In Memory

W. Merle Alexander

W. Merle Alexander, 78, of Waco, professor emeritus of physics and environmental studies at Baylor, died Oct. 3. Alexander taught at Baylor from 1954 to 1996, with a break from 1959 to 1967 to work at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. 
Alexander was one of the founding professors of Baylor's Institute of Environmental Studies, which later became the Department of Environmental Studies. He served as its director for more than 20 years and was the principal investigator for numerous experiments on America's first earth-orbiting, lunar and interplanetary unmanned spacecraft. He also served on the Commission and Dust Panel of the international Committee on Space Research from 1967 to 1995 and was elected a Fellow in the Texas Academy of Science in 1975. 
In addition to bachelor's and master's degrees in physics and music from Baylor, Alexander also held a doctorate in physics from the University of Heidelberg, Germany. 
He was a longtime member of the Waco Symphony Orchestra, where he played the French horn.
His daughter, Sara Alexander, is an associate professor of environmental studies and anthropology at Baylor.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Kathryn; children David, Kathryn, Sara and Matthew; eight grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. 

Dale P. Jones

Former Baylor Regent Dale P. Jones, 68, of Dallas, died Nov. 6 after suffering a head injury. Jones, a retired vice chair of Halliburton Co., completed nearly a decade of service on the Baylor Board of Regents last May. 
He earned a bachelor of science in business administration degree from the University of Arkansas in 1958. He also attended the Harvard Advanced Management Program. A former officer in the U.S. Air Force, Jones was named president of Halliburton Co. in 1989 and vice chair in 1995. He retired from Halliburton in 1998. He was a member of the board of directors of Noble Energy Inc. and Telsco Industries. 
Jones was a member of the boards of Baylor Health Care System, the Senior Citizens of Greater Dallas and Choice Resources. He served in campaign leadership roles for the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. He was a member of Baylor's Sesquicentennial Council of 150 and served on the advisory board of Baylor's Hankamer School of Business. He was a deacon and trustee at Park Cities Baptist Church. 
He is survived by his wife, Anita, BA '61; two daughters, Lee Anna Lackey, BS '90, and Leisa Winters, BSEd '92; and five grandchildren.

Eddie L. Dwyer

Eddie L. Dwyer, 92, of Waco, Macon Professor Emeritus and former chair of religion at Baylor, died Nov. 16. A New Testament scholar, Dwyer taught at Baylor from 1945 until he retired in 1982.
Dwyer received his bachelor's degree from Oklahoma Baptist University in 1938, a master's degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1942 and his doctor of theology degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1951. 
He spent five years as pastor of Baptist churches in Weston, Ind., Underwood, Ind., and Fairfax, Okla. He and his wife, Velma, married on June 24, 1941. 
Dwyer received the Retired Faculty Award given by the Baylor Alumni Association. He also was honored by the establishment of the Eddie L. and Velma Rich Dwyer Endowed Scholarship Fund, which provides funds to assist graduate students in religion. 
Dwyer was a member of First Baptist Church of Waco. He is survived by his wife, son Paul and daughter Dee Dee.