Coolidge Unified School District No. 21

Biography of Larry Delbridge
CHS Hall of Fame Class of 2015

Larry Delbridge attended Coolidge schools and graduated from Coolidge High School in 1969.  During his high school career, Mr. Delbridge participated in football, track, wrestling, and basketball.  He was president of the Lettermen’s Club, Homecoming King, a member of the National Honor Society, and selected Best All Around by his classmates.

Larry Delbridge was a high school football standout from 1966—1968, playing on two state championship teams, and in 1968 named 3A Player of the Year and All-State First Team by the Arizona Republic.

He attended Arizona State University on a football scholarship, graduating with a BA in Education and later earning a Masters of Education degree.  While at ASU, Mr. Delbridge was part of the 1970 WAC championship team, the 1970 Peach Bowl championship team, the 1971 WAC championship, and the 1971 first Fiesta Bowl championship team.  He was team captain his senior year. 

In 1976, Larry began his coaching career at Coolidge High School.  He served 19 years as head coach and 12 years as an assistant coach.  He has 119 career victories, two state championships, and five region championships under his tutelage.  Mr. Delbridge was named Region Coach of the Year in 1983, 1984, and 1985.  In 1985 and 1996 he was named South All-Star Coach.  In 1987 he received the National High School Coaching Bronze Award from Scholastic Coaching Magazine.

In addition to his illustrious coaching career, Larry has served as a teacher of Physical Education, Weight Lifting, and Driver’s Education.  For 15 years, he was the Athletic Director for Coolidge High School. In 2004, the Arizona Interscholastic Association named him State Athletic Director of the Year.  In 2011 AIA named him to the Arizona High School Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame.  He has been a member of the Arizona Coaches Association since 1975 and continues to be active in football and athletic circles.   

As a tribute to Mr. Delbridge’s commitment and dedication to Coolidge High School, the Governing Board, in 2006, named the football complex The Larry Delbridge Football stadium. 

Mr. Delbridge married his high school sweetheart, Sally Rotz, Class of 1970.  His mother, Evelyn graduated from Coolidge High School as well as both of his children, Dawn Dee Hodge, current principal of Coolidge High School, and Chris Delbridge.  His first grandchild will graduate from CHS in 2016.

Biography of Beverly Fowler
CHS Hall of Fame Class of 2015

Ms. Fowler attended Coolidge Schools and her senior year won “Outstanding Female Athlete”.  She graduated from Grand Canyon College and returned to Coolidge to begin her 40 plus years as an educator by teaching at Coolidge Junior High School.  In 1976, she was the coach of the Girls Varsity Basketball state championship team and for the next 4 years, her teams won divisional championships and participated in the state playoffs.

Ms. Fowler moved to Missouri for 6 years but returned to Coolidge and continued teaching.  She started the D.A.R.E. parade; was president of the Coolidge Education Association; elected 8 times to “Who’s Who in America’s Finest Teachers”; nominated by administration and faculty for “State Teacher of the Year”; and elected by the students as McCray’s Favorite Teacher.  

She continued to coach junior high basketball and won 8 divisional championships as well as coached girls softball for 7 years. 

When she was selected as Assistant Principal at Coolidge High School, she was the first female administrator at CHS.  She was asked to be the Grand Marshall of the Homecoming Parade and was selected by the Class of 2012 to give the commencement speech.  In 2013 she was given the “Outstanding Alumni Award of Excellence.”

After retirement, she continued to substitute for Coolidge Public Schools.  When asked about her 40 plus year career in education, she said “I loved every minute of it; I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Biography of Robert T. Jones
CHS Hall of Fame Class of 2015

At Coolidge High School, Tom was active in Future Farmers of America, athletics and was Senior Class President. He completed his Bachelors's (1970) and a Masters's (1985) degree at the University of Arizona. He was a member of Bobcats senior honorary and President of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.  In 1985 he was honored as an Outstanding Graduate Student in the College of Agriculture. He also is a graduate of the Robert A. Taft Institute of Government and the Center for Rural Leadership program (Project CENTRL) sponsored by the Kellogg Foundation. He holds a Certified Association Executive accreditation from the American Society of Association Executives.

