Cassville FFA charter member presented with jacket 77 years later
Cassville FFA members presented Doyle Nickle, one of the charter members of the Cassville FFA, with a jacket 77 years after the club started. Pictured above, from left to right, in the back row: Keenan Roller, Parker Dunker, Mattie Stephenson and Dakota Townsend. Doyle Nickle is seated in the front holding the original charter.
December 2, 2015
Charlea Mills
Over seven decades later, one of the original charter members of the Cassville Future Farmers of America got his very first FFA jacket. Four members of the Cassville FFA presented the jacket to Doyle Nickle, an original charter member of the FFA at the school when it began in January 1938.
On January 25, 1938, Doyle Nickle and 27 other Cassville High School agriculture students signed a charter to establish an FFA chapter at the school. By establishing the chapter at the school, the group has had the chance to grow over the years and the few students who wanted the club all of those years ago paved the way for kids today to have the opportunity to learn agriculture techniques and skills that will follow them throughout their lives.
In 77 years, the school’s membership went from 28 members to 150.
When Nickle was presented with the jacket, the surprise obviously meant a lot to the man. Cassville FFA chapter president Parker Dunker gave a speech before officer Mattie Stephenson helped Nickle into his jacket. Dunker said, “The FFA has meant much to me in my four years of being a member. It has taught me much about agriculture, given me leadership qualities, opportunities to travel across our state and country, along with teaching me how to better advocate for agriculture.”
Nickle was all smiles when he was given his jacket. Dunker continued, “Without your contribution to our community, our state and our nation, we would be unable to have some of the opportunities we do today.”
When asked what it felt like to have his first official jacket, Nickle laughed and replied simply, “Unusual.” Nickle was also presented with a football shirt from the school last year for his contributions.
Even though Nickle was a member of the first FFA group, he did not pursue agriculture and served his country instead. He stated, “I didn’t take up farming, I went into service. So, that took care of that.” Nickle is a World War II, Korean War and Vietnam conflict veteran with the United States Army.
The plan to present Nickle with a jacket was a collaborative effort between his son Bruce, Bruce’s wife, Debra, and Debra’s son Jordan Ellis, one of the FFA advisers at Cassville.
Debra said that the plan was originally to get Doyle an official jacket for Christmas since he’d never had one, but when Ellis started researching, he found that Nickle was a charter member and thought it would be a good opportunity for the students to meet a WWII veteran and have a connection with that part of history for their chapter. The plan came together from there.
Nickle was raised in Cassville and graduated from Cassville High School in 1940 before enlisting. He and his wife, Trudy, have been married over 60 years.
Donning his new jacket, Nickle said, “It fits just fine.”
Charlea Mills
Over seven decades later, one of the original charter members of the Cassville Future Farmers of America got his very first FFA jacket. Four members of the Cassville FFA presented the jacket to Doyle Nickle, an original charter member of the FFA at the school when it began in January 1938.
On January 25, 1938, Doyle Nickle and 27 other Cassville High School agriculture students signed a charter to establish an FFA chapter at the school. By establishing the chapter at the school, the group has had the chance to grow over the years and the few students who wanted the club all of those years ago paved the way for kids today to have the opportunity to learn agriculture techniques and skills that will follow them throughout their lives.
In 77 years, the school’s membership went from 28 members to 150.
When Nickle was presented with the jacket, the surprise obviously meant a lot to the man. Cassville FFA chapter president Parker Dunker gave a speech before officer Mattie Stephenson helped Nickle into his jacket. Dunker said, “The FFA has meant much to me in my four years of being a member. It has taught me much about agriculture, given me leadership qualities, opportunities to travel across our state and country, along with teaching me how to better advocate for agriculture.”
Nickle was all smiles when he was given his jacket. Dunker continued, “Without your contribution to our community, our state and our nation, we would be unable to have some of the opportunities we do today.”
When asked what it felt like to have his first official jacket, Nickle laughed and replied simply, “Unusual.” Nickle was also presented with a football shirt from the school last year for his contributions.
Even though Nickle was a member of the first FFA group, he did not pursue agriculture and served his country instead. He stated, “I didn’t take up farming, I went into service. So, that took care of that.” Nickle is a World War II, Korean War and Vietnam conflict veteran with the United States Army.
The plan to present Nickle with a jacket was a collaborative effort between his son Bruce, Bruce’s wife, Debra, and Debra’s son Jordan Ellis, one of the FFA advisers at Cassville.
Debra said that the plan was originally to get Doyle an official jacket for Christmas since he’d never had one, but when Ellis started researching, he found that Nickle was a charter member and thought it would be a good opportunity for the students to meet a WWII veteran and have a connection with that part of history for their chapter. The plan came together from there.
Nickle was raised in Cassville and graduated from Cassville High School in 1940 before enlisting. He and his wife, Trudy, have been married over 60 years.
Donning his new jacket, Nickle said, “It fits just fine.”
