In Memoriam
Lillian Frances “Fran” Priddy, BSN ’40, of DeSoto, TX, died July 16 at age 98. A major in the U.S. Army Nurses Corps, Priddy served in many U.S. and overseas stations. These included the Philippines, the 8076th MASH Unit in Korea, Japan and Germany. Priddy ended her 21-year career stationed at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. She was awarded the Korean Service medal with three Bronze Service Stars, United Nations Service Medal, Distinguished Unit Citation, National Defense Service Medal and the Army Commendation Medal. She was a member of the Alamo Heights Christian Church in San Antonio, where she served with a food pantry and in animal rescue efforts. Among her survivors are three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Dr. Lester Harrell, BA ’42, of Austin died on June 13 at age 96. He served as president of his sophomore class at Baylor. Harrell joined the U.S. Navy and became commanding officer of the LSM 127. He earned advanced degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Minnesota before teaching at Trinity University in San Antonio. In 1955, he joined the Baylor administration and faculty as chairman of the counseling center and associate professor of psychology. Harrell later was program director for the Texas Commission on Higher Education and a professor at the University of Texas at Austin. In 1973, he established a private practice in psychology. Harrell was a member of Austin’s University Baptist Church. Among his survivors are his wife of 72 years, Lucille Carson Harrell, BM ’45, and three children.
Marian Ruth Brennan Jeffrey, BA ’42, of Waco died June 23 at age 96. She married Jack White Jeffrey, BA ’43, in 1944. They lived in Austin, Carrizo Springs, TX, Kerrville, TX, Beaumont, TX, and Waco. She was a member of Columbus Avenue Baptist Church and loved entertaining, cooking, birding, traveling, teaching and supporting Crawford [TX] High School. Among her survivors are her children Jaclyn, BA ’72, and James, BBA ’71; three grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Sara Eugenia Kyger McClelland, BA ’43, of Henderson, TX, died June 27 at age 95. She taught at Henderson High School and then in Washington, D.C., as secretarial staff for the U.S. War Department. She and her husband George Dewey McClelland Sr. lived near Baton Rouge, LA, while George worked for Dow Chemical. They were members of First Baptist Church Port Allen and later Southside Baptist Church. Sara taught English at Park Forest Middle School for 15 years, retiring in 1982. She taught Girls’ Auxiliary and Sunday school. Among her survivors are her husband of 71 years, George Dewey McClelland Sr.; four children, including Ann McClelland Bishop, BS ’70, and Patricia Lynn McClelland, BS ’75; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the Sara Kyger McClelland Endowed Premedical Scholarship Fund at Baylor.
Stanley “Stan” P. Howard Jr., BA ’44, MA ’49, of Waco died July 12 at age 94. He graduated from Southwestern Theological Seminary in Fort Worth and served in several churches in Texas before he and his wife became missionaries to Japan in 1950 through the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. They served in Japan until 1986. Howard was involved with First Baptist Church Waco, Kiwanis Club of Waco Seniors and Cottonwood Creek Seniors Golf group. Among his survivors are his wife Patsy McGee, BS ’49; two children, including Linda Bland, BA ’73; two grandsons, including Nathan Thauwald, ’05; and three great-granddaughters. Memorials may be made to the Baylor Bear Foundation.
Mary Louise Bevil McKee, BA ’44, of Orange, TX, died June 21 at age 94. She attended Ball High School in Galveston, TX, and went on to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and Baylor University, graduating with a degree in history and a minor in music.
Laura “Jane” Abel Ruby, BA ’44, of Tyler, TX, died May 4 at age 93. She married and started her family in Waco. Ruby taught mathematics at Moore Middle School from 1963 to 1984, Sunday school at First Christian Church and art appreciation at the Tyler Museum of Art. Ruby enjoyed following the successes of her many thousands of “children.” She was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, H. Allen Ruby, BA ’44. Among her survivors are three children, two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Rebekah Webb Richards, ’45, of San Antonio died Nov. 21, 2016, at age 93. She studied music and speech and was in the Athenean Club at Baylor. She married Dr. Fred V. Richards, BS ’40, MD ’43, and they settled in Tulia, TX. She taught Sunday school at First Baptist Church Tulia. After retiring to San Antonio in 1994, the Richards became members of First Baptist Church San Antonio, where Rebekah served on several committees. Among her survivors are her children Sara Burk, BA ’69, Dr. Fred Richards III, BA ’70, John Richards, BA ’74, and Elizabeth Ann Stone, BSEd ’82; eight grandchildren; and twelve great-grandchildren. Her husband and her brother, Rev. Perry Webb Jr. BA ’46, preceded her in death.
