Lynna Kay Counts (’66), Dallas. She combined her love for theater and education by teaching speech, drama and English at El Paso and Dallas schools. She wrote a children’s play, The King’s Decree, and directed dozens of stage productions. She was named the 1971 National Speech Teacher of the Year for the Southern Speech Teachers Association when she lived in El Paso. While at North Texas, she was a member of the National Theater Honor Society, Alpha Psi Omega.

Meat Loaf, 74, who went from a student at North Texas to a Grammy Award-winning musician known for his epic rock songs, died Jan. 20.

“I am saddened to hear of Meat Loaf's passing,” UNT President Neal Smatresk said. “Meat Loaf was a tremendously talented performer and one of UNT's most notable alumni. He will be remembered for his incredible body of work, which spanned decades and ranged from unforgettable performances on the big screen and TV to record-breaking hit songs that continue to grow his fanbase to this day. I know his legacy will be — just as he was — larger than life, and he will always be a cherished member of our Mean Green Family.”

Meat Loaf, whose birth name was Marvin Lee Aday, was a Dallas native who attended North Texas in 1966 before he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in music.

He recorded some of the biggest rock hits of all time, including Paradise by the Dashboard Light, Two Out of Three Ain't Bad and I Will Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That), which won the 1994 Grammy for Best Rock Performance.

Bat Out of Hell, released in 1977, was one of the best-selling albums of all time. He also appeared in more than 65 movies, including The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Fight Club and Wayne’s World. He also wrote his autobiography, To Hell and Back, in 1999.

Miles Allen Rutherford (’54), Sugar Land. While at North Texas, he was a member of the Marketing Club, and was a founding member of the Delta Epsilon chapter of the Delta Sigma Pi professional business fraternity, where he met lifelong friends. Miles worked as a CPA, working for accounting firms in Houston, and was a member of the Texas Society of CPAs.

James Dellis Swanson (’69), Bonham. He served in the U.S. Air Force for four years in the 1950s -- entertaining his fellow troops by singing popular Elvis Presley songs and playing his guitar. After he returned home, he earned his bachelor’s degree in English, taught elementary school and oversaw rental properties while caring for his family. He remained active all his life, taking 4-mile bike rides and long walks every day. His survivors include his wife, Jackie Wilson Swanson (’89 Ph.D.).

William “Sonny” Oates (’64), Dallas. He was a member of the Chilton Society alongside his wife, Marilyn. Together, they established The William D. and Marilyn B. Oates Endowment in the Department of Management. After graduating, he moved to Rochester, New York, to begin his career at Eastman Kodak before returning to Texas and establishing several successful businesses nationally and internationally.

R.L. Crawford (’63), Lewisville, died Jan. 17. He was devoted to UNT from his days as a student to his generous contributions as a donor and his service on the Board of Regents.

As a student, he was a football player and member of the Geezles fraternity. He was a member of the UNT Alumni Association since 1985 and a member of the Board of Regents from 1989 to 1995. He also served as chairman and emeritus director of the UNT Foundation Board.

He supported the College of Music, Athletics, the Diamond Eagles Excellence Fund and the Golden Eagles Scholarship Fund and was a member of the President’s Council and Chief Executives Round Table. He received the President’s Citation in 1996 and was presented with the Outstanding Service Award in 2012, along with his wife, Brenda Rogers Crawford (’63), whom he met at North Texas.

His career with Northwestern Mutual began as the result of a campus interview in 1963 and he founded Crawford Financial Group, which operates as Northwestern Mutual in Denton. He received many honors, including Lifetime Member of the Million Dollar Roundtable, a trade association for financial professionals. He also was active in numerous organizations, including the Dallas United Way.

He is survived by his wife and their two sons, R.L. ‘Trey’ Crawford III (’88) and F. Guy Crawford (’92).

Mike Cochran (’58), Haltom City, died Jan. 11. As a nearly 40-year reporter for the Associated Press, he covered everything from the assassination of President John F. Kennedy to the moon landings. He was inducted into UNT's C.E. "Pop" Shuford Hall of Honor for outstanding alumni in the Mayborn School of Journalism as well as the Texas Newspaper Foundation Hall of Fame.

Cochran covered sports for The Campus Chat, then worked for the Denton Record-Chronicle and the Abilene Reporter-News before joining the AP in 1960 at its Fort Worth office.

He had just come back from Kennedy's departure at Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth on the morning of Nov. 22, 1963, when he learned Kennedy had been shot in Dallas. Cochran spent the day at Parkland covering medical reports on the wounded Gov. Connally.

He then covered Oswald's funeral in Fort Worth. Since there was no one there to bury Oswald, he and other reporters ended up carrying the casket.

Cochran originally wanted to be the Texas sports editor for AP.

"But the assassination changed all that," he told the North Texan in 2013. "I fell in love with news."

Cochran also covered numerous crime trials, the space missions and sporting events. He later served as a roving Texas correspondent for the AP. Before he retired, he worked for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 

He also wrote several books, including Claytie: The Roller-Coaster Life of a Texas Wildcatter, about former Texas gubernatorial candidate Clayton Williams, and The Godfather of Poker, about Texas-born Las Vegas gambler Doyle Brunson.

Services will be at 2:30 p.m. Jan. 29 at Greenwood Funeral Home in Fort Worth.

William Derryberry (’73), Cedar Park. He served as chief special projects financial officer for the city of Austin, in which he worked on funding for water and wastewater plants, the convention center and the airport. After retirement, Bill went to work for Travis County. He said his greatest achievement was helping to acquire the funding for the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge. At North Texas, where he worked on an M.P.A. degree after earning his bachelor's in history, he was on the Student Government Association's Supreme Court. He served in the U.S. Army from 1966 to 1970. As an avid history buff, he helped his baby daughter go to sleep by reciting the names of Texas counties and county seats. Survivors include his wife, Shirley Ohlhausen Derryberry ('74).

Donna Miller Wiehe (’51), Cedar Park. Donna was a consummate music educator and performer who taught and performed for 50 years at schools in Highland Park, Beeville, Big Spring, Denton, San Marcos and Brazosport. After retirement, she led the children’s music ministry at her church and then organized and led choirs and singalongs at her retirement centers in Austin. She met her husband, the late Dr. Douglas Wiehe (’51, ’55 M.A.), at North Texas.

Donald W. Clark, Jr. (’62 M.B.A.), Dallas. He served as vice president of investment and investment advisor at Wells Fargo, and he was active in his church.