Homer
L. Bryce of Henderson, Texas, was a legend in his own time on the campus of Stephen
F. Austin State University.
Almost everyone called him "Homer," including a lowly history professor, when
talking about him because despite possessing great wealth he retained the flavor
of an East Texan. In his presence, "Mr. Bryce" was more commonly used because
he was, after all, the Boss.
Bryce, a native of Shelby County, and his wife Velma--from Angelina County--attended
SFA early in the 1930s. All his life Bryce retained a love for the school that
grew steadily during his two terms on its Board of Regents.
He served as chairman of that board, 1978-1980, and was so supportive of all Lumberjack
athletics that the school's football stadium was named Homer Bryce Stadium in
1986, and its first $1 million scholarship program was established by friends
and business associates in 1985 in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Bryce. He also received
SFA's "distinguished alumnus" award in 1971. Henderson, Texas, made national news
about when Mr. Bryce, as chairman of the board of Henderson Clay Products, sold
the company's oil and gas interests to Atlantic Richfield for $300 million and
merged with Boral Limited of Sydney, Australia, to form the largest brick-making
company in the world.
My most vivid memory of "Homer" involved, appropriately, a football game --played
at night, against Lamar University in Beaumont
Mr.
Bryce needed someone to drive him home from the game, so I got my first and only
chance to drive a Mercedes. He told me early in the trip that the car would operate
better at a speed greater than that allowed by law and I could do so if I would
pay any tickets. I allowed that the car's performance at 70 mph was adequate.
