Class Notes
1950s
Arlon O. Hickman, BA ’56, celebrated his 85th birthday June 24. During his senior year at Baylor, Hickman performed in the play Androcles and the Lion and met his future wife during the production. He played the role of a Roman soldier, and she played the role of a Christian slave. Baylor launched their adventurous life together. In 1960, Hickman joined IBM at the dawn of the digital age. His early assignments included working with North American Aviation on projects supporting NASA. During his 30-year career with IBM, Hickman had the opportunity to work in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and India. In 1991, he retired to Harrison, AR. For the past 25 years, Hickman has trained teams of volunteers providing free tax preparation services under the auspices of the AARP Foundation Tax Aid, and he has remained active with the Boone County Republican Party. He wishes all of his fellow Baylor Bears a long and fulfilling life. Contact at arlonhickman@gmail.com.
1960s
Joseph E. Taylor Jr., BBA ’62, retired from the insurance industry at the end of 2019 but is still working as the fair manager of the Georgia-Carolina State Fair in Augusta, GA. Contact at 128 Palmer Court, Evans, GA 30809 or at TaylorJ7@comcast.net.
Patrick S. Washburn, BA ’63, co-authored Sports Journalism: A History of Glory, Fame, and Technology (University of Nebraska Press), published in July. The book has strong scholarly significance as it is the first book to examine the history of sports journalism from 1733 to the present. It takes an inside look at how American sports journalism has changed over the past three centuries and examines why those changes occurred.
Dr. Tony Cleaver, BA ’66, MSEd ’88, published his seventh book, Then God Said (Amazon Kindle). It consists of Scriptural devotions for each day of the year.
John “Johnny” E. Miller, BA ’67, is a Texas Attorney Emeritus in Bryan, TX (JohnnyAttorney.com). He holds a Juris Doctor from the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis and a Master of Laws from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Law School. Miller is also one of three co-founders of The Good United States Artificial Intelligence Group (GoodUSAi.com). The three co-founders, as well as the resulting group, share a common interest in researching, writing, training, promoting and consulting for what is “good” regarding the U.S. in the various areas of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). Typically, the group focuses on AI and ML areas such as safety, integrity, honesty, ethics, zero bias, democracy, responsibility and social benefit.
Cynthia McElroy Kirchheimer, BS ’69, retired after 26 years teaching reading in the Osborn Elementary School District in Phoenix. She anticipates volunteering at her church. Kirchheimer and friends Marilyn Hardy, Carol Pyfer, Becky Riggins and Sheila Telford had a marvelous time at Homecoming 2019 as they celebrated their 50th reunion. She would love to hear from fellow graduates. Contact at 6532 E. Oak St., Scottsdale, AZ 85257 or tkirch@q.com.
Fleet Lentz, BA ’69, published A Backseat View from the Phantom: A Memoir of a Marine Radar Intercept Officer in Vietnam, available as an ebook and in paperback from Amazon and McFarlandbooks.com. Lentz served in the U.S. Marine Corps for 31 years. The book describes life on a remote jungle base in Thailand from which Lentz flew 131 combat missions as part of the last Marine aviation command in the Vietnam War. He is married to Kathy Crawley, BA ’68. They reside in Centennial, CO. Contact at fleetlentz1@gmail.com.
Kenneth, BA ’69, and Celia Carlile of Marshall, TX, established the Kenneth and Celia Carlile Chair in Materials Science, a Baylor Academic Challenge scholarship. Celia received the Alumna Honoris Causa award in 1992. Kenneth and Celia have two sons: Zachary, BBA ’96, and Cameron. This fund supports a faculty member who furthers Baylor’s mission through innovative research and teaching in the area of materials science.
1970s
William H “Bill” Smith, BA ’70, is president of the John Leland Center for Theological Studies in Arlington, VA. He and his wife Judith “Judy” Bracewell Smith, BSHE ’70, live in Charlottesville, VA. Their oldest son Jason William Smith, BA ’93, is surgical director of heart transplantation at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Their middle son Luke Benjamin Smith, BA ’97, is in his 10th year as pastor of Linden Heights Baptist Church in Staunton, VA. Their youngest son is a hospital consult psychiatrist at the University of Virginia.
