Changes

==Background==

==Background==

Dearen was born and reared in Sterling City, Texas, between [[San Angelo, Texas|San Angelo]] and [[Big Spring, Texas|Big Spring]]. His father, Delbert Dearen (1912-1998), and his mother, the former Thyra Violet Sparkman (1918-1974), are interred at Montvale Cemetery in Sterling City.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=81112898|title=Thyra Violet Sparkman Dearen|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=December 28, 2021}}</ref>

Dearen was born and reared in Sterling City, Texas, between [[San Angelo, Texas|San Angelo]] and Big Spring. His father, Delbert Dearen (1912-1998), and his mother, the former Thyra Violet Sparkman (1918-1974), are interred at Montvale Cemetery in Sterling City.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=81112898|title=Thyra Violet Sparkman Dearen|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=December 28, 2021}}</ref>

Dearen graduated in 1969 from Sterling City High School, at which one of his teachers had encouraged him in January 1966, while in his freshman year, to consider a career in writing. In 1974, he earned a bachelor's degree in [[journalism]] from the [[University of Texas]] at [[Austin]]. His mother, Thyra, died that same year at the age of fifty-six. At her encouragement, young Dearen read [[Edgar Rice Burroughs]]' ''Tarzan of the Apes'' that also played a role in his interest in becoming a writer. He won nine national and state awards as a reporter for two daily newspapers, ''The San Angelo Standard-Times'' and the ''Midland Reporter-Telegram,'' of which his wife, Mary Gilda Dearen (born 1955), is the managing editor.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mrt.com/author/mary-dearen/|title=Mary Dearen|publisher=mrt.com|accessdate=December 28, 2021}}</ref>

Dearen graduated in 1969 from Sterling City High School, at which one of his teachers had encouraged him in January 1966, while in his freshman year, to consider a career in writing. In 1974, he earned a bachelor's degree in [[journalism]] from the [[University of Texas]] at [[Austin]]. His mother, Thyra, died that same year at the age of fifty-six. At her encouragement, young Dearen read [[Edgar Rice Burroughs]]' ''Tarzan of the Apes'' that also played a role in his interest in becoming a writer. He won nine national and state awards as a reporter for two daily newspapers, ''The San Angelo Standard-Times'' and the ''Midland Reporter-Telegram,'' of which his wife, Mary Gilda Dearen (born 1955), is the managing editor.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mrt.com/author/mary-dearen/|title=Mary Dearen|publisher=mrt.com|accessdate=December 28, 2021}}</ref>