Class Notes
'51
Kenneth Blanton, BBA '51, fulfilled his bucket list on March 3 by catching a 400-pound Black Marlin in Panama. At Baylor he served as president of the Junior Class and the Taurus Men's Club. During the Korean War, he severed as a captain in the U.S. Air Force. In 1990 he retired from Milwaukee Boston Store as vice president. Contact at 10826 N. Pebble Lane, Meguon, WI 53092 or kandkblanton@yahoo.com.
'54
HBO Documentaries has released All About Ann: Governor Richards of the Lone Star State. The film chronicles the remarkable life of Ann Richards, BA '54, tracing her origins as a young girl growing up poor in rural Texas, to her life as a sociable suburban housewife and mother, to her rise from schoolteacher to politician. Learn more at hbo.com/documentaries.
'56
Friends and family members surprised Cecil Alexander, BA '56, with a Baylor-themed 80th birthday party on March 1. Guests attended a Baylor basketball game followed by a dinner, where Alexander received several Baylor-related autographed items and a pair of Baylor cowboy boots. A longtime Baylor ambassador, Alexander attends a large number of Baylor athletics events and has missed only five home football games in 55 years. Alexander's wife, Johnette (Conley) Alexander, '56, and four of his five children are Baylor alums, as well as a daughter-in-law, two grandchildren and brother, Joe Alexander, PhD '61. Contact at 412 E. Hidden Cove Ct., Burleson, TX 76028.
Dr. Paul Powell, BA '56, of Tyler, TX, recently received the Texas Baptist Legacy Award at historic Independence Baptist Church in Independence, TX. Paul Powell is a former BGCT president, CEO of GuideStone Financial Resources, Baylor Regent chair and dean of Truett Seminary. He was also pastor of Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler for 17 years. He has written more than 50 books.
'58
Jane (Sanderford) Potter, BS '58, is serving her second term as trustee at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, TX. Contact at
skilope@gmail.com.
'59
Rogers Pope Sr., BBA '59, was selected as one of four honorees to be inducted to the Texas Bankers Hall of Fame. He has been chairman of the board and CEO of Texas Bank and Trust in Longview since 1975. Pope is a former member of the Baylor Board and the Hankamer School of Business Advisory Council.
'61
Cynthia (Berglund) Thornton, BA '61, of La Grange, TX, authored her first book, The Times of Round Top. The book recounts the personal stories of the people that established and developed a small pioneer village. It includes historical data and personal interviews that date from 1815 to 2011. Contact at little.t@cvctc.com.
'63
Dr. Warren Fields, MM '63, has written biographical articles on Jester Hairston, Charles Hirt and Gene Puerling for The Grove Dictionary of American Music, Second Edition, published by Oxford University Press, 2013. The dictionary is available in eight print volumes and also online. In 2012, he received the Lifetime Ministry Award from the Baptist Church Music Conference at the annual meeting in Tulsa, OK. Contact at 2152 Plantation Ct., Lawrenceville, GA 30044 or wbfields@bellsouth.net.
'64
Rev. Dr. David C. Marx, BA '64, has released Heather Young: Navy Nurse, the third novel in a trilogy, America Star Books, 276 pages. Contact at 5100 John D. Ryan Blvd #613, San Antonio, TX 78245.
George Richeson, BS '64, of Friendswood, TX, has been retired for 13 years and is enjoying spending time with his grandkids.
Norma (Donnell) Wolf, BA '64, and BJ Wolf, of Austin, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary July 18. They have two children, Mark and Missy, and seven grandchildren. Contact at bjwolf@austin.rr.com.
'65
Dr. Earl Ferguson, BA '65, is a cardiologist, preventive medicine specialist, and healthcare executive at Ridgecrest Regional Hospital in Ridgecrest, CA. A Col. USAF M.C. (retired) and former director of aerospace medicine and occupational health at NASA, Ferguson has written a new book, American Healthcare Reform: Fixing the Real Problems. (AuthorHouse, 2014). Contact at 1539 N China Lake Blvd., Suite A, Ridgecrest, CA 93555 or ewferguson@sunbmt.com.
'66
Betty (Stoesser) Carraway, BA '66, and Dr. Lowell J. Carraway, a missionary pastor in Africa, were married Jan. 4. Contact at 605 S. Winfree, Dayton, TX 77535 or bettystoessercarraway@gmail.com.
'67
Dr. Mary Lois (Summers) Sanders, BM '67, MM '68, has won the silver medal in the young adult category of the Florida Book Awards for The Vision Seeker: A Tale of the Tuscarora. The book is a historical young adult novel set in North Carolina in 1711-1713. Learn more at maryloissandersauthor.net or contact at 7043 SE 173rd Arlington Loop, The Villages, FL 32162 or mary.lois.sanders@att.net.
'68
Dr. Nancy Goodloe, BA '68, MA '69, of Ellensburg, WA, Professor Emeritus of Health, Human Performance and Recreation in Baylor's School of Education, has authored Before Brittney: A Legacy of Champions (Friesen Press, 2014—392 pages), which chronicles the history of success in Baylor women's athletics.
Lois E. Myers, BA '68, MA '88, associate director of Baylor's Institute for Oral History, was awarded the Thomas Charlton Lifetime Achievement Award by the Texas Oral History Association (TOHA) on April 5. She has worked at the institute for 28 years, served as secretary-treasurer of TOHA since 1987 and served as managing editor of the Sound Historian, TOHA's annual scholarly journal, since 1993. Myers has personally conducted 350 interviews and edited over 150 others.
Robert Tissing Jr., BA '68, MA '73, has retired after 38 years as an archivist at the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library and Museum. Contact at bobtissing@hotmail.com or 3624 Claburn Dr., Austin, TX 78759.
'69
Bobby Campos, BA '69, of Hewitt, TX, has retired as director of the Bill Logue Juvenile Justice Center in Waco. He has been involved in the lives of thousands of kids in his almost 45 years in the juvenile justice system. Campos worked as a juvenile probation officer in Waco before serving as the director of adult and juvenile probation in Beeville for nine years. Campos also formed a Boys and Girls Club in Bee County because of the influence the club in South Waco had on him growing up. He moved back to Waco in 1982, becoming juvenile center detention superintendent before being promoted to assistant director in 1988. He became director in 2006.
Richard Hudson, MA '69, is retiring as vice chancellor for government and community relations at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, where he has been since 1994. His career in education has spanned 47 years, beginning at San Marcos Academy, before moving to West Arkansas Community College where he was for 25 years. He and his wife, Joanna, are world travelers. Contact at rhudson@uark.edu.
'70
Dr. Jean A. Boyd, BM '70, MM '72, has authored Dance All Night: Those Other Southwestern Swing Bands, Past and Present (Texas Tech University Press, 2012 – 400 pages). The book presents the history and music of those bands that did not garner national fame, but were local sensations to thousands of Southwesterners hungry for diversion and good dancing during the depression and World War II. Boyd is professor of music history and American music studies in the Baylor University School of Music.
Dr. Joel C. Gregory, BA '70, PhD '83, professor of preaching at George W. Truett Theological Seminary, has released Baptist Preaching: A Global Anthology (Baylor University Press, 2014 – 328 pages). Gregory's work honors Rev. Dr. Paul S. Fiddes, principal emeritus at Regent's Park College, Oxford, and current university research professor at Oxford, and contains 35 sermons given by Baptist preachers from around the world in the same year. These sermons demonstrate, as Gregory argues, that the act of preaching lies at the heart of the Baptist identity—possibly rivaling the practice of believers' baptism. The sermons from his book represent varied voices, multicultural contexts and global concerns that occupy Baptists worldwide.
Ben Hagins, BBA '70, writes, "Five of us late-'60s AKPsi's and our wives get together every year. This year we chose the last weekend in April at Conroe, TX. Standing left to right: Don Heathcott, BBA '70, Kathy Hagins, Ben Hagins, Linda (Watson) Ferguson, BA '70, Clint Ferguson, BBA '70. Sitting: Charlotte (Briscoe) Heathcott, BSEd '74, Marilyn (Lawrence) Mosley, BA '70, John Mosley, BBA '71, JD '72, Sherri (Schwarz) Cherry, BA '71, and Benny Cherry, BA '70. We all enjoy the Baylor Magazine as well as the steaks at The General Store in Leona, TX!" The Hagins reside in Woodway, the Heathcotts in Montgomery, the Fergusons in Eastland, the Mosleys in Kaufman, and the Cherrys in Weslaco, TX. Contact Ben at benhagins@hot.rr.com.
'71
James "Jim" Kelly, BS '71, has authored How To Be the Adult in the Room (Westview, 304 pages) to identify a set of principles and practices that mature adults integrate into their lives, into their marriages and into parenthood. He is a licensed clinical social worker who has had a private psychotherapy practice since 1988 in Nashville, TN.
'72
Beverly Ann (Neal) Moran, BA '72, writes, "After retiring from several careers in the ophthalmic medical field and insurance industry, I started a website for my speaking and writing endeavors, zocalo5.wix.com/ba-moran . My father, Murray P. Neal, BA '31, was a journalist and managing editor of the Waco News-Tribune. My degree in English from Baylor has paid for itself many times over. I really appreciate what Baylor did for my education. My whole family bleeds green and gold. Other members of my family that went to Baylor: my mother, Mary E. Henderson Neal, '32; my brother, Murray T. Neal, BA '65; my grandfather Dr. Thomas V. Neal received an honorary doctorate (he was a Baptist pastor). I also have a great niece and nephew currently attending Baylor. My husband of 41 years, Pat Moran, wishes every day that he had gone to Baylor. He is a drummer in two bands, while I pursue speaking and writing." Contact at 2826 Quail Creek Loop, Kingsland, TX 78639 or zocalo5@verizon.net.
Harrell Shelton, BA '72, has served 20 years as associate pastor of Airline Baptist Church in Bossier City, LA. During this time, he has served in overseas missions in Cambodia once, The Philippines nine times, and Ecuador four times. The Jackson, MS, native has been married for 43 years to his wife, Anne.
Ken Stohner, BBA '72, JD '75, of Dallas, was ranked for bankruptcy/restructuring in Texas in the 2014 Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business guide. A partner with Jackson Walker LLP, Stohner has over two decades' experience in bankruptcy and reorganization, representing debtors, lenders and creditors.
Nancy Townes, BSN '72, of Granbury, TX, has been appointed to the State Health Services Council by Gov. Rick Perry. Townes is a retired registered nurse and worked at Medtronic as a technical support representative. During her nursing career, she worked in labor and delivery, as a clinical labor and delivery instructor at Anne Arundel Community College and as a volunteer for the Red Cross in San Antonio.
