To send us information about the deaths of North Texas alumni, fill out and submit the online form, send e-mail to north_texan@unt.edu, fax to (940) 369-8763 or mail to The North Texan; University of North Texas; University Relations, Communications and Marketing; P.O. Box 311070; Denton, Texas 76203-1070.

Click on the names for more information.

1930s [ top ]

• Palmer Braly Wallace ('31), Lubbock. She was president of the Green Jackets and a Yucca Beauty at North Texas, where she met her husband of 62 years, the late Morris S. Wallace (’30, ’38 M.Ed.). She earned her bachelor’s degree in home economics.
• R.B. Neale Jr. ('32), Denton. “Bob” worked at First State Bank in Denton while attending North Texas, where he earned his degree in Latin. He served as city secretary and treasurer of Denton, worked for his father at the Denton Bus Lines and served in the U.S. Navy. He was an administrator at Flow Memorial Hospital and a personnel officer for the Denton State School before retiring in 1975. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Denton for 84 years, where he was a choir member for 73 years, and was a member of the Denton Kiwanis Club for 72 years.
• Andrew Clayton McGinnis ('35), Benbrook. He attended all grades of the North Texas demonstration school and then earned his bachelor’s degree in English. He served in the Army Air Corps from 1936 to 1945 and taught radio and TV repair at Central High School in Fort Worth for 23 years, retiring as liaison director of adult education. He was a charter member of Beta Alpha Rho Beta fraternity at North Texas.
• Helen Eloise Anglin Hutchens ('37), Houston. She taught at public schools and served on the faculty and as director of public relations at Kilgore College, where she worked with the founder of the Rangerettes drill team. She later was the registrar at South Texas Colleges and continued in administration when the junior college was acquired by the University of Houston. In 1971, she was chosen by her peers as an Outstanding Educator of America. At North Texas, she was a champion debater and wrote her thesis on speech pathology.
• M. Ray Karnes ('37, ’38 M.Ed.), Hattiesburg, Miss. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was assistant director of the instructor-training department at the Armored School of Fort Knox, Ky. A Professor Emeritus at both the University of Illinois and the University of Southern Mississippi, he was a recognized leader in industrial education, vocational and technical education and higher education administration. In 1990, UNT honored him with the Distinguished Alumnus Award. Memorials, payable to the UNT Foundation, may be made to the Karnes-Bryant Centennial Scholarship, UNT Division of Advancement, P.O. Box 311250, Denton, Texas 76203-1250. Call (940) 565-2900 for information.
• Lois Hawthorne Hurst Climer ('39), Mansfield. She had a 40-year career in education, teaching in Limestone County, Navarro and Corsicana before joining the Dallas ISD as an art education teacher. She was twice nominated for Teacher of the Year and served on the board of Dallas Classroom Teachers. Survivors include her daughter, George Anna Hurst Collins (’70).

1940s [ top ]

• Jean Sansom Buckwalter ('41), Scottsdale, Ariz. She earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from North Texas. Her late husband was in the Air Force, and they were stationed at numerous bases during their 54 years of marriage.
• Vera Dorothy Rumfield Holt ('41), Denton. She retired from Moore Business Forms in 1986 as executive secretary of payroll after 30 years of service. She was a member and officer of the Shakespeare Club Forum Department.
• Syble McClendon Mayberry ('41), San Antonio. She earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology from North Texas.
• Jimmy Giuffre ('42), New York, N.Y. A jazz pioneer, he played in Army bands during World War II before playing saxophone and composing music for Woody Herman’s big band. He gained fame as the composer of the band’s hit “Four Brothers” in 1947. In the 1950s, he launched a series of blues-based folk jazz trios, commonly called the Jimmy Giuffre 3, playing clarinet as well as tenor and baritone saxophone. Later, he concentrated on teaching and composing and was identified with musicians of the Third Stream style, blending jazz and classical music.
• William G. McClellan (’47, ’54 M.S.), Abilene. He was a student at North Texas in 1939 and served in the U.S. Army before re-enrolling in 1946. His master’s thesis pioneered many catfish farming techniques. McClellan, who was a charter member of the Silvey Society, was foreman of both the Lake Dallas and Lewisville fish hatcheries. He served as a fisheries biologist in San Angelo and at Lake Texoma, and did pioneer water pollution studies on oil field contamination of the Pecos River. He also was a Veteran’s Affairs officer for Palo Pinto County. Survivors include his son, Michael McClellan (’62, ’70 M.Ed., ’76 Ph.D.).

