley Tarpley graduated from Booker T. Washington High School, (presently recognized as Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts), a segregated school at the time. During that time, Booker T. Washington High School was one of three African American High schools in the Dallas Independent School District (DISD). She graduated from Prairie View A&M University, a Historical Black College & University (HBCU) in Prairie View, Texas, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Education and a Minor Degree in Economics. After graduating from college, she married and began working as a Production Secretary for the Collins Radio Company (subsequently named Rockwell International). The company was contracted by the United States government to produce the communication system for the first spaceship launched by the U.S. Space Program. Working on the communications system was one of the highlights in her life because she received the highest security clearance from the Federal government to work on the project. In 1965, Shirley and the late Mr. Lorenzo Tarpley moved to Carrollton, Texas, and purchased their first home, which at the time was a small suburban town of only 9,000 plus residents. Today Carrollton's population is approximately 150,000. At the time, Black residents comprised about six percent of the city’s population, which was geographically segregated. The Tarpley's became the first Black family to integrate the "all-white" section of town. Shirley integrated R. L. Turner High School (RLT), the only high school in the Carrollton Farmers Branch I.S.D. (C-FBISD) at the time. Except for her first year of teaching at RLT, she was voted one of the Top 10 Teachers by each senior class until she transferred to the second high school built in CFBISD, Newman Smith High School (NSHS). In 1978, she integrated NSHS, where she remained until her retirement in 1996. She and her husband had two children, a son, Jarrell, and a daughter Sheila. Jarrell is married to Cleo Spann; they have one son, Deven, and reside in Venus, Texas. Sheila is married to William (Bill) Lott; they have three children - Tyanna, David, and Philip – and they live in Carrollton, Texas. In 1991 Shirley became the first Black female to integrate and serve on the Carrollton City Council. In 1993 she ran unopposed for city council and received the second highest votes in the history of Carrollton’s elections. Her record stands to this day. In 1995 she became the first Black American to serve as Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Carrollton. Shirley received her Master’s Certificate in Dispute Resolution (Mediation, Negotiation, and Arbitration) from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. In 2001, she became the first Religious Editor for the North Dallas Gazette weekly newspaper in Plano, Texas. Shirley’s parents taught her to take pride in her heritage, to strive for the best in everything, to accept people as they are, and to love and trust God above everybody and everything else. She continued to live by the teachings of her late parents and always shared this philosophy with her children, family, church, school, and community. Shirley was a proud member of Bethel Bible Fellowship Church in Carrollton, Texas where Dr. Terrance Woodson is the Senior Pastor and Bernadette Moore is the Associate Pastor. Throughout Shirley Tarpley's life she received many awards, accolades, and pioneering achievements: • The sixth child born of eight children, she was the first to attend and graduate from college. • Church: o Senior Pastor’s Personal Secretary. o Announcer. o Sunday School Superintendent. o Sunday School Teacher. • First “Class Act” Teacher in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Metroplex, as selected by KDFW-TV, Channel 4 (1993). • Carrollton Park’s First Black Board Member. • First Black Executive Board Member of the o City of Carrollton Bi-Centennial Commission. o Carrollton’s Peewee Football Association. o Carrollton’s Peewee Cheerleader Association. o Parents, Teachers & Students Associations (PTSAs) at Central Elementary School, Dewitt Perry Jr. Middle School, and R. L. Turner High School o Carrollton’s Country Fair Committee • Peewee Team Mother for many of Carrollton’s football and cheerleader teams. • Senior Class Sponsor at Newman Smith High School (NSHS). • Junior Cheerleader Team Sponsor at NSHS. • PTSA Member at NSHS. • Co-Sponsor of NSHSs ACT-SO Organization of the NAACP. • Sponsor of Black History Programs in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch I.S.D (C FBISD). • Instrumental in bringing the first Black History Class to C-FBISD. • Instrumental in C-FBISD honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with the schools being closed for his federal holiday each year. • Honored for contributions to C-FBISD by Christ Community Connection (CCC), a non-profit community organization in Carrollton. Visitation: Friday, May 24, 2024 – 12:00PM CT to 8:00 PM CT Restland Funeral Home 13005 Greenville Ave Dallas, TX 75243 (972) 238-7111 Homegoing Service: Saturday, May 25, 2024 – Visitation 9:00 AM CT; Service 10:00 AM CT First Baptist Church at The Fields 1401 Carrollton Pkwy Carrollton, TX 75010 (972) 512-3800 Interment: Immediately Following Homegoing Service Restland Funeral Home 13005 Greenville Ave Dallas, TX 75243 (469) 925-1436 Repast: Immediately Following Interment Bethel Bible Fellowship 1944 E Hebron Pkwy Carrollton, TX 75007 (972) 4924300 Admirations: We know everyone’s grief is personal as is the way you want to pay respects to the Honorable Shirley Demus Tarpley. Your prayers are always desired. If you want to show your appreciation in other ways: Flowers/Plants: Rembrandt Florist 13005 Greenville Ave Dallas, TX 75243 (972) 761-8989 www.rembrandtflorist.com Donation: An academic scholarship is being created in the Honorable Shirley Demus Tarpley’s name. The scholarship will benefit high school graduating seniors attending Prairie View A & M University, majoring in Agriculture, Business, or Education. Details will follow with instructions on how to donate to the “Shirley Demus Tarpley Academic Scholarship Program. Notes: In Memoriam - R L Turner High School - Taught Typing www.FindAGrave.com   Memorial #270331860