Gene Jinsiong Cho, 90, Regents Professor of music theory who taught at UNT from 1972 to 2016, died Oct. 27. He earned his Ph.D. in music theory from Northwestern University and was a guest professor in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

At UNT, he taught pedagogy of theory, music theory analysis and aural skills. He also taught a sequence of courses in music and culture of China and Japan and directed field study programs to Asia.

His compositions and arrangements for voice, piano, ensemble and orchestra have been performed in the U.S., Europe and Asia. He was commissioned to write incidental music for a stage play, Confucius, and a musical setting of a literary tone poem, Abraham Lincoln: The Whole Heart, for orchestra, chorus, soli and narrators.

Dr. Cho was a charter editorial board member of the Journal of Music Theory Pedagogy and an editorial board member of the Journal of Music in China. His publications include theory pedagogy manuals and monographs in music theory and historical ethnomusicology, such as Theories and Practice of Harmonic Analysis and The Discovery of Musical Equal Temperament in China and Europe in the Sixteenth Century. One of his monographs, The Replica of the Ark of the Covenant in Japan: The Mystery of MiFune-Shiro, fused religion studies with Japanese cultural history for a glimpse into the interplay of new and old traditions.

He presented lectures, clinics and workshops in theory, conducting and composition in six countries outside the U.S. and was honored by the UNT International Education Committee for his distinguished service to international education. 

Outside UNT, he served as the choir director at Southmont Baptist Church in Denton and later at the Mayflower Congregational Church in Lewisville (renamed Flower Mound Community Church). He also led church programs and initiatives in the U.S. and Asia throughout his lifetime. He's remembered for his humor and wit as well as his devoted teaching and leadership.

A memorial service will be held Nov. 18 at Southmont Baptist Church, 2801 Pennsylvania Dr. in Denton. Viewing will take place at 10 a.m. and the service will begin at 11 a.m. 

Dr. James ‘Jim’ Louis Poirot, 79, of Fort Worth, Professor Emeritus of learning technologies who worked at UNT from 1976 to 2014, died Oct. 17.

He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees and a Ph.D. in mathematics from Texas Tech University and taught at what was then Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos before accepting a position on the computer science faculty at North Texas. He chaired that department and later served as chair of the computer education and cognitive systems department in the College of Education (now the Department of Learning Technologies in the College of Information). He also was an associate dean of the College of Education and was named a Regents Professor in 2001.

Well-known as a computer education expert, he was the author and co-author of numerous textbooks and founded the Texas Computing Education Association, serving as its first president, and the Texas Center for Educational Technology, which he served as executive director. During his 50-year career in education, he worked with many Texas school districts, and he educated teachers from around the world to find better ways to use technology in their classrooms. He also brought in millions of dollars of grants while at UNT.

He was an avid traveler and founded the Caribbean Educational Computing Conference. He was involved in his church and the Denton community, winning a presidential award along with his wife, Peggy, for their volunteerism, and was a rancher and a Texas Rangers fan.

Memorials may be made to the James L. and Peggy A. Poirot Endowed Scholarship, UNT Division of Advancement, 1155 Union Circle, Box 311250, Denton, Texas 76203.

Harriet ‘Harri’ June Aronson, 94, Professor Emerita of psychology who worked at UNT from 1971 to 1999, died Aug. 24 in Denton.

She earned a bachelor’s degree from Douglas College at Rutgers University and completed her M.S. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Purdue University. She also did postdoctoral work at Johns Hopkins before accepting a position at UNT, where she designed the clinical psychology program as director of clinical training.

Her research interests included assessment of verbal behavior, effects of classical psychoanalysis and the status of women in psychology. She published as “H. Aronson” to avoid editors’ biases against publishing work written by women. She also was a mentor to colleagues as well as countless graduate students.

She was known for her acerbic wit and for years wrote “Aunt Academe,” an advice column for women in academia that ran in the American Psychological Association Division 35 newsletter. It provided career strategies and political wisdom for surviving and thriving. After retiring, she traveled extensively with friends, read and continued to learn into her 90s.

A luncheon and celebration of her life will begin at noon Nov. 4 in University Union 406 (the President’s Room).

