PHS adds four inductees to Wall of Honor; Induction ceremony set for April 17

PHS adds four inductees to Wall of Honor; Induction ceremony set for April 17
Posted on 03/28/2019
PHS adds four inductees to Wall of Honor; Induction ceremony set for April 17

PHS adds four inductees to Wall of Honor; Induction ceremony set for April 17

Four Pasadena High School graduates will forever be enshrined in Eagle history as they are inducted into the school’s Alumni Wall of Honor, April 17, at 5 p.m. in the cafeteria.

The annual event recognizes some of PHS’ most distinguished graduates for their achievements in high school and throughout their careers. The wall allows the school to display pride for their former Eagles.

The honorees include Tom Muehlenbeck – Class of 1959; Bruce Dowdy – Class of 1967; John Roberts – Class of 1967 and Les Early – Class of 1983.

Tom Muehlenbeck joined the City of McKinney as interim city manager in May 2014, bringing with him 50 years of experience in city administration, 23 of those years as City Manager of Plano, Texas. Muehlenbeck earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Lamar University and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Kansas. Over the years, he has served as city manager in Atchison, Kansas; College Park, Georgia; Valdosta, Georgia; Galveston, Texas; Virginia Beach, Virginia; and in Plano, Texas until his retirement in 2011. During his career, he also served as deputy city manager in Austin and interim city manager in Galveston and McKinney, Texas. Muehlenbeck received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the P. Alpha Alpha National Society for Public Administration, International City/County Management Association; and in 2014, Distinguished Service Award from ICMA.

Bruce Dowdy, a member of the Pasadena class of 1967, earned First Team All-District honors on defense in 1966 and Second All-Team offensive, going on to play for Texas Tech where he was named to the SWC All-Decade Team of the 1970s. Named an honorable mention All-American after his final season, he topped off his career by taking home Texas Tech’s Pete Cawthon Award as the Red Raiders’ Best All-Around Player. Dowdy was recognized at the district level in 2018 when he was inducted into the Pasadena ISD Athletics Hall of Fame.

After graduating from the Pasadena’s High’s home of the Eagles in 1967, John Roberts went on to attend the University of North Texas, also home of the Eagles, where he earned a BBA in Business Marketing in 1973. He served several years as an employee with Texas Instruments, until becoming a sales representative in the computer networking industry. As the internet industry was just coming of age, Roberts joined Larscom, a private corporation that created internet connectivity equipment. In 1998, Larscom became a publicly held corporation via a successful IPO and was eventually listed on the NASDAQ.  Roberts retired from Larscom and became an active member in the local Lion’s Club, and elected neighborhood representative to First Colony Community Association of Sugar Land. 

Officer Les Early was shot and killed during an early morning drug raid on November 5, 1993. He was the point man on the Pasadena Police Department’s SWAT Team, which led the raid on a fortified drug house in Houston. As he entered the residence, the assailant opened fire with a handgun, striking the officer near the collarbone. Early was transported to a local hospital where he passed away at age 28. Officer Early had served the agency for eight years. He is survived by his wife and son. The assailant was arrested at the scene and later charged with capital murder. He is currently serving a life sentence.