Information about the deaths of the following alumni was received in the Office of Development. Please send information to University of North Texas, Alumni Records, P.O. Box 311250, Denton, Texas 76203-1250, fax to (940) 565-4519, send e-mail to alumnirecords@unt.edu or fill out the online form.

Click on the names for more information.

1930s [ top ]

• Juanita D. Morgan Presson-Naylor ('31), Lufkin. She earned her bachelor's degree from North Texas in business education.
• Pauline Block Autry ('33, '57 M.B.Ed.), Gunter. She taught business and math classes in Tioga and Gunter for 38 years.
• Wiley Housewright ('34), Tallahassee, Fla. He taught at the Florida State University School of Music for 32 years and was a longtime member of the Society for American Music. The society's Wiley Housewright Dissertation Award is named in his honor.
• Theda Ramee Scott ('36), Amarillo. She earned her degree from North Texas in history.
• Otis L. Hudson ('37), Orange. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was on a ship in Tokyo Bay on VJ Day. He taught for four years at Buna High School and worked for the DuPont Co. in Orange as a cost accountant for 32 years.
• Lela Jo Binkley Barnes ('38), Dallas. She taught at schools in East Texas, Collin County, Mesquite and Garland, retiring from Williams Elementary School in Garland in 1976.

1940s [ top ]

• Ruel Richard 'R.R.' Hyman ('40), Denton. A Denton County rancher, he taught and coached at Tom Bean and Van Alstyne before joining Denton High School, where he worked for 29 years as a biology teacher and counselor. He served in the Army during World War II, fighting in the Battle of the Bulge.
• Dorothy Hall Reichenstein ('43), Corpus Christi. She earned her bachelor's degree from North Texas in health education.
• Lois Monk Watson ('44), Dallas. She was the society and fashion editor for the Park Cities News for 25 years and had worked at Neiman Marcus and in the fashion industry in Dallas. She was instrumental in creating what is now the Texas Fashion Collection at UNT. In 1999, she received UNT's Ulys Knight Spirit Award.
• Joanne McCulley ('48 M.A.), Waco. She received her master's degree from North Texas in art education.
• Lewis Gale McDonald ('48), Denton. He was retired from the U.S. Air Force and was a life member of the National Rifle Association, the Texas State Rifle Association and the Retired Officers Association.
• Marion 'Toppy' Hill ('49, '63 M.S.), Hurst. He was a teacher, coach and administrator at Bell High School in the Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD before retiring. He was a veteran of World War II and the Korean War. At North Texas he was a member of the Geezles.

1950s [ top ]

• Maurice 'Mac' McLain ('50), Dallas. He practiced law in Dallas for more than 30 years, ending his career as a partner at the firm of Baker, Glast & Middleton. He was chair of the Real Estate Specialization Licensing Board of the Texas State Bar.
• Mary Mildred Carden ('51 M.A.), Longview. She taught art at the North Texas lab school for the majority of her career.
• James Eugene 'Bud' Johnson ('51), Georgetown. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II in the South Pacific as a torpedo man. He worked for Texaco, Mid-West Oil Co. and AMAX, from which he retired.
• Eileen Ruth Kennedy Williams ('51), Temple. She earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education from North Texas.
• Noble Willingham ('53), Palm Springs, Calif. An actor, he was best known for his role of the saloon owner and Chuck Norris' mentor on the CBS-TV series Walker, Texas Ranger, from 1993 to 1999, and for roles in films such as The Last Picture Show and Paper Moon.
• Henry M. Boenker ('56), Lewisville. He owned Lewisville Lumber and Hardware for many years and had been a volunteer fireman and city council member. He also served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.
• James E. Crowe (56), Lubbock. He sang in the North Texas A Cappella Choir as a freshman and performed in Dallas summer musicals. After serving in the U.S. Navy, he spent most of his business career with Herman Miller Furniture Co. and Knoll International. He was a well-known artist whose sculptures and mobiles are in many private and public collections.
• James L. Hart ('56), Ennis. He was employed by Southern Pacific Railroad for 13 years. He also taught English, music and history for the Ennis school district. He served in the U.S. Army, and he worked for Ennis Business Forms for 16 years.
• Thomas Wright III ('58), Emporia, Kan. He earned his bachelor's degree from North Texas in music education.

1960s [ top ]

• Arthur Campbell Bennison ('60), Orlando, Fla. He graduated from North Texas with a bachelor's degree in biology.
• W. Beatrice McKenzie ('60), Lewisville. She taught kindergarten and first grade in Lewisville and Coppell for 30 years, retiring in 1979. She taught in rural schools around Lewisville when a four-year degree was not required and returned to finish college when she was 47 years old.
• Karen Cox Welch ('62), Fort Worth. She graduated from North Texas with a bachelor's degree in home economics.
• Carolyn S. Arnold ('66, '69 M.Ed.), Fort Worth. She was a retired teacher and business owner.
• Paulette Todar ('68), Waco. She earned her bachelor's degree in art from North Texas.
• Frank Mantooth ('69), Garden City, Kan. He was a jazz pianist, composer and arranger whose work received 11 Grammy nominations. He contributed arrangements as a member of the Air Force Academy Falconaires and wrote music for Doc Severinsen and the Kansas City and Madison symphony orchestras.

