ACU Remembers: Bradford, Knight, Roggendorff, Hooten, Hoover, Shultz, Hutchinson, Holt, Pfeifer Professor emeritus of mathematics Dr. James Clyde Bradford, 83, of Abilene, died June 28, 2014, in Abilene. He was born Aug. 28, 1930, in Wichita Falls, Texas, and graduated from Iowa Park High School. He married Elizabeth Echols (’51) on May 31, 1951, after he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics from the University of North Texas. He went on to earn a Ph.D. degree in mathematics from the University of Oklahoma in 1957. He taught mathematics at ACU for 37 years, including 13 years as department chair, and retired in 1996. He was president of the Big Country Council of Teachers of Mathematics, a member of a mathematics delegation to China, and received a Meritorious Service Award from the Mathematical Association of America. He was an elder for University Church of Christ for more than 30 years. Elizabeth passed away Jan. 19, 2014. He was preceded in death by his parents, B.L. (’28) and Erlene Overbey Bradford; Elizabeth, his wife of 62 years; and a brother, John Bradford (’50). Among survivors are a daughter; Susan (Bradford ’75) Vaughan; two sons, Chuck Bradford (’77) and Richard Bradford (’84); and eight grandchildren. Lewis Thompson Knight (’49) died Aug. 17, 2014, in Houston at age 91. He was born May 17, 1923, in Princeton, Ark., and graduated from Little Rock (Ark.) Central High School in 1941. He served in the U.S. Army from 1943-46, earned an associate’s degree from Little Rock Junior College in 1948 and married Clara Beth Billingsley (’50) on May 31, 1949. Knight forged a career in the insurance industry while living in Oregon, Arkansas and Texas, and was a member of the Society of Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriters. He and his wife helped establish a congregation in Coquille, Ore., and later he served as an elder for Garland Road Church of Christ (later named Highland Oaks) in Dallas. He also helped found the Christian Care Center in Mesquite. Knight was president of the ACU Alumni Assocation in 1988-92. He was preceded in death by his parents, Felix Knight Sr. and Nora (Thompson) Knight; a son, Gregg Billingsley; and brothers Felix Knight Jr., William D. Knight, Dr. Roger L. Knight (’52) and J. Ronald Knight (’52). Among survivors are Clara Beth, his wife of 65 years; a daughter, Nancy (Knight ’72) Calvert; a son, Jeff Knight (’77); and six grandchildren. George Arthur Roggendorff, 80, died Sept. 9, 2014. He was born Dec. 20, 1933, in Dickinson County, Kan. He earned a B.S. degree in biology and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Kansas State University in 1958. He moved to Abilene in 1960, where he studied missions at ACU and met his future wife, Bertha Alicia Soto. They were married in 1964. George taught biology at ACU from 1964-70, while also working as a veterinarian. He and Bertha served as missionaries in Argentina, from 1973-83. They later moved to the Austin area and George worked with many local congregations there. In 1993, he returned to veterinary work in Georgetown. George is survived by his wife, Bertha; a son, Dr. Paul Roggendorff; a daughter, Leahanna Moore; a sister, Phyllis (Roggendorff ’55) Smith; a brother, David Roggendorff (’59); and three grandchildren. Former longtime ACU trustee William F. “Bill” Hooten, 88, died Oct. 2, 2014, in Johns Creek, Ga. He was born Aug. 13, 1926, in St. Louis, Mo., married Joanne “Jan” Jeans on Aug. 1, 1949, and graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism in 1950. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and in the Army as a lieutenant during the Korean War. Hooten’s career in the hardware-automotive retail and wholesale industry spanned 40 years, including vice president and director of
Western Auto Supply Co. Later, he was president of Liberty Distributors in Chicago before facilitating the merger of Liberty and Sentry Hardware Corporation into Distribution America, an organization of 4,500 hardware, lumber and building materials stores of which he served as president. In 1991 he received the Leukens Leadership Award, the highest recognition of a distributor or manufacturer in the hardware industry. After retirement from Distribution America in 1992, he and Jan traveled on several overseas advising assignments for International Executive Service Corps. Hooten served as an elder in four congregations, including North Atlanta Church of Christ. He was an ACU trustee for 29 years. Among survivors are Jan, his wife of 65 years; a son, Bill Hooten III; daughters Marcy (Hooten ’76) Godfrey and Suzy (Hooten ’78) Brownlee; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Professor emeritus of history Dr. Arlie J. Hoover died Dec. 11, 2014, in Pasadena, Texas, at age 78. Hoover was born March 14, 1936, in Slaton, Texas, and graduated from Slaton High School in 1954. He met Gloria Kay Garrison while the two were attending Florida Christian College and they married June 7, 1959. He earned an A.A. degree in Bible from FCC in 1960, a B.A. in history from the University of Tampa (1960), an M.A. (1962) and Ph.D. (1965) in history and philosophy from The University of Texas at Austin, and received a Doctor of Divinity degree from Emmanuel College in Oxford, England (1992). Hoover was professor of history at Pepperdine University (1964-77) and dean of Columbia Christian College (1977-80) before joining ACU’s faculty in 1980. He retired in 2010. A recipient of numerous academic awards, grants and fellowships – including a Fulbright Fellowship and a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities – he traveled extensively to research and lecture across the U.S., Europe and the Middle East. He was a