'74
A group of Kappa Thetas who began at Baylor in 1970 have gathered to celebrate milestone birthdays of turning 50, 55, and 60 years old, and then again in April 2014, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their Baylor graduation. "Our weekend included a tour of the campus, the Bear Habitat, the Baylor Bookstore, and the new stadium! What laughter and fun we all shared! What wonderful memories of Baylor and our Kappa Theta days!" writes Phyllis (Wyrick) Patterson, BA '74, of San Antonio. Back row: Marsha (McQuinn) Saucier, Sally (Holliday) Evans, Glenda (Gregory) Ross, Kathy (O'Neal) Childers, Mary (Cadmus) Cagle, Phyllis (Wyrick) Patterson, Pat (Bauman) Cole, Caren (Jones) Goodman, Connie (Beard) Lipsey, Kristin (Kepner) Fullingim, Molly (Reddell) Hornbuckle. Front row: Kathie (Monroe) Buchanan, Eva (Williams) Stigler, Rhonda (Elder) Banks, Claire (Maffett) Puryear, Paula (Carroll) Lea, Lynnie Henderson, Chrissie (Stokes) Berger.
'75
Ace Collins, BA '75, of Arkadelphia, AR, has written Man's Best Hero: The Stories of Great American Dogs (Abingdon Press, 2014 – 224 pages), a collection of short, dramatic stories about dogs that have gone the extra mile. He has written more than 60 books and appeared on shows including Good Morning America, The Today Show, and Entertainment Tonight.
Patricia "Patty" Manning, BFA '75, of Alpine, TX, retired May 31 after 18 years of service as an environmental science technician at Sul Ross State University. She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in printmaking from the University of North Texas, Denton. Manning arrived at Sul Ross in 1991 as a graduate student in biology and received her Master's degree in 1995.
'76
James F. "Jim" Reeves, BBA '76, MBA '77, has joined accounting and consulting firm Whitley Penn as COO in the Fort Worth office. Reeves joined Whitley Penn in 2014 after a 26-year career with Thomson Reuters Inc. He most recently served as vice president for the professional market and was site executive for the Fort Worth location of Thomson Reuters, representing senior management to 330 local employees. Reeves has written more than 100 thought leadership articles published in professional journals and has co-authored seven tax and financial planning books.
'77
Randall Crawford, BBA '77, of Waco, has been promoted to president of the First National Bank of Central Texas, for which he has worked since 1996. In addition of to overseeing the bank's daily operations, he will serve as CFO.
Paul Majors, BBA '77, is now a partner at Fort Worth-based accounting firm Sanford, Baumeister & Frazier. Majors has spent more than 30 years in public accounting with an emphasis on trusts, individuals, closely held businesses and tax-exempt organizations. Previous to joining SB&F, he was a partner at CliftonLarsonAllen LLP. Majors has also served as an officer at Middleton Burns & Davis PC and as a senior manager of private wealth services at Grant Thorton.
'78
Barbara Pennington, BFA '78, of Plano, TX, completed a Master of Arts degree in graphic design from Texas Woman's University in 2013. She is an adjunct instructor in the School of Graphic Design at the Art Institute of Dallas.
'79
Dr. Charles Fuller, BMEd, '79, has been named as music director and conductor of The CenturyMen, an auditioned men's chorus of professional Christian musicians who serve as ministers of music and choral directors in churches and Christian institutions throughout the U.S. Fuller has been a part of the leadership team of The CenturyMen since 2003. He is completing work on a doctor of ministry degree in contextual leadership from The Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond. Fuller serves as minister for congregational life at Second Baptist Church in Little Rock, AR.
Keith Nelson, BA '79, JD '83, has been named to D Magazine's 2014 list of the best lawyers in Dallas. Nelson also is a Texas Super Lawyers' Top 100 honoree, and he's listed in The Best Lawyers in America. He also was appointed to the Texas Supreme Court Committee on Visitation and Child Support Guidelines. Nelson is a partner with McCurley Orsinger McCurley Nelson & Downing LLP.
Amy (Perkins) Watkins BSEd '79, of Lawton, OK, writes, "Thank you, Baylor, for your strong commitment to helping students connect with new friends, a key ingredient for success at a university. Our friendship began in the Collins Hall in August of 1975. We meet annually and travel extensively together. Most importantly, our daily connection via text and email gives us strength for daily living and a platform where we can celebrate and savor each other's expressions of individuality. Naming ourselves "the Bon Temps" (French: "Laissez le bon temps rouler" meaning "let the good times roll") are: (clockwise from top left) Jane (Cobb) Embry, BBA '79, of Houston, Allyson (Harp) Meacham, '79, Mary Jane (Ford) Tomlinson, BSEd '79, of Lindale, TX, and Watkins.
'80
Julie (Simon) Jaehne, BBA '80, of Houston, has been an adjunct faculty member for 21 years at the University of Houston in the College of Education teaching instructional technology courses. She has also taught teacher certification courses. Jaehne is a published author of multiple computer application textbooks and tutorials. Her newest book, Connect to Your Career, for the post-secondary/adult student, has been released by Goodheart-Wilcox Publisher. She and Keith, BBA '80, her husband of 34 years, have three children, Brandon, BBA '07, Justin and Lauren.
'81
Jeff Hampton, BA '81, of Garland, TX, has released two books in June. The Snowman Uprising on Hickory Lane (Tate Publishing, 2014: 24 pages), is a whimsical but cautionary tale about what happens when a group of boys pester the wrong neighbor. Jonah Prophet (Tate Publishing, 2014: 56 pages) is an allegory on the Old Testament "Book of Jonah" set in the modern business world. Hampton, a former Baylor Lariat editor who works as a freelance writer, had his first book, Grandpa Jack, a novel about a citizen presidential candidate, published in 2013 by Tate. Contact at jefton@aol.com.
Jonathan D. Hook, MBA '81, has been named as the first chief investment officer of The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, one of the largest private foundations in the U.S. Hook previously served as vice president and chief investment officer at The Ohio State University, where helped to found the Ohio State University Investment Office in 2008. After a 20-year career in commercial banking, he transitioned to a career in institutional investment management when he was hired to build Baylor University's investment office in 2001. He was honored by Foundation and Endowment Intelligence as the CIO of the Year in 2005 and Best Large Endowment in 2010. He and his wife, Karen, '06, will relocate to the Baltimore area. They have two children, Kendall, BBA '13, and Connor, a Baylor junior.
Dr. Mary Ellen Poole, BM '81, has been appointed director of the Butler School of Music and holder of The Florence Thelma Hall Centennial Chair in Music at the University of Texas at Austin, effective Sept. 1. Dean of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music for the past 10 years, Poole is nationally recognized for her views on music education and curricular innovation. She worked 18 years on the faculty and administration of Millikin University, where she was named director of the School of Music in 1997. She earned her degrees in flute performance from Baylor and Michigan State University, and a PhD in musicology from the University of Illinois at Urbana.
On March 4, Libby (Barker) Willis, BA '81, MIJ '82, of Fort Worth, won the Democratic Primary in Tarrant County to become the nominee for Texas Senate District 10, encompassing most of Fort Worth, Arlington, the mid-cities, and northeast Tarrant County. She has been active in many campaigns, including those of her late father-in-law, State Sen. Doyle Willis, the second longest serving state legislator in Texas history, and her husband, former Tarrant County Court at Law Judge, Doyle Willis Jr. Her great-grandfather, Judge Thomas F. Nash, also served as Dallas County judge, a State District judge and as a state representative. Also, in late March, Arcadia Publishing published her first book, Fort Worth's Oakhurst Neighborhood, a photographic history. Libby and Doyle, married 28 years, have two college-age sons. See libbyfortexassenate.org; e-mail at libbywillis@libbyfortexassenate.org.
'82
Dana (Peevey) Werts, BSEd '82, of Westminster, MD, graduated from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC, in 2012 with an MDiv. She serves as associate pastor at Brook Hill United Methodist Church in Frederick, MD. She and her husband, Randy, have celebrated 31 years of marriage. "We are expecting our first grandchild in August!" she writes. Contact at danawerts@aol.com.
'83
Dr. Patrick Hale, MA '83, of Spring Hill, TN, is about to release his eighth novel, High Treason. His books are a series that deal with politics, national security, technology and international intrigue. Hale's website is PatrickHale.com.
Kevin Stevenson, BBA '83, MBA '85, has joined The Erdman Co. as the director of business development for the South Central U.S. Erdman provides healthcare real estate solutions in the areas of consulting, development and design-build construction. Stevenson and his wife, Michelle (Bodine) Stevenson, BS '87, have two daughters: Ashley, a senior at the University of Arkansas, and Brooke, an incoming freshman at Mississippi College. Contact at 11705 Warbler Lane, Keller, TX 76244 or kwstevenson@yahoo.com.
'84
Dr. Peter A. McCullough, BS '84, has accepted a leadership position in cardiology at Baylor University Medical Center and its affiliated heart hospitals in Dallas and Plano. He will lead education and research activities on both campuses and have a clinical practice focusing on preventive cardiology. McCullough completed medical school at UT Southwestern and graduate school at the University of Michigan. He is an international authority on cardiorenal syndromes and has won numerous awards with over 1,000 published medical communications in the field. He is married to wife Maha and has two children, Haley, 19, and Sean, 17. They will be relocating to Dallas after leaving Texas 26 years ago. Contact at peteramccullough@gmail.com.
Joseph Voss, BBA '84, has been hired as the CFO of Austin-based Blue Matrix Labs, a developer of consumer products. Voss will lead Blue Matrix Labs' finance and global accounting operations. Voss has an extensive background in finance, technology, new products and corporate funding. He has had much success in Fortune 100 company environments such as Dell Computer Corp., Pulte Homes and Prudential Insurance, as well as managing small companies and start-ups by securing venture funding.
Tresi (Moore) Weeks, BA '84, JD '87, of Plano, TX, has joined the Disability Rights Texas (DRTx) Board of Directors. She is also chairperson of the DRTx Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness Advisory Council. Weeks is founder of the Weeks Law Firm, PLLC, where she assists clients with estate planning, special needs planning, probate and guardianship. She is a frequent speaker on special needs trust for groups of parents of children with special needs and on basic estate planning for women's and church groups.
'85
Dr. Mel Hawkins, BA '85, recently paid a surprise visit to Mississippi Speaker of the House of Representatives Philip Gunn, BBA '85. They were roommates for three years at Baylor. Gunn allowed Hawkins to open the session of the Mississippi House of Representatives in prayer. Hawkins is a professor of religion at Carson Newman University in Jefferson City, TN.