Rev. Willie Wren “Dub” Baker Jr., BA ’46, of Farmers Branch, TX, died May 24 at age 91. At age 17, he hitchhiked to his beloved Baylor, where he began his formal training to become a Baptist minister. He earned a master’s degree at Southwestern Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. Baker pastored churches all over Texas for 66 years. Family vacations coincided with the Southern Baptist Conventions. The Bakers later traveled all over the world with their friends. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Connie Baker; children Linda Miller, BA ’72, John Baker, BA ’74, Mike Baker, BA ’76, and David Baker, BBA ’78; 11 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
Dr. Joe C. Smith, BA ’46, MD ’51, of Caldwell, TX, died at age 95 on March 2, 2016, near his much-loved wife of 71 years, Mollie Dee Sewell Smith, BBA ’44. Mrs. Smith, 93, died May 16, also in Caldwell. Dr. Smith was a family physician in Caldwell from the early 1950s to the mid-1980s. He joined the U.S. Marines and was wounded in the Okinawa campaign of World War II. Later, he was sent to China to help repatriate Japanese civilians who had been living in northern China. He received a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star, and he was discharged as a first lieutenant. Joe was named a Distinguished Alumni of the Baylor College of Medicine in 2002. In Caldwell, He was instrumental in raising money to build Burleson County’s first hospital. The current clinic adjacent to Burleson St. Joseph Health Center in Caldwell is named in his honor. Mollie supported Joe as he finished Baylor and then through Baylor Medical School and onto a residency in the U.S. Army. Joe became interested in art, photography, sculpture and jewelry making. After he retired from medicine, Joe began creating large-scale sculptures. His most ambitious piece, a 25-foot steel sculpture, was commissioned by the Brazos Valley Arts Council to mark the millennium. It stands near the Texas A&M University campus. Mollie established a library in Caldwell, which is housed in Joe’s former clinic. They had season Baylor football tickets for years. Joe was buried in his favorite outfit of green and gold track pants and a white BU T-shirt. Mollie loved gardening, cooking and reading. The couple is survived by four children, including Lynn Pearson, BA ’69, and Gayl Newton, BA ’76; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and Mollie’s brother Tom Sewell, BA ’50.
Dwight Lewis Kinard, BBA ’47, of Abilene, TX, died June 3 at age 92. He attended Baylor until his enlistment in the U.S. Navy in 1943. He attended the Navy Supply Corps School at Harvard University. Kinard served as a Lieutenant on the USS San Juan CL 54, an anti-aircraft cruiser operating in the Pacific during World War II. He returned to Baylor and then went to graduate school at the University of Texas at Austin. He was a CPA and formed Kinard & Co., which later merged to form Davis, Kinard & Co. PC. Kinnard retired in 1987. He served on the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy and was president of the Abilene YMCA and Southwest Abilene Rotary Club. He was treasurer of the Abilene Chamber of Commerce and on the boards of the Betty Hardwick Center, MH/MR, Hendrick Health System and Buckner Baptist Benevolences. Kinard also served on committees at First Baptist Church Abilene. Among his survivors are his wife of 65 years, Mary Margaret (Miggie) Kinard; two children, including Darby Blackburn, BBA ’85, MBA ’87; sister Jerry Kinard Gailey, BM ’40; six grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
Patsy Ruth Harvey Melton, ’48, of Waco died July 8 at age 91. She was a homemaker and devoted many years to the work of Women’s Missionary Union of Texas through Calvary Baptist Church and Waco Baptist Association. Melton was a member of Calvary Baptist Church for 80 years. Among her survivors are her husband of 69 years, D.G. Melton, BBA ’49; sons Dr. Larry B. Melton, BS ’72, and Richard A. Melton, BMEd ’75; a granddaughter; and a sister.