Mr. Jones retired as Chief Executive Officer of Grand Canyon State Electric Cooperative Association in December 2013. GCSECA is a regional service association whose member organizations are electric cooperatives and other consumer-owned utilities in Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Utah.

From 2002-2008 he was a member of the board of directors and Secretary-Treasurer of Touchstone Energy and served for 13 years on the board of directors of Ruralite Services, Inc.  He is a past president of the Rural Electric Statewide Managers’ Association, has served on numerous electric industry committees and task forces. He provided strategic planning, facilitation, and consultation to businesses and organizations in Arizona and the United States, including the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and the Touchstone Energy boards of directors. He received the 2015 Distinguished Service Award from the Arizona G&T Cooperatives and the 2015 Clyde T. Ellis Award from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

Mr. Jones served in the Arizona Army National Guard from 1970-1976. He taught Vocational Agriculture at Bowie High School and Marana High School. He was elected President of the National Vocational Agricultural Teachers’ Association in 1980. He served on the board of directors of the National FFA Organization, directed education programs at the University of Arizona and Pima Community College, and was Executive Director of the Arizona National Livestock Show in 1988-1990.

Mr. Jones was Councilman and Mayor of the Town of Marana, Arizona from 1982-1989. He was a member of Arizona State Board of Vocational Education; received the Public Service Award from the University of Arizona Alumni Association, a board member of the alumni association from 2005-2010, represented the University of Arizona on the Council for Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching of the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities including service on the Executive Committee.

His interests in retirement include family activities, golf, travel, photography, and volunteerism. Tom and Diana (Turley), a 1966 graduate of Coolidge High School, married in 1970. They have two sons, Matthew (Jenny) and Andrew, and four grandchildren (Luke, Joshua, Casey, and Ashley).

Biography of Burton Jordan
CHS Hall of Fame Class of 2015

Burton Jordan attended Coolidge schools and graduated from Coolidge High School in 1968.  During his high school years, he participated in sports and played fullback for the first state football championship for the Coolidge Bears in 1967.   

After graduating in 1968 Mr. Jordan went on to join the United States Army where he served at several different stations. His first station of duty was basic training in Fort Lewis, Washington. It was there that he seemed to master the art of using the military rifle.  He received an outstanding reward for his tactics. 

Shortly after basic training, he went home to marry his high school sweetheart, Carrie Nelson, a Coolidge Schools product.  In November 2016 they will celebrate their 47^th wedding anniversary.

Mr. Jordan’s next station of duty was in Fort Lee, Virginia where he trained as a Substance Storage Specialist. After this training, he was sent to Fort Benning, Georgia to be trained as an Air-Borne paratrooper which involved jumping from military planes such as the C1-19, C1-30, and C1-41. This training also involved a few night's jumps from a helicopter.

After completing his training in Georgia, he was sent to his final duty station in Fort Braggs, North Carolina with the 82^nd Air-Borne Division. After his release from the military in 1971, he entered into a four-year apprenticeship training in carpentry. Upon completing this preparation he received his journeyman’s diploma. He was a master carpenter for 37 years.  In 2008 he made a change and went to work in the town where he was born Sacaton, Arizona as a carpenter/plumber where he worked for seven years.  On August 21, 2015, Mr. Jordan retired. 

Mr. Jordan and his wife have 3 beautiful children (which he claims all look like him) and four grandchildren.

When informed he was an inductee into the Coolidge Hall of Fame, Burton stated:   “I am honored to be inducted into the Hall of Fame for CHS.   At the age of 66, I would come back to score a touchdown for his hometown team.”

