Elk City - The Elk City Leadership Hall of Fame 2023 Inductees are Bill Ansley, Bill Khourie and Danny McClure. They will officially be inducted Tuesday, January 9, 2024, between the Elkettes and Elks Basketball Games at the Pioneer Center along with a reception honoring them 5-6 pm, also at the Pioneer Center downstairs in the hospitality room. Family and Friends are welcome to attend. Qualifications for honorees include…have been a resident or have worked in Elk City and ideally have attended Elk City Schools at some point. They must have brought positive pride and recognition to Elk City for exemplary leadership in their chosen occupation leading to city/state and/or national achievement.
Bill Ansley…born William H. “Bill” Ansley on September 23, 1919, was a nationally known motivational speaker, civic leader and the advertising manager of the Elk City Daily News for nearly 56 years and retired in 1995. Bill was a graduate of Elk City High School and was drum major of the ECHS marching band when the band got its first set of uniforms. After graduation he attended Oklahoma Baptist University coming back on weekends to work at the newspaper. Bill took his enthusiasm and zest in the form of public speaking and talked at numerous state press association groups and many Chamber of Commerce banquets and events along with receiving many prestigious awards. He was master of ceremonies for the Miss Elk City down through the years and was one of the founders for the Miss Elk City-Miss Queen of the West Pageant and was the announcer for the more than 20 years for the Big Elk Football. Bill was a lifelong member of the Elk City First Baptist Church and was campaign director for the development of the new church facility.
April 25, 1941, Bill married his wife, Lou and served in the U.S. Navy from February 7, 1942, through September 1945. They had one daughter, Sharon and later a grandson Carter. Bill and Lou owned Ansley-Thornton Furniture from 1968-1994. He was a resident of Elk City from 1919-2000 when he and his wife moved to Oklahoma City to be near their daughter, Sharon Wallace and grandson Carter Wallace. Mr. Ansley passed away in February 2006 and will always be remembered as having an unbounding enthusiasm for the Elk City community, people in general and the tasks he undertook and indeed for life itself which was so eloquently spoken by Larry Wade, Bill’s employer and lifelong friend.
Bill Khourie…born William “Billy” Khourie January 6, 1950, in Memphis, Tennessee. As a young child, Bill moved with his parents to Elk City, OK., where he attended school. During his high school days Bill set numerous school records for his outstanding skills as a running back. He held records for the most carries in a single game and the most carries in a single season for Big Elk Football. Bill graduated from Elk City High school in May of 1968. He continued his education at the University of Oklahoma where he received his bachelor’s degree in psychology. He later received his clinical psychology master’s degree from Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky. After receiving his degree, he obtained employment in Wichita Falls, Tx as a clinical psychologist.
Because of Bill’s love of airplanes as a young boy, he began pursuing a career in aeronautics. Throughout his years he flew commercially, privately, and owned his own plane flying for business and pleasure all throughout the United States. Bill’s pursuit of flying was the driving force in many of his accomplishment’s including finding and restoring the first DC-3 to carry passengers for Delta Airlines and returning it to the United States. He was appointed to the Oklahoma’s Governor’s Task Force on Aerospace Education, appointed to Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission, the Governors’ Commendation for Outstanding Service to the State of Oklahoma, being cited by the University Center at Tulsa for his commitment to advancing lifetime learning through aeronautics and aerospace education, was instrumental in the repeal of the Commercial Space Act of 1998, and being appointed as the Director of the Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority.
When Bill had any free time, he enjoyed attending the University of Oklahoma Football games and being an avid OU fan._ He enjoyed riding his 1981 Wide Glide Harley Davidson motorcycle, flying for pleasure, mentoring and teaching anyone who had an interest in flying.__ Bill passed away on May 31, 2022._ He was preceded in death by his Father William and son Billy, who was a 2005 graduate from Elk City High School, and also played football for the Big Elks. He is survived by his wife Karen, daughter Lauren, and mother Marion Khourie._ Danny McClure…was born and raised in Elk City. He attended school at Elk City Public Schools his entire youth and graduated from Elk City High School in 1971. He was a stand-out football player and track star for the Big Elks and All-Stated as a running back in football his senior year. Danny’s football skills and speed earned him a full-ride scholarship to the University of Oklahoma to play football for the Sooners. He was fortunate enough to be a part of the Sooners’ National Championship team in 1974.
Danny returned to Elk City in the early 80’s then began teaching and coaching at his alma mater in 1988. During this time, he spent countless hours devoted to Elk City Schools and the athletic programs. He spent time coaching football, baseball and softball but is probably most remembered for his football coaching duties. Danny was on the ECHS coaching staff for the state runner-up team and state championship football team at Elk City in 1997 and 1998. His middle son, Jay, was also a part of this team with his dad. Danny was also named the Oklahoma Assistant Baseball Coach of the Year in 1994. Football and baseball were passions for “Coach Mac”, and he was able to share those passions with his sons whom he coached for many years in both sports. Besides teaching history for many years, Danny was integral in implementing a mentoring program at Elk City Middle School. This program was developed as an outreach for students and brought in community members as role models to mentor these students. This program was recognized at the state level for its positive influence on students. Danny retired from teaching in 2014 but then returned to the classroom in 2017 and finally retired from teaching in 2021. He has not completely walked away, yet, as he is still currently coaching junior high fast pitch softball for the Elkettes. He has taught and coached thousands of kids over his career, including all three of his children. Anyone who played for him remembers his hard-nosed, old-school style, but they also remember how much he truly cared and wanted the best for each student/ athlete. He also spent many years coaching his sons’ teams in little league baseball and soccer which spurred his love for coaching. Danny has been a member of the Masonic Lodge in Elk City since 1974. His involvement in the Masonic Lodge has included numerous community events and activities, including the presentation of Teacher of the Year awards for Elk City Public Schools for many years.
Danny was also a volunteer firefighter for several years along with a junior high Sunday School teacher and choir member at First Baptist Church of Elk City. Since his retirement from the classroom, Danny has been an employee of the City of Elk City with the inspector’s office. Preserving this town and taking pride in the aesthetics of this town has always been a passion of Danny’s, after all, this is where he was raised and raised his own family. Danny’s three children are carrying on his love for Elk City and the school system. They are all raising their families in Elk City and work for Elk City Public Schools. Jamie is the principal at ECHS, Jay is a high school history teacher and head baseball coach for ECHS, and Kim is a school counselor at Elk City Elementary. Danny’s life has been devoted to the Elk City community and Elk City Public Schools. He has always wanted the very best for this town, especially for the youngest members of Elk City, the youth. He has impacted countless lives, most he never even realized.