John Ed Allen, 85, Professor Emeritus whose service at UNT from 1963 to 2017 included chairing the Department of Mathematics for 23 years, died Sept. 22 in San Antonio. He earned a bachelor’s degree at Louisiana Tech University and a master’s and Ph.D. at Oklahoma State University. From 1972 to 1973, he taught at Purdue University prior to returning to UNT. In 1996, he received the Distinguished Service Award from the Texas Section of the Mathematical Association of America and, in 2001, the John Ed Allen Scholarship was established.

He had taught students in the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science at UNT since the academy opened in 1988, and he went on to serve as an assistant dean for TAMS from 2002 to 2011. He was named Professor Emeritus and continued to teach as an adjunct professor until 2017. He enjoyed gardening, going to the gym and symphony and operatic performances. A tree was planted in his honor outside UNT’s General Academic Building.

A memorial service to be held in 2024 is being planned. Memorials may be made through UNT Advancement to the John Ed Allen Scholarship.

Gerard ‘Gerry’ Dobson, 90, of Lewisville, Professor Emeritus of chemistry who taught at UNT from 1969 to 1999, died Sept. 26. He studied at Cornell University and Florida Southern College and taught mathematics in Pennsylvania public schools while obtaining a master’s degree from Temple University. He earned a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry at Florida State University.

He was on the chemistry faculties at the University of Georgia and the University of South Dakota before joining UNT, from which he retired as a Regents Professor of chemistry. He received the first Toulouse Scholar award at UNT, which recognizes the excellent teaching and scholarly/creative achievements of members of the graduate faculty. He wrote 150 research publications in the areas of organometallic chemistry, chemical kinetics and chemical education and was a member of the editorial advisory board of the Inorganic Chemistry journal.

A U.S. Army veteran, he was a member of Alpha Chi Sigma, a professional chemistry fraternity, and served as its national president and as editor of its magazine. He received its highest award for service to the organization and the chemical profession. He also had been a scoutmaster and Explorer advisor with Boy Scouts of America and was a member of Lewisville Masonic Lodge No. 201.

Sara Lundsteen, a Professor Emerita of education who taught at UNT from 1977 until her retirement in 1999, died Aug. 25 in Dallas. She earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Southern Methodist University, where she was a member of Sigma Kappa sorority, and after studying at the Sorbonne in Paris, France, she earned her doctorate from the University of California at Berkeley.

She began her teaching career in Dallas schools, and later served on the faculty at the University of Texas at Austin and the University of California at Santa Barbara before joining UNT. An expert in early childhood education, she was named a Regents Professor in 1992. She studied ways to help children become better problem solvers and the school environments that promote that, conducting research in Sweden.

In 1981, she was named to the International Listening Association’s Hall of Fame for her dedication to education, which not only included her own teaching and research but also her help as a consultant for schools and universities around the world. She was the author of 14 books, creating illustrations for three of them, and as a hobby she sang selections from operas and musicals at Brookhaven College.

Roger Warner, Professor Emeritus of music who taught music education at UNT from 1976 to 2006, died July 15 in Denton.

He taught in North Dakota, Indiana and Missouri and was director of bands at Adams State College in Colorado prior to joining UNT. He earned honors and citations of excellence through the years and served in adjudicator, clinician, consultant and guest conductor roles.

As a professor of music education, he mentored students and hosted a summer band camp for 10 years for middle school students. He taught instrumental methods and supervision courses and supervised student teachers in band. He also was a specialist in the comprehensive musicianship approach to public school music.

Dr. Warner earned music degrees from what was then Minot State Teachers College and the University of Illinois and his doctorate from Washington University in St. Louis.

After retiring, he traveled throughout North America and internationally. He loved his grandchildren, who affectionately referred to him as “Grandpa with No Hair.” He was married to Wendy Warner (’81) for 48 years.

Memorials may be made to the UNT College of Music.

George Papich, 88, Professor Emeritus of music, died July 27.

Dr. Papich taught at Northern Michigan University before moving to North Texas in 1967, where he served as a professor of viola for 33 years and was named a Regents Professor in 1988.

After retiring in 2000, he returned to serve as an adjunct professor and director of the College of Music’s Center for Chamber Music Studies. He served in those positions from 2002 to 2019, when the George Papich Chamber Music Studies Competition at UNT was named in his honor.