Biography of Deylynn Nicole Moore
CHS Hall of Fame Class of 2015

Deylynn Nicole Moore was born in 1978 and raised in Randolph, Arizona.  She is a product of the Coolidge Public Schools and graduated from Coolidge High School in 1996.  While attending the Coolidge Public Schools, she was a part of the gifted program, National Junior Honor Society, and the Honor Society.  She was also a member of the Coolidge High School Student Council for three of her four years of high school.  Upon graduating from Coolidge High School, Deylynn received numerous scholarship offers from various schools around the country.  However, Deylynn chose to follow in the footsteps of her uncle, Alvin Moore, and attend Arizona State University.

Deylynn began her college education at Arizona State University in the fall of 1996 on a full academic scholarship, which she maintained throughout her time at ASU.  While at ASU, Deylynn was very active in extracurricular activities, serving as Vice President of the Black and African Coalition, being a writing mentor for the School of Justice Studies, and being employed in various jobs, including in Student Affairs and the Department of African American Studies.  Deylynn excelled in academics while at ASU.  She was awarded both the Maroon and the Gold Scholarships.  She was on the Dean’s List seven out of her eight semesters at ASU.  Furthermore, she was awarded the Sun Devil Star her senior year.  Deylynn graduated from ASU in May 2000.  She graduated magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and in the top 10% of her graduating class. 

Because she excelled in her academics at ASU, Deylynn received a merit scholarship to the University of Arizona, James E. Rogers School of Law.  Deylynn was very active in her law school community and also very active in Christian ministry during her legal education.  During this time, Deylynn was involved in the Black Law Student’s Association and was awarded the Hayzel B. Daniels scholarship in 2002.  Regarding ministry, Deylynn was a featured conference speaker at numerous events in the states of Arizona, California, and Indiana.  Deylynn graduated from law school on May 17, 2003, 49 years to the day that the decision in the historic Supreme Court case, Brown v. Board of Education, was delivered by Chief Justice Earl Warren. 

Professionally, Deylynn is a practicing attorney, licensed by the State Bar of Arizona.  She has been a member of the state bar’s Young Lawyer’s Division and Public Lawyers Section.  Deylynn served the state of Arizona for 10 years until June 2014 at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and Arizona Attorney’s General Office. While at the Attorney’s General Office, Deylynn represented Child Protective Services (now the Department of Child Safety) in dependency and termination proceedings. 

In June 2014, Deylynn took a tremendous leap of faith and started her own law practice.  Deylynn primarily serves as best interest attorney and counsel for children in dependency, guardianship, termination of parental rights, and adoption proceedings in the Maricopa County Juvenile Court.  Because she is adopted, Deylynn undertakes her role as an attorney for children with the utmost passion and zeal.

When asked to describe herself, Deylynn Nicole Moore does not hesitate to say that she is a foster mom to Khadijah Smith, an attorney for Arizona’s abused and neglected children, an advocate for children’s rights, minister, public servant, and aunt to her wonderful nieces and nephews.  However, before she was any of those things, she was the daughter of Melvin and Mary Moore. 

Biography of Richard P. Narcia
CHS Hall of Fame Class of 2015

Richard P. Narcia currently resides in Sacaton with his spouse, Jana. Together, they have a daughter, Chandra.  He is a graduate of Coolidge High School and is a lifelong resident of the Gila River Indian Community. He served 4 years in the United States Air Force, and he lived 10 years in New Mexico while working and attending college.  He enjoys all sports and competes in long-distance running and competitive road bicycling. Mr. Narcia is retired.

