IN MEMORIAM 1941 J.C. Mann Jr., 95, died Aug. 8, 2013, in Abilene. He was born July 16, 1918, in Fort Worth, and although he grew up there, he graduated from the Abilene Christian Demonstration School in 1937. He enlisted in the Navy, serving in Pearl Harbor and the Philippines before attending Midshipmen’s School at Northwestern University in Chicago. He met Betty Lou Flynn there and married her Dec. 17, 1941, before returning to World War II. He was injured in the Okinawa invasion and earned the Purple Heart. He and Betty settled in Midland, where he was a land man for Gulf Oil and a crude oil buyer for Union Oil Co. They lived in Colorado for 17 years, returned to Midland, and he later retired in Houston as Union’s crude oil division manager. He later helped manage ACU’s oil and gas properties. He was a longtime member of University Church of Christ. He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Katherine Green and Theresa Hubert. He is survived by his wife, Betty; a daughter, Dr. Cheryl M. Bacon (’77), and two grandchildren.
1942 Lula Lucine (Cox) Smith, 92, died Sept. 1, 2013, in Abilene. She was born Dec. 17, 1920, in Hollis, Okla., and married Lawrence L. Smith (’29) on May 31, 1941. She attended The University of Texas at Austin and ACU. Smith worked in the libraries of Abilene Christian Schools and ACU, and as a secretary in the university’s Department of Home Economics. She played violin in the Abilene and San Angelo philharmonic orchestras, and sang with the Hillcrest Singers. She was preceded in death by her parents; a sister, Jo Mitchell; a brother, Dr. Paul Cox; her husband of 39 years, Lawrence; a son, Dallas Frank Smith; and a daughter, Lee Ann (Smith ’79) Phipps. Among survivors are daughters Dr. Jo Katherine (Smith ’69) Bagley and Sharon (Smith ’83) Miller; sons Larry Smith (’73) and Paul Smith (’81); a sister, Wanda Mae (Cox ’45) Wilson; 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
1947 Dr. Bobbye Muriel Rouse, 85, died March 16, 2013. She was born Feb. 3, 1928, in Fort Worth and earned her medical degree from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas in 1959. She later served as the chief resident and director of the mental retardation unit at The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) hospital in Galveston. She also was associate professor in UTMB’s Department of Pediatrics and a director in the Division of Child Development. She is survived by a sister; two nephews; two nieces; and other relatives.
1948 Bonnie Murle (McGhee) Walker, 89, died June 6, 2013, in Abilene. She was born Dec. 31, 1923, in Austin and married Henry Walker May 13, 1961. He preceded her in death in 1991. She was a librarian for many years and worked at ACU’s Brown Library. Bonnie is survived by two
sons, Henry Walker Jr. (’68) and Nhan Van Hua; two daughters, Virginia Hopper and Elizabeth (Walker ’90) Whatley; many foster children; and several grandchildren. T.J. Finley, 89, died July 30, 2013, in Branson, Mo. He was born March 14, 1924, in Mountain Home, Ark. He served in the Army during World War II and ministered in Churches of Christ from 1946-2013. He married Gwendolyne Williams Nov. 18, 1944. She survives him, as do a son, Jerial Finley (’68); two daughters, Donna Jefferies and Debbie Vinson; a brother; four sisters; eight grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and eight great-great-grandchildren.
1951 Max Caleb King, D.D.S., 82, died Nov. 27, 2012, in Abilene, after a short illness. He was born April 24, 1930, and graduated from Anson High School. He earned his D.D.S. degree from The University of Texas Dental Branch at Houston. King served in the Navy and Army and retired as an Army colonel. He was a member of University Church of Christ and the Kiwanis Club, and volunteered at the Christian Service Center and Christian Homes & Family Services of Abilene. Among survivors are his wife, Diane (Estes ’54) King; two sons, David King and Robert King (’78); six grandchildren; four great grandchildren; and a brother, Dwade King.