Dr. Robert H. Perry Jr., BS ’48, of San Carlos, CA, died July 1 at age 89. He held a PhD in chemistry from the University of Texas at Austin and served in the U.S. Army Officers Reserve Corps—Military Intelligence, Chemical Corps, from 1949 to 1961. Perry joined Humble Oil and Refining Company as a research chemist in Baytown, TX, in 1952. He developed processes for chemical intermediates for plastics, synthetic fibers, elastomers, and various other products from petroleum raw materials. He served as a visiting scientist for the Texas Academy of Sciences and held various management positions in Esso Research and Engineering Company in Texas and New Jersey. He was manager of chemical development at Polaroid Corp. from 1967 to 1969 and led the development and manufacturing scale-up of all chemical products for SX-70 and other photographic products. He joined Ampex Corp. in 1969 and held various technical management positions in Magnetic Tape R/D until retirement in 1991. Perry played a key role in the evolution of magnetic recording media for consumer, broadcasting, and data recording fields. He was sole or lead inventor on more than 22 patents and the author of numerous articles. Perry was consulted by the Naval Research Laboratory on rapid disposal of magnetic media after the Pueblo incident that occurred in the late 1960s with North Korea. He was also consulted by the National Security Agency and by White House staff on the recovery of the erased 18.5 minutes of the Nixon Watergate tapes. He led the team that did the “postmortem” analysis for NASA of recorded magnetic tapes recovered from the ocean after the 1986 crash of the Challenger Space Shuttle and loss of seven astronauts. Perry developed specifications for magnetic tape storage that are now industry standards and have been used to build state-of-the-art storage facilities, such as those at Time Warner Studios in Hollywood. Among his survivors is Aggie Perry, his wife of 66 years.
John Alex Biggers, BA ’49, of Lake Jackson, TX, died June 30 at age 89. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and trained as a fighter pilot around World War II. Biggers worked for 34 years as a safety engineer for Dow Chemical. He was influential in developing Dow’s process safety program. He served on the Texas Chemical Council and worked at the state and federal levels to bring about sensible but safe regulations for the chemical industry. He was a professional Boy Scouts executive for Houston. Biggers taught Sunday school and raise cattle. He was preceded in death by his spouse Esther Marjorie and a son Horace Edwin. Among his survivors are a sister; three children, including John A. Biggers, Jr., BA ’74, and Barbara Krenek, BSEd ’76, BBA ’77; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Dr. Edith “Edie” Colvin Dyal, BA ’49, of Fredericksburg, VA, died Nov. 24, 2016, at age 88. She was a Baylor Beauty and Homecoming queen nominee as a member of Alpha Omega. She attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth before earning her doctorate in music education from Columbia University. Dyal taught at the University of Charleston in West Virginia before retiring. The Dyals served as Southern Baptist missionaries in Central America. Later, Edie’s husband served in the Peace Corps and with other government agencies providing aid to the needy in other countries. She was preceded in death by two brothers, including Dr. Herbert Colvin, BA ’44, BM ’48, and her husband of 66 years, Bill Dyal, BA ’49. Among her survivors are three daughters, one brother and sister-in-law Mary Ila Colvin, BA ’48.
Dorothy Smith Faison, BA ’49, of Norman, OK, died June 4 at age 88. She was pianist at First Baptist Church Hawkins when she met and married the church’s music minister, Rev. Glenn Faison, BBA ’50. Dorothy taught Sunday School, led children’s choir, worked with the WMU, sang in the choir and participated in numerous women’s ministries. The Faisons served Texas churches in Gladewater, Bryan, Big Spring, Longview, and lastly at First Baptist Church Norman. Among her survivors are children Kent Faison, BBA ’78, and Karol Roach, BBA ’82; five grandsons, including Cullin Faison, BBA ’05, and Jason Roach, BS ’11; and four great-grandchildren.
Dr. Robert Carl Fricke, BA ’49, MA ’52, PhD ’75, of Fort Worth died June 12 at age 88. He graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth and was a lifelong missionary in Cuba, Miami, Mexico and Costa Rica. Among his survivors are his wife of 64 years, Anne Fricke, BA ’51; children David Fricke, BSEd ’77, Lynda Crawford, BS ’78, Karl Fricke, BBA ’82, and Mark Fricke, BSEd ’84; 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Dr. R.L. Landers, BBA ’49, MSEd ’58, of Fort Lauderdale, FL, died May 10 at age 94. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II before playing Baylor basketball and baseball. Landers also played semi-pro baseball and volleyball and earned his PhD from Nova University in Florida. Landers served as teacher, athletics director and coach at Broward [FL] Community College from 1963 to 1990. He officiated five sports, founding and serving as commissioner of multiple officials associations. Landers was the Florida Amateur Softball Association (ASA) and Southern Region Junior Olympic Softball commissioner, and served on the ASA Softball Rules and Junior Olympic committees. He was inducted into the Broward Community College Hall of Fame and the Florida High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame. He is predeceased by his wife of 70 years, Helen Herriott Landers, MA ’47, and is survived by two children, a grandson; and two great-grandchildren.
