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.

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1930s [ top ]

• Olga Taylor Jones (’33), Winnie. She taught at schools in Chico and Winnie, retiring in 1980.
• Cecil Thomas Nabors (’34), Bryan. He taught for the Army Air Corps and the Navy School during World War II. He was high school principal, teacher and coach in Gene Autry’s hometown of Tioga when the legendary cowboy offered to do a benefit show at the school. The proceeds enabled Nabors to transport the football team to out-of-town games in a bus rather than a cattle truck. He retired from the Bryan ISD in 1978 after 44 years in education. At North Texas he lettered in football, basketball and track, making All-Conference in discus.
• Addie Millican Scott (’35, ’37 M.S.), Catonsville, Md. She taught at Stillman College and worked in Tuscaloosa, Ala., schools. She traveled extensively, living in Peru, South Korea and New Zealand during leaves from school.
• Johnnie Gilbreth Maly (’37), San Antonio. She was a teacher and curriculum specialist in the San Antonio ISD for 25 years. She was the author of several teacher’s manuals, books and workbooks for primary-grade reading and social studies.
• Kermit Roosevelt ‘Coach’ Boaz (’38, ’46 M.S.), Beaumont. He was in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He served many years in the Beaumont ISD, teaching woodshop class and coaching football and basketball. At North Texas he was honored for his athletic skill, leading the Eagles to conference championships from 1934 to 1936, and later was inducted into the North Texas Athletic Hall of Fame.
• William E. Harrell (’38, ’48), Stanton. After earning an English degree from North Texas, he served in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II, then returned to North Texas and earned a bachelor’s degree in physics. He taught high school math and science until his retirement.
• Anna May Howard Daulton (’39), Temple. She taught in the Mansfield school district for 30 years. A new elementary school there was named in her honor — the Anna May Daulton Elementary School in Grand Prairie.

1940s [ top ]

• Hazel Geraldine ‘Jerry’ Lindberg Belovsky (’40), Fort Worth. She taught art at Arlington and St. Jo schools and at Texas Lutheran University. She studied painting in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan and was a founding member and past president of the Association of Oriental Art. Her final show celebrated her 90th birthday and featured 70 years of work. At North Texas she played basketball and was a member of the Green Jackets.
• Cecil D. Davis (’41, ’78 M.A.), Farmerville, La. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and remained in the reserves until 1955. He taught at schools in Odessa and Midland and at Sul Ross State University, Odessa College and Midland College. His Midland High School debate team won at state in 1964 and 1965. He also managed chambers of commerce in several towns and was the former editor of the Texas Chamber of Commerce Managers News.
• Vincent E. Drain (’41), Dallas. As an FBI special agent during the investigation into President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, he was assigned to escort Lee Harvey Oswald’s rifle and other evidence to Washington, D.C. He served in the FBI for 35 years, retiring in 1977. He also taught and coached football in the Wylie ISD.
• Virginia Mae Mauldin Francis (’42), Tyler. She earned her bachelor’s degree in home economics from North Texas. She helped with her husband’s business, the Carpenter Francis Pharmacy in Tyler, and served as the first wedding coordinator at her church. She also enjoyed working in her greenhouse.
• Frank Barrow, Denton. He graduated from high school at age 16 and attended North Texas and Louisiana State University. He was in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, serving in Contact Caravan, a unit that entertained the troops. As mayor of Denton from 1958 to 1962, he helped institute the city manager form of government. He and his wife, Betty Ann, founded Denton Community Theater in 1970. They acted in or directed more than 50 productions.
• Charles Evans Bounds (’43, ’51 M.M.), Austin. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II as commander of a sub chaser and taught music at schools in Harlingen, Kingsville and San Angelo. After earning master’s and doctoral degrees in psychology, he worked at the VA Hospital in Dallas and the Austin Child Guidance Center and was chief psychologist for Travis County MHMR. He was in private practice until retiring in 1986. Survivors include his wife, Marjorie Meacham Bounds (’48, ’50 M.M.).
• Elden D. Traster Jr. (’48), Arlington. He was a Methodist minister for 42 years. While in college he wrote Denton County football game reports for the Dallas Morning News, preparing him for later work as a game announcer and occasional referee. He was also a volunteer fireman for Cedar Hill.
• Harold T. Baxter (’49), Dallas. He served in the U.S. Air Force before becoming a CPA. He was the business manager at Criswell College, which awarded him an honorary doctor of humane letters degree in April.
• Grady B. Lake Jr. (’49), Crockett. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II as a radio operator. He was a rancher, cotton farmer and businessman. He was also an avid sailor and a pilot who flew his airplane to round up cattle on his Houston County and Leon County ranches. His wife, Joanne Clark Lake (’46), was his college sweetheart at North Texas.
• L.A. Nelson, Denton. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and the Korean War. A longtime lawyer, he was on the Denton City Council from 1966 to 1970 and again in 1974, and was mayor of Denton from 1969 to 1970. He attended North Texas from 1946 to 1949 and taught business law courses here after returning to Denton in 1956. He was also a major supporter of the football program in the '70s under coach Hayden Fry, who became his close friend.