Carey P. Hendrickson, BBA '85, has been named CFO and senior vice president of Capital Senior Living Corp. Hendrickson has held numerous positions in finance and administration over 22 years at Belo Corp., which owned and operated multiple television stations and newspapers across the country. He served as Belo's senior vice president/CFO and as a member of Belo's Management Committee from 2010 until the company was sold to Gannett Co. Inc. in 2013.
C. Mark Laskay, BBA '85, has joined McCormick & O'Brien LLP in New York City as a partner to lead the firm's financial services, investment funds and capital markets practice group. His practice will focus on a number of key areas related to the global financial markets. Laskay has more than 20 years of experience in financial services and capital markets. He was previously with the New York offices of Akin Gump, Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft and Hunton & Williams, and cofounded Benedetto Laskay LLC, a boutique financial services law firm based in New York.
'86
Dr. Laurence N. Benz, MPT '86, was the commencement speaker for Kentucky Wesleyan College's May 10 ceremony. Benz is president, CEO and founder of PT Development LLC, a Kentucky-based private equity fund. Benz is also the founder of Kentucky Orthopedic Rehab Team, a private practice outpatient physical therapy provider with over 30 clinics in Kentucky and Southern Indiana, which he sold in 2007. A developer of numerous entrepreneurial businesses, he is nationally recognized for his expertise in private practice physical therapy, industrial medicine and marketing. Benz received the Robert G. Dicus Award, the highest achievement award in private practice physical therapy, in 2012. In 2006, he received the Gallup Healthcare Award for Excellence in Healthcare and was a U.S. Ernest and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist.
Dr. Kirby L. Bunel, BA '86, of Texarkana, TX, has been appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to the Texas State Board of Dentist Examiners. Also a Baylor College of Dentistry alumnus, Bunel is a surgeon with Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons of Northeast Texas.
Trey Gowdy, BA '86, a U.S. Representative from Spartanburg, SC, is heading a committee looking into the U.S. reaction to the Sept. 11, 2012, attack on a U.S. diplomatic embassy in Benghazi, Libya. Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2011, Gowdy previously was solicitor for South Carolina's Seventh Judicial Circuit. He was a federal prosecutor from 1994 to 2000.
Jimmy Seibert, BBA '86, senior leader and pastor of Waco's Antioch Community Church and founder of Antioch Ministries International, has authored Passion & Purpose: Believing the Church can Still Change the World (Clear Day, 2014 – 214 pages). Seibert tells a story of tremendous power, courage and spiritual success, with tens of thousands of people coming to Christ.
Elizabeth "Beth" (O'Leary) Wilt, BBA '86, of Dallas, has been promoted to vice president of finance and treasurer at Texas Presbyterian Foundation (TPF), a not-for-profit organization administering over $750 million in assets. The TPF mission is to support the funding and investment needs of congregations and institutions, and to enable individuals to carry out Christian philanthropy.
'87
Paula Barnes, MM '87, has been inducted as president of the Association of Legal Administrators, which has 9,000 members worldwide. A legal administrator for Burr & Forman LLP in Nashville, she was inducted on May 21 at the ALA's 2014 Annual Conference & Exposition in Toronto. Barnes joined Burr & Forman in 2006 and has over 13 years of experience as a legal administrator.
Dr. Joel Stephen Williams, PhD, '87, of Florence, AL, has been promoted to full professor at Amridge University, Montgomery, AL, where he has taught theology and ethics since 2000.
'88
Lori McCool, JD '88, of Boerne, TX, a retired principal for WoodWay Associates LLC, has been appointed to the Finance Commission of Texas by Gov. Rick Perry. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants, board treasurer of the Snowmass Mountain Condominium Association, and a board member and audit chairperson for the Marine Spill Response Corp.
'89
Shelley (Ragsdale) Goodman, BBA '89, has been named AT&T's vice president and general manager for the Illinois/Wisconsin area. She will oversee the sales and operations for more than 15,000 employees, 86 AT&T-owned retail locations, and more than 750 national retail partners and authorized dealers. In 1989, Goodman began her career in the company's Leadership Development Program.
Kimberley Tobola, BM '89, directed the Houston Girls Chorus at the American Festival for the Arts spring concert on May 18. She is in her third season with the girls chorus, and is in her 11th year serving as director of choirs at Lanier Middle School. She is a board member and founding member of VOX, a professional choral ensemble in Houston.
'90
Dr. Sarah (Gilbreath) Ford, BA '90, has authored Tracing Southern Storytelling in Black and White (University of Alabama Press, 2014 – 168 pages). She explores how both black and white Southern writers such as Joel Chandler Harris, Charles Chesnutt, Zora Neale Hurston, William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, Ralph Ellison, Ellen Douglas and Ernest Gaines have employed oral storytelling in literature. In each chapter, Ford pairs a white and an African American writer to highlight points of confluence in black and white Southern oral traditions. She argues that the connections between white and African American Southern writers run deeper than critics have yet explored.
Robert Cresanti, JD '91, of Arlington, VA, has joined the International Franchise Association as executive vice president of government relations and public policy. Previously, Cresanti served SAP America Inc. as vice president of corporate affairs and government relations since 2009. In 2006, he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Under Secretary of Technology for the Department of Commerce, and served as a chair for multiple bilateral technology trade missions for the U.S. in the European Union, Asia and Russia. He also served as co-chair for the White House PCAST, the President's Council of Advisors.
'92
The Fort Worth Business Press has selected Dr. Paul Lansdowne, BA '92, as one of its 2014 Healthcare Heroes. Lansdowne was honored for his work in the community, contribution to patient safety and collaborative work with hospital staff. He has practiced obstetrics and gynecology for 13 years. Lansdowne lives in Midlothian, TX, with his wife Cora (Erickson) Lansdowne, BM '92, and two children.
Dr. Jon Redmond, BA '92, assistant pastor of First Baptist Pasadena, was named Pasadena Kiwanis Club Minister of the Year. Redmond also graduated from Southwestern Theological Seminary and received his doctorate from New Orleans Theological Seminary.
Dr. Phil Rhodes, BS '92, MS '94, PhD '00, has been named vice president of research, effectiveness and information technology at McLennan Community College in Waco. He has served as the director of institutional research and effectiveness at Houston Baptist University since 2007. Before joining Houston Baptist, Rhodes worked as a senior research analyst at Baylor University for eight years.
Dr. Brent Taylor, BA '92, of Lewisville, TX, has authored Founding Leadership: Lessons on Business and Personal Leadership From the Men Who Brought You the American Revolution. The book looks at leadership lessons through the lens of the Founding Fathers. Contact at brent@drbrenttaylor.com.
'93
Dorisanne Cooper, BA '93, is now senior minister of Watts Street Baptist Church in Durham, NC. She graduated from Baylor magna cum laude and then earned a Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary. Cooper served for five years as associate pastor of College Park Baptist Church in Greensboro, NC, before assuming responsibilities as senior pastor of Lake Shore Baptist Church in Waco in 2002. She and husband David Tatum have a son.
Corwin Harper, MHA '93, of Stockton, CA, has been named senior vice president/area manager for the Kaiser Permanente Napa Solano service area. Since 2005, Harper has been the senior vice president/area manager for Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Health Plan in the San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties. Harper is also a graduate of the Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina.
Jack Harper, BBA '93, of Midland, TX, has been appointed to serve Concho Resources Inc. as executive vice president. Harper has served as the chief of staff and senior vice president from 2010-13. Before joining Concho Resources in 2006, Harper worked in finance, investor relations and development at Unocal Corp, Pure Resources Inc. and Tom Brown Inc.
Kristi Peterson, BSEd '93, has been hired as principal of Hughes Road Elementary in Dickinson (TX) ISD. Previously, she was assistant principal at La Porte Elementary in La Porte (TX) ISD.
Becky Wade, BBA '93, of Dallas, has authored Meant to Be Mine, a Christian fiction novel (Bethany House, 384 pages). Learn more at beckywade.com.
Jeffrey P. Wood, BA '93, has been appointed executive vice president and CFO of San Francisco-based Siluria Technologies, a commercial producer of fuels and chemicals made from natural gas. He will oversee Siluria's financial strategies, as well as manage the company's external communications, accounting and human resources functions. Wood joins Siluria from Eagle Rock Energy Partners, where he served as senior vice president and chief financial officer.
'94
Dr. Sam Joeckel BA '94, MA '97, of Palm Beach Gardens, FL, was promoted to professor of English at Palm Beach Atlantic University. He earned his doctorate from Claremont Graduate University. Joeckel has been at Palm Beach Atlantic for 12 years.
Alisha Prather, BA '94, is the director of the marketing and communications team at Baton Rouge-based Pennington Biomedical Research Center. Prather has experience in government, political, science and health communications areas. She began her career in Washington, DC, working for members of Congress, coalitions and for the U.S House Committee on Science and Technology before working with Galveston National Laboratory at the University of Texas Medical Branch as director of strategic initiatives and communications.
Ken Rohman, BBA '94, has been named a partner at Archer Malmo, a marketing communications agency based in Memphis, TN. He was previously chief digital officer. Rohman joined the agency in 2010 with more than 15 years of client-side and agency marketing experience, focusing on interactive and digital.
'95
Whitney (Taylor) Cortner, BA '95, writes, "I am so proud to have joined the Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing in Dallas as the director of marketing and communications. My husband John and I moved in March after living in Superior, CO, for almost 10 years. We are truly blessed to be home in the Lone Star State!" Contact at 6909 High Field Trail, Plano, TX 75023 or jwcortner@msn.com.
Brandon T. Hudson, BA '95, of San Antonio, has been named to The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100, an organization comprised of the nation's leading trial lawyers from each state, all of whom have met stringent qualifications as civil plaintiff and/or criminal defense trial lawyers. He is a partner at the law firm of Daniel & Hudson. His experience includes working in the Bexar County District Attorney's Office as a law clerk and first chair felony prosecutor in Frio, Atascosa, Karnes, Wilson and LaSalle counties.
'96
Texas Gov. Rick Perry has appointed Jesse Barba, BA '96, of McAllen, TX, to the Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board. The board adopts rules for the licensing and certification of real estate appraisers in Texas. Barba is an attorney for Cox Smith Matthews Inc. and is board certified in commercial and residential real estate law.
Brady Speers, MSEd '96, of Mansfield, TX, will serve a three-year term on the Alumni Board of Directors for Howard Payne University in Brownwood, TX. He graduated from HPU in 1993. Speers is a retirement planning specialist, author, father of three and political activist.
