Kenneth Tyrone Ballom, 56, dean of students at UNT from 1998 to 2008, died Jan. 11.

He came to UNT in 1995, first working as assistant dean of students for three years before being promoted. While at UNT, he also spearheaded the establishment of the volunteer center and served on boards supervising the construction of Sorority Row, the Waranch Tennis Complex and the Pohl Recreation Center.

He had previously worked as an assistant hall director at Western Illinois University and as a counselor and director of Student Support Services at Sauk Valley Community College in Dixon, Illinois.

After his time at UNT, he served as associate vice chancellor and dean of students for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He was known for his tireless work and advocacy for students and gave many presentations on finding solutions for them.

He received his bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University-Commerce and his master’s degree from Western Illinois University, and he had completed all but his dissertation for a doctorate in higher education from UNT.

A Celebration of Life will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, in the Jade Ballroom of UNT’s University Union.

Cory Johnson, 43, of Denton, a food service specialist who had worked at Eagle Landing for Dining Services for more than two years, died Jan. 11. Family members remember him as someone who was kind, generous and open-hearted to everyone. He loved people, his family and his church and was a big Dallas Cowboys fan.

The viewing and visitation will take place from noon to 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20, at Peoples Funeral Home, 1122 Mulberry Street, in Denton. The homegoing celebration will take place at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21, at St. Andrew Church of God in Christ, 608 Lakey Street, in Denton.

Diana Bracken, 60, of Lewisville, a photographer who worked as creative director for UNT’s public relations and communications division from 1997 to 2007, died Dec. 5, 2022, in Dallas.

A lifelong artist, she served various roles throughout her career -- photojournalist, custom printer, prepress coordinator, graphic designer, creative director and brand manager – for employers including News Star in Monroe, Albritton’s Camera in Austin, U.S. Bowling Congress, Sally Beauty and Denton ISD, in addition to UNT.

Co-workers remember her as a very creative person, a kind friend and a great collaborator. She worked on many of the North Texan issues as well as other university publications in her years at what is now University Brand Strategy and Communications.

She also was a strong believer in social justice and was active in her church. She loved hanging out at the beach and art museums and listening to music.

Joe Glenn Stewart (’71 Ed.D.), 85, of Denton, who held various high-ranking positions at UNT – including associate director of housing, dean of students and vice president of student affairs – died Dec. 28.

During his years of service at UNT from 1971 to 1998, one of his biggest initiatives came in 1995, when he helped spearhead a one-stop service for students, soon known as the Eagle Student Services Center, that consolidated several enrollment-related support offices into one building.

Dr. Stewart and his late wife, Judy (’84), received UNT’s Continuing Academic and Professional Service Council Award for exemplary service to the university and to the Denton community in 2003 and UNT’s Outstanding Alumni Service Award in 2004. Dr. Stewart also received the College of Education Outstanding Alumnus Award. He was a life member of the UNT Alumni Association, served on the association’s board and was a member of the Mean Green Scholarship Fund.

The Stewarts established The Dr. Joe and Judy Stewart Scholarship in 2001 to provide opportunities for undergraduate students at the university. Dr. Stewart became a member of the Chilton Society in 2018. He received his bachelor’s degree from New Mexico State University and his master’s degree from the University of Texas at El Paso. He was a sports fan and avid traveler.

Kenneth “Kenny” Anderson, 60, of Ponder, a food service specialist at Chick-fil-A in the University Union, died in November. Kenny first worked at UNT from 2010 to August 2018, then returned in 2019. He was a very talented handyman and always willing to help out. His coworkers remember Kenny as a person full of humor who loved to share his jokes.

Clara Anne Buttafuoco George, 85, of Lewisville, died Oct. 23. She was a licensed vocational nurse who worked at UNT from 1989 to 2006. She enjoyed spending time with her family — which included nine grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren — and she loved being out at the lake.

Bill Brashier (‘52, ’59 M.S.), 93, a former football player and coach whose skills earned him a spot in the North Texas Athletics Hall of Fame, died Nov. 4.

He was a defensive back, quarterback and punter for North Texas from 1949 to 1951, and set two records that still stand today – single season interceptions (10 in 1951) and career interceptions (19). In 2013, he was named to the North Texas All-Century team as one of the 12 best defensive players in the school’s history.

He served as an assistant football coach for 11 years at North Texas for Rod Rust and Hayden Fry. Then he followed Fry to the University of Iowa, where he was a defensive coach and coordinator for 17 years. He helped build the Iowa program into a Big Ten contender, producing All Americans and top defenses, and is remembered as a great mentor to players and coaches alike.

In 1978, the Mean Green topped three defensive categories in the NCAA while he was defensive coordinator.

He also served in the U.S. Navy for three years.

Betty Norwood, 86, of Denton, who worked for UNT for more than 43 years as an assistant to the chair in the chemistry and physics departments, died Aug. 3. She came to UNT in 1969 and retired reluctantly in 2014 at age 78. She was most happy planning events and supporting the departments. She had survived breast cancer and is remembered for her generosity and devotion to family. Known for her sense of humor and storytelling, she enjoyed writing poems and short stories and was an avid traveler.

A “Celebration of Life” will take place at 11 a.m. Sept. 10 at the University Union, Room 382.

Debra Khoury, 66, who had worked in the accounts payable/travel area of the UNT System finance office, died June 15 in Denton. A graduate of Denton High School, she studied accounting at UNT and married her soulmate, Iseed Khoury (’91), in 1979. She began her career at the university in 1983 as an inventory clerk in the property and inventory control area and retired from the UNT System in 2016 as a payment analyst. In 2008, she earned UNT’s Steve Miller Outstanding Employee Award for her positive contributions to her department. Her family and friends remember her as warm, tenacious and unwaveringly kind. She loved going to church and the movies and was known as the “fun aunt” in her family. Survivors in addition to her husband include her children, Camille (’11) and Trevor (’11).

Gene Bilney, 72, who worked in the Science and Technology Library at UNT from 1985 to 2008, died April 12 in Cherokee, Iowa. Born in Nebraska, he attended high school in Spirit Lake, Iowa, and then Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, before heading for Texas. He studied library science, English literature and theology, attending graduate school at UNT from 1981 to 1988. He also enjoyed walking, traveling, genealogy, movies, antique sales, collecting books and listening to audio books.