1970s [ top ]

• Frances 'Fran' Edwards Faris ('70 M.A.), Dallas. She was president of the Dallas League of Women Voters and volunteered for the Oak Cliff Churches for Emergency Aid. She was a member of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Oak Cliff, where she had served as president of the board of trustees.
• William S. Lebegern ('70 M.M.E.), Mackinaw City, Mich. He taught high school instrumental music in San Antonio and Las Vegas and played professionally, working on cruise ships and in Orlando, Fla., and Portland, Ore., before playing in the Glenn Miller Orchestra in Branson, Mo. Most recently he was musical director of a stage show in Mackinaw City.
• Julie Morrison Walton ('70), Coppell. She earned a bachelor's degree from North Texas in business education.
• Joe M. Dodd Jr. ('72), Denton. He graduated from North Texas with a bachelor's degree in English.
• Stephen A. Harper ('72), Lewisville. He studied banking and finance at North Texas and was a restaurant owner.
• Julian Bishop ('73), Garland. He received his bachelor's degree from North Texas in journalism.
• Teresa Louise Christensen Benjamin ('74), Robbinsdale, Minn. She received her bachelor's degree from North Texas in music education.
• Virginia Barnes ('76), Decatur. She earned her bachelor's degree from North Texas in elementary education.
• Michael E. Cundiff ('76), Chino Hills, Calif. He earned his bachelor's degree in marketing from North Texas.
• Winfred Earl Yancy ('76), Indianapolis, Ind. He was employed with Zurich North America for more than 20 years. At North Texas he was a member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.
• William F. Harris ('77), Tomball. He graduated from North Texas with a bachelor's degree in speech and drama.
• William 'Billy' Hender Jr. ('77), Baton Rouge, La. He was owner of Hender & Co. CPA and served as chief financial officer of Universal Fidelity Corp. He also was a member of the Louisiana Songwriters Association and a partner in Excalibur Ltd. Publishing Co.
• Mary Helen Witt James ('79 M.S.), Marietta, Ga. She received her master's degree in accounting from North Texas.

1980s [ top ]

• Cevin L. Calame ('82), North Richland Hills. He earned his bachelor's degree in banking and finance from North Texas.
• Julia Mae Neatherlin Prince ('85), Lawrenceville. She earned her degree in marketing from North Texas and was a paraprofessional with Buford Elementary School.
• Randy Lee Carrell ('88), New Caney. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in fashion design. He was a judge for the 1999 Art Wear Competition for UNT students.

1990s [ top ]

• Mark Grafton ('90 M.Ed.), Bettendorf, Iowa. He graduated with a master's in vocational-technical education from UNT.
• James Robert Whala ('92 M.S.), Dallas. He was a doctoral student and teaching assistant in the UNT Department of Political Science.

University Community [ top ]

• Edward J. Coomes Jr., Denton, Professor Emeritus of history, 1963-2000. After serving in the Navy from 1948 to 1952, he earned a bachelor's degree from Rockhurst Jesuit College and master's and doctoral degrees at the University of Kansas. At North Texas, he taught medieval, Greek, Roman and German history courses. His many UNT honors include receiving the J.H. Shelton Excellence in Teaching Award and being named a Top Prof and a Student Association Honor Professor.
• LaKisha Gentry Denison, UNT junior and track and field athlete, 2001-2004. Gentry died from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident in Fort Worth. She won the Sun Belt Conference javelin championship as a sophomore with a throw of 41.85 meters and was one of eight North Texas athletes who qualified for the NCAA Regional in 2003.
• Gordon Daniel Healey ('52 M.A.), Denton, Professor Emeritus of history, 1964-1977. He earned a bachelor's degree from Hardin Simmons University, a master's degree from North Texas and a doctorate from the University of Texas. Healey taught at Northwestern University in Natchitoches, La., before joining the North Texas faculty. He had traveled extensively throughout the United States, Western Europe and the Soviet Union.
• William Peters Latham Denton, Professor Emeritus of music, 1965-1984. A trumpet player who began writing music in high school, he received bachelor's and master's degrees from the Cincinnati College of Music and a doctorate from the Eastman School of Music. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and taught at the State College of Iowa before joining North Texas as coordinator of composition. In 1969 he was appointed director of graduate studies and in 1978 was named a distinguished professor of music. Sixty-two of his 118 works have been published.