FRIENDS WE’LL MISS

unt alumni, faculty, staff and students are the university’s greatest legacy. When members of the Eagle family pass, they are remembered and their spirit lives on. Send information about deaths to the North Texan (see contact information on page 7).

1950s

WILLIAM ‘BILL’ FOXWORTH KING

(’51), Denton. He was a radiologist, earning his medical degree from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in 1955, and served in the U.S. Army. He ran a general family practice in Pueblo, Colorado, before working in Oklahoma and North Texas. While a biology and pre-med student, he was a member of Phi Alpha Tau, the debate team and many other organizations. He met his wife, Eugenia Ruth McKinney (’52), at North Texas.

DONNA MILLER WIEHE (’51), Cedar Park. She was a music educator who taught and performed for 50 years at schools in Highland Park, Beeville, Big Spring, Denton, San Marcos and Brazosport. After retiring, she led the children’s music ministry at her church and choirs and singalongs at her retirement centers. She met her husband, the late Douglas Wiehe (’51, ’55 M.A.) at North Texas.

JOHN ALLEN LOVELACE (’52),

Dallas. He was a writer and editor for newspapers in Sherman, Tyler and Madison, Wisconsin, and, after earning a master’s in religious journalism from Syracuse University, worked for religious publishers in Texas and Illinois. He also taught at Oklahoma Baptist University. While at North Texas, he was editor of the 1952 Yucca, sang in the A Cappella Choir and was a member of Phi Alpha Tau and other organizations. He is survived by his wife, Mary Ellen Reynolds Lovelace (’52). JIM N. MCDONALD (’52), Corsicana. He made his way from farming in Iowa Park to earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration while working two jobs and raising a family of three. He worked in insurance for 61 years, establishing his own insurance brokerage firm, Risk Consultants, and forming his own company, McDonald & Company, while also working for other firms. He was married to Sharron Daniel Green McDonald (’74).

EDDIE ‘MAC’ MCMILLAN (’57), Cisco. He served as a staff sergeant and engine specialist in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, where he was awarded the Korean Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Presidential Unit Citation and the United Nations Service Medal. After his service, he came to North Texas, where he played football and was a member of the Geezles. He worked at T&P Coal and as a State Farm Insurance agent until his retirement.

WILLIAM LEE CREEL (’58), Round Rock. He spent more than 35 years working with State Farm Insurance Co. He served in the U.S. Army in Korea in 1953. While at North Texas, he was a member of the Theta Chi fraternity.

1960s

DONALD W. CLARK JR. (’62 M.B.A.),

Dallas. He served as vice president of investment and investment advisor at Wells Fargo, and he was active in his church. CLAIRE ANN MCLENNAN (’62), Avoca. She earned her Ph.D. from Texas Tech University; taught at schools in Red Oak, Abilene and Houston; served as associate director of grants and special projects at the Region 14 Education Service Center in Abilene; and worked as a professor in the Department of Human Service Studies at Cornell University.

DONALD ‘DON’ CHESTER HUFSTEDLER (’64, ’65 M.Ed.),

Springtown. He was a member of the President’s Council and raised money for the Mean Green football team. A lifelong athlete, Don majored in kinesiology and history and went on to coach football and baseball, teach history and serve as principal through five decades at schools in Pampa, Marlin and Azle. While at North Texas, he was a member of Phi Kappa Sigma and led the intramural sports program. He is survived by his wife, Kathy (’66).

WILLIAM ‘SONNY’ OATES (’64, ’65

M.Ed.), Dallas. He was a member of the Chilton Society alongside his wife, Marilyn. Together, they established The William D. and Marilyn B. Oates Endowment in the Department of Management. He began his career at Eastman Kodak before establishing several successful businesses.

EDWARD SUPINA (’65, ’68 M.Ed.),

Denison. He was a member of the Mean Green football team but, in 1963, he suffered an injury that ended his college football career and worked as an offensive line coach for the freshman

football team. He also was a member of the Geezles. He became a teacher on the adolescent unit and activity director at Timberlawn Psychiatric Hospital in Dallas. He then worked in director positions in therapeutic recreation for the city of Dallas.