1950s [ top ]

• Z.M. Cooke (’50), Tomball. He was an administrator in schools in Nome, Medina, Orchard, Deweyville, Warren and Goodrich.
• Mauricia Lou Keathley Fugitt (’50), Dallas. After leaving North Texas, she became a Braniff Airlines stewardess and developed a love for traveling. She was involved in many organizations, including the Dallas Woman’s Club, the Clipped Bees and the Methodist Hospital Service Board.
• William Edward Manahan Jr. (’50), Willis. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He joined Humble Oil in 1951 and retired from Exxon in 1986.
• Wilmer B. ‘Sky’ Green (’51 M.Ed.), Carrollton. He served as a pilot and flight instructor during World War II. He worked in the Carrollton ISD for 35 years as a coach and principal and officiated at area football games until the age of 75.
• Joe Ross Hufstedler (’51), Concan. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War as a forward observer for a mortar company. He worked for El Paso Energy for 33 years and was an avid golfer who enjoyed flying.
• Janelle Roberson Milburn (’51), Fort Worth. She was a lifelong educator who taught physical education in the Fort Worth ISD. She was also active in Camp Fire Girls and Cub Scouts and was recognized for her volunteer work at Harris Hospital. At North Texas, she was a member of Delta Psi Kappa honorary fraternity.
• Frank Todd (’51), Dallas. He was one of the original 1946-47 lab band musicians at North Texas. He played the trombone and played piano in Dallas bands.
• Jerry T. Nitsche (’53), Highland Village. He earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing from North Texas and was the owner of Nitsche, Blackmon and Cryer Insurance Agency in Longview.
• Lella Ruth Biggers Presley (’53 M.Ed.), Weatherford. She was an elementary school teacher for 39 years and an avid traveler. She was a member of Alpha Delta Kappa.
• Leon George Hagmann (’54, ’65 M.S.), Fort Worth. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War. He was a teacher and principal at schools in the Birdville ISD, retiring in 1993 as associate superintendent of administration after 39 years of service.
• Arvin Kinsey (’54), Williston, N.D. He earned his degree in health education from North Texas.
• Ben W. Weiss (’54), Richardson. He served in the U.S. Air Force for three years and the reserves for six years. He worked in folding carton production and the graphic arts business.
• Donnell Ray Whitmore (’55), Denton. He was a Professor Emeritus at Texas Woman’s University in Denton. He taught at Temple Junior College and was head of the foreign language department at Hardin Simmons University before joining TWU in 1975. There he taught bilingual education, English as a second language and teacher training, retiring in 1998.
• Joe Bowen Ernst (’56), Weatherford. He was a bank officer for 30 years, working for banks in Odessa, Hurst, Dallas and Weatherford. He retired from Southland Corp. after 10 years of service. At North Texas he was a member of Theta Chi fraternity.
• Gaynelle Pierce Penalver (’56), Early. She taught first and second grades in secular and Christian schools for 18 years. She and her husband were missionaries for 12 years, serving in Australia and working to publish a new Chinese Bible.
• Lee B. Brawner (’57), Oklahoma City, Okla. He had served as assistant state librarian in Austin, library administrator in Dallas and director of the Waco Public Library before beginning a 28-year career as director of the Metropolitan Library System in Oklahoma City. He received the 1998 Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award, which honors individuals for their defense of intellectual freedom.
• Sarah Egger Nobles (’57), Reston, Va. She was a reference librarian with the Fairfax County Public Library System from 1976 to 1999, when she retired. At North Texas she was a member of the Kappa Delta sorority.
• Ralph Ray Smith (’57 M.S.), Fort Worth. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II as a radio mechanic. He taught in the Fort Worth ISD for 35 years until retiring in 1985.
• Sam Grady Wynn Jr. (’57), Dallas. He was a pharmacist and worked for the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, overseeing pharmaceutical compliance and investigating complaints about hospitals, clinics and nursing homes. He later worked with state agencies overseeing Medicaid and Medicare, retiring in 2001.
• Bobby Haden Bain (’58), Lewisville. He served in the U.S. Army in 1953-54. He worked for H&S Co. for 21 years, retiring as vice president in 1995. He had been a Dallas Cowboys season ticket holder since the 1960s.
• Erma Nell White (’58 M.S.), Dallas. She was a teacher and counselor in Corpus Christi and Dallas schools and served as vice principal at R.L. Turner High School in Carrollton.
• James A. O’Brien (’59), Denver. He earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from North Texas. He was a lifelong traveler who visited six continents and all 50 states.

