Jennifer Marie Aglio, 43, executive assistant to the dean in the College of Visual Arts and Design, died March 22 at her home in Denton.  

Joining UNT in 2013, she also had served as an adjunct in the Department of Communication Studies and had worked in the Jewish Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies programs.

Jenn earned her bachelor’s degree in English at Elon University in 2003 and her master’s degree in communication studies from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, in 2006. A talented poet and creative writer, she went on to earn her terminal degree, a Master of Fine Arts in writing and poetics, from Naropa University in 2010. 

She advocated for social justice issues and always cheered on those she loved. Her family and friends will remember her clever wit, her snark, her passion for music, her unique ability to make others feel welcome and included, and her deep and abiding love of her family, including the dogs who lived with them over the years (Fig, Raisin MF Anne, Indigo and Kona).

Survivors include her partner of 17 years, Megan Elizabeth Morrissey, associate professor of communication studies at UNT (pictured on the left in the photo with Jenn), and their daughter, Quinn Olivier Morrissey Aglio.

As Jenn grew weaker in her two-and-a-half-year battle with uterine cancer, she communicated that she wanted her community to throw a party to remember her when she was gone and to model joy and love to her daughter. Please join them for a celebration of Jenn’s life from 4 to 8 p.m. March 30 at Denton County Brewing Company.

Boyd Kimbell Herndon, who served 13 years as director of research compliance at UNT before retiring in 2015, died Feb. 8 in Argyle. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Stephen F. Austin State University and a juris doctor from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law. Prior to joining UNT, he worked as corporate counsel for Allianz Life, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas and Southwestern Life. He enjoyed visiting state and national parks, spending time with his daughters and grandsons and was an avid sports fan.

Bonita White-Coffey, 59, of Denton, a senior administrative coordinator for donor engagement, died Nov. 26. She had worked in the Division of Advancement since August 2022. Previously, she had served as an administrative assistant for the men’s and women’s basketball programs in Athletics, working alongside coaches, staff members and student-athletes since 2010.

A graduate of Denton High School, Bonita was on the board of directors of the Denton High School Family Assistance Foundation, which assists current and former students, faculty and staff and their families during crises. She’s remembered for her kindness and for always having a smile on her face. Her husband, Robb Coffey, who is completing his UNT degree, has been a public address announcer for Mean Green sports since he was first a student here in the 1980s.

A celebration of life ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. Dec. 9 at First Baptist Church, 1100 Malone St., in Denton.

Kimberly ‘Kim’ Ledesma (’03), 53, a licensed vocational nurse who had worked at UNT’s Student Health and Wellness Center since 2014, died Aug. 26 in Denton.

She was born in Santa Clara, California, and her family moved to Denton in 1981. She graduated in 1988 from Denton High School and earned a general studies degree at UNT before completing a nursing program to become a licensed vocational nurse.

A memorial service is scheduled at 6 p.m. Sept. 12, with rosary at 6:30 p.m., at DeBerry Funeral Directors, 2025 W. University Drive in Denton.

Edgar Douglas Dukes, 77, a member of the Eagle Post team, died May 19. He worked for Canon Solutions America as a mail clerk in the University Union for more than a decade. A native of South Carolina, he attended the College of Automation in Des Moines, Iowa, and had many professions, including working at a bank, department store and cleaning service and as a bartender before his work as a mail clerk. He joined Macedonia Ministries in Lewisville in 1990, where he was a member of the Brotherhood Ministry, served in the men’s choir and worked in the kitchen. Caring for his hundreds of plants was his passion, and he enjoyed fishing, traveling and entertaining friends and family. He’s remembered as a kind and caring person who had an unforgettable smile and unfailingly positive attitude.  

James Alfred Simpkins (’70), 81, of Denton, a business alumnus and staff member from 1977 to 2004, died June 6.

James worked in construction while attending North Texas, moving to retail management before starting a career with the university in what was then known as the Physical Plant. He served for 27 years, where his management and computer programming skills greatly helped foster innovation. He was an automation systems operator and plant engineer who transitioned into a supervisory position in the micro-maintenance shop, which built and repaired the desktop computers and servers used across campus. His sharp wit, generosity and humorous nature will be fondly remembered by all who knew him.

Survivors include Gail, his wife of more than 60 years, who also worked at UNT.

Dr. Henry “Hank” Lamar Eaton, 90, Professor Emeritus of history who taught at UNT from 1966 to 2010, died Nov. 27 in Tigard, Oregon. During his long career, he taught undergraduate and graduate courses in American and Russian history, Russian language, and Holocaust studies. He created and taught the Great Books course, a 12-credit-hour course in the great works of Western literature, philosophy and history, alongside instructors from the philosophy and English departments. He wrote The Origins and Onset of the Romanian Holocaust, a book exploring the history of anti-Semitism in Romania and the atrocities inflicted on its Jewish community during World War II. Beyond his teaching and scholarly work, he was a Korean War-era veteran, a draft counselor to North Texas students during the Vietnam War, and an editor, cartoonist and cover artist for the community newspaper Denton Voice in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He earned his bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Margaret Lambert, 89, of Denton, an administrative assistant in the housing department for UNT from 1977 to 1999, died March 7.

She was recognized with an outstanding staff award from then Chancellor Alfred F. Hurley in 1988 for her work in updating procedures to make them more efficient – stepping up from her position’s usual duties without training.

In 1999, she received the Southwest Association of College and University Housing Officers’ Bob Cooke Distinguished Service Award, recognizing her service, dedication and contributions to student housing.

She also was active in her church.

Jose Guadalupe Calderón (’91 M.S., ’94 Ph.D.), of Denton, 62, died Feb. 21. He was the instructional lab manager in the Department of Chemistry from 1998 until his retirement in 2022.

A native of Mexico, he attended Texas Southmost College in Brownsville before transferring to Sul Ross State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 1987. He then moved to Denton where he completed his graduate degrees in analytical chemistry.

As lab supervisor he provided training and assistance in the use of the equipment and is credited in many theses and dissertations over the years, especially for his expertise in mass spectrometry.

Jose and his wife, Alicia Re Cruz, professor of anthropology and director of women’s and gender studies, met at UNT, and their three sons are current and former UNT students: Samuel (’20 M.A.); Gabriel (’22), chemistry graduate student; and Daniel, an urban policy and planning major. Over the years, the family created and supported many programs that serve students, UNT and the Latino community.

A memorial service is scheduled at 1 p.m. Sunday, March 5, in the DeBerry Funeral Directors Chapel, 2025 W. University Dr. in Denton.

Roy Kirkland, who worked on the UNT Facilities maintenance team from 2007 to 2022, died Jan. 16. He served as a facility technician from 2007 to 2017, and then as a plumber until he retired in 2022.

He grew up in the Cumberland Presbyterian Children's Home in Denton. His co-workers remember him as a family man, a hard worker, and the type of person who brought joy and a good attitude to every situation. He was beloved by his team and by everyone at Facilities.

A celebration of his life will take place from noon to 4 p.m. Feb. 25 at 3311 Danbury Cove in Corinth.