Dorothy Humphrey Lynn, BA ’49, MSed ’75, of Stone Mountain, GA, died June 18 at age 89. She was the daughter of Dr. George Humphrey, a Baptist minister who later became a professor and chair of the Department of Religion at Baylor, and Stella Osgood Humphrey, who taught English and Spanish at Baylor. Lynn was the widow of retired Baylor professor Dr. Ralph Lynn, who predeceased her in 2009. Before marrying Dr. Lynn in 2003, she was the widow of Mr. Jack Diddie. For more than 40 years, Dorothy taught Spanish and English to high school students in Nashville, TN, Opelika, AL, and Waco, winning regional and state teaching awards. She was a deacon of Lake Shore Baptist Church. Among her survivors are her daughter Dr. Patricia E. “Liza” Davis, BA ’74, and a grandson.
Gladys Nelson, BA ’49, died May 9 at age 95. She served in the Women Accepted for Volunteer Services (WAVES) as a member of the U.S. Naval Reserve during World War II. Nelson was married for 65 years to her husband Dr. Edward W. Nelson Sr., BA ’49. Gladys and Edward served 32 years with the International Mission Board as missionaries in Chile and El Paso. Among her survivors are children Edward Nelson Jr., BMEd ’76, Lynn Nelson and Lisa Cope, BBA ’88; and five grandchildren, including Michal Nelson Taylor, BMEd ’10, MM ’12.
William Owen De Witt, BBA ’50, of Dallas died May 15 at age 90. He was a scholar of history, birding and tomato growing, and he was an extraordinary athlete (Texas High School Sports Hall of Fame; Baylor Final Four starter in 1948 and 1950). De Witt was a combat veteran in World War II, a landman and a Sunday school teacher. Among his survivors are his wife of 66 years, Hester Ann Curl De Witt, BA ’51, two children and five grandchildren.
Mary Agnes Oakes Kendrick, BA ’50, of Fort Worth died June 23 at age 88. Among her survivors are her husband Jack I. Kendrick; four children, including Mark Kendrick, BA ’87; 12 grandchildren; and her sister Nancy Loving, BA ’57. She was preceded in death by her brother Guy Oakes Jr., ’46.
Dr. Hoyt M. McClintock, BS ’51, MD ’55, of Tyler, TX, died July 7 at age 87. He researched with Dr. Michael DeBakey and Dr. Denton Cooley in their early efforts in cardiac and vascular surgery. He served as a captain in the U.S. Air Force in Victoria, TX. McClintock became a diplomate of the American Board of Pediatrics in 1963 and is a past Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He practiced pediatrics at McClintock Pediatrics in Clovis, NM, from 1960 to 1996. He was a deacon at Central Baptist Church in Clovis and a member of Gideons International and the Sertoma Club. Among his survivors are his wife of 61 years, Dr. Bettie McClintock, MD ’55; children Dr. Joseph McClintock, BS ’78, Dr. Michael McClintock, Dr. Roy McClintock, BA ’87, and Dr. Marsha Turner, BS ’90; eight grandchildren; and a brother.
Anna Bess Renshaw Mowery, BA ’51, of Fort Worth died April 20 at age 86. At Baylor she met and married Wesley Mowery, BA ’50. She later earned a master’s degree from Central State University in Edmond, OK. For 13 years, she was the Tarrant County Republican Chair. As a member of the legislature, Rep. Mowery was elected to the Texas House of Representatives 10 times from District 97 between 1988 and 2006. During her tenure, she served on the Appropriations Committee, as well as Elections, Labor and Employment Relations, Business and Industry, Administration, and Land and Resource Management committees. Mowery was a chairman of the Land and Resource Management Committee. Survivors include four children and five grandchildren.