1960s [ top ]

• Walter Gilchrist (’60, ’62 M.S.), Lewisville. He served a tour of duty in Korea, where he received a Purple Heart. After graduating from North Texas, he taught biochemistry for 16 years and was a consultant with NASA for the Apollo and Gemini programs. He was administrative director of the Department of Microbiology at Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, retiring in 1992.
• Joe M. Hodge Jr. (’60), Haltom City. He served in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper. He was a senior design draftsman for American Airlines and Gearhart-Owen and taught industrial arts for 30 years in the Arlington and H.E.B. school districts.
• Janice Pearl Lane Laxson (’60), Hurst. She was a business teacher for 38 years at L.D. Bell High School.
• Agnes Cook Mitchell (’60), Burleson. She earned her degree at North Texas in elementary education and taught in the Big Spring school district.
• John B. Parnell (’60, ’60 M.Ed.), Durant, Okla. He was a teacher for 40 years in Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma schools, retiring in 1987. In 2004 he was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Educators Association Hall of Fame. At that time, more than 30 of his former students were teaching music in the United States.
• Phyllis Baugh McCallie Cartwright, Austin. She attended North Texas as an art major from 1958 to 1961. Known as the “Realtor to the Stars,” she helped found the Austin real estate company AvenueOne Properties and spent more than 20 years as a real estate broker who sold properties to many celebrities. She was active in neighborhood associations and with the Austin Library Foundation.
• Huey Lee Rush Jr. (’61), Whitney. He served in the U.S. Army from 1956 to 1959 and remained in the reserves until 1962. He was a teacher and coach for 15 years and later owned a construction business.
• Charles W. Powell (’62 M.Ed., ’68 Ed.D.), Fort Worth. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army who served during the Korean War. At Texas A&M University he served as dean of students, director of student services and director of veterans and disability services.
• Wendell Long (’63 M.S.), Dallas. He taught English, Spanish, French, photography and history in the Dallas ISD, joining the faculty of Booker T. Washington High School in 1937. After earning his master’s, he served as assistant principal at Roosevelt High School and as principal of two elementary schools. He also worked at Bishop College in Marshall as director of alumni affairs.
• Billy Doyle Bickley (’64), Denton. He worked as a surveyor for Sprint Communications before retiring. He won several awards for dancing, photography and bowling.
• Larry Willis Blassingame (’64, ’66 M.M.), Keller. He was a member of the North Texas marching band and served for more than 35 years as a band director. He enjoyed playing dominoes and being outdoors.
• Ellen Burge (’66), Tyler. For 36 years she taught English, speech and drama at Ingleside High School. She retired when she was diagnosed with A.L.S. (Lou Gehrig’s disease).
• Michelle Kellogg Gann, Garland. “Mickey,” who attended North Texas from 1965 to 1967, worked as a registered pharmacist in the Dallas area. She spoke several languages and played the flute and piano.
• Dan Christie (’68), Prosper. He coached and taught for the Dallas ISD and later founded the Collin County Land Co., a real estate and land development company he owned and operated until his death. He served as a president of the UNT Trustees and was instrumental in renaming the Men’s Gym in honor of coach Ken Bahnsen (’53, ’53 M.S.). In 1991, he received the Outstanding Alumnus Service Award and in April 2006 was given the Green Glory Award.
• Joseph A. McLeod (’69 M.A., ’72 Ph.D.), Fort Worth. He taught American history for three decades at Howard Payne University and Dallas Baptist University. He was an ordained minister who served several congregations.
• Harry L. Silverman (’69), Albuquerque, N.M. He spent his business career in Texas and New Mexico as an investor and entrepreneur in real estate and the oil and gas industries.
• Billy Morris Sinsabaugh (’69), Fairview. He served in the U.S. Air Force. He worked for Allstate Insurance for 25 years and was a professional bowler.
• Thomas A. Whiles (’69), Midland. He worked in the drafting departments of Conoco Oil and Union Texas Petroleum and later was a staff geologist for Union Texas until it closed. He then worked for Midland Certified Reagent Co., manufacturing synthetic DNA. He was also a painter and a pilot.

