ACU Remembers: Rama, Ellison, Hall, Gomez, Justice, Sparks, Fry, Gibson, Durrington Beverly Guyer Rama, 52, died Sept. 18, 2011. She was born June 17, 1959, in Neward, N.Y., and grew up in the Northeast. She joined the Adventures in Missions Program in Lubbock, where she was a certified travel agent and met Ronnie Rama (’96 M.S.). The couple married Aug. 20, 1982. They began their family in Lubbock, and moved to Montevideo, Uruguay, where they served on a missionary team. They moved back to Lubbock in 2001 and to Abilene in 2002, when Bev began work as administrative coordinator in the Department of Art and Design. In 2008, she was diagnosed with cancer, and began a taxing treatment regimen. She is survived by her husband, who is an ACU associate professor of art and design; two daughters, Anna “Meg” (’08) and Mandy; and a son, Eric (’11). Helen Ellison, 78, died Oct. 9, 2011, in Abilene. She was born May 15, 1933, to Oscar and Emma Lee Ellison of San Antonio. Helen moved to Abilene in 1968 from the Austin State School, then lived at the Marbridge House for Women, where she developed skills for independent living. When she was no longer able to live independently, she moved to the Chisholm House, then to a group home for women at the Abilene Center for Supported Living. She lived the past few years in its Alzheimer’s Care Unit. Helen worked 33 years for ACU in dormitory maintenance and groundskeeping. The university honored her with a Serving Award in 1988, the Unsung Servant Award in 1997, and with a retirement event in 2001. She was voted one of the grand marshals of the 1999 Homecoming Parade. The women of Ko Jo Kai considered her an honorary Kojie, making her a regular special guest at club events and sponsoring Helen’s birthday parties. Robert J. Hall, 82, died Nov. 27, 2011, in Abilene. A native of Big Spring, Texas, he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from ACU in 1951. The former president and CEO of Visador Company was deeply involved in public service for 43 years in Jasper, where he was president of his local Kiwanis club, the Chamber of Commerce, the local hospital and the community foundation. Hall was named ACU’s Outstanding Alumnus of the Year in 1993, and served as Alumni Association president in 1972-73. He was a member of the university’s Board of Trustees from 1972-2000 and ACU’s Senior Board from 2000-07. In 1995, Abilene Christian established the Robert and Mary Ann Hall Endowed Chair for Psychology and Intercultural Studies to help enhance understanding of the special psychological dimensions of foreign service, especially mission work. He is survived by four children, including Kitty (Hall ’77) Wasemiller, professor of art and design. Jimmie Carole (Pitman ’90) Gomez, 71, died Dec. 6, 2011, in Amarillo. She was born May 17, 1940, in Childress, but grew up in Dallas. She began attending the University of North Texas and, years later, finished her degree at ACU. She married Bob V. Gomez Jan. 29, 1962. From 1983-94 she worked at ACU in Student Services, as Chapel secretary and in the Health Clinic. She sponsored women’s social club Tri Kappa, and was active in the American Business Women’s Association. She is survived by her husband, Bob; daughters Gina (Gomez ’85) Harrison, Joanna (Gomez ’87) Anderson and Lisa (Gomez ’89) Powell; a sister, June Pitman Hardin; a brother, Joe Scott Pitman; and eight grandchildren. Dr. John Keith Justice, 91, died Dec. 25, 2011, in Abilene. He was born Aug. 26, 1920, in Martinsville, and earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Stephen F. Austin State University in 1942, two degrees from Texas
A&M University (bachelor’s in agricultural education in 1948 and master’s in agronomy in 1949), and a Ph.D. in soil science from Utah State University in 1961. Justice was principal of Black Jack School in Attoyac, Texas, from 1942-43 and married Vera Brough in 1943, before serving three years (1943-46) in the Navy during World War II. He joined the ACU faculty in 1950. Justice was renowned for his academic expertise in agronomy, having served as president, vice president and director of the National Association of Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture, which presented him with a Distinguished Educators Award. In 1961, he became ACU’s first recipient of a Piper Professor award from the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation, the same year he received the Trustees Award as Abilene Christian’s top professor. He served as chair of the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences from 1961-80. Justice also served as a part-time preacher for various rural congregations. He and Vera lived in Guatemala from 1987-92, where he preached in Spanish and assisted local farmers. Among survivors are Vera (M.S. ’80), his wife of 68 years; four sons, John (’67), Jimmy (’69), David (’72) and Dale (’73); and numerous grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. Samuel Robert Sparks, 83, died Dec. 28, 2011, in Harlingen, Texas. Born Christmas Eve in 1928, the Haleyville, Ala., native was a successful businessman and community leader in South Texas who was known for his generosity and leadership. He was chairman of the B&P Bridge Company which was given a permit in 1928 to operate a bridge in Progreso, Texas, spanning the Rio Grande River and the border between the United States and Mexico. Sparks was president and CEO of the Progreso International Bridge, one of the busiest border crossings in Texas. He was president of the Santa Rosa Kiwanis Club and Rio Farms Inc. agricultural research facility; chairman of the Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce; former chair of the Advisory Committee to the Texas A&M University System’s “Target 2002” project and Rio Farms of Monte