Ernestine Burns Rasner, ’51, of Robinson, TX, died July 18 at age 87. Ernie and her husband Leslie August Rasner, BBA ’48, LLB ’50, were married 69 years. They barely survived the devastating Waco Tornado in 1953 when a building collapsed on top of them while in their convertible. Rasner loved all things Baylor. Her husband was a member of the Baylor faculty for over 40 years. Rarely did she miss a Baylor football, baseball or basketball game. Known for her meticulous scorekeeping, Rasner kept the records from every baseball game she ever attended. She enjoyed dancing and birdwatching. Among her survivors are her husband; sons Blake Rasner, BBA ’79, JD ’80, and Brent Rasner, BSEd ’83; and five grandchildren.
Dr. M. Marvin Harris, BA ’52, MA ’63, died May 16 in Marshall, TX. He was 85. He also earned two master’s degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. Among his survivors is his wife Sandra Harris, BA ’60.
Dr. Frederick “Freddie” L. Holder, BBA ’52, MA ’56, of Lake Jackson, TX, died June 4 at age 87. Holder was a scholar, theologian, philosopher, teacher, author, athlete, musician and world traveler. He earned his doctorate from the University of Iowa and spoke and read many languages. Holder taught at the collegiate level and was associate dean at Simpson College in Indianola, IA. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Among his survivors are his wife Reba, two children and their families.
Glen Calvin Miller, BA ’52, MSEd ’53, died June 25 in Sugar Land, TX. After Baylor, he entered the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany, where he received special training in radar. He spent 30 years with the Federal Aviation Administration in Fort Worth and Denver, where he received many awards. Miller was a pilot, Baptist deacon and Bible teacher. Among his survivors are his wife Juanita Miller, two children, two grandsons and siblings Nita Blackstock, BS ’55, and Fred Miller, BA ’65.
Janis Jane Riggs, BBA ’52, MA ’56, of Waco died May 31 at age 87. Riggs taught elementary school at Fort Benning in Georgia and at East Junior High, Lake Air Junior High, University High, and Richfield High schools in Waco. She was an accomplished pianist and singer, actively involved in her local Methodist church. Riggs was also an accomplished cook and bridge player, and she was involved in local PTA organizations. She was a Homecoming Queen nominee and an Athenian Club member. Riggs also served on the board of the National USO. She is survived by her husband of 64 years, Thomas Edward Riggs Jr., BBA ’55; sons Tommy Riggs and Randy Riggs, BBA ’86; six grandchildren; and three great-grandsons.
Ida Jean Tyer, BA ’52, of Belfast, ME, died May 23 at age 87. She was a member of Baylor’s Old Main Society and 1845 Society. Her husband Dr. Charles Tyer, BA ’52, MA ’55, preceded her in death.
Robert Russell “Bear” Barnett, BA ’55, died in combat April 7, 1966. He was repatriated with full military honors at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin on April 7—51 years after his plane crashed in Laos. At Baylor, Barnett played football and was in the Air Force ROTC. He served in the Air Force in Vietnam, Japan and the Philippines. On April 7, 1966, Barnett, a member of the 8th Bomb Squadron, was the pilot of a B-57B aircraft on a strike mission over Laos. His aircraft crashed into a mountain and burned. Barnett was declared killed in action, non-recovered. In 2005, a joint U.S./Laos team visited the site of the crash. In 2014 and 2015, three excavations of the site were conducted. Scientists from the U.S. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency used circumstantial evidence and dental comparisons, which matched Barnett’s records. After 50 years, the effort for his recovery has been remarkable. Among Barnett’s awards and decorations are: Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Air Medal with One Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and One Bronze Leaf Cluster, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, and the National Defense Service Medal.
Joan Martin Cook, BA ’56, of Austin died June 10 at age 81. In 1958, Joan married Roy Cook. She was a member of Waller [TX] Baptist Church and was president of the Waller Order of the Eastern Star. Joan taught kindergarten at Waller Elementary School and kept the books for McCaig-Cook Chevrolet, as well as for her and Roy’s Texaco distributorship. She traveled to every U.S. state and several countries. She is survived by her daughter Caren Cook Burbach, JD ’85; three grandchildren; and brother Grant Martin, BBA ’60. She was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Roy H. Cook, and daughter Catherine Stearns.