Gordon D. Utgard, BA ’70, completed the second edition of his non-fiction book The Powers That Be (ISBN# 978-1-4120-6565-8). The book covers his working and living in Saudi Arabia for two assignments, each lasting approximately three years. The major difference between the first edition published in 2005 and the second edition published in 2018 is the final chapter: “Afterwords.” This final chapter is based upon his relationships and interactions with members of the Saudi Royal Family, specifically Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud, and details Utgard’s views and opinions regarding the assassination of The Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Bonnie Plume Morris, BSN ’71, and David Morris, BS ’70, celebrated 50 years of marriage July 18. The celebration included their daughter Rachel Morris, BA ’99, BSN ’01, their son Joel Morris and his wife Mary, parents of Kaitlyn Morris, BA ’19. The couple live in Carrollton, TX, where they continue to enjoy treasured friendships with lifelong Baylor friends.
Jimmy Dorrell, BA ’72, retired April 1 from Mission Waco after 28 years. He continues as pastor of Church Under the Bridge (Waco) and as co-director of the Texas Christian Community Development Network. Commonwealth: Transformation through Christian Community Development (Baylor Press), his newest book, was released in September. Contact at jimmymdorrell@gmail.com.
John E. Shepelwich, BA ’72, retired Feb. 20 from American Electric Power (AEP) after 40 years as a communicator for the electric power industry. He was earlier in broadcast news and management in several U.S. markets. Shepelwich lives near Asheville, NC, with his wife Katie. The couple previously lived on Italy’s Almalfi Coast when the pandemic forced them stateside in March.
Pat Adams, BA ’74, retired from USAA Savings Bank in San Antonio in April. She spent the last 23 years with several large banks in management and audit-compliance roles. After graduating from Baylor, Adams worked in magazine publishing and graphic arts in Arizona and Texas for 18 years. Contact at 3993 County Road 319, LaVernia, TX 78121 or pkadams54@hotmail.com.
Dr. Ronald E. Bowles, BMEd ’74, MA ’77, retired from Christian higher education and local church ministry after a 45-year career of full-time service. He most recently served on the faculty of Dallas Baptist University for 15 years, serving as dean of the College of Fine Arts since August 2006. In that role, Bowles provided leadership to the departments of communication, music and the visual arts. He also provided guidance and instruction to future worship leaders in his capacity as director of church music and worship studies in the DBU Department of Music. Prior to his service at DBU, Bowles served in local church music and worship ministry for 30 years, most recently as minister of worship and communications at First Baptist Church of El Paso for 22 years. He previously served in similar positions at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church of Amarillo, TX, and First Baptist Church Waco. During his student days at Baylor, Bowles directed the Baylor Religious Hour (BRH) choir and the BSU choir, founded the Newsong vocal ensemble and was a director with the Continental Singers. He and his wife Suzanne Higgins Bowles, BM ’75, MM ’81, have been married for nearly 35 years and live in Dallas. In retirement, he plans to adjunct teach at DBU and is available for worship consultation and local church music supply and interim service. Contact at rebsebowles@gmail.com.
The family of William E. Mendoza, BS ’74, established the William E. Mendoza Endowed Premedical Scholarship Fund in his memory. This fund provides scholarships for students pursuing a premedical career.
Marilea Lewis Whatley, BA ’75, is a partner at the Dallas-based family law firm Duffee + Eitzen. She was recognized as a Top 50 female Super Lawyer and Top 100 DFW Super Lawyer for 2019, a LawDragon Top 500 Leading Family Lawyer for 2020, and a Best Lawyer in America in family law, family law mediation, and mediation for 2020. Whatley is also co-director of the SBOT Firearms Conference: 9th Annual Firearms Law: What Every Texas Lawyer Needs to Know. Contact at 4311 Oak Lawn Ave., Suite 600, Dallas, TX 75219 or marilea@d-elaw.com.
Bill Shaw, PsyD ’76, and Catherine Jarvis Shaw, PsyD ’75, have retired from careers in clinical psychology. Catherine served eight years in the U.S. Air Force and achieved the rank of captain. She was head of the Tinker Air Force Base Mental Health Clinic in Oklahoma City. After the Air Force, Catherine was director of the Combined Substance Abuse Treatment Program at the VA Medical Center in Oklahoma City for nearly 30 years, and she was assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC). She held many offices in the Oklahoma Psychological Association (OPA), including president. Bill was also an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at OUHSC and the OU School of Education, and he was an instructor in criminal justice at Oklahoma City University. He was director of mental health services for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and finished his career as chairman of behavioral medicine at the Oklahoma City Clinic for 28 years. Bill held offices in the OPA, including president, and was the Oklahoma representative to the American Psychological Association (APA) Council of Representatives. He was chair of the Oklahoma Board of Examiners of Psychologists by appointment of the governor. Catherine and Bill both received OPA and APA awards for distinguished service and contributions to the practice of clinical psychology. Contact at 2720 NW 58th Place, Oklahoma City, OK 73112 or dr.billlshaw@gmail.com.