1954 James C. “Jim” Sheerer, 83, died April 17, 2013, in Norman, Okla. He was born June 13, 1929, in Corsicana and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from ACU. He served in the Navy and preached for Churches of Christ in Guam, Texas, New York and Oklahoma before retiring in 2009. He married Nona Sue Keenon (’54) Aug. 19, 1955, in Abilene. She survives him, as do three daughters, Janis Hagler, Julie (Sheerer ’92) Diepenbrock and Jennifer McKnight, and seven grandchildren. George “Weldon” Kirby, 80, died Aug. 1, 2013, in Granbury. He was born June 27, 1933, and grew up in Lometa. He served in the Army and later earned a master’s degree in education from Sam Houston State University. He married Margie Guesner Aug. 24, 1979. He worked with his father in the ranching business, and he and Margie founded Kirby Stone Company. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1990. He is survived by his wife, Margie; four daughters, Vickie (Kirby ’77) Speck, Kimberly (Kirby ’80) Becker, Gayle (Guesner ’84) Proctor and Ginger (Guesner ’85) King; two sons, Arthur (’82) Kirby and Jimmy Kirby; 23 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
1955 Lou Ann (Nall) Baker, 79, died Sept. 18, 2013, of cancer. She grew up in Big Spring, Texas. She is survived by her husband, Paul Baker; three sisters, Betty (Nall ’50) Coffee, Sue (Nall ’53) Truxal and Frances (Walker ’57 Flournoy); two daughters, Lisa (Baker ’85) Bosley and Nancy (Baker ’92) Vaught; and five grandchildren.
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AC U TO D AY
JEREMY ENLOW
Funds generated by the P4X (“Play for Rex”) Foundation honoring the memory of 10-year old Rex Fleming are allowing his parents, Lance (’92) and Jill Fleming, to give away up to 20 iPod touches by Christmas to pediatric cancer patients at Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth. e first devices, intended to help kids pass the time while being treated, were delivered to kids in August. e foundation helps families with funds for medical bills and Apple devices like ones Rex enjoyed as a diversion while passing the long hours required to fight brain cancer. A golf tournament at Abilene Country Club is scheduled for April 14 to raise funds for the P4X Foundation and the Rex Fleming Endowed Scholarship, which assists ACU student-athletes preparing to be physicans. 䊱
Carl Wesley “Wes” Bishop, 61, died Oct. 5. He was born April 27, 1952, and graduated from Snyder High School. He earned a scholarship to play baseball at ACU, and served during a fifth year of school as its assistant coach. He graduated in 1977 from The University of Texas Health Science Center in Dallas with a degree in physical therapy. A civic leader in Sweetwater, he served as board chair of the Nolan County American Heart Association, board member of the American Physical Therapy Association, chair of the Mayor’s Commitee for the Disabled, and president of the Sweetwater ISD Board of Trustees. He was an elder of Fourth and Elm Church of Christ. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Clay. Among survivors are his wife of 38 years, Margaret (Fain ’75); and sons Brett Bishop, Lance Bishop and Reid Bishop (’08).
1977 Christian Diaz, 57, died Nov. 20, 2012, after a two-year battle with cancer. He was born Feb. 2, 1955, in Havana, Cuba, and immigrated to the U.S. in October 1965 with his family. He worked in the advertising and design industry and later worked as a creative consultant and motivational speaker. Chris is survived by his wife, Belinda; two daughters, Lauryn (Diaz ’04) Carr and Trina Dillard; two sons, Jonathan (’07) Diaz and Alexander Diaz; a sister, Rena Gonzales; two brothers, Florentino Diaz and Rolando Diaz (’79); and four grandchildren.
OTHER FRIENDS Joe Connell Owen Sr., 85, died July 20, 2013, in Monroe, La. He was born April 14, 1928, in Gleason, Tenn. He served in the Army for 20 years, retiring in 1974, and later preached at Churches of Christ in several states. He is survived by his wife, Carla (Ashley ’55) Owen; two daughters; four sons; 19 grandchildren; and 25 great-grandchildren. Amos C. H. Ray, 85, died Sept. 1, 2013, in Lubbock. He was born April 8, 1928, in Verbena, Ala., and graduated from Starke Military Academy in Montgomery, Ala., in 1946, and from Auburn University in 1951 with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural science. He married Louise “Dewby” Adams (’50) on March 20, 1952. He was a staff sergeant in the Air Force from 1951-55, and the Rays lived in Landsberg am Lech and Landstuhl while he was stationed in Germany from 1952-55. The Rays were members of University Church of Christ before moving to Lubbock in 2013, where they became members of the Broadway Church of Christ. Amos was an active volunteer and board member with the Boy Scouts. He farmed near Tuscola for more than 40 years while working for West Texas Utilities as a draftsman. He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, J.W. Ray and Frank Ray; and a son, Nathan Ray (’76). Among survivors are his wife of 61 years, Dewby; two daughters, Nancy Ray (’79) and Vicki Biffle; a brother, Bill Ray; seven grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.
JEREMY ENLOW
Flemings, friends minister to other kids in Rex’s memory
1975
Lance Fleming gets a hug from a grateful patient at Cook who received an iPod touch made possible by the influence of Rex (left), who died Nov. 25, 2012.