Etta Mae Landers, 77, of Tioga, died July 15 in Denton. She worked as a clerk in the Physical Plant at UNT from 1974 to 1999. She also was an elder at Pilgrims Way Baptist Church, which she helped establish, in Sanger.

Barbikay B. Bissell Pohl, 74, of Paradise Valley, Ariz., and Las Vegas, Nev., widow of past UNT President Norval F. Pohl, died Aug. 27. She excelled as a student both in academics and music and went on to become a professor. She taught computer science at Texas Woman’s University when the Pohls were in Denton from 1999 to 2006 and also taught in Arizona and Nevada. She was involved in education at many levels, teaching at high schools and community colleges as well as universities, and later earned certification as a Montessori instructor. Outside of teaching, she was a soccer coach, hockey scheduler, scout leader and animal lover. She spent a great deal of time with her children and grandchildren and is remembered as a devoted, no-nonsense and selfless person. After receiving both a kidney and a liver transplant, she was deeply grateful for the care she received at the Mayo Clinic and spent much of her time volunteering there. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Arizona and a master’s in finance and Ph.D. in education from Arizona State University, where she met fellow doctoral student Norval. He died in 2009.

James Nicklas (’71, ’82 M.S.), 72, of Denton, former director of activities and the University Union, died Sept. 4. He worked as a resident assistant in Kerr Hall as a student, and in 1970 he began his career with the University Union as building operations supervisor, retiring as director in 2005. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps on active duty from 1966 to 1968 and reserve duty from 1968 to 1972. He received his associate’s degree from Weatherford Junior College, and at UNT earned his bachelor’s in industrial technology and education and his master’s in industrial technology and business computer information systems. He is survived by his wife, Marcella ‘Marcy’ Shelton Nicklas (’72), with whom he established the James and Marcella Nicklas UNT General Scholarship, and gifts may be made to that fund.

Elmer Taylor, 68, Professor Emeritus of art, died July 1 at his home in Ketchum, Idaho. He taught at UNT from 1974 to 2013, becoming a Regents Professor in 2003.

He made his reputation on his beautiful ceramics and mentored countless students through the years. He earned a bachelor’s degree in ceramics and crafts and a Master of Fine Arts in ceramics from Arizona State University in Tempe, Ariz. He also apprenticed with master potter Michael Leach in England. He taught at Mercer University in Macon, Ga., before joining North Texas.

He conducted lectures and workshops internationally, and his work was featured in numerous publications and public collections, including the High Museum of Art in Atlanta.

He and his wife, Dianne Taylor ('73, '77 M.F.A., '83 Ph.D.), former lecturer in art, owned Taylormade Pottery in the Ketchum/Sun Valley area.

Peggy Sue Lee, 54, a former Dining Services employee, died March 8 in Denton. She worked in Dining Services from 1987 to 2014. While working at UNT, she also worked part-time for 20 years at the Holiday Inn. She enjoyed reading and spending time with her friends and grandchildren.

Lorie Jane Ingram (’85, ’87 M.B.A.), 52, former director of alumni operations for the UNT Alumni Association, died May 2 in Denton. She worked on campus from 2006 to 2015 and prior to that worked at several local financial institutions, including TexasBank and Wells Fargo. She loved to travel with her family and also loved cats, adopting many from local animal shelters. She earned a bachelor's degree in general business and a master’s in in personnel/ industrial relations at UNT.

Patricia ‘Pat’ Ann Esther, 75, died June 12 in Denton. She worked in student accounting and cashiering services at UNT for 15 years. Her family says her job was her passion and she loved working with students and co-workers, rarely missing a day of work. She was born in Louisville, Ky., and had been married for 55 years.

Margot Winspear, 83, died Oct. 20 in Dallas. She and her husband, Bill, were donors to UNT and were named honorary alumni in 1994 and awarded the Green Glory Award in 2003. They donated $1.7 million to complete the Lyric Theater in UNT’s Murchison Performing Arts Center and $1.4 million to establish The Bill and Margot Winspear Endowment for the College of Music. The center’s Winspear Hall is named in their honor. A gift of $1.5 million from Bill’s estate established the Margot and Bill Winspear Chair in Opera Studies at UNT. They were McConnell Society members. They were leading philanthropists in the area, donating $42 million to help build the Winspear Opera House at Dallas’ AT&T Performing Arts Center. Margot was a founding vice president of the Edmonton Opera and president of the women’s committees of the Dallas Opera, the Vancouver Opera and the Canadian Opera in Toronto.

J.B. Smallwood (’55, ’56 M.A.), 81, Professor Emeritus of history, died Oct. 27. He taught history at UNT for 34 years until his retirement in 1999. During his tenure at UNT, he was active in service, both within the history department and across the university. He served as chair of the Faculty Senate and as president of the UNT chapter of the Texas Association of College Teachers. Besides teaching, he enjoyed reading, traveling, gardening, theater and classical music performances. Before coming to UNT, he taught in Japan and Korea with the University of Maryland Overseas Program and at the University of Florida. He was a first-generation college graduate in his family, earning a bachelor’s degree in history and geography and a master’s degree in history from North Texas. He earned his doctorate in American history from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Memorials may be made to the College of Music.

Donald Jerry Scaggs, 77, Professor Emeritus of drawing, painting and printmaking, died April 29 in Denton. After teaching art at Indiana schools and at Slippery Rock State College in Pennsylvania, he came to UNT in 1968, teaching for 32 years until his retirement in 2000. He served as coordinator of printmaking, and his prints and paintings are included in numerous public and private collections. He had a special interest in intaglio techniques combined with photo-induced imagery. He served in the U.S. Navy for four years and earned his bachelor’s degree in art education from Indiana University in Bloomington. He then attended Purdue University, graduating with a master’s in drawing and painting.