Suzy Spencer (Whisenhunt)

Thank you, Goober (and I will forever call you Goober) for sharing Bubba stories.  I can't stop laughing especially the part about Coach Kile.  We will miss Bubba Dodgen, for sure.  The last time I saw Bubba was when I was working at the Potter County Tax Office, maybe 10 years ago.  I always invited him to come to our class reunions but I knew he wouldn't.  He walked up to my counter with his unsure shy grin and said, "Hey Suz..." He looked tired and worn out but still had that grin.  Being a Wrestling Spirit for the team, my favorite were the matches at Caprock and at Boys Ranch watching you guys and was always amazed at Bubba!  You wrestlers were all the best ~ RIP Bubba Dodgen.

Steve Smith

Rest in Peace Bubba Dodgen, nothing but great memories of our days at Tascosa.

Glen "Goober" Griffin if you are going to ding me for the laps you had to do at least give me the credit due about Coach Kile.If you needed a pass to get out of class or any other trouble you found yourself in everyone knew including the other teachers and staff that Coach Kile would make you write your own pass and he would sign it and I had his signature down pat. I probably signed more passes than Coach himself, including for my friend Paul "Bubba" Dodgen.

Praying for Heath, Cynthia and the whole family.

Steve Smith

Suzy Spencer (Whisenhunt)

~ A TRIBUTE FROM HEATH DODGEN ~

"My Dad (Paul Curtis Dodgen)

11/23/53 - 8/11/2021

I have some great GREAT memories with my Dad.

He loved his little boy, Jeremy Heath Dodgen.

You see, I was his only child as My Beautiful Mom and him had 3 miscarriages before me.

My Dad was a hard worker and wasn’t scared of hard labor work. He did construction things such as brick laying, siding, framing, etc when I was real young. He later got hired on at BNSF Railroad where he worked for 27 years as a conductor.

He wasn’t around a lot because they work really odd hours and are pretty much paid for their inconvenience.

We were a middle class family.

We never had a lot, but my Dad always provided.

He was really fun to be around and had energy for days. If you knew my Dad, then you know how much he loved talking.

Sometimes, it was hard to get a word in, lol.

He just cared and wanted his words to matter.

Lemme tell you, my Dad was ONE TOUGH individual. He grew up wrestling as a young boy with his brother George at The Maverick Boys and Girls Club. He later became a two-time State Wrestling Champion at Tascosa High School under Coach Kyle.

They say he was so fun to be around and he was a great guy to have on your side if a fight broke out.

My Dad later passed that toughness down to me. I know he meant well, and just wanted his baby boy to be tough like he was. We as Dad’s sometimes want our baby boys to be like us, BUT BETTER.

Because My Dad wrestled, I wrestled, and because I wrestled, I now “get” to be the Assistant Wrestling Coach at Amarillo High School.

Totally God orchestrated.

Yes, I’m well aware that people know my Dad later went through some tough times and addiction took over his life, but that’s NOT who he was.

We have been trying to heal our relationship these past couple of years, and I kept thinking “I still have time” and I put it off; therefore, now I have regrets which deep down I knew would happen.

My Dad LOVED me so much, but was just scared to reach out in fear of getting hurt if I didn’t answer or putting him off. I get it now. I loved my Dad regardless of what we went through.

I ONLY want to remember the good Bubba, the good Paul Dodgen that was fun to be around and was always laughing or cracking jokes and working hard to support his family.

I LOVE all the GREAT stories I would hear about my Dad growing up. You bet, my Dad was ONE TOUGH soul, BUT he was FULL OF LOVE.

He called me three weeks ago to come sit with him and bring him food, but I failed him. I’ll try not to hold onto that, but I KNOW it will change me and how I proceed from here on out making time that I should make for others.

I’ll ALWAYS be thankful that God chose Paul Curtis Dodgen to be my Dad!!"

Pat Merrick

Lots of good memories thinking about him.  Heck of a Athelete  Rest in Peace Brother !