CANDACE ELLEN SMITH (’66),

Denton. While at North Texas, she enjoyed her time as a Delta Gamma. She had a 30-year career in marketing support with IBM, working in Shreveport, Houston, Dallas and Palo Alto, California. She was known for her lively parties and loyal friendship.

JAMES DELLIS SWANSON (’69),

Bonham. He served in the U.S. Air Force for four years in the 1950s, then earned his bachelor’s degree in English, taught elementary school and oversaw rental properties. Survivors include his wife, Jackie Wilson Swanson (’89 Ph.D.).

1970s

BARBARA ELLEN MARS YOUNT (’72),

Fort Worth. She served four years in the U.S. Navy after graduating with a degree in English.

WILLIAM ‘BILL’ DERRYBERRY (’73),

Cedar Park. He served as chief special projects financial officer for the city of Austin and was instrumental in helping to establish the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge, among other projects. After retirement, he worked for Travis County. He met his wife, Shirley Ohlhausen Derryberry (’74) at North Texas, where he served on the Student Government Association’s Supreme Court, earned a bachelor’s in history and worked on an M.P.A. He served in the U.S. Army from 1966 to 1970.

PHILECE SAMPLER (’75), North Hills, California. She appeared as a regular on such TV shows as Another World, Days of Our Lives and Rituals, and guest starred on B.J. and the Bear, Fantasy Island and The Incredible Hulk. She also did voiceover work for animated series. She was a 1974 Yucca Beauty and acted in many campus productions.

1980s

D. SCOTT BLANKENSHIP (’85),

Tomball. He worked as a stockbroker in Dallas, Houston and Phoenix, Arizona. He served as deacon at his church and contributed to many overseas missions. He was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha. Scott is survived by his college sweetheart, Melinda Meyer Blankenship (’87).

DEBRA DEE DOLLIVER (’85, ’01 Ph.D.),

Tuscaloosa, Alabama. She taught chemistry at Southeastern Louisiana University and the University of Alabama. She was part of a team that was granted a patent for an anti-cancer compound that could prevent the growth of human breast, lung and colon cancer cells. She is survived by her husband, Artie McKim (’99 Ph.D.).

1990s

JAMES B. GILES (’90), McKinney. James served as a hospital corpsman in the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps and Reserves. An art major at North Texas, he worked as a registered pharmacist for 52 years. He earned his degree in printmaking at UNT in hopes of becoming a medical illustrator.

JAMES KEVIN CULBERSON (’91, ’94

M.A., ’03 Ph.D.), North Richland Hills. He was a teacher at Covenant Christian Academy, using his doctorate in modern European history to help shape the curriculum. A former Eagle Scout, he was a Scoutmaster and active in his church.

2000s

JARED SHERMAN (’05, ’12 M.S.),

Garland. He worked in the College of Engineering’s Computer Systems Research Laboratory from 2010 to 2013, then worked as an engineer at Raytheon Technologies. He volunteered his technical and musical skills for his church and was an avid sports fan.

2010s

BURLYCE LOGAN (’11), Denton. In 1956, she was one of the first Black freshman students to attend North Texas. She left two years later – but returned and earned her bachelor’s in applied arts and sciences at age 73. She had worked in California and Oregon as a banker and secretary before returning to Denton in 1996. She worked in various places, including as an administrative assistant in UNT’s internal audit department from 2001 to 2002.

NIKEETA SLADE (’11), Syracuse, New York. Originally from Killeen, Nikeeta moved to Syracuse for her master’s in Africana studies at Syracuse University and remained active in the community. She organized rallies as a prominent Black Lives Matter leader.

2020s

MICAH JAMES BRUE, Amarillo. He was an incoming freshman planning to pursue a degree in music before losing a battle with leukemia. He served in the Amarillo Boy Choir for five years and played the piano.

ESHWARAWARIGE HEYLI FERNANDO

(NISALA), Denton. An international graduate student from Sri Lanka, he was a teaching assistant in chemistry.

MEGAN KATHERINE LABRUM, Denton. She was a sophomore pursuing a degree in ecology and environmental studies. Prior to transferring to UNT, she attended Texas Tech University, majoring in horticulture.

