THIS IS A CORRECTION OF A PREVIOUS LISTING: 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. He married Mary Ann (Parker ’53) Dec. 14, 1950, and she died Oct. 28, 2007. 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. Robert married Ruth Heggie, Nov. 1, 2008. He was preceded in death by a brother, Marcus Hall (’65). Among survivors are his wife, Ruth; two sons, Stuart Hall (’76) and Shannon Hall (’86); two daughters, Dianne (Hall ’73) Palmer and Kitty (Hall ’77) Wasemiller; two brothers, Don Hall (’51) and Roger Hall (’63); two sisters, Joella (Hall ’48) Pickup and Lynda (Hall ’57) Gilliam; nine grandchildren; and three great grandchildren. Lavelle “Dee” Nutt (’50), 84, died April 18, 2012, in Tyler. He was born Dec. 8, 1927, in Tipton, Okla. A standout player for the Wildcats, he led his team in scoring three straight seasons, and to the Texas Conference championship each of the four years he played. He was named NAIA first team all-America in 1949-50. As head coach, Nutt took ACU’s men’s team to its first NCAA regional at the end of the 1958-59 season (with a 20-7 record), followed by five other regional tournament appearances and a trip to the national tournament in 1965-66. Wildcat teams he coached from 1955-69 and 1988-90 won four Texas Conference and three Southland Conference titles. He also coached the Mexican national basketball team at the 1971 Pan American Games and the 1972 Olympics, and served as superintendent and basketball coach at Abilene Christian High School and Westbury Christian School in Houston. He is survived by his wife, Shirley; a brother, Dr. Rex Nutt (’55); two daughters, Deeanne (Nutt ’72) Litton and Barbara (Nutt ’75) Smith; a son, Jim Nutt (’82); 16 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren. Wyllis “Leon” Reese (’41), 92, died June 28, 2012, in Abilene. He was born Dec. 19, 1919, in Mineral Wells and graduated from Abilene High School. He was vice president of the student body at ACU and lettered in both basketball and tennis, earning all-Texas Conference honors in basketball and pioneering the one-hand jump shot and free throw. He married Iris Muns (’43) June 7, 1941. She preceded him in death Oct. 29, 2011. Reese served in the Army Air Corps during World War II and the Korean War, then worked in the oil industry for many years. He was an announcer for ACU athletics events for more than 40 years, including the 1960 U.S. Women’s Olympic Trials at Elmer Gray Stadium, and was inducted to the ACU Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. He served on ACU’s Advisory Board for 36 years. Leon was a longtime elder at
University Church of Christ and charter president of two local Kiwanis Clubs. He is survived by three sons, Randy Reese (’69), Dr. Jack Reese (’73) and Jim Reese (’76); nine grandchildren, all of whom graduated from ACU; a brother- and sister-in-law, James (’53) and Dr. Betty (Bell ’53) Muns; and 17 great-grandchildren. Robert Odis Isham, 73, died July 28, 2012. He was born Feb. 6, 1939, in Overton and earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting at The University of Texas at Arlington. He married Jeanne “Sue” Hopper Aug. 20, 1960. Isham was a longtime member and elder of the Decatur Church of Christ. He served on various civic boards and was a member of ACU’s Board of Trustees from 1985-95. He is survived by his wife, Sue; two brothers; a daughter, Angela (Isham ’84) Duncum; two sons, David Isham (’87) and Mark Isham (’93); and six grandchildren. Dr. Dwain Massey Hart, 80, died July 5, 2012, in Abilene. He was born Aug. 10, 1931, in Calvert. He married Bettie McKnight May 28, 1954. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in physical education from Baylor University, and served in the Army for two years. He later earned a Ph.D. from Baylor. Hart worked at ACU from 1955-97, serving as professor and chair of the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation for more than 20 years. He also served as a tennis coach (168-101-5 career record), director of women’s athletics, and dean of the College of Professional Studies, the Graduate School and the College of Arts and Sciences. He was named vice president for academic affairs in 1991 and provost in 1995. He was a longtime elder at Hillcrest Church of Christ and helped organize the Texas Special Olympics. Hart was inducted into the 2003-04 class of the ACU Sports Hall of Fame. He is survived by his wife, Bettie; a son, Kent Hart (’82); two daughters, Kembrlee (Hart ’80) Hatch and Dr. Kerri Hart (’86); two brothers; a sister; and seven grandchildren. (See story on page 80.) Dr. Charles A. Siburt Jr., 65, died July 11, 2012, in Abilene. He was born Nov. 27, 1946, in Denison and graduated from Midland High School. He earned an associate’s degree from Lubbock Christian University and a bachelor’s degree and an M.Div. from ACU. He also earned a D.Min. from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary and did post-graduate studies at Colorado State University, The University of Texas at Tyler and The Menninger Foundation, and was a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. He married Judy Bailey (’69) in 1967; they were named Outstanding Family Ministry Couple of the Year in 1998 by the Herald of Truth at the National Family Conference. Siburt served as a minister to Churches of Christ in Texas and Colorado, and joined the ACU faculty full time in 1988. The O.L. and Irene Frazer Professor of Church Enrichment, he taught ministry classes, directed the D.Min. program, directed the Center for Church Enrichment and served as vice president for church relations. He founded ACU’s ElderLink Forum and the Ministers’ Support Network, providing training in communication and conflict resolution to hundreds of elders and ministers. He was well-known as “the church doctor” who helped struggling churches move toward reconciliation. He served on the boards of the Center for Parish Development, Texas Commission for the Blind, Hospice of Abilene and Christian Village of Abilene; on Hendrick Hospice Care’s Community Council; and on Abilene High School’s Campus Consultation Committee. Siburt also was on national steering committees for the Association for Doctor of Ministry Education, and was a frequent speaker at lectureships, retreats and conferences. Charles is survived by his wife, Judy; two sons, Dr. John Siburt (’96) and Ben Siburt (’00); two sisters, Elva Devers and Myra (Siburt ’65) Holmans; and four grandchildren. (See story on page 80.)
