It was Fall 1995 — an average day in Mr. David Stroud’s history class in the Old Main Building on the Kilgore campus. April sees him walk in. His hat is down low covering his eyes. That’s when she knew she had to meet him — and the rest was history.
My name is Emily Dozier and I am currently a sophomore Rangerette. KC is where my parents met and fell in love, and I am blessed to tell their story here.
My father, Martin Dozier, grew up in Longview playing all the sports he could. Eventually he decided to get serious about tennis, and earned a scholarship to play for the Rangers. The team went on to win a conference championship that season.
My mother, April Cotten (now Dozier), grew up in Central, Louisiana, and was a Rangerette on the 56th line from 1995-97. She was a dancer her whole life, and becoming a Rangerette was a huge accomplishment in which she still takes great pride. She had always admired the grace and poise that the Rangerettes exuded and knew that she would grow and learn so much under the directors. She carries all of the values and experiences she gained during her years as a Rangerette with her to this day. However, when April noticed Martin that day in class, she knew she would leave Kilgore with more than just memories of her time as a Rangerette.
She had a crush on him for a while and finally decided to talk to him at a Halloween party where she was dressed as Cleopatra. He was really nervous and choked on his words a bit, but later mustered up the courage to call and invite her on a date a few days later.
“I remember it like it was yesterday,” Martin said. “She walked up to me and just took my breath away. I’m not even sure what I said.”
They had a nice dinner at Applebee’s in Longview following the KC Homecoming Game, where they were accompanied by April’s brother (my uncle), Beau. After that, they were both smitten. Martin even wrote her a sweet note, quoting a George Strait song, that he passed to her in class. She checked the “Yes” box and passed it back. They continued to date and fall in love as they finished out that semester at KC.
At the end of the school year, they had to go their separate ways. Martin stayed in Texas and joined the U.S. Army in 1996. April moved home and started attending beauty school. They eventually found their way back to each other in January 1998. Reuniting at a mutual friend’s get-together, the two shared the exact spark they had experienced at Kilgore and it felt as though no time had passed. The following January, they were happily married, and on the way to starting a family with three daughters and all that life brings. All this time later, they still look at each other the way they did in 1995 in Mr. Stroud’s class, and the note is framed in their bedroom. April and Martin just recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary.
Today, they keep their love of KC and the community strong by giving back to the college through contributions made by our family business, “Forever Designs.” They custom design items that represent Kilgore and the Rangerettes, such as shirts and sweatshirts, tumblers, cutting boards, and other collectible items. Their work can be found www.foreverdesignsla.com. April runs the business, with the help of Martin who is on his way to retiring as a Master Sergeant after serving 28 years in the Louisiana Army National Guard. As a decorated soldier, he has served multiple deployments oversees in countries including Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as served in rescue and relief operations in disaster areas for numerous hurricanes and floods across Louisiana. Our family is so grateful for his continued sacrifice and are excited to celebrate his retirement soon.
For the past two years while I have been here, they both have thoroughly enjoyed returning to KC to visit the campus, attend football games and other events, and to reminisce on the early days of their relationship.
“Kilgore College is where Martin and I fell in love and I cherish the foundation we started there,” April said. “Our love has grown into something so beautiful and I am blessed to come back full circle to where it all began. Thinking back gives me to chance to really appreciate how much our bond evolved since.”
I will always be grateful for my parents’ time at KC and all the memories they had here. I am so blessed to have had the pleasure of walking the same halls and being a small part of their amazing love story that all started in this East Texas town.
By Emily Dozier, KC Communications Intern