Coolidge High School Activities:

• 4-year member of the Coolidge High School Amerind Club
• 2-year member of the Coolidge High School Lettermen’s Club
• 4-year member of the Coolidge Bear Football Team (Freshman, JV, Varsity)
• Member of Coolidge High School Arizona State Class A Champion Football Team (1968 &1969)
• Member of Coolidge High School Track Team

Past Positions Held:

• 2013-2014 Narcia served as Chief Executive Officer for the Gila River Indian Community (the “Community”) Gila River Health Care Corporation
• 2003-2006 Governor of the Community: During his tenure as Governor, he successfully guided the Community in achieving a historic water settlement in 2004. The Community’s settlement is the largest Indian Water Settlement in the history of the United States
• Nominated by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve on the Morris K. Udall Foundation Board of Trustees
• Appointed by former Arizona Governor Jane D. Hull to serve on three state boards: Arizona Vision 21 Transportation Task Force, Arizona Water Advisory Board, Arizona Board to study Truck Traffic between Arizona and Mexico
• During his tenure as Governor, he served on Williams Gateway Airport Authority Board of Directors and was elected Chairman & Treasurer of the Board
• 2000-2003 Lieutenant Governor of the Community
• 1989 - 2000, Director of the Community’s Irrigation Rehabilitation Program
• In 1989, former Community Governor, Thomas White, appointed him to serve as a member of the Community’s Water Negotiating Team
• 1989, appointed by former Community Governor, Thomas White, to serve as Contracting Officer for the Community involving Indian Health Service construction contracts.
• Fifteen years with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Pima Agency, Branch of Roads: Party Chief, Branch of Roads Survey Crew and Contracting Officer’s Representative
• Chairman of the Wild Horse Pass Development Authority Board of Directors. The primary function is oversight of the Community’s assets: Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa, Whirlwind Golf Course, Rawhide Western Town, and new development ventures
• 2007 – 2009 Vice-President of the Gila River Health Care Board of Directors
• Chairman & Treasurer for the Huhukam Heritage Center Board of Directors
• Vice-Chairman of the Community’s Casino Expansion Owners Team
• Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Gila River Sand & Gravel Corporation
• Selected as an “At-Large” member of the Board of Directors of the National Indian Gaming Association
• Selected to serve on the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Tribal Technical Advisory Group

Awards:

• Awarded Air Force Commendation Medal (Viet-Nam)
• 2003, Jay Silverheels Achievement Award “In recognition of outstanding Leadership, Progress & Contributions that improve the quality of life for Native Americans,” presented by The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development
• 2005, American Diabetes Association named Governor Narcia, Father of the Year

Biography of James D. Roth
CHS Hall of Fame Class of 2015

Mr. Roth was the longest-serving superintendent in CUSD history and when appointed he was the youngest superintendent in the state of Arizona.

During his tenure as superintendent Kenilworth Elementary was consolidated with Coolidge Unified; 5 bonds were passed which resulted in the construction of the Performing Arts Center, CHS Cafeteria, district bus barn, two classroom wings, and the library at West school and a wing of the junior high.  Additionally, he started the Coolidge Christmas basketball tournament; worked with the architect for completion of the Round House; supported teachers in organizing the Coolidge Education Association; and was a charter member of the Arizona School Administrators Association. 

Mr. Roth was born in Fairmount, Indiana, and graduated from Fairmount High School where he was class president for 3 years; President of the National Honor Society, city tennis champion, played baseball and participated in the school plays.  He played varsity basketball for 3 years and was a local and county standout.  He was captain of the team, high scorer for the county, and nominated for Indiana’s Mr. Basketball.  Years later, he was a member of the Regional Team, 1 of 5 top Indiana high school basketball players for the 1945-46 season that was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

His junior year, Fairmount High School won the county and sectional championship with Jim leading his team with points.  His senior year, he shot the last shot to win the sectional tournament. Ten years later, Fairmount won the county and sectional championship honor again with Jim as the head coach.  Until the 1997-98 school year when Indiana went to the controversial division system based on student enrollment, this record held as the only person that had played and then coached the same team that won the sectional championship.   

James Roth is a graduate of Drake University with a BS in education and a Master’s degree in Educational Administration. In 1960, he moved his family to Coolidge, Arizona where his wife, Virginia taught elementary school, and his two daughters, Charie and Susan, graduated from Coolidge High School.   Mr. Roth retired as superintendent of Sahuarita Unified School district, but he continued to substitute teach, accepted a junior high science job for a couple of years, and owned a business.