Speaking of Shangri-La, it still surprises me at how far it's come in contributing to the economy, culture and education of the communities in Orange County and beyond. Its founder and first administrator was Michael Hoke, who in 1971 was my 7th-grade science teacher...his first year teaching and probably the best school year of my young life. His talent, ingenuity and influence eventually landed him in the Bush-41 White House to receive an honor in the Rose Garden. Quite the individual. While I was living in Nacogdoches, when he learned that I'd become certified to teach 7th-grade earth-life science and high school biology, he invited me to join him as staff during his summer program, Bios, which was basically a field trip on steroids. Reluctantly I had to decline.
But that's not what surprises me. It is a strange feeling to go into the place and wander freely, because as kids my friend Brent and I used to have to sneak through a fence and trespass to walk (or run, as was sometimes necessary) along its pathways, always on the alert for the tight security placed to catch folks like us. The Stark family was notorious for their zero-tolerance stance on anyone caught in such a transgression. Now, thanks to Dr. Hoke, all you have to do is fork over a little cash to go inside.
After all of that, what surprises me most was his sudden and unexpected death in 2016. His obituary is easy to find on Legacy.com, but does not mention the cause of death at the relatively young age of 67. Surely he is still sorely missed by the community and all who knew him...
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