The epilogue to the book of life of Darrell and Edith Royal's love story is never-ending.  

A Longhorn cultural stamp that represents the compassionate heartbeat of the Longhorn Nation. Their legacy lives on in the form of the Darrell K Royal Research Fund for Alzheimer's Disease (DKR Fund), committed to raising awareness and funding research initiatives for Alzheimer's disease. The heart of the DKR Fund traces its origins back nearly 100 years to Hollis, Oklahoma, where two young individuals began to build a legacy of hope for many.

Hollis, Oklahoma, was an improbable place for a couple to achieve fame in Texas. Edith remarks, "It's quite remarkable that two kids from Harmon County, Oklahoma, could accomplish what we have and meet the people we've met; it's extraordinary." Legendary ex-Statesman columnist Kirk Bohls concurs, noting after Darrell's passing on November 7, 2012: "Darrell and Edith Royal rose from being hard-scrabble, country children in Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl to becoming one of the most distinguished and honored couples in Texas."

Edith grew up poor, but her lifestyle led to a strong, independent woman; she said, “I grew up happy. My family treated me like a queen bee. I preferred working in the cotton fields over housework, and the harder I worked, the more they bragged on me. Who wouldn’t be happy?”  “We were just so poor we could barely make it,” Edith Royal told Sports Illustrated for a profile in 2015. “From one crop to the next is how we lived. So did all of our neighbors.”

Dating

Some say Darrell Royal first spotted Edith at a skating rink in Hollis, Okla. Others say, “Their meeting was somewhat serendipitous; they were both “in town” and ended up walking together while Darrell’s brother walked Edith’s friend home.  

Edith says,  “Darrell didn’t have a car and, had if it had not been for Don Fox — Darrell’s best friend who would drive his Buick 20 miles out in the country to pick up the cutest girl in Oklahoma and bring her in town to Hollis for a date with Darrell — their courtship might have been short-lived.” They began dating and continued their relationship even when Darrell was stationed at army bases for the United States Army Air Corps. 

The Marriage Proposal

Uncertain about being seen in Hollis, Okla., with a younger man, Edith's apprehensions were quelled when Darrell, on a 10-day Army furlough, obtained a marriage license followed by the B-25 tail-gunner Darrell K Royal and Edith's marriage in 1944.

Edith as a Head Coach’s wife- learned to follow the football

In 1950, six years after his marriage to Edith, Darrell Royal began coaching. Edith, unfamiliar with football, received simple advice from Coach Royal: “Just follow the football.”

To be an exceptional coach's wife is not easy. Coaches work long hours recruiting, guiding young men to maturity, doing office work, watching films, public speaking, practicing, and preparing for game day. The most time-consuming aspects of coaching are just one part of the job; the true challenge for a head coach lies in first detecting and then adeptly handling the formidable political egos intertwined with Longhorn sports, as well as a media eager to capitalize on any perceived weakness. Navigating the egos of university officials, Capitol Hill influencers, and professional journalists requires considerable tact and acumen.

In the early years of Coaching the Longhorns, he professionally handled both the long hours and successfully walked the political and journalistic tightrope. Winning three national championships helped give Royal political power and authority that effectively muzzled those waiting for him to make an error in judgment neutralizing Royals enemies during his first 13 years at Texas.

Family and Social Life as a Coach’s Wife

Coach Royal was rarely in family photographs because he was working. . Despite this, Edith and Darrell found time to enjoy life as a couple. They both enjoyed music, social events, charity functions, family life, and the company of great neighbors and celebrity friends- including President Lyndon B. Johnson, Aaron Eckhardt, Gregory Peck, John Wayne, Willie Nelson, and later Matthew McConaughey.

"I handled the responsibilities at home," Edith said. "He never interfered with that, and I never interfered with his job." "He wasn't any more tense for a big game than he was for a little one," Edith told Sports Illustrated of her husband in 2015. "He just wanted to win all of them. There was always a good reason to win every game."

