FEATURE

Jamie Bodiford Brinkley champions her college, her community and the connections that bind them 

Jamie Bodiford Brinkley gets things done.

When Weatherford College’s historic “Old Main” building was torn down, she helped to start the Parker County Heritage Society.

When Chandor Gardens came up for sale, she spearheaded the City of Weatherford’s effort that secured the beautiful landmark as a public treasure.

When actor Larry Hagman passed away, Jamie and friend Marsha Brown envisioned a lasting tribute—a life-size bronze statue honoring the Weatherford native—and helped raise the funds to make it a reality.

And when former House Speaker Jim Wright’s boyhood home hit the market, Jamie again stepped in, helping to bring the City of Weatherford and Parker County together to create a home for the Parker County Historical Commission.

That instinct to build, connect and preserve has deep roots.

Spending countless hours in the presence of Wright probably ignited that desire to be a change agent. She grew up next door to the congressman, and her mother worked for Wright for 35 years. For five of those years, Jamie worked for Wright herself, seeing how the sausage is made firsthand.

“I remember the day that Ross Perot, Jr. went into the office and met with Jim about his dream for Alliance Airport,” she said. “And I remember the day that Robert Bass, who was a member of the Texas Transportation Commission, came into the office, talking about their plans and needing federal support for downtown Fort Worth. It was really fun.”

Jamie saw things happen, which spurred her on to make things happen in her own career.

“You know, there are some congressmen who go to Washington, and I hate to say it, but they’re furniture. They don’t do much,” she said. “Whether you like him or not, Republican or Democrat, he was a statesman. He got Dallas and Fort Worth together on DFW Airport. He brought the Bureau of Engraving and Printing plant to Fort Worth. I saw a lot.”

She later had the opportunity to work for another legislator for whom she had great respect, State Senator Bob Glasgow. She was his district representative, covering 21 counties.

“I think one spring I went to 47 chamber of commerce dinners. I ate so much chicken, I was about ready to cluck.”

Jamie then spent five years in banking, working in Fort Worth on SBA loans. Her problem-solving skills were sharpened.

Then came her true professional calling: real estate. But it started by accident, as she was sitting at a Fort Worth nail salon, with a snowstorm on its way.

“I said, ‘I’ve gotta hurry up and get home; I’m gonna be stuck in the weather. I live in Weatherford.’ A lady was sitting nearby, and she said, ‘Oh, I’ve always wanted to live in Weatherford.’ I told her that some good friends were about to put their house on the market. I put her in touch with those friends…it was Jerry and Vickie Durant.”

The woman, from Mansfield, bought the house and has lived there for two decades.

“I wasn’t able to take a commission for that,” Jamie said. “But I thought, ‘You know what? That would be fun.’ It’s another situation I could just talk to anybody, anytime, anywhere, and parlayed that into a career of more than 24 years.”

Now she’s known as one of the top realtors in the area. But she doesn’t just acquire clients; she makes friends.

“When I moved to Parker County, I didn’t know one soul,” said Linda Murdock, after moving to Weatherford from Coppell in 2008. “Now she’s one of my best friends. She’s just a delight to be around, and she’s Parker County’s biggest cheerleader.”

Jamie can now add “hall of famer” to her resume, as she was inducted into the Century 21 Dick Loughlin International Hall of Fame in May, reserved for an “elite group of real estate professionals who exemplify the highest standards of production, leadership and service while making a lasting impact on their communities.”

Ashley Conlon, president of Century 21 Judge Fite Company, couldn’t agree more.

“Jamie is an amazing realtor and asset to our community,” Conlon said. “She is a giver beyond measure, with an unmatched commitment to her community and her clients.”

Weatherford College has benefited from that commitment to community. Jamie is an active member of the WC Foundation Board of Directors and serves on its Planned Giving Committee, encouraging donors to consider scholarships and other support when estate planning. She and her husband, Michael, consistently give to build their scholarship endowment in the foundation.

“Another one of my greatest mentors was Jack Borden,” she said. “Jack always instilled in me how we should encourage people in our community to give to WC. He inspired many endowments that are still with us today.”

A WC Distinguished Alumna Award winner, she also loves to attend the college’s Ex-Students meetings at the Alumni House on the second Monday of each month. And this summer, she and Michael will celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary with a group led by President Tod Allen Farmer on WC’s first-ever “Travel with the President” cruise in the Mediterranean.

“I wanted to go to Weatherford College before they had all these fancy buildings and classes… I was in the last class at Old Main,” she said. “I had Jack Harvey for English, and it was just wonderful. Everybody was so nice. It made a real impact, and I enjoyed it.”

And in true Jamie fashion, she saw an opportunity for positive change this past spring at her alma mater. She organized host homes for competitors coming to town for the WC International Piano Competition. The Brinkleys hosted a Turkish competitor in their home—one who ended up winning first place.

“I was at an event not too long ago, and I was talking about our more than 30 Grammy Award winners, and more than 50 former Coyotes who have played professional baseball, and someone said, ‘Are you in business development for Weatherford College?’ and I said, ‘Yes, I am, we all are!’ Being an ambassador for the college… I love that.” 
 
 
This article originally appeared in the Summer 2026 issue of The Hilltop, a magazine for alumni and friends of Weatherford College. View the full publication here.