"Ironic" may not be the right word, but I found it interesting and sad that my two favorite people at UNT recently passed away a month or two apart -- Dr. Robert Toulouse and Mrs. Barbara Colegrove.

As a journalism major for my undergraduate degree, I had Mrs. Colegrove for three wonderful classes starting in 1963. She had a unique spirit about her, gushing with enthusiasm and a spiritual kind of joie de vivre.

Whereas a couple of people in the department had seemingly designated me as a target on which they could apply extra pressure for whatever reason, she built a blazing bonfire in my persona.

She encouraged me greatly, using all the right mechanisms and tools at her disposal. She was indeed my favorite undergraduate experience.

Then, when I returned to North Texas in the early '70s to acquire a master's degree in Spanish, Dr. Toulouse helped me with some issues concerning an acceptable time frame for completing all the requirements for my M.A., given that my thesis coordinator/advisor had a massive heart attack before I could complete the final phase of my degree plan.

George M. Gentry
('65, '75 M.A.)
Clear Lake City