'97
Dr. Matt Cook, MDiv '97, PhD '09, pastor of First Baptist Church in Wilmington, NC, has been nominated as the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship's moderator-elect, which was announced May 27. Cook is a current CBF Governing Board member and would become the first moderator to have graduated from a CBF partner school.
David Crowder, '97, released Neon Steeple, a solo album, on May 27. It reached No. 7 among all albums on iTunes, and held both the No. 1 and 2 spots on iTunes for Christian music, thanks to a deluxe edition that offers three extra songs. The album will sound familiar to fans of the David Crowder*Band, mixing old-time gospel-style hymns with a new sound, creating a combination of porch music and electronic music he describes as "folktronica." Fans can check out Neon Steeple at crowdermusic.com.
'98
Jeromy Barber, BMEd '98, has created Houston-based Beta Theater, a go-to spot for up and coming comedians, artists and performers. In 2014, Beta Theater renovated its training classroom into a 50-seat black box theater. The theater offers training and performance experience in comedy, improv, standup, sketch and animation. Learn more at betatheater.com.
Trendsetter Engineering Inc. has promoted Ron Downing, BBA '98, of Spring, TX, to the position of president. Downing previously served as executive vice president of operations at Trendsetter, overseeing the company's business development, sales, rental, legal, quality and HSE departments. Downing joined Trendsetter, a subsea solutions provider to oil and gas companies, in 2010. He earned an MBA in finance from Sam Houston State University.
Danielle Herd, BBA '98, has joined Texas Bank and Trust Co. in Longview, TX, as senior vice president and director of retail services. She will be responsible for the oversight and management of the bank's branch operations functions. Herd has more than 15 years of experience in the financial services industry, most recently as manager of the East Texas region retail division of JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Heather Bailey New, JD '98, of Dallas, was featured among D Magazine's "Best Lawyers in Dallas 2014." A partner at Bell Nunnally, she heads the firm's appellate litigation practice and handles all aspects of appeals on both the state and federal level.
Bell County Museum director Stephanie Turnham, BA '98, MA '02, decided not to retire after county leaders and community members asked her to stay, noting her stellar service through expansion of events, exhibits and physical space, as well as her fund-raising efforts. Turnham was hired in 1994 and also is a lecturer of museum studies in Baylor's College of Arts and Sciences.
'99
Phillip A. Helmbright, BA '99, has earned a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Worth. There he completed the Rural Scholars Program, which provides an additional curriculum to prepare students for working as a rural primary care physician. Helmbright was also recognized for his community service with the TOUCH award: Translating Osteopathic Understanding into Community Health. Phillip and his wife, Rose, are moving to Sayre, PA, for his residency in family medicine at the Guthrie/Robert Packer Hospital. Contact at d311p@hotmail.com.
Mark Lancaster, BBA '99, has joined Austin-based Allen Technologies as CFO. He will be responsible for all Allen Technologies accounting, procurement, budgeting, financial analysis and reporting. Lancaster previously worked with the Defense Contract Audit Agency, Consolidated Graphics and Skyline Ultd. Allen Technologies is a pioneer in interactive patient care.
'00
Dr. Cinnamon Michelle (Hill) Martin, BMEd '00, MSEd '02, received her doctorate in physical therapy from Texas Woman's University in May. She was also awarded a post-doctoral residency position in orthopedic physical therapy within the Harris Health System in Houston. Cinnamon and husband Chad Martin, '01, are also expecting their first child in October. Contact at cinnamonmmartin@gmail.com.
'01
Brett Cody, BM '01, is now pastor of Whiting Community Church in Whiting, VT. He and his wife, Sabrina, have three children: Leah, 5, Andrew, 3, and Abigail, 18 months. "We would appreciate prayer as we minister the gospel of Jesus Christ in New England," writes Brett. Contact at 42 Shoreham Whiting Road, Whiting, VT 05778.
Kent McKeever, BA '01, a Mission Waco legal advocate to low-income clients and a youth minister, dressed in orange jailhouse scrubs during Lenten to show empathy for prisoners and ex-convicts returning to society. This social experiment did not come without its share of double takes and curious looks. McKeever's hope for this Lenten sacrifice was to inspire second chances for the individuals who have served their time, rather than casting them to fringes of the community. After moving back to Waco with his family in 2012, McKeever created this legal advocacy position. For the first year and a half, he raised all the money for his salary and day-to-day operations. See more about his experience on his blog, 40daysinorange.wordpress.com.
Kevin Smith, BSEd '01, has been hired as principal of Jasper (TX) High School. He previously was assistant principal at Marshall (TX) High School and has been in administration for the past seven years. At Marshall, Smith also served as the district advisor of the AVID program.
'02
David Argueta, BS '02, MBA '05, has joined CHI St. Luke's Health–The Woodlands Hospital as chief operating officer. Most recently, he served as vice president of operations at Baylor Scott & White-Hillcrest in Waco. Argueta is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Matt Keepers, BBA '02, of Katy, TX, has been elected the 76th president of the International Home Furnishings Representatives Association (IHFRA). Keepers began his career in the furniture business by becoming a sub-rep for his father in the South Texas territory for Hooker Furniture.
William Henderson Shurley, BA '02, has been named the pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Gulfport, MS. For the last five years, Henderson served Titusville, NJ, as the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church. Before Shurley went into ministry full-time, he worked with the Office of Seminary Relations at Princeton Theological Seminary and in the Office of Public Affairs at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, DC.
Sarah Stohlman, MA '02, was selected as elementary school teacher of the year in the St. Charles Parish Public School district in Louisiana. Stohlman began teaching kindergarten at Des Allemands Elementary School in 2011 after a career as a college professor involved in research on Central American immigrants in the Los Angeles and Guatemala areas.
'03
Carroll (Bonner) Crowson, BA '03, MSEd '05, MTS '12, and Grady Crowson, BBA '01, recently celebrated their first anniversary after marrying on May 11, 2013. They live in Waco, where Carroll works as a career counselor in Baylor's Office of Career and Professional Development and Grady works in the financial industry. Contact at Carroll_Crowson@baylor.edu.
The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship awarded the Young Baptist Leadership Award to Carol McEntyre, MSW '03, MDiv '03, on Feb. 24 at the 2014 Churchworks! Conference in Huntsville, AL. She has served at First Baptist Church in Columbia, MO, since 2012. Previously she was an education minister at Church of the Holy Comforter Episcopal Church in Augusta, GA, and as a community minister at First Baptist Church in Knoxville, TN. She also served on a faith-based task force for Knoxville's 10-year plan to end homelessness.
Steven Walters, BFA '03, and Erik Archilla, BFA '03, met as freshman at Baylor and have sporadically worked on Booth, a political thriller about John Wilkes Booth, since they created the script as an assignment for a class. The play outlines the events leading to President Lincoln's assassination and Secretary of War Edwin Stanton's efforts to bring Booth to justice. Over the years, Walters and Archilla reworked the story several times, even pitching it as a mini-series. In 2013, they received a $40,000 grant from the The Arts Community Alliance Donna Wilhelm Family New Works Fund, which went to the development and production of the play, which ran from May 21-June 14 at Second Thought Theatre in Dallas.
'04
Amber Adamson, BA '04, MA '13, a lecturer in journalism in the Baylor College of Arts and Sciences, has released The Last Alarm: First Responders' Stories of the West Explosion, which offers more than 40 first-person accounts of those who served in the aftermath of the tragic fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas. The book was designed by Stephanie MacVeigh, BA '99, using many photos from Baylor Lariat student photographers, and another Baylor journalism lecturer, Sharon Bracken, BA '92, MA '01, edited and published the book. Baylor's Institute for Oral History transcribed and collected many of Adamson's interviews, which will be added to the university's Texas Collection.
Joshua Curlett, BBA '04, has been named a Dallas Business Journal "Top 40 under 40" in the Metroplex. He was also promoted to COO of Sound Productions Inc., a pro-audio, lighting and video retailer.
'07
Matt Googe, BSME '07, joined Robinson IP Law, PLLC in Knoxville, TN, as a co-founder in 2013. Robinson IP Law is an intellectual property firm specializing in patent, trademark and copyright issues. Contact at mgooge@robinsoniplaw.com.
'08
Dr. Amanda Brooks-Ritchie, BS '08, of Little Rock, AR, was awarded the designation of Certified Pelvic Rehabilitation Practitioner. She is the only physical therapist in Arkansas to achieve this certification and is one of fewer than 40 therapists in the country with this designation. Individuals bearing this designation have completed additional training in diagnosis and treatment of pelvic dysfunctions as well as completing more than 2,000 hours of direct pelvic patient care. Contact at amanda.brooksritchie@gmail.com.
Jason Lovvorn, BBA '08, of Dallas, has been named head of school of First Baptist Academy. An alumnus of the school, he began working at First Baptist in 2008 and was named head football coach in 2009, athletic director in 2010 and dean of students in 2011. In 2013, he took the Saints varsity football team to its first state title, capping an undefeated season. Lovvorn will continue as head football coach.
Former Baylor quarterback Ryan Roberts, BS '08, MS '09, of Keller, TX, gives quarterbacking lessons and serves as a role model for youths at RRQB training. Learn more at rrqb.net.
Dr. Kara (Morgan) Totonchi, BS '08, of Royal Oak, MI, married Dr. Samer Totonchi in Chicago on May 10. They met during their residencies in Michigan. Kara is an OB-GYN resident and Samer is an urologist.
'09
Pedro Aulestia, BBA '09, of Quito, Ecuador, has been named executive director of the National Institute for Social Entrepreneurship, a branch of the Finance Ministry of the Ecuadorian Government, for his successful project on poverty eradication through community-based companies. His partnered companies export finished products from sugarcane to Europe and the Middle East. Contact at pedro.aulestia@grupoaulestia.com.
Jaime Bates, BA '09, and Terrynce McKeown were married March 7 and have made their home in Waco, where Jaime serves as media buyer for Baylor University.
Kristy Sue Gilbert, BBA '09, married Greg Michael Gibson, BBA '09, on Nov. 9, 2013, in Richmond, TX. Greg is employed with Flowserve in Deer Park and received the Top Pump Territory Sales for North America in 2013. Kristy is employed with Touching Hearts at Home in Sugar Land. The couple resides in Houston.
Juan Fernando Loa, BBA '09, has been named director of admissions at the University of Texas at Tyler, where he has worked since 2011, most recently as a graduate academic adviser for the College of Business and Technology. Loa will oversee the graduate admissions processes. He received his MBA from UT Tyler.