FRIENDS WE’LL MISS

University Community

TED DONALD COLSON, Oklahoma City. He was Professor Emeritus of communication studies who helped develop the KNTU radio station. He worked at UNT from 1956 to 1993, also serving as head of radio and TV studies in what was then the speech and drama department. He received the Shelton Excellence in Teaching Award and in 1995 was named an Honorary Alumnus by the UNT Alumni Association.

SANDRA J. ‘SANDI’ COMBEST, Denton. She was Professor Emerita of dance and shaped the dance program in her work at UNT from 1966 to 2001. She brought dance from the physical education department to an accredited academic program in what is now the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. She directed the implementation of the B.A. and B.F.A. in dance and the M.A. in interdisciplinary studies in dance, and was chair of the Department of Dance and Theatre from 1993 to 2001.

ANTHONY ‘TONY’ DAMICO, Denton. He was Professor Emeritus of foreign languages and the classics, working at UNT from 1966 until 2001. He served as the head of the Latin and Honors programs and was instrumental in organizing Latin and Greek classes at UNT.

JOHNNY DILLON, Denton. As assistant groundskeeper in Facilities, he had worked at UNT since 2016 with landscaping and mowing.

BRYAN ROY GALLOWAY, Denton. He worked with UNT System IT Shared Services in the telecommunications department from 1996 to 2013. Before joining UNT, he was a central office equipment installer for Verizon (formerly GTE) for 30 years. DOTTY GRIFFITH, Denton. She had taught food writing at the Mayborn School of Journalism since 2016. She worked for The Dallas Morning News for 36 years, editing the food section and serving as the dining critic. She also wrote a dozen cookbooks and has been credited with helping usher in modern Texas cuisine and establishing Texas as a serious food region.

MARILYN HAYNIE, Denton. She helped establish the John and Marilyn Haynie Trumpet Scholarship with her husband, the late John Haynie, Professor Emeritus of music. She met John at the University of Illinois, where she attended school, and served as principal flute in Concert Band and Symphony Orchestra. Marilyn traveled alongside John, playing piano during his trumpet performances, and helped recruit students for his UNT trumpet studio.

BARBARA JUNGJOHAN, Denton. She was an administrator who advocated for accessibility for people with disabilities. She began working at UNT in 1970 and retired in 1998, directing services such as student employment and services to mature and disabled students. She also served as dean of students and associate vice president for student affairs. In 1981, she received a Governor’s Citation from the Texas Rehabilitation Commission for her outstanding contributions to those with disabilities.

BARRY G. KING, Denton. He was Professor Emeritus of accounting who served as acting dean of what is now the G. Brint Ryan College of Business from 1971 to 1973. He began teaching at UNT in 1970 and retired in 1995. King, who also served as chair of the accounting department and as the director of graduate business programs at North Texas, conducted some of the university’s early oil and gas accounting research. JOE KIRVEN, Dallas. He served on the UNT System Board of Regents from 1989 to 2001. He owned a successful office cleaning and maintenance business, and a commercial real estate investment company. He helped establish the Blue Ribbon Committee at UNT in 1995 in order to help the Black Student Alliance in their requests for change on campus.

KENNETH KOELLN, Tulsa, Oklahoma. An economics professor from 1992 to 2007, he researched topics such as health care spending by the elderly, health care access and alternative financing options for health care.

ELVA LUCILLE HERSHBERGER LAYNE

(’91), Denton. She worked in the biology department as a senior secretary in the 1980s. She was a member of the President’s Council and generously donated to several scholarships. She was preceded in death by her husband, Douglas Layne (’49, ’50 M.A.).

MARK LUENSER (’91), Coppell. As senior food service manager for UNT Dining Services since 2015, he oversaw The Corner Store, WhichWich and Jamba on campus. He previously worked in supervisory positions at various companies. He also had been a loan officer for the Small Business Administration and director of visitor services for the Dallas Zoological Society.

R. SHELDON NEWMAN, Denton. He was a supervisor in the facilities department for 20 years and a local counterculture icon in the 1960s and 1970s. While enrolled in the mid-’60s at UNT as a library science student, he was elected president of the campus chapter of Students for a Democratic Society. He returned to UNT in the 1980s and ’90s as a custodial supervisor.