1950s [ top ]

• Marilyn Joyce Bowden Coslett ('50), Lake Jackson. She taught in Miles, Midland, Houston and Lake Jackson, primarily as a business education teacher. She was an avid square dancer and an active member of the Lake Jackson Promenaders for more than 25 years.
• Thomas D. Goodwin ('50), Carthage. During his 42 years as an educator, he served as a classroom teacher, elementary and high school principal, girl’s basketball coach and superintendent. He started his career in 1951 and worked in Texas and New Mexico schools. His wife says he “never missed a chance to tell everyone what a great education he received” from North Texas.
• Herman Buck Ballew ('51 M.Ed.), Tahlequah, Okla. He served during World War II in northern France and central Europe, where his infantry unit helped capture the city of Metz during the Battle of the Bulge. He later was a teacher, coach and administrator in several Oklahoma public schools, retiring in 1980. He was a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, and Cherokee was his first language.
• Bettye Walker Burns (’51), Dallas. She volunteered once a week at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas for more than 30 years and was an active member of Dallas Women’s Medical Auxiliary, Northwood Women’s Club, and Bard and Ballard Bookclub, where she also held various officer positions. She enjoyed traveling with her husband and family, especially during the summer months in Colorado.
• Mary Anne Bussey Johnson ('52 M.Ed.), Denton. She began her teaching career in the Castleberry ISD and taught at Meadowbrook and Riverside junior high schools in Fort Worth. She was married to Charles Johnson, former North Texas basketball coach. Memorials, payable to the UNT Foundation, may be made to the Tom and Cornez Bussey Student Scholarship Fund, UNT Division of Advancement, P.O. Box 311250, Denton, Texas 76203-1250, or call (940) 565-2900 for information.
• Sterling Cromwell Crim ('53 M.Ed.), Beaumont. He served in the U.S. Army in the Philippines after World War II. A lifelong scholar who earned six degrees and continued to study German and Spanish after retirement, he taught mathematics for 43 years at the junior high, high school, junior college and university levels. His 31 years with Lamar University included two years in Malaysia for an international teaching program. Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Mary Louise Mayes Crim (’54), whom he met at North Texas.
• Jay R. Thompson ('53, ’55 M.A.), Jacksboro. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II, serving aboard the USS San Francisco and earning 11 battle stars in addition to other decorations. He attended the 50th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor with his wife and the 60th and 65th anniversaries with his daughters. After earning his North Texas degrees on the G.I. Bill, he taught in Nocona, Denton and later in Mesquite, where he was principal of C.A. Tosch Elementary School. The Jay R. Thompson Elementary School in the Mesquite ISD is named in his honor.
• James Clifton Gill (’54), Sanger. He served as an accountant at Texaco for 31 years. Survivors include his wife, Jeannine Gill (’54, ’59 M.Ed.).
• Gregory Eugene Traster ('55, ’60 M.Ed.), Dallas. “Gene” worked with the Dallas ISD for 33 years as an elementary school teacher. He was active in the Texas State Teachers Association before and after retirement and was a volunteer for many hospitals, charities, schools and church groups.
• Thomas Piner ('57), Plano. He served in the U.S. Navy and spent 17 years in the naval reserve. He was employed at Wyeth Laboratories for 34 years, including 17 years in Dallas as a district manager. At North Texas, he was a proud member of Sigma Phi Epsilon. He met his fraternity brothers every Thursday at the McKinney municipal golf course, where he was known as “Eagle Eyes” because of his talent for finding missing golf balls.
• William Michael Bailey ('59), Chestertown, Md. He taught economics at Washington College for more than three decades. As chair of the department from 1975 to 1987, he was credited with turning economics into one of the college’s most popular majors. He received a heart transplant in 1988 and became an outspoken advocate for organ donation.

1960s [ top ]

• William Preston Cox ('60), Pilot Point. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was a former teacher at Justin F. Kimball, Carter and W.T. White high schools in Dallas. He enjoyed teaching history and government and stirring interest in his students for world affairs and politics. He also did graduate work at North Texas.
• Grace Griffin Hall ('60), Denton. She taught first grade at Stonewall Jackson Elementary and was a resident of Denton for more than 90 years. She volunteered for the Food Center and was a member of the Faculty Wives at North Texas. Her late husband, William Thomas Hall (’35, ’38 M.A.), was on the English faculty from 1946 until his death in 1971.
• Albert Leslie Bragg ('61), Dallas. “Les” earned his degree in accounting from North Texas and later graduated from Southern Methodist University with a law degree.
• Walter G. Mize ('61), Cleburne. During college, he sold insurance for Commercial Standard Life Insurance Co., later buying and selling the company. He was involved in the oil and gas business, and his development ventures included apartments, condominiums, shopping centers and office buildings. He also had two ranches and was one of the first Chianina cattle breeders in the country.
• John Bovey ('63, ’64 M.S., ’71 Ph.D.), Amarillo. He was chief psychologist at Pantex for about 15 years. He moved to Amarillo in 1990 to open the Program for Aggressively Mentally Ill Offenders at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and was a member of the hostage negotiation team and critical stress debriefing team. He also was the owner of Party America and was a ship captain and dive master in the Virgin Islands.
• Sarah E. Jordan ('64), Boerne. She taught fourth grade in the Richardson ISD for 20 years. She traveled all over the world and especially liked England and Australia.