Throughout all the highs and lows of his coaching career, retirement, and illness, Edith was devoted to her husband. She was an understanding spirit, a confidante to Royal , and the prototypical example of the First Lady of Longhorn football.

Tragedy Strikes

In March 1973—the first recruiting season after the AP series and Meat on the Hoof—a university shuttle bus demolished a car occupied by Marian and her two children.

The children survived their injuries, but Marian lay in a coma, and Royal had twenty long days to think about what he had missed in his pursuit of professional fulfillment. Willie Nelson arrived at the Royals’ house but couldn’t find the words, so he played his song Healing Hands of Time. Sportswriters on the Longhorn beat say the coach was never quite the same after Marian died. 

Nine years later, Willie Nelson sang again for  Coach Royal and Miss Edith with tears in his eyes when their youngest son David died in a motorcycle accident a couple of blocks from Marian’s crash.

The Times are a-changin’ for the Royals

Change #1 Recruiting

Coach Royal recruited with integrity, but many other coaches did not. The SWC was a cesspool of NCAA  infractions.  Here is a link that you should read about the SWC - DEATH BY SUICIDE- VIOLATIONS https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/demise-of-the-swc(squarespace.com). It got worse when Barry Switzer started using questionable recruiting tactics to sign athletes. Barry got caught and was placed in the NCAA penalty box for a while, but the Sooner players he recruited “illegally” continued to play for O.U. For Coach Royal, recruiting had become a grind, and some of the high school athletes he visited were no longer respectful of authority figures. During one home visit, one recruit asked Coach Royal to get out of his chair so that he could sit down.  

He sounded angry when the subject turned to recruiting. Royal said about the state of recruiting,

“I don’t care if a coach is on vacation in Greece; sometimes, every day, he’s thinking about some sophomore back home. I’ve gone on vacation and spent two or three hours a day talking to recruits on the phone. Sure, we ruin them. Every year, I read where the top prospects say, ‘I’ll be glad when this is all over. “This is some pressure. I can’t even turn around.” Royal says, “ Well, Earl Campbell didn’t suffer all that pressure. He didn’t feel the need to yank all those old men around. They make appointments with you and not show up. So you think maybe he forgot, maybe he misunderstood. They keep you jangling at the end of their string. And then when it’s all over, they say, ‘I never was interested in Texas in the first place.’ I just decided I didn’t need that anymore.”   

Change #2 the saboteurs

While fans adored Darrell Royal, considering him one of their own, a subtle yet dangerous undercurrent emerged from certain House and Senate members at the Texas Capitol and the leadership at the University of Texas who disapproved of the Royals' association with what they deemed the outlaw element of country music. The less refined aspects of life were relished in the dark seedy bars in Austin, Texas, which was the home of the country music scene. The "academic elites" at the university believed that Royal's image was not befitting of such a prestigious institution. There was a belief among some influential figures that the university, as a distinguished establishment, warranted an image superior to that associated with Darrell Royal.

Sensing this changing tide and refusing to give up who he was to fit an elitist prototype, Darrell Royal and Edith Royal chose to retire rather than compromise their sense of what was right and what they enjoyed.

Change #3 Media and one boy tarnish the ROyal image

Allegations by writers and some African American athletes, including my roommate, along with persistent negative media coverage, insinuated that DKR harbored prejudices.

The controversy escalated when a football player published a fictional book called "Meat of the Hoof," which was quickly adopted by the media and certain writers as a credible source of information. The press amplified the criticism of Royal.

Not surprisingly, this was the same media that had praised Royal for years. Now, influenced by a disgruntled player from the UT team, and suggestions that Royal was prejudiced were written as factual statements. The press changed its narrative in the 1970s, tarnishing the reputation of this esteemed individual. Edith Royal consistently showed unwavering support for her husband through all these challenges. She knew Coach Royal's heart.

