KTRE.com Lufkin and Nacogdoches |Ellen Temple named East Texan of the Year

Ellen Temple named East Texan of the Year

Lufkin, Texas - Ellen Temple has been named the 2009 Ralph W. Steen Memorial East Texan of the Year.  The 2008 recipient of the award, former Woodville Mayor, Jimmie Cooley, made the announcement at the DETCOG annual membership meeting Thursday in Lufkin.

"There is one irrefutable fact about Ellen - She loves Deep East Texas," said Cooley.  "She is a person who has strived to continuously improve the lives of those around her.  She has strong principals and a commitment to serve and make a difference in the community.  All of her adult life has been devoted to efforts for the region and the state," continued Cooley. 

Temple is currently working on implementing the Green Infrastructure Plan for Angelina County and also the Wild and Scenic River designation for the Neches River.  With Lady Bird Johnson as her mentor, she served on Mrs. Johnson's Texas Highways Beautification Awards Committee and as President of the Board of Directors of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. 

With her emphasis on education and libraries, Ellen Temple currently serves as Vice-President of the Board of Trustees of Angelina College.  She also serves as Chair of the History Center Committee of the T.L.L. Temple Memorial Library in Diboll.  Ellen is a Board Member of the Margarite and I.D. Fairchild Foundation.  She is also a 20-year member of the Board of the Foundation for Women's Resources which created the Texas Women's History Project, Leadership Texas and Leadership America.  She has been presented the Outstanding Texas Leader Award by the John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Foundation.

The Ralph W. Steen Memorial East Texan of the Year Award has become one of the most prestigious, and longest running, recognitions bestowed in Deep East Texas.  Each year past recipients cast ballots to select who will receive the award from nominations received from the twelve county DETCOG region.