1970s [ top ]

• William Laney ('71), McKinney. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War as an avionics technician aboard both the USS Enterprise and USS Ranger. After college, he worked as an accountant in Fort Worth before moving to Dallas and working for Lincoln Property Co. He retired in 2000 from the Paragon Group as vice president of multi-family development.
• Gloria Brown Jeffrey ('73 M.S.), Plano. She worked for the Texas Employment Commission and later as an educator and counselor at Richland Community College.
• Alice Craighead ('76 M.S.), Fort Worth. She was a sixth-grade teacher for eight years and an elementary school librarian for 22 years, 18 of those in Crowley. Passionate about books and reading, she founded the Association of Region XI School Librarians and served as director from 1976 to 1984. She bicycled in the United States and Europe and celebrated her 50th birthday by biking 100 miles in 24 hours.
• Cathleen Conley ('78, ’87), Garland. She earned degrees in psychology and computer science.
• Charles David Glass ('79, ’85 M.B.A.), Denton. He was a custom home builder in and around Denton for 20 years. He was an active supporter of Denton public schools, serving on the Denton ISD bond committee in 2004 and as president of the Denton High School Gridiron Club.

1980s [ top ]

• Doris Evelyn Coffey DuBose ('84 M.Ed.), Rusk. She retired as a teacher from the Birdville ISD in 1994 after 25 years. She was a member of Toastmasters International.

1990s [ top ]

• Sylvester Ralph 'Bubby' Bright III ('93 M.Ed.), Duncanville. He served in the U.S. Army before beginning his teaching career in Florida. He moved to Dallas to become a flight attendant for Braniff International, then returned to teaching and served as principal of the Billy Earl Dade Learning Center in South Dallas. He retired in 2005 but returned to the classroom to teach math at Thomas Edison Middle School.
• Jennifer Elaine Garbart Medina, North Richland Hills. She attended North Texas in 1998 and was an accomplished clarinetist who loved all kinds of music.

2000s [ top ]

• Ashley Parra, Dallas. She was a junior majoring in Spanish who came to North Texas in the spring 2008 semester.

University Community [ top ]

• The Rev. Gustave A. 'Gus' Ferré, Topeka, Kan., vice president for academic affairs, 1971-1988. He earned undergraduate degrees from Boston University and Andover Newton Theological School, did graduate work at Yale Divinity School and earned his doctorate from Vanderbilt. In addition to serving as vice president for academic affairs, he served as vice president for medical affairs in 1975, as the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine became integrated into the state system. After retiring from administration, he continued to teach part-time in the philosophy department at North Texas until 1988.
• Keith J. Harper, Keene, lecturer in chemistry, 1978-1988. He completed his bachelor’s degree at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, a master’s degree from the University of Wyoming in Laramie, and master’s and doctoral degrees from Baylor University. He taught at Southwestern Adventist College and Texas Christian University before joining North Texas, where he directed graduate students preparing to teach high school chemistry. In addition to chemical education, his interests included nutrition and mammalian biochemistry.
• Nancy Walker Patton (’71, ’76 M.S.), Houston, lecturer in physical education and fitness coordinator, 1974-1978, 1982-1985. She was a physical education teacher and coach at schools in Corinth, Denton, Lubbock and San Antonio, as well as at the Institute for Aerobics Research and Jacki Sorensen’s National Program of Aerobic Dancing in Dallas and the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Worth. She ran 25 marathons, including the Boston Marathon, and once ran a 50-mile event in just under eight hours. At North Texas, she was a member of Chi Omega and the Green Jackets and was a cheerleader before she joined the faculty and coached women’s gymnastics. Memorials, payable to the UNT Foundation, to plant a tree in her memory on campus may be made to the UNT Nancy Patton Fund, UNT Division of Advancement, P.O. Box 311250, Denton, Texas 76203-1250. Call (940) 565-2900 for information.
• John W. Plunkett, Edmond, Okla., Professor Emeritus of education, 1956 to 1984. After serving as an officer in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he completed his bachelor’s degree in secondary education at Abilene Christian College and earned master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Colorado. He was a sponsor for the Student Education Association and Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity at North Texas for many years. Memorials, made payable to the UNT Foundation, may be sent to the UNT Division of Advancement, P.O. Box 311250, Denton, Texas 76203-1250. For more information, call (940) 891-6849 or e-mail mbethea@unt.edu.