Dr. Denis George Paz (’67, ’69 M.A.), 78, Professor Emeritus of history who taught at UNT from 1995 to 2013, died Dec. 9, 2023, in Hartwell, Georgia.

He graduated from North Texas with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history and later attended the London School of Economics and the University of Michigan, where he earned a Ph.D. and lectured in history from 1974 through 1977. He also taught at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and Clemson University in South Carolina.

He taught modern British history and served as the faculty advisor for UNT’s award-winning chapter of the Phi Alpha Theta history honor society. He published four monographs — including Popular Anti-Catholicism in Mid-Victorian England and Dickens and Barnaby Rudge: Anti-Catholicism and Chartism — as well as teaching aids, articles in scholarly journals and an edited essay collection, Nineteenth-Century English Religious Traditions: Retrospect and Prospect.

Bobby Brown Fincher (’58), Grand Prairie. He grew up a few blocks from the North Texas campus and graduated with a bachelor’s in industrial arts. He worked as a machinist for 34 years and enjoyed sailing, driving his TR3 sports car and attending the State Fair of Texas. His daughters and three granddaughters are also UNT graduates.

Cragg Hines (’67), Arlington, Virginia. A graduate of UNT’s Mayborn School of Journalism, he worked at the Houston Chronicle for more than three decades, becoming its Washington bureau chief in 1983, and its Washington columnist in 2000. During his career, he covered seven U.S. presidents and was named one of D.C.’s top 50 journalists by the Washingtonian in 2001. At North Texas, he sang in the A Capella Choir and choruses and worked for the Campus Chat newspaper and Yucca yearbook. He won the Green Glory Award from the UNT Alumni Association in 2010. Read our 2018 profile.

Jerrell "Jerry" L. Pair (’62), Grapevine. He attended North Texas on a football scholarship and earned a bachelor’s in business administration. The longtime owner of the Motor Supply Co. auto parts store in Grapevine, he was a member of the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District board for a dozen years. An avid golfer, he also enjoyed traveling.

Joseph W. Pinson, Jr. (’73), Denton. He received degrees in music from Southern Methodist University and American University in Washington, D.C., before relocating to study for a doctorate in music theory and composition at North Texas. A board-certified registered music therapist, he was director of music at the former Denton State School (now Denton State Supported Living Center) from 1974 through 1997. He taught music therapy as an assistant clinical professor at Texas Woman's University through his 2013 retirement, when he was named Denton County Composer in Residence. Joseph founded and spent more than a quarter-century directing the Denton Bell Band. In 2009, he was awarded the Community Arts Recognition Award by the Greater Denton Arts Council.

Julia Anna Troeger Thompson (’55), Lexington, Kentucky. A member of Chi Omega at North Texas, she taught for more than three decades at elementary schools in Plano, Lubbock and Bowling Green, Kentucky. She earned a master’s degree in education at Western Kentucky University, led church youth groups and participated in women’s groups and on Volvo’s Women’s Tennis teams where she was recognized for her wicked, slicing serve. In retirement, she held a staff position at the National Corvette Museum.

Danny Handler (’96), Austin. At UNT, the drummer majored in jazz studies, performed with the Lab Bands and earned a bachelor’s in music. He met his wife, Jennifer Watson (’95), at the Delta Lodge fraternity house. Danny also played with the popular Denton funk band Beef Jerky. He enjoyed web design and was a car aficionado.

Amanda Sayle Kelly (’09 M.A.), McKinney. She taught at the Art Institute of McKinney from 2003 to 2007. The following year, she became the art specialist at McKinney ISD’s Valley Creek Elementary School and served as the specials team lead, writing curriculum and teaching professional development. Amanda and her students were involved with the Empty Bowls project and Heard-Craig Center for the Arts in McKinney, and she was named her school’s Teacher of the Year in 2020. For 19 years, she was a co-organizer of McKinney’s annual Krewe of Barkus Mardi Gras parade.

Lt. Col. Larry Willard Britton (’66), Manassas, Virginia. His career in the U.S. Marine Corps spanned 23 years, most of which were spent as a CH-46 helicopter pilot and included tours in Vietnam, where he conducted medevac missions, and Beirut. He earned numerous commendations, including the National Defense Service Medal and Republic of Vietnam Service Medal, with four stars indicating service in four campaign periods. He also served as an acquisition management officer, operations officer and aviation safety officer prior to retiring from the military. He went on to work as a military contractor before volunteering as a docent in the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Virginia. He enjoyed spending time with his family, sharing stories and joking with his grandchildren.

Stephanie Janine Zimmermann (’05 M.S.), Dallas. She was a Chilton Society member who died after a hard-fought, 14-year battle with breast cancer. She and her husband, Harvey (’ 70, ’ 72 M.B.A.), were longtime supporters of the G. Brint Ryan College of Business’ accounting department as well as the college’s Dean’s Excellence Fund. Stephanie earned a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Texas and a master's degree in special education from TWU. After raising her children, she pursued a master's degree in counseling at UNT and dedicated her career to working with special education and talented and gifted students in Dallas elementary schools. She enjoyed music, playing the guitar and writing.