Dr. D. Timothy Simpson, BA ’76, with Potter Minton PC, was elected to membership in the Fellows of the Texas Bar Foundation. Election is a mark of distinction and recognition of Simpson’s contributions to the legal profession. Each year, the top one-third of 1 percent of Texas attorneys are invited to become Fellows. Once nominees are selected, they must be elected by the Texas Bar Foundation Board of Trustees. The Texas Bar Foundation is the nation’s largest charitably funded bar foundation. To date, the Texas Bar Foundation has distributed more than $20 million throughout Texas to assist nonprofit organizations with a wide range of justice-related programs and services. For more information, contact the Texas Bar Foundation at www.txbf.org.
Henry R. Cox, BA ’78, found success blazing his own path in life, whether by being the shortest NCAA Division I hurdler on the nationally ranked Baylor track team or becoming the first attorney from a larger firm to pursue complex civil rights cases against Fortune 100 companies. A prolific legal educator, Cox was selected to the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals and Super Lawyers of Kansas and Missouri. He earned Martindale-Hubbell’s AV Preeminent Pear Review Rating status for 25 years, and he is one of six attorneys selected to the Kansas City Business Journal’s Best of the Bar for 15 years. Cox authored Deceit of the Soul: Saving the World Before the Pandemic, a conspiracy thriller available Sept. 5.
1980s
Mike Warren, BS ’80, retired this spring after 40 years of teaching and coaching. He worked at schools in the following Texas independent school districts: Aldine, Birdville, Anson, Sudan, Lubbock and Big Spring. Contact at mikewarren1980@gmail.com.
The Manny E. and Deborah M. Ruiz Endowed Scholarship Fund in Truett Seminary was established by Manny E., BBA ’81, and Deborah M. Ruiz of San Antonio. This scholarship will be awarded to students enrolled in the Truett Seminary San Antonio campus.
John C. Wocher, MHA ’82, retired from the U.S. Navy as a medical service corps officer in 1991 and joined the Kameda Medical Center that same year. Wocher was chief operating officer and executive vice president from 1991 to 2020. He resides in Japan with his wife Midori, two children and five grandchildren. While serving at the Kameda Medical Center in Japan, he worked as an independent contractor for Joint Commission International. “Go Navy, and go Bears,” Wocher writes. Contact at Amatsu 85, Kamogawa City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan 299-5503.
Teresa Ann Lopez, BBA ’84, of Lakewood, CO, established the Dr. Cesar A. Lopez, Col. USA MC (Ret) Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund in memory of her father. This scholarship will be awarded to first-generation college students who are participating in Baylor’s First in Line program.
Caleb McCaleb, BBA ’84, was inducted into the Edmond [OK] Public Schools Hall of Fame in June. Contact at caleb@mccalebhomes.com.
Dr. David Tillman, BA ’84, was reappointed as presiding officer of the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners by Gov. Greg Abbott and will serve through 2021. He was also elected as the Texas trustee of the Academy of General Dentistry and will serve in that capacity through 2022. Tillman lives with his wife Julie in Aledo, TX, and has a general dentistry practice in downtown Fort Worth.
Barbara Britton, BS ’86, finished her seventh book, Until June, which was released by Pelican Book Group in June. This historical novel varies from her usual biblical fiction. Until June is based on a true story Britton heard while on an Alaskan cruise excursion: A seamstress takes care of a World War I amputee in a remote Alaskan lodge, and there is enough friction to melt a glacier.
Dr. Gerardeen Santiago, BS ’87, celebrates the fourth anniversary of the founding of Aionios Books, a small press in Carlsbad, CA, committed to publishing and shepherding the works of debut and fledgling novelists. Contact at publisher@aioniosbooks.com.
Aimee Ingham Kasprzyk, BS ’88, was named Corsicana [TX] ISD Director of Fine Arts and University Interscholastic League (UIL) Academics in June. She returns home to Corsicana ISD after a 32-year career teaching various fine arts, coaching UIL speaking events, directing educational theatre in various districts, and coordinating UIL Academics. She is excited to tackle this new educational administrative challenge. Kasprzyk brings with her numerous awards and affiliations, including the UIL Sponsor Excellence Award and Texas Speech Communication Association (TSCA) Secondary Educator of the Year. She is also TSCA Vice President, on the Texas Theatre Adjudicators and Officials Board Standards and Practices Committee, and a member of the UIL One Act Play Advisory Committee. Kasprzyk received a Master of Arts in educational theatre at the University of Houston in 2017. She is eager to make a difference in the lives of Corsicana ISD educators, students and staff.