respected scholar on the Holocaust; German philosopher, poet and composer Friedrich Nietzsche; and world, American and religious history. A prolific writer, Hoover authored 12 books and numerous articles for publications. He served as a minister for congregations in Florida, Texas, California and Oregon, and as a deacon at Hillcrest Church of Christ in Abilene. He was preceded in death by his parents, A.J. and Ruth Elizabeth (Clem) Hoover, a brother, Bobby Hoover; and a sister, Myrna Brown. Survivors include Gloria, his wife of 55 years; two daughters, Arletta (Hoover ’92) Beard and Cathey Hoover (’97); four grandchildren; and brothers Tim Hoover and Nathaniel Hoover. Donald M. Shultz (’52) died Dec. 6, 2014, at age 85 in Atlanta, Ga. Born Nov. 1, 1929, in Topeka, Kan., Shultz earned a B.S. degree in business administration from ACU in 1952 and a certification in ministerial counseling in 1990. He was a football letterman and member of the A Club while a student at Abilene Christian. He married Susie Ogletree on Nov. 14, 1953, and served nine years in the U.S. Naval Reserve. Shultz was an executive with Ford Motor Company for 32 years. He retired at age 57 to work full time in ministry at North Atlanta Church of Christ, where he served as an elder. Previously, he was an elder at Campbell (Calif.) Church of Christ. In 1981, ACU awarded Shultz its Distinguished Alumni Citation. He was a member of the ACU Board of Trustees from 1986-2005 and also served as chair of Greater Atlanta Christian School. Shultz was preceded in death by his parents, Dewey and Mildred Shultz, and a brother, Dale Shultz (’51). Survivors include Susie, his wife of 61 years; a daughter, Camie (Shultz ’80) Fetz; sons Brad Shultz (’82) and Todd Shultz (’87); brothers Larry Shultz (’57) and Ron Shultz (’66); five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Former ACU professor of chemistry Dr. Bennett Hutchinson (’63) died Dec. 30, 2014, in Nashville, Tenn., at age 72. Hutchinson was born Aug. 7, 1942, in Honolulu, Hawaii, and graduated from Littlefield (Texas) High School in 1959. He earned a B.S. in chemistry from ACU, an M.S. in inorganic chemistry from The University of Texas of Austin in 1965, and a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1970. He married Nancy A. Richardson (’75 M.A.) on June 27, 1970. At the time of his passing, he was professor of chemistry and former dean of the College of Natural and Applied Sciences at Lipscomb University. Hutchinson was professor of chemistry at ACU from 1969-90, chair of the natural science division at Pepperdine University from 1992-98 and dean of Oklahoma Christian University’s College of Science and Engineering from 1998-2003. Among survivors are Nancy, his wife of 44 years; a daughter, Amy (Hutchinson ’93) McBride; and three grandchildren. Former longtime Abilene Christian University trustee Wayne Holt (’56) died Jan. 2, 2015, at age 81. He was born May 6, 1933, in Olney, Texas, and graduated from Olney High School in 1951. He attended Paris (Texas) Junior College and ACU, where he met Patsy Hufstedler (’57) on a blind date and married her Oct. 8, 1955. He played football at Abilene Christian and also was a boxer. Holt owned and operated J.D. Hufstedler Truck Co. in Lubbock. He moved to Austin in 1996 to work with his son, Mark Holt, at Stuart Customs until retiring in 2008 and returning to Lubbock in 2013. He was vice chair of the ACU Advisory Board before serving on ACU’s Board of Trustees from 1972-96. Holt also was a trustee of The Children’s Home of Lubbock, coached Little League baseball, and was a Bible school teacher and elder at Broadway Church of Christ. He was preceded in death by his parents, Arthur Judson Holt and Flora Irene Holt. Among survivors are Patsy, his wife of 59 years; four sons, Richard Holt (’78), Mark Holt (’80), Mike Holt (’83) and Ragan Holt (’87); 10 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and a brother, Carl Holt. Dr. Jerilyn (Kyker) Pfeifer, 66, died Feb. 22, 2015, in Abilene. Born Sept. 15, 1948, in Abilene, she graduated from Abilene High School in 1966 and married Walt Pfeifer (’70) on June 6, 1969. She earned a M.Ed. in secondary education from ACU in 1973 and an Ed.D. degree from Texas Tech University in 1981. Her long career in education included roles as secondary teacher and principal, director of career and technology, education director of K-12 language arts at the district level and superintendent of three school districts (Albany, Venus and Everman). In 1991 she became the first woman to be named principal of an Abilene high school (Cooper). She was superintendent of the Everman ISD in 2013 when she received the Morlan Medal from ACU’s Department of Teacher Education. She was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to the Board of Regents for the Texas State Technical College System and served on the boards of Faith Works, Eternal Threads and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Abilene, and was a member of the United Way of Abilene’s 1992 Campaign Cabinet. Pfeifer also served at ACU from 1981-91 as associate professor of teacher education, director of academic services, assistant to the provost, and assistant vice president for enrollment management. She was named 1986 Outstanding Teacher of the Year in ACU’s College of Professional Studies. She was predeceased by her father, Dr. Rex D. Kyker (’43). Among survivors are Walt, her husband of 45 years; two sons, Dylan Pfeifer (’99) and Daren Pfeifer; a grandson; her mother, Jewel “Chris” (White ’46) Kyker; brothers Rob Kyker (’72) and Ricky Kyker (’81); and sisters Lindy (Kyker ’74) Fullerton and Jan (Kyker ’75) Bryan.
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