GENE QUALLS, Denton. He was a longtime clerk in the Registrar’s office who worked at UNT from 1979 to 2003. He was active in his church and known for sporting his 1967 Impala around town and wearing bright suits and ties. He attended North Texas in the 1950s, where he became a friend of Pat Boone’s.

PATRICIA ‘PAT’ ANNE CARROLL ROB-

ERTS, Houston. As a program specialist manager in the Center for Continuing Education and Conference Management at UNT, she worked with the Elderhostel program and managed many conferences and workshops on campus. She was married to James Andrew Roberts, a longtime UNT physics professor, for 64 years before his death in 2019.

NORMAN THOMAS, Denton. His contributions to Denton most benefited the College of Music with The Rainbow-Froehlich Community Outreach and Scholarship Fund. He worked for the Environmental Protection Agency for 32 years.

LOIS ‘BUNNY’ THOMSEN, Dallas. She donated generously to the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. She and her late husband, Tommy, were members of the Chilton Society. She founded Lois Luhnow Interiors, designing homes in Dallas.

DOLORES VANN, Denton. A member of the President’s Council, she and her husband, J. Don Vann, Professor Emeritus of English, established the Vann Victorian Endowment Fund in 2004 to purchase books for the Vann Victorian Collection in the UNT Libraries’ Special Collections. She was an activist for the preservation of historic homes in Denton, spearheading the creation of the Oak-Hickory Historical District. The Vanns welcomed many decades of UNT students to their historic home on Oak Street for numerous events. NANCY ELLEN WARNELL (’15), Fort Worth. She was a medical laboratory technologist in the Student Health and Wellness Center from 2006 to 2021. She served as lead technologist for three years and played a critical role in the center’s ability to treat COVID-19 patients. Although she retired in 2021, she returned as a part-time employee to assist with drive-through COVID-19 testing for new student orientations. She previously worked at various hospitals around the Fort Worth area.

REG WESTMORELAND (’47, ’56 M.A.), Denton. The Professor Emeritus of journalism steered national accreditation for the journalism department. He was a reporter and editor for The Dallas Times-Herald and taught at Abilene Christian University. He worked at UNT from 1964 to 1994, with a two-year break in which he served as associate dean at Pepperdine University. He was director of news and publications at UNT for two years, then taught fulltime. He helped establish the journalism graduate program and was chair of the department for more than a decade.

LAWRENCE ‘BUD’ WHEELESS, Denton. The Professor Emeritus of communications began teaching at UNT in 1993 and retired in 2004. He previously was chair of the communications department at Marshall University and taught at many other schools. He became known for his research in interpersonal and instructional communication. He is survived by his wife, Virginia Wheeless, who was associate vice president and special assistant to the chancellor for planning, and director of the university planning office at UNT.

LEROY WHITAKER (’50, ’52 M.S.), Dallas. He was a chemist who was a member of the McConnell Society for endowing The Dr. Leroy Whitaker Scholarship. He was a research chemist before becoming a patent attorney and head of the patent department for Eli Lilly and Company, an advisory board member for UNT’s Department of Chemistry and the former College of Arts and Sciences. He also led efforts to endow a chemistry chair and served as CAS chairman for a university-wide capital campaign. He received the UNT Distinguished Alumni Award in 2015 and the Outstanding Alumni Service Award in 2001.

DON WINSPEAR, Dallas. He gave generously to UNT’s College of Music, following the path of his parents, Margot and Bill Winspear, whose contributions led to the naming of The Margot and Bill Winspear Performance Hall at the Murchison Performing Arts Center. He served as a market research consultant for his company, Crescent Research, which he founded in 1977.

JERRY YERIC, Hot Springs, Arkansas. The Professor Emeritus of political science, who taught at UNT from 1970 to 2002, was named an Honors Professor and in 1983 received the ’Fessor Graham Award — the highest honor bestowed by the student body — for his outstanding service to students. He researched the effects of the media on politics and the impact of public opinion on the government.

MEMORIALS

Send memorials to honor UNT alumni

and friends, made payable to the UNT Foundation, to University of North Texas, Division of University Advancement, 1155 Union Circle #311250, Denton, Texas 76203-5017. Indicate on your check the fund or area you wish to support. Or make secure gifts online at one.unt.edu/giving. For more information, email giving@unt.edu or call 940-565-2900.