Kilgore College Rangerettes Kailey Adams, Hadley Daffin and Camdyn Messick stand with the newly unveiled Gussie Nell Davis historical marker in downtown Farmersville. Past and present Rangerettes, along with members of the Greenville Flaming Flashes, attended the ceremony Saturday, May 17. Allison LaBrot/The Princeton Herald

A crowd gathered Saturday, May 17, to celebrate the life and legacy of Gussie Nell Davis, the Farmersville native who founded the nation’s first drill team and later created the world-renowned Kilgore College Rangerettes.

The special dedication ceremony began at First Baptist Church Farmersville and culminated with the unveiling of a Texas Historical Marker on the downtown square. In attendance were three current Kilgore Rangerettes and members of the Greenville High School drill team, the Flaming Flashes—two programs with deep ties to Davis’s pioneering work.

Eric Hogue, chair of the Collin County Historical Commission, welcomed the crowd, followed by an invocation from Bryon Wiebold. Then came reflections from those who knew Davis personally or were touched by her lasting impact.

Elaine Hanson, a Rangerette Forever from 1968 to 1970, described Davis as a force of nature.

“She was a commanding presence,” Hanson said. “She was tiny, but thought she was eight feet tall. She could be kinda scary, but she was great.”

Hanson said Davis not only taught her how to dance and execute high kicks, but also how to live.

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