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August 7, 2008

By Jim Richardson The Democrat Thu Aug 07, 2008, 05:18 PM CDT

One of the main points of interest in Pauls Valley is the Toy and Action Figure Museum located on South Chickasaw Street.

The world class museum is staffed with tour guides who not only show visitors the various displays, but also explain some of the lesser-known facts about the numerous items housed within the facility’s walls.

One local man who serves two days a week as a tour guide and valuable source of information at the museum is Pauls Valley native Dean Wall.

“I work at the museum on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. My position is a docent — a person involved in the educational programs of a museum.

“I take visitors on guided tours and tell them things about the toys and displays about which most people aren’t aware. For example, when people walk through the door most of them don’t know the toys have to be designed and sculpted before they can ever be manufactured,” Wall explained.

“I also make them aware of the fact we have a professional toy designer right here in Pauls Valley — Kevin Stark — and a nationally acclaimed toy sculptor just over in Purcell, named Kyle Windrix. Imparting that kind of information makes me feel like visitors are getting their money’s worth.”

Wall said he was born and raised in Pauls Valley but later moved to a home between Vanoss and Roff where he spent the greater part of his youth. The family eventually moved back to Pauls Valley in time for Wall to spend his last school years here before graduating in 1978.

The next phase of Wall’s life brought him a stint in the United States Navy. After finishing his tour of duty at the world’s largest U. S. naval base in Norfolk, Virginia, Wall decided to stay in the area where he resided for the next 20 years.

In August of 2002 Wall thought it was time to return to his home town and in November of 2005 started serving as a volunteer at the Toy and Action Figure Museum.

Wall said he enjoys looking over the many fascinating displays found in the museum but is especially impressed with the items created by toy sculptor Kyle Windrix and the many products on display in the Oklahoma Cartoonists Collection.

“Kyle’s designs are just amazing! He has one piece on display here from the Terminator. It’s a model that has all interlocking, totally moveable parts and he did it all by hand. It’s a one-of-a kind,” Wall exclaimed.

“Another thing I’m impressed with is the Oklahoma Cartoonists Collection. It’s really a museum within a museum. It has its own curator and Hall Of Fame. The collection features people from all over the state of Oklahoma who worked professionally in the cartoon industry including our own Kevin Stark.”

Wall said he highly recommends people taking time out to visit the Toy and Action Figure Museum, stating, “It has the greatest diversity of action figures on such a grand scale you’ll find anywhere and we have the best Hot Wheels race in the entire state throughout the entire year.”

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