Courtney Dianne Deuson (’03), Euless :: She worked her way through school, earning her degree in literature with a minor in sociology and graduating with honors. She taught in St. Louis before returning to Texas and worked at Farina’s Restaurant/Winery in Grapevine. Her family says her giving spirit lives on in those who benefited from organ donations.

Gary Via (’78), Blue Springs, Mo. :: After graduating, he worked as a percussion instructor and drumline director for Dallas high schools and was director of percussion for Trinity Valley College. He also was an in-house composer and drummer for Channel One Productions and a member of The Dallas Cowboys Band in addition to maintaining a busy live performance schedule. He later worked as a session player in Los Angeles and moved to the Jersey Shore area, performing for five years with the EZ Street Band. Moving to Kansas City in 1997, he served as the percussion director for several area high schools and as in-house drummer for Low Key Productions and taught private lessons. He is the author of the method book Studies in Creative Drumming.

Norma Joyce Webb Hartmann (’73), Houston :: She began studying foods and nutrition at North Texas in the 1940s and re-enrolled during the summer sessions years later to earn a bachelor’s degree in secondary education at 43. She taught junior high English and math for the Columbia-Brazoria ISD for two years and then taught high school math for the Angleton ISD for 18 years, retiring in 1993.

John Michael Vance (’67), Dallas :: He had a 33-year career at Binks Manufacturing, working in sales and marketing, and retired from Sysco Food Services in 2010. He was inducted into the Jesuit Sports Hall of Fame last year for his baseball talent. He coached baseball from T-Ball through AAA for the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce.

William McKee (’58 Ph.D.), Tulsa, Okla. :: He was a Professor Emeritus of French horn and music history at the University of Tulsa, having served on the faculty there for many years. He also conducted the orchestra and performed as a member of the faculty brass quintet there for more than 50 years and served as principal French horn for the Tulsa Philharmonic Orchestra. He was director of the TU School of Music for eight years while teaching graduate courses.

Jerry H. Damon (’55), Tillar, Ark. :: He was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon at North Texas. He earned his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston in 1960 and moved to Lewisville in 1964, going into practice as a general surgeon and family practitioner. For 12 years, he was a member of the Lewisville ISD school board, serving as vice president for seven years and as president for three years.

Jack Lewis Akins (’54), Durham, N.C. :: After serving in the U.S. Air Force, he earned his bachelor’s degree from North Texas and his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. He was in private practice and lived in several cities throughout Texas before settling in Waco in 1970. He retired from the Veterans Administration Regional Office in Waco in 1993, and he and his wife moved to Durham in 2009 to be closer to family. 

Mary Elizabeth Durett Stephens (’49), Lawrence, Kan. :: She was a keyboard artist, teacher and church musician who studied with Helen Hewitt and Silvio Scionti and earned a master’s in music from the University of Kansas. She taught there and at Victoria College and had her own studio. In addition to her church playing, she presented concerts regularly and was a frequent accompanist. She also worked for many years at the KU Library. She was planning to retire after 40 years of service as organist at Lawrence’s Trinity Episcopal Church. She was a member of the American Guild of Organists, the Association of Anglican Musicians, Pi Kappa Lambda, the Lawrence Music Club and the Peyton Society and a charter member of the Phi Tau chapter of Mu Phi Epsilon at North Texas. She was married for 62 years to pipe organ technician and fellow organist William J. Stephens (’49), whom she met in a practice room on campus.

Charles O. Onstead (’47), Houston :: He met his wife, the late Jo Ann Park Onstead (’44), namesake of Jody’s Fountain, at North Texas and finished his degree after serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. While completing a medical degree at Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, he returned to active duty in the U.S. Army. He worked at Brooke Army Hospital, built and ran the U.S. Army Medical Research Unit in Landstuhl, Germany, and served as commanding officer of a medical battalion and a field hospital in Vietnam. He was chief of radiology at Brooke when he retired as a full colonel at age 48, then practiced as a radiologist in South Carolina until his retirement at 70. His decorations included the National Defense Medal with 1st Oak Leaf Cluster and a Bronze Star. Jody’s Fountain and Onstead Plaza and Promenade were funded by the Onstead family. The late Robert ‘Bob’ Onstead (’54) was Charles’ brother. Memorials may be made to the Onstead Institute for Education in the Visual Arts and Design Fund at UNT.

Clarence W. Powell (’39), Wichita Falls :: He earned his bachelor’s degree in business education from North Texas and returned for doctoral work after earning a master’s from Midwestern State University. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and taught high school for a decade. He retired as a civil service technical writer from Sheppard Air Force Base and also was a ham radio operator and a member of the American Radio Relay League for more than 60 years. His wife was the late Garlena Belle Henderson Powell (’39).