Lewis Taylor Claiborne, BA ’57, of Richardson, TX, died Nov. 23, 2016, at age 81. He earned a PhD in Physics at Brown University, having won the Marston Fellowship his senior year at Baylor. Claiborne’s career at Texas Instruments spanned from 1962 to 1989. At TI, he served as branch manager, research manager and director of strategic technology resources. He was heavily involved in many projects, including a neural network program and helped with projects that led to a class of devices referred to as nanoelectronics. He established an effort for the evaluation of alternative techniques for A/D converters in 1981, a spatial light modulator program that was funded by DARPA for early versions of High Definition TV displays. Claiborne then was senior consulting engineer and director of research for Loral Vought Systems (formerly LTV Aerospace and Defense) from 1990 to 2001, at which point the company was part of Lockheed-Martin. He then joined RF-SAW, where he worked until 2011. Claiborne was a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers as well as the American Institute of Physics. He served as president of the IEEE Group on Sonics and Ultrasonics in 1976, chairman of Program Committee for the 1972 Ultrasonics Symposium. Among his survivors are his wife Margaret Mulvey Claiborne, and children, including Taylor Claiborne, BA ’94.
Thomas “Tom” Mulford Diamond, JD ’57, of El Paso died July 8 at age 94. He fought in the Pacific Theater in the U.S. Army during World War II. Later he graduated from Stanford University. Diamond remained enlisted in the active reserves and served during the Korean War. He was stationed at Fort Bliss and assigned to the guided missile program before Baylor Law School. Diamond returned to El Paso and was an engineer with the Texas State Highway Department before opening a private law practice. A Democrat, he formed relationships with presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson. He was an advocate for Native American civil rights and was best known for his efforts to obtain federal recognition and trust status for the Tigua Indians of Ysleta del Sur Pueblo. He wrote two novels and an autobiography and operated and a cattle ranch. Among his survivors are his wife of 69 years, Carolyn Diamond, a son, three grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and two step-grandchildren.
Steve L. Hurt, BA ’57, JD ’57, of San Antonio died July 3 at age 82. He practiced law for two years in Lubbock and 48 years in Plainview, TX. Hurt retired to San Antonio in 2008 and was a member of Northwood Presbyterian Church. He is survived by Betty, his wife of 62 years, three children and a sister.
Newton Hilliard, BBA ’58, of Plainview, TX, died June 18 at age 81. He taught eighth grade history and was a coach. He married Dorothy Hollon in 1960. Hilliard was a farmer for many years and also served in the U.S. Navy Reserves. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church and Edmonson Lions Club. Among his survivors are his wife Dorothy, two sons, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Dr. Hubert “Hugh” Leland Smith Jr., BS ’59, of Houston died May 3 at age 79. He earned his MD from the University of Michigan. Smith served in the U.S. Air Force as a general medical officer. In 1969, he opened a private family practice where he treated patients in northwest Houston for 40 years. He served as a staff member with the Memorial Hospital System and as a team physician for S.P. Waltrip High School and Scarborough High School. He was predeceased by his wife of 30 years, Leanne Stenzel Smith. Among his survivors are his wife of two years, Suzanne Smith, two children, two grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and a sister.
Mavis Irene Knapp Glass, ’60, of Waxahachie, TX, died July 9 at age 79. She was named a Baylor Beauty and married Bill Glass, BA ’57. She loved cooking, bird watching, animals and volunteering at Children’s Hospital and Meals on Wheels. Glass often brought children home during the holidays from local orphanages. She ministered in prisons alongside her husband for over 45 years. Among her survivors are her husband of 60 years, Bill Glass; children Billy, BA ’80, Bobby, ’83, and Mindy, ’82; 10 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
John Larimer McLain, LLB ’60, died May 5 in Fort Worth at age 80. He served in the U.S. Naval Reserve and received his BA from North Texas State College. McLain practiced primarily oil, gas, and mineral law for 52 years before retiring in 2012. McLain, a lifelong Baptist and an avid fan of all Baylor sports, held football season tickets from the mid-1960s until 2014. Survivors include his children and grandchildren.