Tom Holloway

Bubba had a spirit, and a flame that burned bright and sometimes burned you when you hung with him - but that's what made having him as a friend so fun but intense at times. You wanted him on your side and if he was, you knew you were in good hands to the end.  In elementary school, Bubba was always at the Mavericks club and developed a reputation as being a tough cookie along with his brother and tudor George - who was the leader of the Clan.  My older Sister, Sudell, was best friends with Kathy and remains so to this day.  I think back and have great respect for their parents  raising a brood of good tough kids.  If Bubba was your friend he would look out for you but occasionally may get you in little trouble.  I was never a fighter, more of someone looking for avoidance,  but Bubba put some boxing gloves on me and I thought he taught me how to box.  So with my new found skill ( I was in 5th grade) I picked a fight with a 6th grader named Johnny Cameron who was a golden glove boxer.  Johnny sent me home crying in seconds (more out of shame than hurt).  I have to say I didn't realize how much ungloved fists hurt though.

My fondest memories were exploring with Bubba. We used to explore Palo Duro and Sunday Canyon together and found this grotto in the Canyon we named  "Topaco" for Tom-Paul-Cove, still named so to this day (to those in the know at least).  We found the cove after trying to corral and ride some calves but  stopped once we realized we might hurt them when they were trying to get through the barb wire fence.  I was in awe watching Bubba run through the pasture full tilt around the mesquite trying to jump on a calve for a joy ride (it was a vivid realization that he was truly a wild spirit).  On our first exploration of the cove, Bubba found an easy route out by pulling on some vines over our heads to shimmy out.  Several days later we were both covered with posion sumac swelling. 

The one thing I did with Bubba that still brings chills to me this day was some cliff diving at Sunday Canyon. We both did it one time and I think even Bubba thought it was stupid but he never let me know.  It was a 15 foot dive into 6 ft. water that you had to run at top speed just to clear the rocks to even make it to the water and then do a somersault just as you hit the water so you wouldn't hit your head.  I remember looking down seeing brown water were Bubba just dove and for some reason followed him because I didn't want to chicken out.

He was a hell of an athelete(sp?).  The first time I saw him run with the football was a scrimage at Crockett Jr. high.  We were in 7th grade and I think there were 6-7 strings on our football team.  My memory, a bit foggy, was of Bubba who was 3rd string running back going against first defense.  This was one of the first scrimmages we had so Bubba was a bit buried in the team with so many kids out for football that year.  First hand-off was to Bubba and he ran through the line sprinting for a touchdown barefoot because when he was supposedly tackled his shoes came off (there wasn't much that could stop Bubba).  In my mind, as I mentioned to Phil Richards an old friend, Bubba would have been a Ciff Harris style free safety for any team in the country. He quit football and wrestled to the dismay of drooling football coaches and to the delight of the wrestling coaches. 

I kind of lost contact with Bubba after the 1st year at Crockett because  Bonham Jr. high just opened and we kind of went different ways, to the relief of my mother Grace because she wasn't as appreciative of the type of fun I with Bubba. I could go on with numerous antedotes (sewer running, grabbing car bumpers in the snow, drinking his homemade wine, under age driving, smoking cigerettes, shooting out street lights, him picking a few fights with bullies (Bubba, as tough as he was, never bullied but knew how to take care of one). That said - I have nothing but the fondess of memories and a bond with my old buddie that taught me some things about living.

May Bubba Rest in Peace and my deepest sympathy to all Bubba's family.

Love, Tom Holloway

Bill Eubank

I went to Bonham and don’t remember hearing about Dodgen (he went to Crocket) until starting 10th grade at Tascosa. Back then boys had a curiosity of sorts about who was the “toughest” guy in school. This usually involved some kind of debate about several candidates. But the first time I heard this discussed at Tascosa there was no question by those in the know that it was one Bubba Dodgen. Even the biggest football players were in agreement on the subject and none of them had any interest in trying to prove otherwise. 