Rose Vera, MBA '09, was recognized with the Texas Assisted Living Association Advocate Award for her efforts to testify before Texas legislators regarding vital issues facing an aging population, such as aging in place in assisted livings and the informal resolution process for Texas assisted livings. Vera is an administrator with Silverado Senior Living. She is leading the opening of a new Silverado memory care community in Bee Cave, TX, set to open this summer.
'10
David Henry, JD '10, has joined Kane Russell Coleman & Logan PC as an associate attorney. He practices in the litigation section in the Dallas office, focusing mostly on personal injury defense. Henry was associate editor of the Baylor Law Review.
Dr. Katie Kester, BS '10, has received her doctor of medicine degree from Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine. She is continuing her medical training at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth as a resident physician in family medicine.
Justin Kralemann, BS '10, has accepted a position with the Mercy Healthcare Network in St. Louis, MO. He will be working in corporate philanthropy as Mercy's Foundation Relations manager. He will oversee grant writing and foundation relations for the Central Missouri portion of the network. Mercy Healthcare serves more than 3 million patients annually in Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma and is the 6th largest Catholic Healthcare System in the U.S.
Carson Runge, JD '10, of Longview, TX, has been recognized in Super Lawyers magazine's list of the 2014 Texas Rising Stars. Runge joined Sloan, Bagler, Hatcher and Perry in 2010 and practices catastrophic personal injury law. He serves as president of the Gregg Country Bar Association.
Rachel Zamzow, BS '10, has received a Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellowship from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). She has been assigned to work at the Philadelphia Inquirer. As a doctoral student in the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program at the University of Missouri, she studies autism spectrum disorder from the perspectives of pharmacological intervention and underlying neural organization. Zamzow plans to pursue a career in science writing, in which she hopes to use both her scientific training and communication experience to serve as a liaison between scientists and the public.
'11
Jillian Edwards, BA '11, released her third album, Daydream, in March. Her previous album, Headfirst, reached #1 on iTunes' singer- songwriter chart. Jillian has been in Nashville exploring her music career since 2011. This past December, Edwards got married. She also sings for "The In-Laws," an indie-folk trio composed of Edwards, her husband, Will Chapman, and brother-in-law, Caleb Chapman.
Alexa Farris, BS '11, married Phil Royston, BSEd '10, in Corinth, TX, on June 22, 2013. Alexa has completed her second year of medical school at The Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of North Texas Health Science Center, and Phil is an orthopedic sales executive.
Natalie King, BBA '11, of Houston, married Creighton Buie, of Dallas, on Nov. 1, 2013, in Anna, TX. They met while Natalie was a student at Baylor. The two can be found every year at the Baylor-Tech game, where Creighton's team usually leaves defeated, says Natalie. The couple recently moved to Branford, CT, where Creighton is a biotech engineer. Contact at nkbuie@yahoo.com.
Daniel Rigney, MSEd '11, married Kristin Thogmartin, BSEd '11, on Dec. 28, 2013, in Brenham, TX. Daniel is a coach and teacher for Lackland ISD and Kristin is a teacher for Judson ISD. They reside in San Antonio.
Paul Ruiz, MBA '11, was appointed vice president and chief accounting officer of Austin-based Summit Hotel Properties Inc. on May 7. He was also appointed interm chief financial officer, effective May 28. Ruiz has over 25 years of executive, financial, accounting and operational experience. Prior to joining Summit, he served in senior executive roles for companies in a variety of industries, including real estate and technology. Most recently, Ruiz was the director of global corporate accounting for Freescale Semiconductor Inc.
Former Milwaukee Bucks basketball player and current free agent Ekpe Udoh, BSED '11, who played on the Baylor men's basketball team from 2008-10, began a book club over Twitter, distributing free books to the first 25 people to sign up through a tweeted link. Udoh opens the book club by tweeting out a link to a sign-up page, personally sending out books to a number of people. He then sends each member an email with a schedule of how much to read in a given week and when the discussions will take place. Learn more at twitter.com/EkpeUdoh.
David Vu, BS '11, of San Diego, CA, was promoted to the next engineering level with Northrop Grumman, where he previously interned for three summers during college. He is completing a graduate degree in software engineering this summer. Contact at david_vu@alumni.baylor.edu.
'12
Jenny Bates, BA '12, and Katie (Nilsen) Johnson, BA '12, graduated on May 18 with MA degrees from The George Washington University in Washington, DC. Jenny had a focus in exhibit design, and Katie had a focus in collections management.
'14
Elizabeth (Bradshaw) Henning, BA '14, of Woodway, TX, has authored The Conspirators (Tate Publishing, 2014, 166 pages) under the name E.B. Henning. The book falls into the mystery genre and is Henning's first published novel. She is married to Ryan Henning, BS '11, MS '14.
John Sefel, MFA '14, has been named theater director at Cowley College in Arkansas City, KS. He has worked in theater as an actor, director, producer and playwright since 1997. Sefel has taught at Chester College in New England and at Baylor University.
In Memoriam
1920s
Mildred (Forbes) Stegall, BA ’29, died May 16 in Fort Worth. She was 105. Stegall taught school including in Eliasville and Archer City. She married Glynn Stegall in 1933, and they worked for Congressman W.D. McFarlane in Washington, DC. Mildred’s husband worked for Sen. Lyndon Johnson. When LBJ became Senate majority leader in 1956, Johnson hired Mildred to be his secretary. She continued to work for Johnson as a secretary when he was vice president and president. In 1964, Stegall became Johnson’s closest aide and the woman entrusted with his secretly recorded phone conversations. She was promoted to assistant to the president and handled matters involving the FBI. She returned to Austin Jan. 20, 1969, on Air Force One, and worked for the LBJ Library and Museum until Johnson’s death in 1973. She handled Lady Bird Johnson’s accounts for 16 years afterward.
1930s
Josephine (Marchman) Nash, BA ’37, of Dallas, died March 30 at age 97. She was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority, Junior League of Dallas and Dallas Antiques & Fine Arts Society. For 50 years she taught a Bible study at First Baptist Church, Dallas. Nash taught music at The Children’s Development Center for 20 years. At Baylor she met Horace Nash, BA ’36. They married in 1938 and had four children, Martha (Nash) Smith, BMEd ’63, Horace “Buddy” Nash Jr., BA ’67, Elizabeth Gorman, and Jody (Nash) Magers, BA ’72.
Johnnye (Lawrence) Huston, BA ’38, of Bartlett, TX, died March 21 at age 96. At Baylor, she was a Baylor Beauty, Round-Up Sweetheart, and a member of Delta Alpha Pi. Among her survivors is her daughter, Glenna Sue (Hutson) Wood, BS ’75.
Virginia (Muller) Bostick, BBA ’39, of Waco, died May 17 at age 96. Virginia and Buddy Bostick, BA ’39, lived in Arkansas, Tennessee, and then Dallas where he was a radio announcer prior to his being called into active duty. Afterward, Buddy put KWTX radio on the air in Waco in 1946. Virginia was a long-time member of Columbus Avenue Baptist Church and a generous Baylor supporter. She was also an avid birder and traveled extensively. Survivors include her husband, daughters Ellen Deaver, BA ’62, and Martha Phipps, BMEd ’67, grandchildren Kyle Deaver, BBA ’86, JD ’93, John Lee Deaver, BA ’88, JD ’92, Virginia “Jenny” Powers, and Jim Phipps, BA ’92, and six great-grandchildren including Nicholas Deaver, BBA ’12, and Baylor senior Morgan Deaver.
1940s
Sarah Eloise (Hudson) Gibson, BBA ’40, of Texarkana, TX, died March 15 at age 94. She taught business subjects at Texas Senior High in Texarkana for 29 years and earned an MBA degree from East Texas State University in 1966. Gibson was married to Bill Gibson for 57 years. Among her survivors is daughter, Glenda (Gibson) Schill, BM ’71, MM ’72.
Margie Louise (Bertelsen) Rhoades, BA ‘42, of Fort Worth, died April 27 at age 92. She taught at Clifton High School, 1942-45, then served with the American Red Cross, Services to the Armed Forces, 1945-48. She taught English and journalism in the Fort Worth school system from 1948-82, retiring from Meadowbrook Jr. High, where she was head of the English department. She was a charter member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Fort Worth and was married to Charles Howard Rhoades for nearly 44 years until his death. She is survived by her daughter, Alice Jane Rhoades, BA ’71, of Houston.
Dr. Walter D. “Tootie” Hunter Jr., BA ’43, DDS ’46, of Waco, died March 28 at age 91. He practiced dentistry for 39 years and became a rancher. He was a charter member of Ridgewood Country Club and was a club champion, was Cotton King of the Waco Cotton Palace pageant in 1997, and loved coaching Little League baseball. Survivors include his wife of 68 years, Margaret (Dahse) Hunter, BA ’46, daughters, Carol (Hunter) Wells, BS ’69, and Lynn (Hunter) Carter, ’70.
Dr. George William “Sandy” Reimer, ’44, of Covelo, CA, died March 5 at age 89. He was drafted into the Army in 1943, dispatched to Texas A&M to study engineering, then took the Army’s medical aptitude test, when he was one of five students selected from 5,000 to pursue a medical career. Reimer studied premed at Baylor before earning a medical degree from the University of Texas School of Medicine in Galveston. He served as a doctor in the U.S. Navy and then completed his residency in radiology at Stanford Medical Hospital in San Francisco in 1951. Reimer was awarded a Ford Foundation Fellowship in 1956. He served as clinical professor of radiology from 1961-88 at Stanford Medical School in Palo Alto, CA. He was also chief of staff at Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City, CA.
Dr. Bland Hugh Schwarting, ’44, of Austin, died March 27 at age 92. He was a champion diver and was featured in the Aquacade. He later served in the U.S. Army Air Corps as flight instructor and pilot from 1943-45. In 1948, he married Marjorie Lee Smith Warren, BBA ’48, while in Baylor medical school. While in the Air Force, he earned wings as pilot, flight engineer and flight surgeon. Bland served as a private practice ophthalmologist in San Antonio from 1957 to 2011 and on medical staffs of Santa Rosa, Baptist, Methodist, and Robert B. Green hospitals.
Dr. Joyce Elaine (Stripling) Davis, BS ’45, MD ’47, of Austin, died May 8 at age 90. She was valedictorian of her high school class in Crystal City, TX, and married Dr. Phil Davis while in medical school. Davis taught pathology at Baylor College of Medicine from 1956-75. She was chair of the department of pathology at Texas A&M College of Medicine from 1975-90. Davis was honored as Outstanding Alumnus of Baylor University in 1984 and was president of the Texas Society of Pathology in 1989. She taught Sunday School for nearly 70 years. Among her survivors is her husband of 68 years, Phil Davis, and son Roger Davis, BBA ’74, MBA ’76.