1970s [ top ]

• Alfred L. Fremder (’70 Ph.D.), Garland. He was Professor Emeritus at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, where he had worked since 1979. He served the seminary as coordinator of musical and cultural activities and as associate professor of practical theology.
• Vallora Helen Tempel Hibbs (’70 M.Ed.), Cedar Hill. She was employed with the Dallas ISD for 38 years and was a substitute teacher for another 10 years at other school districts. She was an avid gardener with a love for Texas wildflowers.
• Michael Gary Meler (’70), Bedford. He earned his degree at North Texas in industrial arts education and worked for Tel Labs for 36 years as an electronics technician.
• Ronald James Pelzel (’71, ’89 M.B.A.), Houston. He was a human resources financial adviser and CPA for Total/Fina Petrochemicals. He had formerly worked as a controller at Moore Business Forms.
• Myron Lynn Blanchett (’78), Dallas. He earned his bachelor’s degree in social science from North Texas and later worked for First American.
• Annette Ritchey Rucker Robles (’78), Dallas. She taught school in the Plano and Richardson ISDs and was later employed by the Clampitt Paper Co. and the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. In 2004 the Methodist Health System gave her the first Advocacy of Hope Award and last year renamed it the Annette Robles Pink Ribbon of Hope Award, in honor of her work in educating other women with breast cancer.
• Carolyn Kerr Arneson (’79), Dallas. After graduating from North Texas, she pursued an accounting career.
• Dora Loera Ball (’79), Garland. She earned a master’s degree in education from Sul Ross University and served as an educator and administrator in the Ector County ISD for 20 years. She continued as an administrator and educator in the Plano, Garland and Dallas ISDs for five years. Her son, Brandon Ball, is a student at UNT.

1980s [ top ]

• Kay Lynn Goodnight-Potts (’80), Carrollton. She worked in the insurance industry for most of her career.
• Lillian Z. Hinkle (’80 M.S.), Irving. She was a marriage and family counselor for the YWCA from 1982 to 1995.
• Julia Lunn Germany Johnson (’82 M.F.A.), Dallas. She was an accomplished fabric designer and weaver who taught workshops for fiber artists throughout Texas. She was a longtime member of several handweavers organizations and received a lifetime achievement award from the Dallas Guild and the Contemporary Handweavers of Texas in 2005.
• Windle W. Prater (’82), Fort Worth. He followed his father into the family business, where he worked for 23 years. He earned his bachelor’s degree in English from North Texas and liked the works of William Faulkner as well as classic fiction, biographies, history and politics.
• Philip B. Clough (’85), Carrollton. He served in the U.S. Army and was director of project management for Horizon Health in Lewisville.
• Jack Wayne Happy (’85), Dallas. He earned his degree in marketing from North Texas.
• Richard O. McKennon (’85), Frisco. He was the senior partner and founder of the McKennon Law Firm, established in 1995, and was certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in personal injury law. He also founded the McKennon Arts Center.
• Mary K. Berkenhoff Nelson (’89), Dallas. She earned her degree from North Texas in business with a focus on administrative management.

2000s [ top ]

• Wendy Haven Wier (’00), Portland, Ore. She was manager of customer services at the Heathman Hotel in Portland when she became ill in 2004. Her family says she had a gift for communicating through photos, art and poetry. She studied ethnomusicology, collected crystals and gemstones and loved to travel. One of her favorite trips was studying African percussion in Ghana while she was a student at UNT.
• Landon R. Casillas, Fort Campbell, Ky. He attended North Texas from 1999 to 2001. He was an Army first lieutenant who was killed in a Black Hawk helicopter accident in Tennessee. He served in the 50th Medical Company (Air Ambulance) of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).
• Erik Kemble White, Allen. He attended UNT during the 2005-06 school year as a freshman studying business. He was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.
• Gary Clifton Wisler, Plano. He was a teacher known for writing historical novels, most of them for young adults. He had written 73 books and 22 short stories and contributed numerous articles to Boys’ Life magazine. He first enrolled at UNT in 1993 and was working toward a doctoral degree in history, researching the 9th Texas Infantry during the Civil War.

