Ernie Deats is a fourth generation Dickinsonian (Dickinson, Texas) of which he is very proud. His great grandparents, W.S. and Jane settled in Dickinson in 1872 along Dickinson Bayou. He attended Dickinson schools, graduating in 1958. Upon obtaining his B.S. degree from Sam Houston State University in 1962, he taught school and coached for four years. He then entered the business world, owning an interest in a number of agriculture-related ventures. Through the years, he has continued to farm and ranch on the prairies of the Gulf Coast. He reside with his beautiful wife Kathy, south of Dickinson on the K-Bar Ranch. He still remains a member of the Methodist Church and serves on the board. With his love for Dickinson and its rich history, he has earned the unofficial title of Dickinson's Historian, of which he is very proud.