Patricia M. (Hough) Knight, ’45, of Oklahoma City, OK, died April 3 at age 89. She studied English, music, and art, played in the marching band, and was active in BSU at Baylor from 1941-43. In 1945 she married Eugene M. Knight, who died in 1997. She devoted her life to improving education and training for developmentally disabled individuals, including through the Dale Rogers Training Center. Among her surviving children is Patricia (Knight) Saunders, BA ’69.
Virginia “Ginia Beth” (Cox) Denman, BBA ’46, of Lufkin, TX, died May 13 at age 87. At Baylor she was a member of Kappa Delta Pi, Pi Gamma Mu, and Phi Gamma Nu. She married Joe Carter Denman Jr., ’46, in 1948. She was active in the United Methodist Church and was a founding member and past president of the Junior League of Lufkin, of the Angelina Ladies Investment Club, and of the Diboll Garden Club. She was a past president and member of the Wilson McKewen Treatment Center. She was also a teacher and a member of Baylor’s Old Main Society. Among her survivors is daughter Lisa (Denman) Warner, BSEd ’75.
Jack William Thomas, ’46, of Waco, died May 14 at age 88. He played football at Baylor but transferred to the University of Tulsa when the Baylor athletic program was halted due to World War II. He earned a master’s degree from Trinity University and played for the Los Angeles Rams in 1947. Thomas served in the U.S. Army from 1950-52. He married Betty Ann Glaeser in 1952. He coached the Seguin High School football team and later coached at several universities, including at Texas A&M in 1961, as athletic director at Hardin-Simmons University, and as defensive line coach at Baylor from 1963-68. Thomas moonlighted as a football talent scout for Cincinnati Bengals from 1969-83. He worked for Baylor Development from 1969-83 and became a faculty member. He retired in 1994. Thomas was inducted into the Southern Mississippi M-Club Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.
Anna Virginia (Hawkins) Bridge, BA ’47, MSEd ’55, of San Antonio, died April 10 at age 90. During World War II, she worked in the laboratory of the Coastal Refineries plant in Port Isabel and was the first woman hired to work in that capacity. She was married to the late Joe Hernandez Bridge, ’47, for 43 years. She was a teacher for 32 years and was a founding member of The Fellowship of San Antonio. Bridge was a member of more than 20 organizations, including the Baylor Heritage Club and the San Antonio Baylor Women’s Network. Among her survivors are four daughters and six grandchildren including Virginia Lynn Aaron, BA ’98, and Mary Lisa Mireles, BA ’07.
Waldo V. Hill Jr., BBA ’49, of Houston, died March 31 at age 90. He fought in World War II in the Air Force. After Baylor, Hill worked as a right of way agent for Exxon for over 30 years and was a longtime member of Tallowood Baptist Church. Hill was a generous Baylor supporter. Among his survivors is his wife of 69 years, Minnie Lee (Branch) Hill, BA ’47.
Georgene (Thompson) Raisner, BS ’49, of Temecula, CA, died Feb. 22 at age 85. She passed away the day before the 62nd anniversary of her marriage to Bill Raisner. She was the home economist at the San Diego Gas and Electric Co. and later taught home economics in middle school for 24 years.
Dudley Lee Rouse, BA ’49, of Dallas, died April 14 at age 89. At Waco High he was class president. He served in the U.S. Air Force and Navy during World War II. He was a psychology instructor at Baylor from 1950-53 and worked at the Wadley Research Institute and Blood Bank of Dallas from 1958-92. Rouse taught statistics and psychology at Baylor Dental College of Dentistry in Dallas for 14 years. He was director and president of Wadley Leukemia Assn., director of Dallas Chapter of Leukemia Society of America and director of Baylor Club of Dallas director. Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Eloise Meadows Rouse, BM ’52.
Betty (Clark) Thompson, BM ’49, of San Antonio, died March 29 at age 85. She taught elementary school and music and married Dr. James B. Thompson, BA ’50, who pastored Baptist churches throughout Texas. Betty was always involved in the churches where James was a pastor. She was a member of PEO, the Twentieth Century Club of Mineola, TX, and was a representative on the executive board of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Her survivors include her husband of 63 years, her daughter, Karla (Thompson) Davis, BA ’79, granddaughters Taylor (Davis) Clark, BS ’05, and Tori Davis, BA ’10, and her brother, Charles H. Clark, BBA ’58, LLB ’60. Memorials may be made to Baylor University.
Dr. Yandall Clark Woodfin III, BA ’49, of Fort Worth, died May 28 at age 85. The Christian educator and minister earned degrees from Baylor, Princeton Theological Seminary, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and the University of Edinburgh, with additional study at Cambridge. After serving briefly as pastor, Woodfin began his teaching career while directing Baptist Student Ministries at Tarleton State University. He taught at Baylor, the International Baptist Theological Seminary in Switzerland, and for 27 years at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary before retiring in 1994. Woodfin authored two books and numerous scholarly articles for theological and philosophical journals and also was an exceptional artist. Among his survivors is his wife of 65 years, Leta (Beene) Woodfin, BA ’49.
1950s
Gloria (Shearin) Logue, ’50, of Waco, died April 3 at age 87. She played piano and organ at Calvary Baptist Church. Logue graduated from Memphis State University, taught shorthand and typing, and worked as a court reporter. Later in life, she worked for more than 20 years at Baylor, including working in the Retired Professors Center. Her husband, Bill Logue, BBA ’47, JD ’49, preceded her in death. Among Logue’s survivors are four daughters including Katherine Logue, BA ’84, JD ’87, and Margaret Sudderth, MA ’94.
Mary (Barton) Robinson, BA ’50, of Eldorado, TX, died May 11 at age 85. She taught Sunday School for more than 60 years at First Baptist Church Eldorado and became Eldorado Citizen of the Year. Robinson gave more than 100 book reviews throughout West Texas. She made 20 trips to the United Kingdom and also visited all 50 states. Among her survivors are daughters Kathy Hillman, BA ’73, and Gail Robinson, BA ’76, and grandchildren Marshall Hillman, BBA ’01, MAcc ’01, and Michael Hillman, BBA ’02, MBA ’03. Memorials may be made to Baylor’s Armstrong Browning Library.
Diane (Hale) Taylor, BBA ’50, of Katy, TX, died April 11 at age 85. She was a former member of Green Acres and First Baptist churches in Tyler. Among her survivors is son David Taylor, BBA ’87.
Nellie (Ross) Valigura, BA ’50, of Temple, TX, died May 9 at age 89. She retired in 1984 after teaching 28 years at the elementary, middle school, high school and college levels. She was a member of many groups including the Baylor Bear Foundation, the advisory committee for the Scott & White Plan Senior Care, and First Baptist Church of Temple. In 1999, she and her husband William J. Valigura, BA ’49, MA ’50, were honored as the Central Texas Chapter of the Baylor Alumni Association “Alumni of the Year.”
Bobbie (Barton) Cobb, BBA ’51, of The Woodlands, TX, died April 28 at age 83. At Baylor, she was president of Phi Gamma Nu and Homecoming Queen nominee. She was a teacher for 26 years at Galena Park ISD and two years at San Jacinto Jr. College, a Sunday school teacher for 30 years at the First Baptist Church in Galena Park, and a volunteer ESL instructor for 13 years. Her survivors include her husband of 62 years, Dr. Gerald D. Cobb, BS ’50, MS ’55, and children Dr. Gerald B. Cobb, BS ’78, and Catherine (Cobb) LeBleu, BBA ’80.
Robert Lee Heard, BA ’51, JD ’55, of Austin, died April 15 at age 84. He reported on Texas state government, politics and sports for The Associated Press, including the 1966 University of Texas tower shootings and a groundbreaking series on race and integration of Longhorns football. Heard was shot and wounded by Charles Whitman on Aug. 1, 1966, while covering the tower rampage. He wrote several books on sports and politics and founded a newsletter about UT athletics. Heard was press secretary for Joe Christie’s U.S. Senate campaign and later was the Capitol correspondent for the San Antonio Express-News and wrote for Texas Lawyer.
Walter R. Still, BBA ’51, of Lufkin, TX, died April 9 at age 87. He played football at Baylor and served in the U.S. Army. Still retired from Temple-Inland following 28 years of service in the lumber division and enjoyed raising cattle. Still was a deacon of Lufkin’s First Baptist Church. His survivors include his wife, Mary Still, and daughters Delise McIlveene, BBA ’81, and Susan Ellzey, BA ’80.
Charles Clifford Workman, ’51, of Nicholasville, KY, died April 6 at age 87. A World War II veteran, he served in the Navy and retired from the Air Force after 20 years. Workman was former director for the Department of Personnel for the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Lloyd Woodrow Mooney, BBA ’52, of Huntsville, TX, died April 21 at age 95. He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Huntsville for 59 years and was a World War II Army Air Corps veteran.
William Burns Aman, BA ’54, MSEd ’58, of Waco, died April 9 at age 81. From 1967-95, he taught in Connally, Waco and Midway ISDs. Aman received Midway High School’s Outstanding Teacher Award and his last job was at Baylor, where he directed and taught student teachers for several years. Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Jo Ann (Payne) Aman, BA ’57.
Thomas Bentley Black, BA ’54, of Columbus, GA, died April 9 at age 81. He served in the Army before rejoining his family’s snack food manufacturing business. His career included working as executive vice president and COO of Tom Huston Peanut Company, as an administrator of the Bradley-Turner Foundation, forming TDJ Co., and operating Baskin Robbins Ice Cream and Auntie Anne’s Pretzel stores. He was a deacon at First Baptist Church of Columbus and served on the boards of the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce, YMCA, United Way, Valley Interfaith Promise, Young Life of Columbus, Pastoral Institute, the Walter Alan Richards Foundation, and NorthStar Industries. Among his survivors is his wife of 59 years, Doris Loraine (Engelbrecht) Black, BBA ’53.
