Alumni

Thomas W. Gray

Thomas W. Gray (’53, ’57 M.Ed.), Mesquite :: He served in the Marine Corps as an ammunition specialist in mobile artillery during the Korean War. He played football at North Texas, where he was in the Geezles. After coaching the McKinney Lions, he headed to Plano where he led the Wildcats to their first state championship in 1965. He also coached at Palo Duro High School in Amarillo and at Irving High School before coaching the Mesquite Skeeters. He led the team to state in 1974 and was named High School Coach of the Year for Texas. He retired from the Mesquite ISD as P.E. coordinator. In 2006, he was inducted into the Plano ISD Athletic Hall of Honor. He was married to Peggy Gray (’69) for 56 years.

Nancy Jean Jones Barham

Nancy Jean Jones Barham (’52), Arlington :: She was a resident of Oak Street Hall at North Texas, earning her degree in journalism, and married her high school sweetheart Richard H. Barham (’52) in 1952. They were married for 60 years. She taught kindergarten for 12 years, was a life member of the Texas PTA and was very active in her church.

Pat S. Johnson

Pat S. Johnson (’50), Uvalde :: He was a longtime farmer and rancher in Uvalde County, known as one of the first farmers to tap into the Edwards Aquifer for irrigation there, and served on the school board and the board of the Farmers Union. He served in the U.S. Navy as a ship signalman during World War II and earned a business degree at North Texas. He was married to Beverly Knox Turner (’50) for more than 60 years.

Emmett 'Dick' Dickinson

Emmett ‘Dick’ Dickinson (’50), Houston :: He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II in aircraft radio support and earned his degree from North Texas in physics. He had a distinguished engineering career at the NASA Johnson Space Center with the Gemini, Apollo and Space Shuttle programs.

Patricia Trippet Terry

Patricia Trippet Terry (’49), Shawnee, Okla. :: She worked for the Midwest Oil Co. in Fort Worth before working as a travel agent and in a dental office, retiring in 1994. She was active in her church and was a member of P.E.O. and a sustaining member of the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art Volunteer Society. For many years, she was publicity and fundraising chair of Shawnee Habitat for Humanity.

Bobbie Bryan Coons

Bobbie Bryan Coons, Garland :: She attended North Texas from 1945 to 1949 and worked as a secretary at Don’s Transfer and Storage Co. She also served in her church, playing piano and organ, and enjoyed arts and crafts and researching genealogy.

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Helen Ruth Hester Glover

Helen Ruth Hester Glover (’46), Dallas :: She had worked as a stewardess with American Airlines and volunteered at Baylor Medical Center for 38 years. She was active in the Kiwi Club for 58 years as well as many more groups and her church. At North Texas, she was a member of Kappa Theta Pi.

Frances Pruitt Ashworth

Frances Pruitt Ashworth (’38), Canton :: She earned her degree in home economics and was a Green Jacket. She taught elementary school in Edom before serving with the Farm Security Administration during World War II in Groveton, Crockett and Paris. She later taught in Mineola. After retiring, she tutored students in ESL and was active in her church and in a VanZandt County home demonstration club.

Lorene Holmes

Lorene Barnes Holmes (’66 M.B.Ed., ’70 Ed.D.), Hawkins :: She retired from Jarvis Christian College after 49 years and was named Professor Emeritus. The college also named the Dr. Lorene Barnes Endowed Scholarship in her honor. She was a certified United Methodist Church lay speaker for the Tyler district and a Golden Life Member and Southwest General Educator of the Year for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.

Johnnye Louise Cope

Johnnye Louise Cope (’45), Librarian Emeritus, died Oct. 5 in San Angelo. She was born in Paint Rock and graduated from North Texas in 1945 with a bachelor’s degree in English (pictured as a student in 1943). She earned master’s degrees in English and library science from Ohio State University and the University of Michigan, respectively, and returned to UNT as a reference librarian in 1966. She served as head of the humanities reference department, retiring in 1988, and was granted emeritus status by the Board of Regents. She also had served as the reference and humanities librarian at Trinity University in San Antonio, Her friends say they will remember her for her “gracious nature, her love of literature and her wonderful wit.”

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