Alto; and director of the San Antonio branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, First National Bank of Harlingen, and the Valley Farm Bureau. Sparks was a member of ACU’s Board of Trustees from 1970-99 and its Senior Board from 1999-2006. He also served on boards of the Salvation Army, Valley Baptist Medical Center, Golden Palms Retirement and Health Center, Sunny Glen Children’s Home, Rio Grande Valley Sugar Growers Inc., Texas Vegetable Seed Improvement Association, Valley Acres Irrigation District, South Texas ISD, and Santa Rosa ISD. In 1965, he was runner-up for the Outstanding Young Farmer of Texas award. Survivors include a sister, Ella Katherine May; Seanne, his wife of 63 years; two daughters, Elizabeth (Sparks ’72) Johnson and Karen (Sparks ’74) Guenther; two sons, Bobby Sparks (’76) and John Sparks; nine grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren. Dr. Douglas “Fessor” Fry Sr., 95, died March 16, 2012, in Abilene. Born July 15, 1916, in Spicewood, Fry (’40) played trombone in the ACU collegiate band directed by D.W. Crain. He earned a M.M.E. degree and, later, an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Southern College of Fine Arts. He was ACU associate professor emeritus of music and director emeritus of bands, and was inducted into the Phi Beta Mu Texas Bandmaster’s Hall of Fame in 1992. Fry directed award-winning high school bands in Conroe, Brady and Robert Lee, and the Wrangler Band at Cisco College. During World War II, he was a band officer in the South Pacific for Adm. William F. Halsey Jr. and directed war-time USO shows in the Pacific by entertainers such as Bob Hope and Jack Benny. Fry retired from the Navy and Naval Reserve following 22 years of service. During his 16-year career as ACU’s director of bands (1953-69),
Fry traveled with the Big Purple and Concert Bands on cross-country tours, and recorded several albums. He also conducted Abilene Christian’s symphony orchestra. Among survivors are his wife, Mary Frances; a son, Doug Fry Jr.; a daughter, Nancy (Fry ’68) Hammes; a sister, Jence Morgan; and one granddaughter. Sue Ann (Chance) Gibson, 49, former longtime administrative coordinator in ACU’s Center for International Education (CIE), died March 30, 2012, in Abilene. Born May 25, 1962, in Tulia, Texas, she attended school in Brownfield and graduated from Shamrock High School and attended West Texas A&M University before marrying Russell Gibson in 1981. She served in Abilene Christian’s CIE from 2001-11, where she helped international students enroll at ACU. Among survivors are her parents, Bill and Pat Chance; four brothers, Mike Chance, John Chance, Jim Chance and Bob Chance; a sister, Pam Morgan; her husband, Russell; two daughters, Brittany (Gibson) Thompson and Chelsea (Gibson) Hall; and four grandchildren. Dr. Rose Colleen (Stockburger ’77 M.Ed.) Durrington, 75, died April 9, 2012, in Abilene. She was born March 23, 1937, in West Fork, Ark., near Fayetteville, She married Eugene Henderson (’62) in 1955. They were married 31 years and had two children, Eugene Jr. and Teresa. She married Victor Durrington Nov. 26, 1986, adding his children and grandchildren to her family. They were married 22 years until his death in March 2009. She earned a B.S.Ed. degree from McMurry University in 1972, and M.Ed. degrees from ACU in 1977 and 1981. She graduated from Texas Tech University in 1984 with an Ed.D. degree. Although her career as an educator began in Hawley where she taught fourth grade from 1972-74, she had long been a Bible class teacher, Girl Scout leader, Cub Scout den mother and PTA president in Texas and Oklahoma schools. From 1974-85 she served in the Abilene Independent School District, teaching at Dyess and Reagan Elementary Schools, then was principal of Valley View and Bonham Elementary Schools in Abilene before joining the ACU faculty in Fall 1985 as an assistant professor of education and director of reading programs. In 22 years at ACU, she served as coordinator of elementary and secondary certification programs, dean of the College of Professional Studies, director of University Seminar, chair of the Department of Education and the Division of Education, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. She retired in 2007 as professor emerita of education. She was elected to ACU’s Board of Trustees in 2009 and served on the Presidential Search Committee and Academic Affairs Committee. She served as a trustee of the Abilene Independent School District from 1990-96, and as a trustee of the Texas Association of School Boards from 1991-96. She served on the Texas Commission on Standards for the Teaching Profession, the Advisory Commitee for Long Range Planning for Technology in Schools and the Texas Board of Educators. She served on a state panel to select full-time Texas teachers to receive Christa McAuliffe Fellowship Awards, in honor of the New Hampshire schoolteacher who died in the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger explosion. She authored a book, Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Women in Public School Administration. At the time of her death, she was serving on the boards of the 12th Armored Division Memorial Museum, the Central Appraisal District of Taylor County, Christian Service Center, and African Christian College in Swaziland. She was preceded in death by her mother, Mildred Stockburger, and by her husband, Victor, and his daughter, Vicki Dell. She is survived by her father, Loy Stockburger; two sisters, Pat Simpson and Debby Lynn; a son, Eugene B. Henderson Jr., M.D. (’79); a daughter, Teresa Brittain (’79); by her Durrington sons, Vearl Durrington, Vance Durrington (’90) and Val Durrington (’92); and 15 grandchildren.
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