Curtis N. Price, BA ’89, was named command chaplain for the U.S. Department of Defense Southern Command in Doral, FL. Price is a captain in the U.S. Navy, in which he has served for more than 30 years. His wife Colleen graduated from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, TX. They are the proud parents of three children and grandparents of four grandchildren. Contact at 5542 NW 112th Court, Doral, FL 33178 or cyberchaplain@live.com.
1990s
Clayton Bailey, BA ’90, of Dallas litigation boutique Bailey Brauer was included in the 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. He was recognized for commercial litigation and appellate law. Bailey is nationally known for his trial and appellate practice in complex tort and other commercial cases in federal and state courts. He represents clients in corporate litigation as well as in putative class actions and mass-action lawsuits. The profession’s oldest U.S. peer-review guide, The Best Lawyers in America was first published in 1983 and is also among the profession’s most respected guides. Selection is based on confidential evaluations by attorneys in the same practice area and from the same geographic region.
Kurt, BBA ’90, and Kristi Plumer of Frisco, TX, established the Kurt and Kristi Plumer Endowed Scholarship Fund in Business and the Plumer Family Endowed Scholarship Fund. They have two daughters: Elizabeth, ’21, and Sophia. These scholarships support students with financial need.
Michelle Holman Nietert, BS ’92, is clinical director with Community Counseling Associates (communitycounselingassociates.com), located in Allen, TX, and provides telehealth services throughout Texas. She celebrated the release of her first book, Loved and Cherished (Zonderkidz), a devotional for tween girls, in September. The book was co-authored by Proverbs 31 speaker and writer Lynn Cowell. Nietert and Cowell host Raising Brave Beauties, a podcast featuring mother-daughter interviews of Christian leaders and their daughters. Nietert is a former school crisis counselor and owner of a large counseling center in the Dallas area. Visit lovedandcherished.me for information about her speaking schedule, mother-daughter conferences, and parenting presentations for churches and private schools. Contact at michelle@allencounselingassociates.com.
James Robert Parker, BS ’92, of Amarillo, TX, established The James Robert Parker Endowed Chair in Health Science and Leadership in conjunction with the Baylor Academic Challenge. This chair position provides support for the Honors College and promotes teaching and research in Health Science and Leadership.
Dr. Beck A. Taylor, BBA ’92, is celebrating the 10th anniversary of his inauguration as the 18th president of Whitworth University in Spokane, WA. Taylor and his wife Julie Dearing Taylor, BSEd ’92, MSEd ’04, who also works for Whitworth in the president’s office, are the third longest-serving presidential couple in Whitworth history. The university is in the last few years of a successful 10-year strategic plan and fundraising campaign, and Whitworth’s board of trustees extended Taylor’s contract through 2025.
Ken David Murphy, BA ’92, accepted the position of senior director of church engagement for Dallas-based Buckner International, a Christ-centered ministry dedicated to the transformation and restoration of the most vulnerable from the beginning to the ending of life. Murphy previously served as executive pastor and in senior leadership roles with churches in Mississippi, Georgia, New Mexico and Texas. He and his wife Kim Grafton Murphy, BBA ’93, live in McKinney, TX, and have two college-aged children: Miles and Millie.
The Nitsche Family Endowed Scholarship Fund in Business was established by Robert Nitsche, BBA ’93, of Giddings, TX. Nitsche has two children: Ashley, ‘21, and Nick.
Charles S. “Chuck” Pope, BA ’94, serves on the COVID-19 task force as deputy director for acquisition and assistance. He is a global leader of acquisitions and agreements, a commissioned foreign service officer, a warranted senior contracting/agreement officer and a development professional with experience on four continents working for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Peace Corps and as an implementing partner (contractor/recipient). Pope invites all Bears to connect with him on LinkedIn by searching for Charles (Chuck) Pope.
C. Michael, BBA ’94, and Amy Clark Walton, BBA ’96, of Houston established the Charles Michael and Amy Clark Walton Family Endowed Scholarship Fund, which supports business students with financial need.
