Muleshoe broadcaster made lasting impression

Feb. 10—Magann Rennels was the subject of news stories in "People" magazine, on CBS Sunday Morning and on NBC's Today Show.

But she was more famous in Muleshoe for decades she spent generating money for good causes, volunteering, raising her family and reporting the news on her radio and television broadcasts.

Rennels, 81, died last Sunday after a long battle with Alzheimer's, family members said.

She was 81.

Rennels' funeral, held Thursday at Muleshoe's First Baptist Church, was livestreamed on muleshoetv.com where she regularly delivered community news ranging from local fundraisers to government actions to interviews with children on their first day of school.

It was that small-town daily television broadcast that captured the interest of national news media.

Pastor Stacy Connor on Thursday told the story of how, in the 1980s, syndicated radio journalist Tumbleweed Smith came to Muleshoe to interview Rennels for his show.

"He came to do a story of Magann broadcasting out of her bedroom in Muleshoe," Connor said.

Smith's broadcast caught the attention of a Dallas TV station, which sent a news crew.

CBS television sent reporter Bill Geist to Muleshoe and Connor said Geist "made fun of Muleshoe."

When national reporter Anderson Cooper came to town for the same reason — to report on this one-woman news organization in this tiny west Texas town of 5,000 — Rennels had lunch with Cooper, but gave him a subtle tease.

Connor told the story like this:

'"Now Anderson, you're not going to make fun of us,' Rennels said to Anderson. And Anderson said, 'No ma'am.'" Connor said.

Rennels and her family — her father Gil Lamb was also a legendary broadcaster in the community — have been telling stories about Muleshoe since the first broadcast of Muleshoe news aired over a Clovis radio station in the early 1950s, Connor said.

When she wasn't making the news, or reporting it, Rennels was forever busy with local charity events.

Connor described how Rennels loved to help with the town's First Responders Thanksgiving Dinner and more.

"She believed that life is made up of the little things, not just great things," Connor said.

Connor remembered how Rennels worked "tirelessly" to raise funds for the Muleshoe Heritage Foundation, which has collected local history in buildings on the west side of town.

"She wrote to national celebrities asking for contributions ... She heard from Dolly Parton. Kenny Rogers donated a pair of boots," Connor said.

Family members said Rennels was an active member at Muleshoe Methodist Church for more than 70 years and her life centered around church and family.

"Every Christmas we baked a birthday cake for Jesus and every Easter she put on a bunny costume and we pretended we didn't know it was her," said Rennels' son Payton during Thursday's funeral.

"She always made each individual feel special and so loved."

She even left a lasting impression on the journalist Bill Geist who mentioned Rennels when he announced his retirement in 2018.

"Geist talked about all the places he'd been," Connor said. "He said, 'And I've been to Muleshoe, Texas, and I watched Magann Rennels deliver the local news in a bedroom in her house on Third Street.'"

"I have a hunch we made a bigger impact on him than she realized," Connor said.