In Memoriam

In Memoriam In Memoriam

The ECU family offers our deepest sympathy to the The ECU family offers our deepest sympathy to the families of the alumni and friends we have lost families of the alumni and friends we have lost

Barbara Aubrey, 1968 & 1975 Lowell Adams, 1957 Linda Anderson, 1976 Colene Underhill Alexander, attended Billye Barringer, 1943 & 1957 Kathy Bonner, attended Helen Borders, 1964 & 1981 Velma Brumley, 1951 & 1970 Mary Ruth Krunk Brown, 1986 Charles Edward Brown, 1955 Dewayne Bryan, 1980 Johnny Bryan, 1970 & 1984 Charlotte Carpenter, 1988 Oleta Choate, Friend of ECU Frances Cantwell, 1984 J. Tom Cothren, 1966 Marshall Cox, attended Nancy Cravens, 1974 James Cruson, 1952 Wanda Cruson, 1955 & 1969 Jeremy Cumbie, 2007 & 2008 G. David Carter Jr., 1950 Lea Ann Champion, 1980 Edwin Clark Jr., 1955 Tom R. Condict, attended Thelma Davies, employee Billy Davis, attended Tina Lynn Davis, 1986 Linda Day, attended Mary Eckles, 1971 Wayne Everson, employee Marvin Ewy, attended Eddie Fausett, Jr., 1973 Gerald Flowers, attended Floyd Goodson, 1963 Garry Gray, 1986 Pearl Gray, 1978 James W. Green, Friend of ECU Jim Greenlee, 1962 Lillian Gutierrez, 1968 Betty Haraway, 1972 & 1983 Linda Harrel, 1981 Dick Hendrix, 1961 Dr. Paul Holley, 1953 Dr. Yvette Harjo, 1969, employee Gary Don Hill, attended Deandra Hightower, attended Terry Hill, 1967 Bobby Hobson, Jr., 1976 Gloria Horne, attended Clifford Jackson, attended John Jones, attended Robert Jones, 1955 & 1960 Jack Jones, Friend of ECU Pauline (Northcott) Kimmel, attended Lolita Kindrick, attended Sue Kemp Fathree, 1968 Charlee Lanis, employee Leon Lanoy, 1958 & 1963 Keith Lavender, 1968 Minnie Ola Mellin, 1949 Bill Lee, 1964 Brad LeMarr, 1996 Bobby Linker, employee Alba Little, Friend of ECU Jana Lovelace, 1971 Sara McDaniel, 1944 Jean McGovern, 1949 Lester Miller, 1962 Harry Morris, 1961 Danny Murray, 2003 Lou Ann Cantrell McVay, attended Beverly Morgan, 1982 Dr. Donald J. Noble, 1959, employee Shirley Nordean, 1975 Leon Norfleet, Friend of ECU Carl Osborn, M.D., attended Londa Parker, 1998 Helen Anne Parrish, attended Paul Penrod, attended Harold Pool, 1949 Rev. Larry Pruitt, 1973 Christopher Pletcher, 1989 Mike Radosevich, attended Phil Ray, 1966 Douglas Reed, attended Margaret Rigsby, 1970 Sally Roberts, attended Jerry Rollow, 1991 & 1993 Andrea Rue, 1995 Billye Jo Rollow, 1947 Paul Scott, attended Ellen Sherman, 1930 & 1931 Dr. Milton Simmons, Jr., 1951 George A. Smith, attended Dr. John Smith, employee Denver Spence, 1959 Glen Steele, employee Ben Steen, attended Kathy Stewart Roblin, 1982 Jennie Stone, 1996 Harland Stonecipher, 1960 Stanley Sayers, 1965 Phyllis Sullivan, 1956 & 1959 Gary Southerland, attended Si Taylor, attended Grant Thomas, 2000 Glendeen Unsell, 1995 & 1998 April Flowers Vickery, attended George Walker, attended Joe Wallace, attended Mary Goodman Watson, 1942 Carmen Weaver, employee Candace West, attended Patti West, Friend of ECU Douglas Whitaker, 1957 Fitz Whitaker, 1970 Barbara Wilson, attended Darren Wise, 1984 & 1986 Dewey Wright, 1950 Phillip Wilson, attended Shirley Wood, 1972 Bob Wyatt, employee

Harland C. Stonecipher, who provided a generous gift to ECU’s School of Business, passed away Nov. 10, 2014, at the age of 76.

His gift led to ECU’s School of Business being renamed the Harland C. Stonecipher School of Business when the new Chickasaw Business and Conference Center was opened in 2013.

Stonecipher was an insurance sales pioneer, starting PrePaid Legal Services, Inc., in 1972 in Ada. The unique business was born after Stonecipher was involved in an automobile accident on an insurance business sales trip in 1969.

Stonecipher led Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. as founder, chairman and chief executive officer for 40 years. In the spirit of health insurance, Stonecipher’s innovative idea led to customers paying monthly premiums for help with a wide range of legal matters.

The company’s initial one-room operation grew and ultimately became listed on the American Stock Exchange. In 1999, Pre-Paid Legal moved to the New York Stock Exchange, the world’s largest exchange, under the symbol PPD.

His vision of making quality legal services available to every North American led to more than 1.4 million families owning the membership and more than 300,000 sales associates taking advantage of the business opportunity. He devised a proprietary network of provider law firms to deliver the legal services.

Stonecipher sold Pre-Paid Legal, Inc. in 2011 and it was renamed LegalShield.

Born June 4, 1938 in Ashland, Okla. to Allen Clinton and Viola Johnson Stonecipher, Harland Stonecipher attended Tupelo Schools and was the first in his family to attend college, graduating from East Central State College (now East Central University) in 1959. He met his future wife, Shirley Ann Thompson, at ECU in 1958 and the couple celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary prior to his death.

Stonecipher, whose degree was in English, had a brief career as an English teacher and debate coach before joining with his mentor, Charlie Walls, in the life insurance business.

Stonecipher was recognized as ECU’s Distinguished Alumnus in 1987.

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