As a young man, he toured Europe as part of a virtuoso string trio sponsored by the U.S. Army. He was principal violist of the 7th Army Symphony, Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Richardson Symphony, Dallas Lyric Opera and Dallas Ballet. Active as a chamber musician throughout the U.S. and Europe, he also performed with the Fine Arts Piano Quartet at Northern Michigan University, Shiras String Quartet, North Texas String Quartet, Arriaga String Quartet and Chamber Music International.

He and UNT colleague Edward Rainbow published “A Pilot Study of Performance Practices of Twentieth-Century Musicians” and “Research in the Performance Practices of Musicians” in the Journal of Research in Music Education.

He also made three recordings featuring the works of fellow UNT faculty member Larry Austin on the Folkways and Eridda labels. He was a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America, the Texas Music Educators Association and the American String Teachers Association.

Dr. Papich earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Michigan and was a student of Robert Courte and Mischa Mischakoff.

Tommie Collins Montgomery Lawhon, a former professor who taught child development and wrote about family issues from 1969 to 2009, died June 26 in Denton.

Dr. Lawhon taught at a public school in Victoria before joining the faculty at Eastern Kentucky University. After she married John E. Lawhon III (’53), she took a position as a professor at UNT, where she worked in the School of Home Economics and then in the College of Education when the child development program moved there.

During her time as a professor, Dr. Lawhon was the first woman to receive UNT’s highest teaching honor — the ’Fessor Graham Award. She also was named an Honor Professor by the Student Government Association, was twice named a Top Prof by Mortar Board and received UNT’s Outstanding Advisor Award.

She wrote several stories for the North Texan, including one on the division of labor of chores at home and a cover story about stress. Former students remembered her in a North Texan story about influential teachers.

Dr. Lawhon was a member of Phi Upsilon Omicron, serving as its student advisor for UNT and later serving a four-year term on the National PUO Educational Board of Directors.

Active in numerous organizations, she twice served as president of the Texas Council on Family Relations and was president and co-founder of the Denton Association for the Education of Young Children, where she led the installation of equipment at playgrounds and other services for children. She was a certified family life educator who lectured internationally and wrote more than 200 presentations as well as articles for 125 publications.

She earned a bachelor’s degree from Baylor University, followed by master’s and doctoral degrees from Texas Woman’s University. She also attended the American Airlines Flight Academy in Chicago and for seven years was based in Dallas, New York and Los Angeles, supervised flight attendants in DFW and served as vacation relief supervisor in San Francisco.

Nick Sloan (’05), 46, former adjunct professor in UNT’s Department of Emergency Management and Disaster Science and a member of the Texas Emergency Management Hall of Fame, died June 24 in Sunnyvale.

After high school, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a machine gunner and then earned a Bachelor of Science at UNT with a major in emergency administration and planning and a minor in legal studies. He went on to earn an M.B.A. from Baylor and an M.P.A. from Texas A&M University.

Nick worked as homeland security coordinator at Dallas Fire-Rescue, served as a school board trustee at Sunnyvale ISD and was director of business continuity and emergency management at Baylor Scott and White Health. He was inducted into the Texas Emergency Management Hall of Fame in 2022.

At UNT, he taught emergency management and disaster science from 2018 to 2020, the year he was diagnosed with ALS.

He and his family — his wife, Shanda, who was his high school sweetheart, and their four children — formed the #AttackLifeSloan Foundation with a mission to advocate for and serve all patients with ALS (pALS), their families and caretaker teams. They also were building an inventory of medical equipment to improve patients’ quality of life.

Nick was active with ALS Texas, helping to lead a new veteran support group, raising funds and shining a light on the research showing that veterans are twice as likely to be diagnosed with ALS as the general population.

“’Attack life’ is just kind of the spirit with which I feel I am called to move,” Nick said in a video produced by his church. “I think it’s interesting, when you get diagnosed with something that’s so terminal, you view everything in a different light. Let’s do something with it.”

A memorial service is scheduled at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 1, at Park Cities Presbyterian Church, 4124 Oak Lawn Ave., Dallas, 75219. The service also will be livestreamed.