University Community [ top ]

• Dendra Lee Alford, Denton, library specialist, 1999-2003. She worked in reference and information services and maintained several web pages for the libraries.
• Kent Bowman (’77 M.A., ’84 Ph.D.), Justin, adjunct lecturer of English and history, 1989-1993. He was also an instructor for advanced placement American and European history in the Denton ISD for 27 years and worked in the Dallas ISD. He wrote the book Voices of Combat in 1987 and co-wrote Texas Goes to War in 1991.
• Tory J. Caeti, Denton, associate professor of criminal justice, since 1997. Caeti died in an automobile accident near Nairobi, Kenya, where he was working on a project with the U.S. Department of State to train Kenyan government officials about cyber terrorism. Before joining UNT, Caeti was on the faculty at Bowling Green State University and had worked at Sam Houston State University. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University and master’s and doctoral degrees from Sam Houston State. He was a consultant to numerous law enforcement agencies. An educational fund — the Caeti Family Benevolent Fund — has been established to benefit Caeti’s two children, ages 7 and 4. Contributions may be made at the downtown Denton Wells Fargo Bank office or by contacting the UNT criminal justice department at (940) 565-2562.
• Dan Emenheiser, Highland Village, director of diversity education and former assistant professor and associate dean of the School of Merchandising and Hospitality Management, since 1991. Working the last eight of his 15 years at UNT in the Division of Equity and Diversity, Emenheiser helped welcome many high-profile visitors to campus for division-sponsored programs and was presented an Outstanding Staff Award in 2004. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University, his master’s degree from Purdue University and his doctorate in education from Oklahoma State University. UNT added Emenheiser’s name to the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Ally Scholarship in Honor of Mary Finley. Memorials may also be made in support of the UNT Ally Program. Gifts may be sent to the UNT Division of Equity and Diversity, P.O. Box 310937, Denton, Texas 76203-0937.
• Bennie Louise Evans (’38, ’39 M.S.), Denton, acquisitions librarian, 1937 to 1981. Evans first came to North Texas in 1934 as a student working on her undergraduate business degree. She also earned a master’s degree in business and a certificate of library service. She began her career at North Texas as secretary to the librarian and retired more than 40 years later as the acquisitions librarian. Evans was responsible for building the basic library collection at North Texas, obtaining materials and overseeing the book budget. She was secretary of the Friends of the UNT Libraries for many years and traveled the state buying books for the library’s Rare Book and Texana collections. Last year she donated money for the waterfall under construction at the south entrance to the Library Mall. The entrance will be named in her honor.
• Lois Swan Jones (’72 Ph.D.), Dallas, Professor Emeritus of art, 1972 to 1992. She earned degrees from the University of Chicago before completing her doctorate in education and art history from North Texas. She had traveled extensively, photographing art and architecture, and wrote several books on art research and resources. Her final book, Art Information and the Internet: How to Find It, How to Use It, won the Worldwide Books 2000 Award. In 1997 she was the first non-librarian to receive the Distinguished Service Award from the Art Libraries Society of North America for her contributions to art librarianship. Former students and colleagues are making donations to the Rare Book and Texana collections, where the librarians hope to purchase original medieval manuscript leaves in her memory. Gifts may be sent to the UNT Libraries Rare Book Room, P.O. Box 305190, Denton, Texas 76203-5190, or call (940) 565-2769 for more information.
• Wilma Louise Lynch, Denton, nurse in the Student Health and Wellness Center, 1992-1993. In addition to working at UNT, she served as a nurse at Denton’s Flow Memorial Hospital and Wadley Blood Bank.
• Ora L. Lucas Voss Durkee, Denton, residence hall director and housing worker, 1974-1979. Before moving to Denton, she worked with her husband, a Methodist minister, at churches in North Texas and Oklahoma.
• Joy Burnett Wright, Denton, administrative assistant to the dean of the College of Public Affairs and Community Service, 1978-1997. She enjoyed playing the piano and creative writing. She published several short stories and taught creative writing mini-courses at UNT.