Herman Dwain Alsup

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February 12, 1943 ~ September 22, 2021 (age 78)

Obituary

Herman Dwain Alsup was born February 12th, 1943 to Dewey John Alsup and Alma Odessa Burnett Alsup in Dublin, Texas.  Herman attended Dublin schools and graduated from Dublin High School. He passed away on September 22, 2021 in Lubbock, Texas. He attended Tarleton State College majoring in Music.  He marched in the Tarleton band and was Drum Major as well as playing drums in what would now be called the drum line. 

Before graduating from Tarleton, he obtained an emergency teaching certificate.  He taught band in Gorman, Texas and Dublin, Texas for several years.  After ‘retiring’ from teaching he went on the road with Billy Thompson Band and the Charlie Shaw Band in the early 1970’s playing drums.  He toured 38 states and Canada and had the opportunity to play with the up-and-coming stars of the time like Jerry Lee Lewis, Willie Nelson, Conway Twitty, Jerry Reid, Roger Miller, Johnny Paycheck, Waylon Jennings, and Merle Haggard, to name a few.  With a young family back in Texas, he decided to leave the road and take on a more traditional job.  He never gave up his music and continued to play drums with The Topics in and around Abilene up until the mid-90’s.

He worked traditional jobs including Victor Cornelius & Company in Eastland, Texas and working for Brown & Root on I-20 when it was being built. Herman owned and operated a construction business building restaurants, homes, churches, and apartment buildings.  He owned and operated a custodial service for several years before moving to Austin, Texas.  In Austin, he owned and operated Herman Alsup Painting & Remodeling for several years.  In 2008, he retired and moved to Lubbock, Texas where he and Mitzi built a home and he resided until his death.

In the mid-80’s when Shawn transferred to Texas Tech and enrolled in band, Herman started taking pictures for the Goin’ Band.  He continued this activity until 2018.  He enjoyed his contact with the students and traveling to the out-of-town games and bowl games over the years and helping wherever he could.

In Lubbock, he worked several jobs including Stage Manager at the Cactus Theater and United Supermarkets. Probably, his favorite job here in Lubbock was working for the Overton Hotel & Conference Center as the Bell/Valet Captain until his death. In this capacity, he had the opportunity to meet a variety of people and sometimes give them their first introduction to Lubbock, Texas. 

He is survived by his best friend and life partner, Mitzi, his son Shawn Alsup and wife Amie of Mansfield, Texas, Shawn’s mother Sandra Alsup of Mansfield, sister Jeannette Alsup of Franklin, Tennessee, granddaughters Natalie Scheller of Frisco, Kailyn Alsup of Mansfield and Makenna Alsup of Mansfield, and cousin Tina Alsup Bartek Blair and husband Steve of Granbury, Texas, as well as a number of cousins.  Herman was preceded in death by his father Dewey Alsup and mother Odessa Alsup. 

There will be a memorial service Saturday, October 30 at the Overton Hotel and Conference Center in Lubbock, Texas with Ben Moore officiating.  There will also be a memorial service on Saturday, November 6, 2021 at the Stephenville Funeral Home in Stephenville, Texas with Terry Price officiating. Both services will be preceded by a family visitation from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM followed by the memorial service.

In lieu of flowers or other gifts, the family asks that you make donations to the Goin’ Band Alumni Assn, P.O. Box 64424, Lubbock, Tx 79464 with a notation ‘In memory of Herman Alsup’.  The funds will be used to provide scholarships for Goin’ Band members at Texas Tech.

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