Mary Evans

Mary Elizabeth Evans (’39, ’50 M.S., ’54 Ed.D.), 94, Professor Emeritus of human resource management, died Jan. 17 in Denton. She was the first woman to earn a doctoral degree from UNT and later served as dean of the School of Home Economics, retiring after 30 years of service in education. She earned her graduate degrees while working full-time as a teacher at Wylie High School. She also had five sisters who were alumni — their combined North Texas degree total reached 12 when she earned her doctorate in secondary education. She joined the home economics faculty in 1958 and was named dean in 1969. Home economics later became human resource management, the precursor to today's College of Merchandising, Hospitality and Tourism. She was a nutrition expert who had articles published in the Journal of Home Economics and U.S. News & World Report. In the early 1960s, she served as chair of the State Board of Examiners for Teacher Education. She was known for the desserts she baked for faculty, staff and other friends. She once made an 85-pound cake in the shape of the Capitol Building for a U.S. congressman’s visit to campus.

Mary Elizabeth Evans (’39, ’50 M.S., ’54 Ed.D.), 94, Professor Emeritus of human resource management, died Jan. 17 in Denton. She was the first woman to earn a doctoral degree from UNT and later served as dean of the School of Home Economics, retiring after 30 years of service in education.

She earned her graduate degrees while working full-time as a teacher at Wylie High School. She also had five sisters who were alumni — their combined North Texas degree total reached 12 when she earned her doctorate in secondary education.

She joined the home economics faculty in 1958 and was named dean in 1969. Home economics later became human resource management, the precursor to today's College of Merchandising, Hospitality and Tourism. She was a nutrition expert who had articles published in the Journal of Home Economics and U.S. News & World Report. In the early 1960s, she served as chair of the State Board of Examiners for Teacher Education.

She was known for the desserts she baked for faculty, staff and other friends. She once made an 85-pound cake in the shape of the Capitol Building for a U.S. congressman’s visit to campus.