My condolence to the modern languages faculty on the passing of Professor Ishmael “Ish” Bustinza (Friends We’ll Miss, fall 2011), who attended high school in Brownsville with me back during the 1950s and also served in the U.S. Navy the same time I did.

His younger brother attended our recent class reunion, and I ran into Ish when the modern languages department at UNT honored me with its distinguished student award years ago.

While at UNT, I studied under the late Arthur Joseph Gionet of French — a wonderful professor and friend to students — and the late Professor Gerding of Spanish, my major professor. Phillip Smyth was then chair of the department and had his Ph.D from Universidad de Madrid.

Lino García Jr. (’66 M.A.)
Professor Emeritus of Spanish literature,
University of Texas Pan American, Edinburg