Dr. Charles Richard Hurst, BA ’54, of Tyler, TX, died March 31 at age 80. He married Jesmarie Harvey Hurst, BA ’54, in 1955 and graduated from Baylor College of Medicine in 1958. In 1967, his medical practice was interrupted when he was drafted into the Navy. In Vietnam, he served at a hospital in Quang Tri province. Later he resumed his family practice and served as a deacon at the First Baptist Church. Hurst worked with Parents Anonymous, the Juvenile Attention Center and the Tyler Race Relations committee. He grew peaches at Hurst Orchards and developed with his son, Dan Hurst, the Peach Tree Golf Club. Hurst traveled with the Texas Baptist Men’s Disaster Relief crew to Iran after Desert Storm. He also went on mission trips to Brazil, Thailand, Sumatra, Iraq, Turkey, Kosovo, Russia, Poland, Northern Ireland and Mexico. He wrote a book that included these travels, Religion, An Accident of Birth. After Jesmarie died, he married Betty Robbins Lloyd in 2007, who is among his survivors. Other survivors include his sons Rick Hurst, Dan Hurst and Allen Hurst, BA ’82, JD ’85, and six grandchildren, including Heather Hurst Collum, BBA ’05.
Mary Ann (Coit) Doggett, BA ’55, of Houston, died Feb. 18 at age 80. She was the widow of Dr. Jerry L. Doggett, (Baylor College of Medicine, ’58), and a mother of four. She was active in ministry with South Main Baptist Church for many years.
William George Peevey, BA ’55, of Burleson, TX, died April 7 at age 80. He was a longtime employee of both Montgomery Wards and Burly Fence Co. Peevey was an active member of the Burleson Lions Club. He loved fishing, sports of all kinds, and a good laugh.
Clarence Wayne Carpenter, BBA ’58, of Waco, died March 24 at age 81. He met his wife of 63 years, Charlotte Stinson, BA ’70, while he was a soda jerk at Blue Bird Ice Cream. He was a 50-year member of several groups, including the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants, Fidelis Masonic Lodge, Waco Scottish Rite and Karem Shrine. Carpenter’s career included positions from a letter carrier to the CFO at Brazos Electric Cooperative. His survivors include his wife, Charlotte; son Bart Carpenter, BA ’76, and daughter Donna Eberhardt, BA ’78.
Elizabeth “Beth” (Holt) Gardner, BA ’58, died March 10, in Burleson, TX. She was 77. Gardner became a church pianist at 12 years old and taught school for 17 years in Iredell, Meridian and Burleson. She then worked with her husband in his auto sales business. Survivors include her beloved husband of 56 years, Bill, two sons, 10 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
1960s
Gwendolyn (Fox) Prestidge, BA ’60, of Charleston, SC, died April 3. She is predeceased by her husband, Bill G. Prestidge, BBA ’59, and sister, Nancy C. Fox. She is survived by her daughter, Jennifer Fox Prestidge, her son, William G. Prestidge Jr., and sister, Janet (Fox) Woodbury, BS ’62, MS ’64.
Quillon Benton “Ben” Culpepper Jr., BA ’64, of Orange, TX, died May 19 at age 71. He served in the Army Reserves for six years. Culpepper was on the Orange City Council and was president of Orange Economic Development Corp. Culpepper owned and operated Barnett-Culpepper Insurance for nearly 40 years. He was very active in Kiwanis Club. Among his survivors is his wife of 49 years, Gloria Barnett Culpepper, BSN ’64.
Wayne Jordan, BA ’64, died Apr. 10 in Mt. Vernon, NY. He was 71. A member of the 1963 Baylor Track and Field Southwest Conference championship team, Jordan spent most of his career practicing law in New York. His wife, Madeline, and four stepchildren survive him.
Dr. John G. Newkirk, BS ’64, of The Woodlands, TX, died March 23 at age 72. He served as a dentist in the U.S. Army and practiced dentistry for 46 years, with 40 of those in Houston and The Woodlands. Newkirk was married to Janet McNee, BA ’66, for 43 years until her death in 2009. He married Theresa Terracino, BS ’56, in 2010. Among his survivors are his wife, two daughters including Julie Annette Rusk, ’92, and three grandchildren.
Mike McLennan, BBA ’67, of Brenham, TX, died May 18 at age 69. Mike’s career included running the onshore drilling division of Zapata to horse breeding, training and showmanship. He was president of the jury of the National Cutting Horse Association. Among his survivors is his wife Jerry (Rainwater) McLennan, BBA ’66.
Weldaleen (Hamill) Satterwhite, BS ’67, MSEd ’71, of Waco, died May 24 at age 69. She had a 47-year career with Waco ISD and teaching was her passion. She was a member of the 1845 Society.
Thomas “Tom” Bert Schaffner, BBA ’67, of Richardson, TX, died March 31 at age 69. He was captain of the 1961 Odessa Permian Panther football team, where he met his future wife, Georgia Odam. They married in 1964 while he was a student athlete at Baylor. Schaffner worked for the Travelers Insurance Co. in Iowa and Dallas where he retired as regional vice president in 2004. He had four children, including Josh Schaffner, BA ’06.
Eugene H. Moore Jr., BA ’69, JD ’72, of Dallas, died April 11 at age 66. At Baylor, he was a member of Circle K. He joined the Waco city attorney’s office and became an assistant city attorney in Irving, TX. Later Moore worked for Lone Star Gas in Dallas and Dresser Industries in Houston before becoming general counsel of Dresser-Rand in Corning, NY. He returned to Dallas in 2000. He had a private legal practice and was general counsel of Ruhrpumpen. Among his survivors are his wife of 43 years, Sheila (Duncan) Moore, BA ’69, children Geoff Moore, BA ’98, and Emily (Moore) Kenton, BA ’01, and sister Carole Jean Abernathy, BBA ’62. Memorials may be made to the Eugene H. and Charlotte G. Moore Law School Scholarship Fund at Baylor Law School.
Dr. Mary Joe (Williams) White, BSN ’69, of Houston, died April 8 at age 67. She earned advanced degrees from Texas Woman’s University and Texas A&M. White was an associate professor at the University of Texas Houston School of Nursing and served there as faculty for over 35 years. Among her survivors are her husband, Howell White, and sister, Farley Ann French, BA ’67.
1970s
Clarence Hairston “Hershey” Muse Jr., BBA ’72, of Conroe, TX, died April 14 at age 64. Muse was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity, formerly known as Tryon Coterie. He worked in the paper industry for 39 years. Muse was a member of the First Baptist Church of Conroe and was a former member of the Rotary Club of Conroe where he was a board member. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Becky (McKnight) Muse, BBA ’73, sister, Marsha Muse, BA ’69, and numerous cousins. Memorials may be made to The Hershey and Becky McKnight Muse Endowed Scholarship Fund in Business at Baylor.
Dr. Stephen L. Stuart, BA ’72, of Dallas, died Nov. 7, 2013, at age 64. He played football (1968-70) and baseball (1970-72) for Baylor and earned a degree from Baylor College of Dentistry. He practiced dentistry for 38 years and loved his Baylor Bears. Survivors include his son, Tyler Stuart, BA ’03.
Dr. David Foreman, BA ’75, of Birmingham, AL, died May 1 at age 61. He had served as a math professor at Samford University since 1986. Foreman is survived by his wife Elvia (Glover), BS ’75, and daughters Julie, BA ’06, and Emily, BS ’12.
Dr. Allen Street Boyd Jr., BS ’77, of Germantown, TN, died March 27 at age 77. He served two years with the U.S. Army and practiced neurosurgery from 1970 to 2008. He was a past president of the Memphis Medical Society and the Memphis Rotary Club. Boyd was on the clinical faculty of UT Memphis, from which he received a 2011 Outstanding Alumni Award. He also taught missionary physicians in Africa and Malaysia and served on Baylor’s Development Council. Among his survivors are his wife of 54 years, Janis (Knox) Boyd, BA ’60, and children Lundy (Boyd) Carpenter, BA ’93, and son Dr. Dan Boyd, BA ’86.
Milton Ray Kilough, BBA ’79, of Hankamer, TX, died April 1 at age 57. He worked for the City of Dayton for six years and retired this year from the City of Pasadena after 19 years. Among his survivors is his wife of 28 years, Geraldine Kilough.
1980s
Robert A. “Bobby” Jones, BBA ’83, of Tyler, TX, died April 28 at age 54. He was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. Jones managed McClain Building Materials in Tyler for 23 years, and then worked for Georgia Pacific in Arlington and for Resdoor Co. in Fort Worth. At six months old, Procter and Gamble selected him as the Ivory Snow baby for their television commercials to be aired before soap operas. Survivors include his parents, Rosemary, BA ’56, and Joe McClain. Memorials may be made to the Baylor “B” Association.
Nathan Lee Hutson, BA ’85,
MBA ’90, of Dallas, died April 1
at age 50. He was employed with Guidestone Financial Resources as director of client services and sales within capital management. Hutson was raised in Argentina where his parents served with the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. He was a CFA charter holder and a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Dallas-Fort Worth. Among his survivors are his father Barney R. Hutson, BA ’57, mother Clara M. Hutson, BA ’59, and brother Timothy R. Hutson, BBA ’88, MBA ’90.
Sue (Chen) Barber, BBA ’85, of Plano, TX, died March 27 at age 51. Born in Taiwan, she earned an MBA and was a computer engineer during her working career at Mobil Oil and Frito Lay before becoming a stay-at-home mother. Among her survivors are her husband of 24 years, Scott A. Barber, BBA ’85, JD ’87, and their children, Brittany and Colton.
1990s
Maribeth Lyn (Ellis) Olberding, BSEd ’91, of Las Cruces, NM, died May 28 at age 44. She was a member of Sigma Kappa sorority and was an assistant math professor at New Mexico State University. Among her survivors are her husband, Dr. Bruce Michael Olberding, BS ’90, daughters Della Lyn and Lila Kay Olberding, and sisters Jennifer (Ellis) Byrd, BSEd ’85, MSEd ’87, and Stephanie Denise Ellis, BBA ’88.
2000s
Shaun Michael Hagy, BBA ’04, of Kingwood, TX, died April 10 at age 33. He worked in real estate and was designated the 2005 Rookie of the Year by the Texas Homebuilders Association. Hagy was pursuing a Master of Science in economic development and entrepreneurship from the University of Houston.
Allen Keith McFarland Jr., BA ’05, died March 17 in Dawson, TX. He was 33. At Baylor, he was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity and studied in the Baylor in Oxford program. McFarland worked at the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty in Washington, DC, and the Christian Life Commission of the Baptist General Convention of Texas before becoming a landman. Among his survivors are his parents, former Baylor Regent Jaclanel (Moore) McFarland, BA ’74, JD ’77, and Allen Keith McFarland, BA ’77.
