Carrissa (CJ)
Joy Macon
Carrissa (CJ) Joy Macon by Terrah Macon Tidwell
We were sitting in the blind one afternoon waiting to see a deer worth shooting. If you know the Macon girls, you soon find out that we are not the quietest people when it comes to hunting. CJ and I (little sister Terrah) had just finished a bag of chips and were eating some snickers and drinking a coke to wash them down. We had our legs crossed up on the window, when CJ decided it was time to look out the window. When she looked she saw a beautiful 8 point buck. The biggest either one of us had ever seen hunting by ourselves. CJ whispered to me “Terrah as slow as you possibly can take your feet down so I can shoot this deer!!” She was so excited and shaking all at the same time, but then she got him in her crosshairs and shot!! The deer fell right where it was. So excited we both took off running out the door to the deer. CJ threw a rock at it to make sure it was dead and she walked closer. When she got to the deer she started jumping up and down screaming, “Terrah it’s a 9 point!!! It’s a 9 point!!” I have never seen my sister so happy!
Carrissa Joy Macon was born January 24, 1986 to Kimberley Jane and William Harold Macon, in Odessa, TX. She was the 3rd daughter of 5 children, her nickname CJ came from her 2nd oldest sister Mandy just to make it easier. She went to school in Odessa, TX for a few years (Elementary). Then, the family moved to Houston, TX. Here is where she made it through the 6th Grade. In December of 1997, the family moved to the little town of Bronte, TX and she became a big part of the school and involved in the town. CJ learned to love this small community, living in the country and having to drive an hour to get to the closest mall. CJ looked forward to hunting season and loved to play sports, especially volleyball. She played for the Bronte Shorthorns in Junior High and for the Bronte Longhorns in High School (7-12). She also played tennis, participated in Track and Field, and in her Junior High year’s played basketball. She loved her little town she called home and the fact that she lived in Texas! Her passion was to become a vet so that she could help the animals that she loved so dearly because they were the ones that did not have a voice of their own. She worked hard for all the grades she received and knew that hard work was the only way to get where she wanted to be. On May 26, 2004 CJ was taken too early in a one car rollover- car accident just miles away from home. It was just a few days from her high school graduation and wedding that was to follow.
After the death of this amazing person, her family got together and wanted to do something to have her remembered. Jeff Isbell (her brother-in-law) suggested a scholarship in her name. Once it was presented, a Board of Directors was assembled consisting of people that are near and dear to the family. These are the people that have been in her life for so long that they are considered family. Without them this scholarship would not work. This scholarship is for the ones that will have the hardest time going to college, because CJ was a person that wanted everyone to have a chance, to further their education and make a difference in their world. CJ has been gone for more than 18 years now and for her family it still feels like yesterday that they lost this important part of their family. But, her name is still used for good through this scholarship. The CJ Macon Memorial Scholarship has done amazing things the last 18 years. We have two events that help us raise the money to support the fund; a golf tournament that is held in Houston, TX in May and a golf tournament held in Bronte, TX in October every year. The Scholarship has helped to send 80 kids to school so far. Right now the scholarship is available for current Bronte, Robert Lee and Blackwell High School Seniors heading into their first year of college and past graduates from those schools as well. The goal is to help the ones that would like to go to college or technical trade school but would not be able to without her scholarship.
CJ’s favorite word was “Awesome!”, so now that is what we are doing with the scholarship, awesome things and making “Awesome Memories”