Retirement

“I save everything,” Edith said. “I always took pictures. Darrell wouldn’t have known what to do with a camera.”    The Royals rubbed elbows with the rich and famous and many Longhorn fans who were not rich and famous. He treated both with reverence and respect. But most of all he loved those who wrote country Western music because they captured important life events in a two-sentence lyric in a three-minute recording. They were outlaws to many, but to Royal, they were storytellers who were sharing their life experiences through song. What DKR experienced and learned the the Cotton Patch in Hollis, Ok.

They took up Academy Award-winning Gregory Peck’s invitation to come to Los Angeles and visited Hollywood sets where Tippi Hedren was filming “The Birds” and Doris Day was starring in “Send Me No Flowers.”

Royal struggled with the devastating affects of Alzheimer’s in later retirement and lived on the Memory Floor of Querencia at Barton Creek while Edith remained in the assisted living facility’s independent wing.

Even after her husband's passing, Edith stayed as involved with Texas as she could, even attending Tom Herman's introductory press conference when the football coach in 2016.

The Royal spirit  lives on in the Darrell K Royal research fund

" In the first public acknowledgment that legendary former University of Texas football coach Darrell Royal has been living with dementia for several years, his wife, Edith, told members of a state legislative committee Tuesday of the emotional and physical toll. Edith Royal testified  during a hearing of the interim joint House committee studying Alzheimer's disease that  "Every day since Darrell's diagnosis of dementia, Edith says “I deal with the stress of managing everything without my best friend at my side helping me make decisions."  After Coach Royal was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, his wife, Edith, and family friends founded the DKR Research Fund in hopes of helping others affected by the disease and one day finding a cure. The disease took his life in 2012. The Royals, in setting up the private fund, hope that state and private funds will flow to the DKR Fund to advance research of the disease. Donations can be made at www.dkrfund.org. The organization's large board of advisers includes current Texas coach Mack Brown.

Darrell Royal's comment was brief: "Thank you very much," he told the committee. "I feel like I'm home  

“The sad fact is this disease touches most everyone in our state, and the Darrell Royal family is no exception,” Edith Royal says. “The DKR Research Fund represents a commitment to excellence in Alzheimer’s disease research and care for Texans, the nation and the world.” With a vast network of supporters throughout the community, the DKR Research Fund, awards grants to promising research initiatives in Alzheimer’s and dementia, as well as programs supporting and educating caregivers.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to work with Mrs. Royal and help raise funds for neurological research in the state of Texas in Coach Royal’s name,” says Debbie Hanna, president of the DKR Research Fund. “This gift to Dell Med is a sound investment in promising research and meaningful care innovations that will create brighter futures for people with Alzheimer’s and their families.”  

Darrell Royal's wife speaks about coach's dementia, announces fund for Alzheimer's research

 Guests were in for a real treat in celebration of Edith Royals birthday. Photo by David Brendan Hall

The DKR Fund celebrated Edith Royal’s 90th birthday at the Hotel Granduca in Westlake Hills. In addition to paying tribute to Mrs. Royal, who turned 90 on October 27th, the DKR Fund announced the recipients of five research grants totaling more than $750,000. Renowned radio personality Ed Clements emceed the event while Con Huntley provided entertainment for the evening, singing both new songs and old favorites. The gala also featured a live auction that brought in more than $25,000 and special tributes from longtime friends Willie and Annie Nelson, Ricky Williams, Vince Young, David Thomas, and Lowell Galindo of the Longhorn Network as well as Larry Gatlin and The Gatlin Brothers.

Matthew McConaughey, a close friend, could not pass up the opportunity to show his support for the Royals and join the celebration. Photo by David Brendan Hall 

One of the strongest women I’ve ever met moved on this morning,” actor and Texas supercfan Matthew McConaughey posted on Twitter on Monday. “You will be missed Edith but more importantly, you will be remembered.”

