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John Minter - came here unwillingly, stays happily

By Micheal Boddy
Posted Monday, April 21, 2008

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John Minter first came to Angleton with his family from Spurger, Texas in 1969. "There wasn't much work in east Texas back in those days," Minter said. His father, R.D. Minter, a carpenter by trade, and his mother Madeline packed up the family and moved.

The relocation was difficult for Minter.

"You know how it is when you're a kid," Minter said. "You don't want to pick up and leave home, and you miss it because your grandparents are there and your friends are there."

Minter had also grown up hunting and fishing and he missed hunting deer and squirrels in the piney woods.

"When we were kids we used to go hunting squirrels in the morning and my grandmother would make us biscuits and gravy and fried squirrel for lunch," Minter said. "It was all just for fun. My parents and grandparents always had plenty of food to put on the table."

His new Angleton classmates called him "hillbilly.” He was in 8th grade and he wore his hair a little longer than was locally stylish and his east Texas accent was just enough different to set him apart. However, that quickly changed when they saw that not only was he an excellent basketball player, but also an excellent student.

There were other things he had to adjust to, including being in a class of more than 300 students, as opposed to 19, and having a movie theater in town instead of driving more than 30 miles to get to one.

Before he graduated with honors from Angleton High School in 1974, Minter decided to become a dentist, and he attended the University of Texas.

"I don't remember that at all. It just came up one day and I decided to do it (become a dentist)." Minter said. "I can tell you one of my roommates in college decided to become a dentist because he didn't get into veterinary school. They'd let him work on people but not on animals. That was kind of a joke in college."

Minter went on to get his undergraduate degree cum laude from UT in 1979 and graduated from UT Dental School in 1983, though it wasn't exactly a cakewalk for him. Minter's wife, Enola Gay Minter, whom he married in his second year of dental school, also worked two jobs to help out financially.

"I paid for all my college," Minter said. "I worked summers at Dow Chemical and in the winter I'd work a month. When I left I was a pipefitter and a machinist."

Even with that money available, things were tough, and his parents helped with whatever they could.

"They'd save all their leftovers as seal-a-meals and freeze them," Minter said. "There were times I'd have fried liver and English peas for breakfast."

Minter persevered and became the first person in his family to graduate from college.

Minter with his staff. (Left to Right) Jennifer Ramirez, R.D.A., Becka Ryder, R.D.H.. and Blake Woodward, R.D.A.

Minter set up his first dental practice in Angleton at the corner of Wildcat Drive and Mulberry in 1984 and later moved into his current facility at 613 E. Mulberry in 1992. This is his 24th year as a dentist.

"It's lots of fun," Minter said. "It's like any job. You have your ups and downs and if things are slow you can load up your boat and go fishing. It's less than 30 minutes to the bay, but more often than not I just go home and mow the lawn."

Minter lives in Angleton with his wife, Enola Gay, his son, Randall, and their dog, a cockapoo named "Toby.” Daughter Michelle Brooks lives in Lake Jackson with her husband, Seth Brooks, and their four boys, Brandon, age 10, Ian, age 7, Quinton, age 4, and Nate, age 2. Another daughter, Laura Mogford, lies in Angleton with her husband, Chris Mogford.

Laura is the only child who followed Minter into a medical profession. She became a registered nurse and is currently working as an emergency room nurse in Pearland.

Minter enjoys gardening—"I get stuck doing the florals (for his wife), but I like vegetables," he says—working on his 1969 Jeep, and reading.

"I like science fiction and history. My favorite part of history is World War II," Minter said. His favorite science fiction author is Ray Bradbury.

Dr. Minter still enjoys watching basketball and also enjoys travel, especially to locations that allow him to scuba dive. He is also an active member at the Gulf Coast Christian Center in West Columbia.

And he still hunts—deer in season, and squirrel whenever he gets a chance. Although, he noted, "I don't think fried squirrel will be on anyone's menu any time in the future."

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