Page 46 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2017- Online Magazine
P. 46
Bill Felty
A Solidly Built Life
by Jane Bromley
blimps housed there in gigantic boys to feed. He became Asst.
wooden hangars. The crews of Supervising Architect for campus
five or six men would go out on development. Between 1959
“submarine patrol.” WWII had and 1971, he was involved
ended, but they did spot a few in the building of several
sharks occasionally. campus structures - including
the Biology, Chemistry and
During his time on the east coast, Architecture buildings, as well
the sailor took advantage of leave as Coleman, Weymouth and
to visit places like Washington, Chitwood dormitories. When
D.C. and New York City. He that office closed, Bill joined the
loved architecture and was faculty and taught architecture
fascinated by the beauty he saw courses for 31 years. He has
in the old buildings. He checked many students who have gone
“ don’t have much of a story.” out museums and landmarks, on to successful careers in
That’s how an interview and even learned to ice-skate the industry. The professor
I with Bill Felty begins. But the before being discharged in 1947. eventually was named Associate
gentleman is so easy to talk to, Dean of the Department (later
and as the conversation unfolds, Back at Texas Tech, Bill resumed College) of Architecture and
more than a few interesting his study of architecture. His Engineering and retired in 1994.
details emerge. buddy Ben was back, too. On a
Mr. Felty no longer has to
He was born to Otis and Arva provide for a family. His
Felty in 1928 in Lubbock. when wife and best friend passed
the city was barely 20 years away in 2016. Although
old and the population was according to one of his sons,
under 15,000. His education “he still has materials in his
was launched at K. Carter shed for projects he wants to
Elementary, followed by Lubbock finish,” he has time to wax
Jr. High. The 1945 Lubbock High philosophical now. He shares
School alumnus and his buddy
Ben Low attended Texas Tech for
a one and a half semesters. They certain double date, he and Ben
enlisted in the Navy together, took two girls to a football game
when they found out they were in Brownfield. One of them was
about to be drafted. Jane Ferguson. Bill and Jane liked
each other enough to continue
Both boys were sent to San dating until they had both
Diego for boot camp, but then graduated. They married at “the
Bill was sent to gunnery school Methodist preacher’s house” in
in Florida, and a radioing school Clovis, New Mexico in 1952.
at Ward Island, near Corpus
Christi, Texas. The story begins After a time of working for
to get interesting. He was different firms, the young
assigned in September 1947 to architect went into business
the “Lighter Than Air” blimp for himself. But when Nolan
squadron stationed at Lakehurst, Barrick, head of the Architecture
New Jersey. History buffs might Department at Texas Tech
remember that’s where the called, he saw the opportunity his opinion about America’s shift
Hindenburg had crashed a few for a steady income. By this from an agrarian society to an
years earlier. The Navy had four time he had three growing urban one. “People don’t have
46 Lubbock Senior Link
