Clifford's Life After LHS

After graduating from LHS, I started my college "career" at Texas Luthern University, but it was too far away from my high school sweetheart, Joann, who was still in high school in Raymondville, so I returned home.  I graduated from UT Pan Am in 1966.

Joann and I married on June 16, 1962.  We will celebrate our 48th anniversary next June.  We now reside in Pflugerville, Texas.

We have two of the greatest kids in the world, of course.  Denise and Eric.  They each have two children, Bailey 11, a "select" soccer player in Round Rock.  Cameron, 9, (look for him in the NFL in a few years).
Hunter, 8, a future pro baseball player, and Haidyn, 5, not sure if she is going to be a doctor or a ballerina.  Can you tell we are just a bit proud of our grandchildren.  We always wanted to be grandpa and Mimi, and we enjoy doing just that.

I began working at KGBT- TV in Harlingen in 1962.  I soon became the night director, directing night time programs and the early and 10:00 o'clock news with Frank Sullivan and Jim Cason.  In 1965, we moved to Austin to help "sign on" Austin's second television station.  Prior to that, LBJ had the only TV station in town.

I worked for many great organizations.  I was the Director of Public Information/Public Relations for the American Cancer Society in Houston, was the Director of Information for the American Heart Association, also in Houston.  This was during the early years of heart transplants and the "war" between Doctor's DeBakey and Cooley.  Lots of excitement at that time.  I was then promoted to the State Director of Information and move toAustin (actually Pflugerville).  It was at this time that I drove our Heart Fund Chairperson, Luci Baines Johnson Nugent, around in my old beat up Oldsmobile.  She never mentioned the shape it was in.

In 1979, I accepted one of my very most satisfying employment positions.  I became the Southwest Regional Director for Danny Thomas's St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.  I supervised seven states.  I organized and produced black-tie testimonial dinners followed with a Las Vegas type show by Danny Thomas.  Danny and I worked together in Dallas, El Paso, Houston and Memphis, Tennessee.  I also produced and directed live telethons to raise funds for research in childhood cancers.

In 1986, I persuaded Coach Tom Landry to let me organize a Tom Landry Celebrity Golf Tournament to also support childhood cancer research.  He agreed.  Thus began a long and fruitful and exciting relationship between Coach Landry and I, and eventually other Dallas Cowboys, as well.

In 1990, I became Director of Development for Concordia University raising money for buildings, endowed chairs, scholarships, etc.  I even raised money to purchase a lawn mower.

I asked Coach Landry if he would come over to Concordia with me.  He agreed...and along came several of his players...I'll have to "name drop" here...Bob Lilly, Jethro Pugh, Roger Staubach, Larry Cole, Charlie Waters, Drew Pearson, Cliff Harris and others.  I also organized the Charlie Waters/Cliff Harris Celebrity Golf Tournament at the same time.  We did these tournaments year after year until Coach Landry's passing.
Joann and I received a phone call from the Landry family requesting our presence at Coach Landry's private funeral service for family and friends.  What an honor..

I am retired now..well sort of...I am a substitute teacher; work as an "extra" on NBC's Friday Night Lights; work for the Round Rock Express ball team, a Triple A affiliate of the Houston Astros; and also work for a funeral home!  I believe that a person must stay active to "stay alive".

Finally, I know you're getting bored, so I will not mention my civic and community activities....I did serve as Council President of my church and served 18 years on the Pflugerville ISD School Board.

On a happy note:  Soon I will be 65(ahem) and will be able to be on Medicare like the rest of you.  Ha, Ha.
I am really looking forward to seeing all of you.  I'm still short, but much rounder than I was in 1959!

Clifford Damstrom