Staley Heatly, BA ’96, has served as the 46th Judicial District Court District Attorney since 2006. Heatly authored Family Violence, a book published by The Texas District and County Attorneys Association. The book tells prosecutors, officers, victim assistants and others in the criminal justice system everything they need to know about how to handle the prosecution of intimate-partner violence cases from investigation through trial. Family Violence covers a wide range of topics, including initial crime scene investigation, strangulation, victim safety, protective orders, victim relations, charging decisions, the role of implicit bias, jury selection, trial, expert witnesses and how to create a community-coordinated response. It also includes checklists, forms and sample pleadings, and a narrative that leads readers through every step of the process with common-sense tips.
Jason A. Hill, BA ’96, was appointed chief administrative judge for the Interior Board of Land Appeals in April.
Phuc Luu, MDiv ’97, authored Jesus of the East: Reclaiming the Gospel for the Wounded, a book published by Herald Press. The forward is by Father Gregory Boyle, founder of Homeboy Industries and author of Barking to the Choir and Tattoos on the Heart.
2000s
Dr. David Edison, BSED ’00, MSED ’03, was named 2020 Region 12 Superintendent of the Year and a regional nominee for Texas Superintendent of the Year. Edison has been superintendent of Aquilla [TX] ISD since 2010 and an educator for 20 years. His previous positions include principal, assistant principal, administrative intern/teacher and teacher/coach.
Dr. Christopher Small, BA ’04, was selected by Florida State University as the 2020 Opening Nights Arts Advocate of the Year. Small was also appointed as the director of the educational leadership master’s program at Florida State. The program is designed to train and certify current practitioners to become school administrators. Contact at Clsmall@fsu.edu.
T. Hunter Lewis, BA ’08, partner at Dallas family law firm Duffee + Eitzen, was named a 2020 D Magazine Best Lawyer Under 40 and a 2020 Best Lawyers Best Lawyer in America in family law. He was also named a Thomson Reuters Texas Super Lawyer in family law for the seventh consecutive year in 2019. Hunter is the vice chair of the Dallas Bar Association’s Family Law Section and was chair of the DBA Bench Bar 2020 conference. Contact at 4311 Oak Lawn Ave., Suite 600, Dallas, TX 75219 or hunter@d-elaw.com.
Mayra Jimenez, BBA ’09, is vice president of legal services and attorney at the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES). She oversees the legal department along with the chief legal service officer; this includes affirmative, defensive and litigation work within immigration law. Jimenez was formerly the children’s program director at RAICES for more than five years, running the largest legal program by providing legal services to both detained and released unaccompanied children in various parts of Texas. She has represented children and adults before the U.S. Immigration Court, various county courts, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO). Jimenez was one of Glamour magazine’s Women of the Year in November 2019. She was also featured in InStyle magazine, on Good Morning America and on CNN. She continues to be a driving force in fighting for immigrant rights and is a proud Baylor alumna.
Kelly McCaffrey, BSEd ’09, MPH ’11, was named executive director of LifeSteps council on alcohol and drugs. LifeSteps is a nonprofit organization serving Travis, McLennan and Williamson counties in Central Texas. The organization’s mission is to improve the community’s health, safety and wellbeing by preventing substance use disorders, providing early intervention and supporting long-term recovery. McCaffrey is responsible for spearheading and expanding the organization’s strategic direction and financial gain. She has spent the past nine years working in both the nonprofit and government sectors, creating a healthier and safer Texas.
2010s
Josh Dowdy, MA ’12, authored True to the Story: Southern Reflections with Gospel Connections, a book that combines relatable anecdotes with biblical insights and connects everyday moments to gospel truth. Dowdy lives with his family in Birmingham, AL. Contact at josh@truetothestory.com.
Emily Landers, BA ’13, hosts How’d She Do That?, a podcast in which she answers that question while speaking to women who have created inspiring careers and lives. Each conversation gives practical advice and insight into the guests’ various careers. The podcast was created to inspire and motivate women of all ages around the world to make a difference, achieve their dreams and influence other women along the way. For more information, visit howdshedothatpodcast.com, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and various other streaming platforms.
Christine Hinz Henderson, BBA ’16, graduated from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Class of 2020, as a Doctor of Medicine. She was matched into the Vanderbilt University Anesthesia Residency program and will reside in Nashville.
The James J. Farina Jr. Endowed Scholarship Fund in Nursing was established by James J. Farina of Somers, NY, in memory of his father. Somers’ daughter, Grace, is a member of Baylor’s Class of 2022.