Chancellor Erma C. Johnson Hadley

Dr. Erma C. Johnson Hadley, the first woman and the first African American to serve as chancellor of Tarrant County College, passed away Thursday, October 1, 2015 in a local hospital with her loving family at her side.

Dr. Erma Johnson Hadley's Life will be Celebrated with a service of praise and worship, Saturday one hour past high noon, in the Historic Broadway Baptist Church 305 West Broadway Avenue, Dr. Brent Beasley gracious host, the Reverend Ralph W. Emerson officiating.

Dr. Erma Johnson Hadley will be laid to rest in the Garden of Adoration in Greenwood Cemetery.

You may visit Madam chancellor as she lies in sweet repose at her beloved New Mount Rose Baptist Church, 2624 Mississippi Avenue, Friday Noon until 7:00 p.m.

Mrs. Hadley proudly referred to herself as "The Little Girl From Leggett," a small logging town in East Texas. From humble beginnings, she paved the way as a pioneer and trailblazer in the field of higher education. She was a fierce champion for student success and believed that “every student should be given an opportunity to learn and lead in life.” During her 47 years at Tarrant County College, she touched countless lives as a leader, mentor, teacher and friend. Shortly before her passing, she celebrated the College's 50th Anniversary on the banks of the Trinity River.

In addition to being actively involved with the students and faculty of Tarrant County College, she contributed her time and energy to numerous organizations. Locally, she served as the first African American and first female chairman of the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Board, during which she represented the airport to several Congressional and international delegations. In addition, she served as chair of the North Texas Commission, chair of the Tarrant County Hospital District Board of Managers, and chair of the community Reinvestment Committee of JPMorgan Chase Bank, Fort Worth. She also served on the board of Paul Quinn College, a historically black institution in Dallas, TX. In 1996, Paul Quinn conferred upon her an honorary doctorate degree. Other leadership positions include the Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce, the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine Advisory Council, the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, Fort Worth CAN! Academy, the Rotary Club of Fort Worth, and the leadership advisory board of the Fort Worth Minority Leaders and Citizens Council, to name just a few. On a statewide level, she served by gubernatorial appointment on the Trinity River Authority of Texas and the Texas Governor's Committee on Volunteerism, as well as on the board of directors for Texas A&M University Research Foundation. At the national level, she served on the J.P. Morgan Chase National Community Advisory Board and was recently elected to the board of directors for the American Association of Community Colleges. She also served as a national officer and member of the national Executive Council for The Links, Incorporated--an organization of more than 12,000 professional women of color in 276 chapters in 41 states focused on the civic, educational and cultural needs of the African-American community.

Her commitment to education, community, leadership and service has been recognized by numerous awards and honors. In 2013, the National Forum for Black Public Administrators named her a 2013 Lone Star Award honoree. That same year, she was honored by Safe Haven of Tarrant County with the “Legacy of Women” award for her contributions to excellence in education. She was inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame by Governor Rick Perry in 2010, the same year she received the Great Woman of Texas Award from the Fort Worth Business Press. In 2009, she was presented the Distinguished Leadership Award by the National Community Leadership Association. She has also been recognized with a Trailblazer Award by both the Greater Fort Worth Area Club (2010) and the Dallas Metropolitan Club (2013), of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Incorporated. Other organizations recognizing Mrs. Hadley's contributions include Leadership Fort Worth, the National Conference of Community and Justice, Prairie View A&M University and the United Negro College Fund.

In addition to her professional and civic work, Mrs. Hadley had a deep and abiding love for family. She was a loving wife, devoted mother, doting grandmother and loyal sister and friend. She leaves to cherish her memory: husband, Bill Hadley; daughter T. Ardenia Gould (Spencer); sisters, Betty Griffin and Doris McGinnies (Robert); stepdaughters Cheryl Stunstle and Jacquelyn Glee (William); Nieces Bedar Doyle, Zenobia Moret (Waldo), Sharon Brumfield (Robert), and Gaynell Johnson; Nephew Earl Branch (Lacandy); grandson Terrance Stunstle; granddaughters Rachel Glee, Jasmine Glee and Spencer Emery Gould; great grandson Terrance Stunstle, Jr. and a host of extended family and friends.