Shirley Ray "Hoot" Hooten

Shirley Ray was born on a small family farm on December 13, 1930 in Klondike, Delta County Texas to Curtis and Hester Hooten. He spent his young life on the farm, running in the countryside and helping with the farm work which included cattle and cotton farming.

He graduated from West Delta High School in 1948, where he was voted Most Popular Senior Boy in his class and played basketball. While in high school, he met the love of his life, Frieda Weems. She was 14 and he was 17 when they met, and they were inseparable ever since.

After high school, he worked various jobs in Dallas, before deciding to join the United States Army in 1951, when the Korean War was just beginning. He went through basic training at Camp Chaffee, Arkansas, and surveyor training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. While at Fort Sill, he was almost called up to go to Korea, but at the last minute his assignment was changed to Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Before heading to Fort Bragg, he proposed to Frieda, and they were married at the Klondike Baptist Church on Oct. 6, 1951, the same year Frieda graduated from high school. The newlyweds spent their wedding night in Bonham, then went home for a few days before heading to North Carolina, $75 dollars to their name.

In January of 1952 he was sent to RADAR school in Fort Bliss, El Paso Texas. Some of their happiest times as a couple were spent there. After RADAR school, it was back to Fort Bragg. While there, he was assigned to a RADAR unit. That assignment kept him from going to Korea. He instead went to Germany in February of 1953. He had many adventures there, but was missing Frieda every day.

In December 1953, his enlistment in the Army was almost done, and he went home to Frieda.

They eventually moved to Dallas. Shirley worked at Communications Engineering Co., installing and servicing GE two-way radios, obtaining his FCC license. While working at CECO, he used some of his education benefits from the GI Bill to take flying lessons at Highway 77 Airport, and got his private pilot’s license. On the advice of a coworker, he applied to the Civil Aeronautics Administration for an Electronics Technician position. A short time later, he received a telegram offering him the job.

The CAA position was with the Flight Inspection office in Fort Worth and would require travel. While at first that didn’t appeal to him, he and Frieda talked it over and decided he should take the job, a job with security and good benefits. That was May 1957 and Shirley spent the next 31 years flying DC-3’s and Twin Beech planes in the U.S. and Mexico. As he advanced up the Government job grades, he obtained his commercial flying license, many certifications, and learned to fly jets, including the 727 and Cessna Citation.

In 1959, while living in Farmers Branch, TX, their first daughter, Marianna, came along. Soon after in 1961, daughter Diana was born.

In June of 1963, Shirley and family moved to Houston, TX, where the (now) FAA had just opened an office at Ellington Air Force Base. Much of Frieda’s family, including Ma and Pa Weems were living there, and it was a very happy time for them.

In 1968, he and Ike Covin, his brother-in-law, purchased a beach house near Surfside Beach, TX. The families spent many 4th of July holidays and summer weeks there, which became a beloved family tradition. Shirley was an avid fisherman, and spent many happy days in the surf or the bay.

In October 1974, the family moved to Oklahoma City, OK, as the flight inspection office at Ellington was closed. It was hard to move so far away from Houston, and good friends and family. Oklahoma City was good to them and their girls, and they enjoyed their time in OKC.

Shirley retired from the FAA in December 1985 after 31 years of service. He was only 55, and he liked to brag about that! He and Frieda travelled extensively in retirement, enjoying their freedom.

In 1997, they moved to Plano, TX to be close to their oldest daughter, Marianna, and granddaughter’s Shelby and Sarah. They enjoyed all their grandchildren very much, and were model grandparents.

Shirley’s wife Frieda passed away after battling colon cancer in April of 2011. He missed her every day of his life after that. He continued to be the best Papa and Dad to his daughters and grandchildren.

Shirley was also preceded in death by his parents, Curtis and Hester Hooten, his sister Dorothy (Dot) Dickey, his brother-in-law J.R. Dickey, and son-in-law Donald Wright. He is survived by his daughter Marianna and her husband Steve Sokolich, his daughter Diana and her husband David Calvert, and his grandchildren, Matthew Wright and Shelby and Sarah Sokolich.

A visitation for Hoot will be held Tuesday, June 25, 2024 from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Ted Dickey West Funeral Home, 7990 President George Bush, Dallas, TX 75252. A celebration of life will occur Wednesday, June 26, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM, 7990 President George Bush, Dallas, TX 75252.