Attendees showed Mrs. Royal love and support throughout the evening. First Lady of Texas, Cecilia Abbott, presented Mrs. Royal with the flag that was flow over the state capitol on her birthday, October 27th ,  the Honorable Judith Zaffirini presented a Texas Senate Resolution and City of Austin Council Member Sherri Gallo declared November 5, 2015 Edith Royal Day. Matthew McConaughey, a close friend to the Royals, brought guests to their feet in singing Happy Birthday and The Eyes of Texas to Mrs. Royal. Ava Late, Julie Crenshaw, Rita Hortenstine, and Debbie Hanna co-chaired the event, with sponsorships starting at $10,000 per table.

Edith Royal, Co-chairs, Ava Late and Debbie Hanna, Matthew McConaughey, First lady of Texas Cecilia Abbott, Ben and Julie Crenshaw, Janis and Doug Maund, Council Member Sherri Gallo. DKR Fund 2015 grant recipients: Dr. Sven Vanneste, Dr. Ismael Al-Ramahi, Dr. Kan Ding, Dr. Bridget Hawkins and Dr. Yingfei Wang and 40 of Coach Royal’s former players.

The DKR Fund is committed to excellence in Alzheimer’s research and care for Texans, the nation, and the world. The organization is dedicated to raising awareness and funding research initiatives throughout Texas for Alzheimer’s disease. The DKR Fund serves as an educational resource for patients, caregivers, physicians and the general public for the Alzheimer’s disease. Key influencers, board members and legacy council members of the DKR Fund throughout Texas have continued to build upon the legacy of Coach Royal and fight to find a cure for this deadly disease.

  The Final Chapter of the Royal Love Story- a Longhorn cultural stamp that continues to be the Heart of the Longhorn Nation.

Edith will be buried beside her husband's grave in Texas State Cemetery. Former Coach Mack Brown said, "Sally and I are so saddened to learn of Edith Royal’s passing today. Ms. Edith was a shining light and the first lady of Texas football. She treated us so well and we were lucky to have her in our lives. She will be sorely missed. "

UT's "minister of culture," actor Matthew McConaughey acknowledged Mrs. Royal as the rock that held down Coach Royal during her time in Austin.

“One of the strongest women I’ve ever met moved on this morning,” McConaughey tweeted alongside a photo of him with Mrs. Royal. “You will be missed, Edith, but more importantly, you will be remembered."

 

“Edith Royal was such an awesome person, impacted so many and leaves an incredible legacy with Texas Football and beyond,” Texas senior associate athletics director John Bianco wrote:  “I will never forget how kind she & Coach Royal were to me and my family from the time we arrived in Austin. What a blessing she was, we will miss her dearly.”

With Darrell Royal, 87, by her side and with support from friends including cyclist Lance Armstrong and actor Matthew McConaughey, Edith Royal also announced the creation of the Darrell K Royal Research Fund for Alzheimer's Disease .

Edith Royal spoke of the impact of her husband's disease on her family and praised the support of their Longhorn family.

"It is now members of those teams and our football family that return from all over the country almost daily to shower Darrell with love, engage him in activities, play music, sing for him, take him out for a barbecue sandwich or a ride in a new pickup truck, and, as importantly, provide some element of relief for me. It is not just the free time for me, but I know that those moments with his former players and lifelong friends are pure enjoyment for him, even if it is only in that moment," she said.

 “Loved and admired by many, she possessed a beautiful smile, a brilliant sense of humor, and will be missed by all who knew her,” said David Kazen, an Austin attorney and her grandson.

She will always be the First Lady of Longhorn Football. Ken Capps

 Miss Edith had a Great, Loving Soul ! She embraced my Family, Welcomed us to Texas, and was a Tremendous Ambassador for Coach Royal and the University of Texas ! She will be missed! I am proud to have personally known them Both! Rest in Heaven !  Madd Dog

A real Southern Lady who supported her husband in every step …. And loved it! Patty Clements Jordan

Never met Mrs. Royal but I can’t imagine Darrell would have done what he did without her love. - Jesse Casarez

No other couple quite like the Royal couple! RIP- Carol Sargent Kennedy

We lost a great Lady and a great Ambassador for UT. - Henry Hervol