So I set out to get a good look at Bubba and was taken aback when I found him. He wasn’t big by any means, and was actually smaller and leaner than the average kid that age.  But the thing that really surprised me was he didn’t act like a tough guy. He had a perpetual smile on his face (the same as his graduation photo) and was friendly and unassuming.  If you were a stranger and saw him on the street he certainly would not strike you as a tough guy. 

Every time I saw him after that I just smiled back with a nod of my head and gave him a wide berth. Sometimes I would turn and look back at him as he walked by wondering what he had inside that made him the toughest guy in school.  I never figured it out but Providence damn sure gave him something. 

Rest In Peace Bubba Dodgen.

Phil Richards

Bubba (always Dodgen to me) was a friend albeit kind of a crazy one. But that was OK that’s what made him well unpredictable. Losing yet another friend has led me to some sobering reflections about life as it probably has you. The writer of Ecclesiastes says that it’s better to visit the house of mourning rather than the house of feasting because that’s the end of us all and the “living should take it to heart.” That does bring certain clarity to what truly matters in life.
I had several “adventures” with Paul most of them in Palo Duro or thereabouts. One such was at a weekend retreat at Ceta Glen that Tom Holloway invited me and Bubba along. We hiked down to the “Falls”which is a waterfall drop off of about 40 feet to a pool below. A beautiful place. I was swimming in the pool below with others when I heard someone hollering at me. I looked up and it was Dodgen at the top of the falls asking me how deep the water was. I thought “hell I don’t know”and wasn’t real wild about descending to the bottom of the murky depths. I recall going about halfway down coming back up and shouting to him that I didn’t know how deep it was assuming that would defer him from doing something crazy. But I guess that’s all the intel he needed and off he goes into the water to my amazement. It’s really a wonder that he survived to 67 because back then anyway he knew no fear. 
My prayers are certainly with the family and all his friends who are absorbing the finality of his life. The Lord‘s blessings on all of you.
Phil 


April Johnson (Heimbach)

So very sorry to hear of Bubba's passing.  My goodness so many memories come to mind.  Mostly good memories and some insanely crazy.  Such were the times.  We were just kids setting the world on fire, sometimes literally!  Bubba and I had plans after graduating from high school, but life and life choices took us in different directions.  We parted as friends, with a smile, and in Bubba style a handshake.  No one was more relieved than him!  Dearest Cynthia, my heart goes out to you and Heath and the rest of your family. Cynthia you were one of the best friends I ever had.  Thinking of all of you with deepest sympathy, special memories, and realizing life is way too short.God Bless You, April

Ron Rennke

Sorry to hear about Paul passing and my condolences, prayers to all his family and friends. I did not know Paul well, but liked him in the moments we connected. I worked the same shift with him briefly at Bell Helicopter in the 70s. I had heard he was as everyone has said a very good athlete and not one to be intimidated. One day when shift changed at Bell and everyone was scrambling for a parking spot (hard to find), there was a guy who worked there that was  7 foot tall and built like a mountain (immovable one at that) - also had a deep thundering like Darth Vader. He was in his station wagon waiting several minutes for another car to pull out of a spot and when it did, Paul shot into the spot in his little sports car ( MG?).  I saw Paul get out his car and so did the mountain  - he talked to Paul. Paul got back in his car, vacated the spot and the mountain pulled into that spot. Saw Paul later that evening and he said the mountain told him " Hate to be sh**ty, but get your F@$@ing ass out of my parking spot." Paul said  "yes sir" and obeyed  - we had a good laugh at that one, so did the mountain.

Karen Nix (Bridges)

We are so very sad to hear that Bubba has passed away. We saw him about a month ago when he was in the hospital. He never lost his sense of humor or that "Bubba" grin. We have so many funny stories to remember him by. He will be greatly missed and always loved as a friend for life. Kind thoughts and prayers to all his family. Karen and Raymond Bridges