ADA, Okla. – Former educator and Oklahoma State Senator, Billie Floyd, is set to be honored at East Central University’s Evening of Honors and Recognition on May 10 at 6 p.m. in the Chickasaw Business and Conference Center.
Floyd’s parents, natives of Coal County, relocated to the Ada area in 1918 with plans for their family’s future, “My parents came here for education. [Education] has always been a big part of my family’s makeup.”
Floyd herself was born on Christmas Eve, 1929. Her relationship with ECU began in 1935 when her parents enrolled her at the Horace Mann Laboratory School. She would go on to graduate from Ada High School before returning to the ECU campus where she graduated in 1951 from East Central Teachers College, as it was known at the time. In 1955 she earned her master’s degree in education from the University of Oklahoma, along with other courses in the field of education at Texas Women’s University.
Floyd’s relationship with ECU would continue upon her return in 1953 when she began her decades-long teaching career at the university.
“I grew up with the college and university,” Floyd reminisced, “we grew up together.”
Floyd taught Health, Physical Education and Recreation during her years at ECU, “During that time, every student had to take two hours in that field,” she said. “They learned about personal health, hygiene and first aid.”
Many names that have become synonymous with ECU had the opportunity to study under Floyd, including ECU President Emeritus John Hargrave and current ECU President Wendell Godwin.
“She was my professor when I was here and like a lot of our faculty members, she was one of the most caring people,” said Godwin. “She was one of the most positive people you could ever be around and as a professor she was always very supportive and very caring with all of her students. We all loved her.”
In 1984, after 31 years with the university, Floyd left ECU to run for, and win, the state senate seat in district 13.
Floyd had recently worked with Lou and Wes Watkins to petition for the Equal Rights Amendment, a passion that she would continue to support during her time in office and after.
“Every individual regardless of color, age, income, or whatever it is, should have equal opportunities,” she said.
Floyd’s interest in helping others was encompassed by the Equal Right Act but extended beyond. She served as Tourism Committee Chairman and was a member of the Education, Agriculture, Transportation, Appropriations, and Rules committees.
“The government role is to do for people what people can’t do for themselves,” Floyd voiced.
She also takes pride in playing a part in rechristening her alma mater. At the time, the university was known as East Central Oklahoma State University, however, Floyd recalls, “While in the senate, I got to carry the bill to change the name to East Central University.”
After her term in the senate ended in 1988, Floyd would continue the tradition of helping her community. She returned to ECU as a first-year residency teacher supervisor and also conducted interviews for the U.S. Census Bureau.
During this time, Floyd wrote the grant that established the Tri-County Indian Nations Community Development Corp., an Enterprise Community that serves Coal, Johnston and Pontotoc counties.
She is also responsible for establishing the first Special Olympics Games in Oklahoma as well as and PAST (Preserving Area Stories in Time) and the Pontotoc Animal Welfare Society. Floyd has been a member of the Retired Educators Association, New Horizons, and PAWS.
She currently serves on the board of the Tri-County Community Development Corp. and is chairman of the Citizens Committee for Call-A-Ride, along with other community organizations. Her current passion is a focus on creating a reliable transportation service to support the local community.
Floyd resides in her home of 65 years near Ada. She has two daughters, two grandsons and one great grandson, who she hopes attends ECU.