Grant Feasel (’83), a center for ACU who played 10 seasons in the National Football League, died July 15, 2012, in Fort Worth at age 52. Born June 28, 1960, in Barstow, Calif., he majored in pre-medicine, was accepted to Baylor University's College of Medicine, and was the recipient of a prestigious NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship in 1982. He was named to the NCAA Division II Team of the Quarter Century. Feasel was inducted with the 1994-95 class of the ACU Sports Hall of Fame, and was voted to the Lone Star Conference Team of the Decade for the 1980s. Feasel was selected by the Baltimore Colts in the sixth round of the 1983 NFL Draft, and went on to play with the Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks. Family and friends established a scholarship in his honor in 1994, which is awarded annually to a Wildcat lineman. He and his family were longtime members of Richland Hills Church of Christ. Survivors include two sons, Sean and Spencer; a daughter, Sarah; his mother, Patricia Feasel; a sister, Linda (Feasel) Slayton; a brother, Greg Feasel (’81); and his children’s mother, Cyndy (Davy ’82) Feasel. WIllie Delila “Nonnie” (Waters ’22) Henry, ACU’s oldest alumna, died Aug. 27, 2012, in Dallas at age 107. She was born Nov. 25, 1904, in Baldwin, Miss., and her family moved to Texas in 1908. She married Emmett Preston Henry in 1923, and he died in 1983. She was a resident of Austin, Dallas and Weatherford before returning to Dallas in 2000. Willie was a homemaker, member of the Skillman Church of Christ, and a member of the Daughters of The American Revolution. Survivors include her daughter, RuthAnn (Henry ’57) Cubstead; a son, Robert P. Henry; a sister, Lena Carman; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Dr. Neil R. Lightfoot, ACU’s Frank and Della Pack Distinguished Professor Emeritus of New Testament, died Sept. 21, 2012, in Abilene at age 82. Born Sept. 22, 1929, in Waco, Texas, he earned a B.A. in philosophy (1952) and a M.A. in philosophy (1955) from Baylor University, and a Ph.D. in religion (1958) from Duke University. He joined the ACU Bible faculty in 1958 and retired in 2004. He married Ollie Robinson April 7, 1951, and she died in 2003. Lightfoot married Marjorie Floyd (’65) on May 21, 2005. He was ACU’s Teacher of the Year in 1978, a Piper Professor nominee for 1979-80, and a senior associate and distinguished scholar-in-residence at Cambridge University’s Westminster College in 1986. He preached in gospel meetings around the world, and was minister of churches in Waco (Lakeview Church of Christ); Winston-Salem, N.C. (Central Church of Christ); Burlington, N.C. (Vaughn Road Church of Christ); and Abilene (11th and Willis Church of Christ). His books included How We Got the Bible (which sold more than 1 million copies), Lessons From the Parables, Jesus Christ Today: A Commentary on the Book of Hebrews, The Role of Women: New Testament Perspectives, and Everyone’s Guide to the Book of Hebrews. He was Greek text editor and a translator for International Children’s Version, New Testament; The Word: The New Century Version; and The Everyday Bible. Survivors include a sister, Rita Struessel; his wife, Marjorie; three daughters, Donna (Lightfoot ’75) Thompson, Lu Anne (Lightfoot ’78) Bourland and Michelle (Lightfoot ’84) McElroy; stepdaughters Marilyn (Dodson ’74) Lepard and Andrea (Dodson ’77) Cobb; 13 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. (See story on facing page.) .
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KIM RITZENTHALER
ACU Remembers: Hall, Nutt, Reese, Isham, Hart, Siburt, Feasel, Henry and Lightfoot