Ralph Frederick Beeler Jr., of Rockport, TX, died April 11 at age 80. A graduate of the University of Texas, he served in the Korean War and started a construction business, the R. Fred Beeler Co., in 1964. Later he worked as CEO of Straus Systems and as CEO and chairman of the First National Bank of Missouri City. A Baptist deacon, Beeler was very active in the communities in which he lived. He was also a generous Baylor supporter. Among his survivors are his wife Marion Beeler, and daughter Claire (Beeler) Clark, BA ’84.
Jackie Birdwell, of Waco, died March 31 at age 65. He worked in the Bill Daniel Student Center for decades. Birdwell was the first to be enrolled in a special education program at Waco Methodist Home. During his almost 50 years of service to Baylor, Jackie received various awards, including Employee of the Year for the Texas ARC in 1976, Outstanding Handicapped Wacoan in 1978 and the Methodist Home Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1984. In 2005, he was presented with the W.R. White Meritorious Service Award. Birdwell was a member of Columbus Avenue Baptist Church.
Ann (Chrisman) Cassell, of Woodway, TX, died May 11 at age 72. A graduate of Radford University, she retired from Midway ISD in 2006, having received the district’s Teacher of the Year award. She volunteered for Meals on Wheels and was a member of Baylor’s 1845 Society. Among her survivors are her husband of 50 years, Michael N. Cassell, and three children including Elizabeth Bandy, BSEd ’91, and Michael S. Cassell, BBA ’95.
Marleta (Todd) Chadwick, of Center, TX, died April 14 at age 94. Together with her husband Carroll Chadwick, a Baptist pastor, they served the citizens of East Texas until his death in 1973. She will be best remembered for her service for more than 70 years in the children’s area of Sunday School. Chadwick was a member of Baylor’s Endowed Scholarship Society and 1845 Society. Among her survivors are her three children, David Chadwick, BBA ’70, Martha Lou Scott, BS ’71, EdD ’84, and Carleta Sandeen, BSEd ’80. Memorials may be made to the Chadwick Family Endowed Scholarship at Baylor.
Constance “Connie” Lee Clark, of Waco, died May 13 at age 61. She was employed at Wells Fargo Bank. Clark served on boards such as United Way, Girl Scouts of America, Baylor Waco Foundation, and others. She and her husband of 43 years, Randy Clark, made almost 20 trips to Disney World and traveled to Baylor games all over the U.S. Among her survivors are her husband, Randy, and son, Chris Clark, BMEd ’05.
Dr. George Harry Heilmeier, of Dallas, died April 21 at age 77. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and earned three degrees from Princeton University. He joined RCA Laboratories where he created the first liquid-crystal displays for calculators, watches, computers, and instrumentation. Heilmeier was awarded the National Medal of Science by President George Bush, the IEEE Medal of Honor, and the Kyoto Prize, the Japanese equivalent of the Nobel Prize. He is also a member of the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Heilmeier was a White House Fellow, and in 1974 he became the director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, where he led the team that developed the stealth aircraft, space-based lasers, numerous reconnaissance systems, infrared technology, anti-submarine warfare and artificial intelligence. He won the Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Medal—its highest civilian award. He became the vice president responsible for research and development at Texas Instruments. Among his survivors are his wife of 52 years, Janet, his daughter, Beth Jarvie, BBA ’87; son-in-law Steve, BA ’87; and grandchildren, Megan Jarvie; Michael Jarvie, a Baylor senior; and Ashley Jarvie, a Baylor senior.
Helen J. (Gooch) Jones, of Waco, died May 23 at age 94. Helen was a dorm parent for the children at Waco Center for Youth during which time she was named Waco Mother of the Year. Later, she worked at the Baylor men’s athletic dining hall where she “adopted” the athletes and provided food service at the Baylor Bear Club at Floyd Casey Stadium. Jones received honorary degrees from both Baylor University and the University of Texas.
Naomi Jean Montgomery, of Waco, died May 23 at age 60. She was married to Don Montgomery and they had two children. Montgomery graduated from Mary Hardin-Baylor and taught school in Killeen, Axtell, Robinson and Henderson ISDs. She was director of risk management support services at Baylor, where she worked for the past seven years.
Virginia Lee Musick, of Austin, died April 30 at age 82. Although she turned down an invitation to medical school, she graduated with two degrees from the University of Texas. In her career, Musick diagnosed cancer cells in the lab and worked as a medical social worker, a medical disability examiner, and as an administrative law judge for Texas Rehabilitation Commission. She was a charter member of the Old Main Society and was preceded in death by husband Bill Musick, BA ’53, LLB ’53.
Bernice Irene Pitts, of Woodway, TX, died April 6 at age 100. In 1933, she married William Lee Pitts and they lived in Duncan, OK, for most of their married lives. She worked for an accounting firm, as a financial secretary for First Baptist Church, and as secretary to the city manager of Duncan. Pitts was a generous Baylor supporter. Survivors include her son, Dr. William Lee Pitts Jr., BA ’60, and his wife, Dr. Ruth (Landes) Pitts, BMEd ’60, and two grandsons, Dr. Bill Pitts, BS ’86, and Dr. James Pitts, BM ’89.
O.Q. “Dick” Quick, of Waco, died April 21 at age 94. A graduate of William Jewell College, he served in the Navy during World War II. He opened the Piccadilly Cafeteria on Austin Avenue, and after 25 years in Waco, he worked for another 25 years at company headquarters in Baton Rouge, LA, where he became president and CEO. He was member of Rotary Club and Baylor’s 1845 and Old Main Societies. Quick was on the boards of Fidelity National Bank, Golden Gate Seminary, Baton Rouge General Hospital and the Salvation Army. Among his survivors are his wife, Madeline Parrott, and four children, Richard Quick, BS ’64, Judy Quick, BA ’69, MSEd ’70, Sue Garth, BS ’78, MSEd ’80, and Paul Allen Quick.
John W. Reesing, of San Antonio, died May 12 at age 92. A Texas A&M graduate, he was married to Hallie Jo (Jackson) Reesing, BA ’49, for 65 years. He retired in 1984 as corporate secretary of the Federal Land Bank of Texas after 32 years. During World War II, he served with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Europe. He served as a Baptist deacon for more than 50 years and was a member of Baylor’s Endowed Scholarship Society. Among his survivors are his wife and daughters Dr. Jo Bess Reesing Hammer, BS ’73, and Catherine Anne Reesing Tiller, BSEd ’78.
Dr. J.R. LeMaster, emeritus professor of English, died June 29 at his residence in Waco. He was 80. He joined the Baylor faculty in 1977, where he taught until his retirement in 2006. During his time at Baylor, he also taught for two years in Beijing, People’s Republic of China. A native of Ohio, LeMaster enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1951 and served four years. Upon being discharged, he moved to Defiance, Ohio, where he worked in an iron foundry and attended classes at Defiance College. Upon graduation, LeMaster taught in local high schools before returning to his alma mater to teach in 1962, having completed his master’s degree at Bowling Green State University. While working at Defiance College, he received his PhD degree from Bowling Green in 1970. LeMaster was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Wanda; his son, Lon; and a brother, Dennis. He is survived by his two daughters, Lisa LeMaster and Lynn DeNae LeMaster; his brother, Marvin; and two step-brothers and a step-sister in Ohio. Memorial gifts may be made to The J.R. and Wanda LeMaster Scholarship Fund in American Studies at Baylor University, Caritas, Meals on Wheels or Mission Waco.
Ralph Emerson Darling, of San Antonio, died June 25 at age 92. He worked at Baylor from 1970-86 as director of the Physical Plant and resident engineer overseeing renovation of historic buildings on campus. With a degree in aeronautical engineering he went to work for Ryan Aeronautical Co. in San Diego, CA, in 1943. He served in the Navy during World War II and earned an MA degree from the California Technical Institute. He worked 20 years at CONVAIR/General Dynamics while living in Fort Worth and later Aledo. Darling was active in the design of the B-58 Hustler strategic bomber and the F-111 fighter bomber. His survivors include his wife of 67 years, Adelaide; son, Ralph; and daughters, Barbara, ’74, and Elizabeth, BSEd ’78.
Dr. Daniel Greene, senior lecturer in history in Baylor’s College of Arts and Sciences, died April 23 at age 62. A memorial service was held on April 30 in Miller Chapel on the Baylor campus. Greene was a graduate of Georgetown and the University of Texas. During his long teaching career, he held positions at Williams College in Williamstown, MA, Tidewater Community College in Norfolk, VA, McLennan Community College and Baylor. In 1987, he married Dr. Joan E. Supplee, now The Ralph and Bessie Mae Lynn Professor of History at Baylor, and they built their life together around their mutual love for history, stray animals, traveling in Latin America, and hiking and camping. Memorials may be made to the Department of History at Baylor University.
BJ Tisdale-Hyatt, coordinator of academic advising and degree planning for Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary, died June 29 at age 71. She married Jonathan Hyatt in 1963, and they had two children, Brandon Christopher Hyatt, BMEd ’91, and Malissa Paige Hyatt. Moving with her family from Houston to Waco in 1980, BJ began a career at Baylor, where she worked for nearly 34 years. Tisdale-Hyatt served in the School of Music and Office of the Baylor Historian. She was a member of the inaugural staff of Truett Seminary when it opened in 1994. She served there continuously until her death.
Dr. Daniel B. McGee, professor and Emeritus Melton Endowed Chair of Religion at Baylor, died April 19 at age 80. He was a graduate of Furman University, Southeastern Seminary and Duke University. In 1966, he joined the Baylor faculty, where he pioneered the ethics program. During his 40-year teaching career, McGee also advised the doctoral and masters’ theses of many students who themselves now serve around the world in academic, public and religious life. He received both the student-selected and University-given “best teacher” awards. In 2005, Baylor awarded him The Herbert H. Reynolds Award for Exemplary Service. McGee served as the chair of Baylor’s Faculty Senate, its representative to Baptist World Alliance, chair of the committees that created Baylor’s Institute for Environmental Studies and Baylor’s program in medical humanities, on the University review board and as director of graduate studies in religion. In 2002, Ambassador and Mrs. Lyndon Olson Jr. established The Daniel B. McGee Lectureship in Religious Studies at Baylor. McGee was a member of the national board of directors of the American Academy of Religion. He received the Outstanding Educators of America award in 1970. He was chairman of the board of directors for Seeds, a Christian magazine about world hunger, and NAACP representative to Waco ISD in its consolidation negotiations. Among his survivors are his wife, Merolyn (Still) McGee, MSEd ’85, and children Glenn Edwards McGee, BA ’90, and Caroline (McGee) Jones, ’92. Memorials may be made to the Baylor University Department of Religion.