Judith “Judy” Dortch Senter, BA ’60, of San Antonio died June 12 at age 77. She married her husband of 57 years, Dick Senter, BA ’58, in 1960. Dick was a Baptist minister in Clairette, Mabank and First Baptist Church Allen, TX, the latter for 27 years. Judy was actively involved in those churches and in her husband’s pastoral ministry. She taught Sunday school and middle school math before earning a master’s degree and serving as a school counselor in Allen [TX] ISD, later opening a private practice. The Senters moved to San Antonio in 1988. She volunteered to lead several support groups and was a charter member of The Springs Baptist Church in San Antonio. Among her survivors are two children, including Scott Senter, BBA ’85; four grandchildren, including Grant, BBA ’14, and Madeline, a Baylor junior; and two brothers.
Edith Jan Tillinghast Spann, BA ’61, died Dec. 15, 2016, at age 76. Spann was an elementary school teacher and enjoyed genealogy. She served as a missionary of the Foreign Mission board in Brazil for the Southern Baptist Convention. She aided her husband in founding a department of sacred music at a Baptist Seminary in São Paulo. Spann was honored with a “Ruth Award” for her work with the Women’s Advisory Board of Dallas Baptist University. She is survived by her husband Dr. Carry Edward Spann; children Dr. Matthew Edward Spann, BS ’84, and Beverly Carryl Spann Theige, BM ’90; four grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.
Dr. Walter Gibbe Williams, BS ’61, DDS ’64, of Fort Worth died May 27 at age 76. He was the founding partner of what is now Fort Worth Oral Surgery. He practiced for 43 years. After retiring in 2011, Williams traveled the world and purchased a home in Evergreen, CO, where he spent time with family and friends. Among his survivors are his wife Saundra, four children and five grandchildren.
Maretta Jo Burns, BBA ’62, of Greeley, CO, died July 9 at age 75. She was stricken with polio at age 3, leaving her almost completely paralyzed from the waist down. Burns started her career as an accountant with the U.S. Department of Defense in Pueblo, CO. She transferred to work for the Department of Labor’s Manpower Administration in Denver until 1968, then transferred to the Seattle before returning to Denver, where she became supervisory budget analyst, and later, budget and accounting officer until retirement. She sang in the choir at Central Baptist Church in Aurora, CO, and was involved with the preschool program at Mississippi Avenue Baptist Church.
Elizabeth Sue Green Cox, BBA ’62, of Waco died July 20 at age 76. She earned her master’s degree from Texas Tech and taught government and business in Lamesa, TX, Shreveport, LA, and Dallas. In 1980, she became a political consultant and lobbyist and enjoyed a 20-year career. Cox was the founder and first executive director of the Texas Council for Problem Gambling. She served on numerous boards and committees, including National Council on Responsible Gaming, the Texas Racetracks Chaplains Board, National Council on Problem Gambling, Texas Close up Commission, the Baylor Bear Foundation and the First Baptist Church Foundation. Cox also served three terms on the Democratic State Executive Committee. She was a member of Pi Beta Phi Sorority and named Baylor Football Fan of the Year in 2009. Cox is survived by her husband Carl Cox, BBA ’61, a daughter and two granddaughters. Memorials may be made to the Sue and Carl B. Cox Endowed Scholarship Fund at Baylor.
Ralph Victor Gary, BBA ’62, JD ’64, of Grapevine, TX, died April 28 at age 76. He practiced law in the 1960s before becoming a prosecutor for the City of Dallas. Gary worked for the U.S. Treasury Department in Dallas for 30 years. He frequently spoke at tax conferences and also on historical subjects. Gary was a deacon at Cliff Temple Baptist Church and volunteered at the Grapevine Visitor Center. He was a member of many historical groups, especially those related to Lincoln and the Civil War. Gary served on the executive counsels of Tarrant County Appraisal Review Board, Service Core of Retired Executives, Mission Oak Cliff and the Grapevine Historical Society. He authored two historical nonfiction books and a novel. Among his survivors are his wife of 24 years, Judy, two sons and six grandchildren.
Louis Westmoreland, BA ’63, of Conroe, TX, died July 5 at age 76. He completed a master’s degree at Sam Houston State University, spent a year at Texas A&M University working on a PhD, and began his teaching anatomy and microbiology at San Jacinto [TX] College. A member of First Baptist Church Conroe, Westmoreland enjoyed working with the greeter and usher ministries. He also worked in the grocery store in Normangee, TX. Among his survivors are his wife of 52 years, Kathy Herndon Westmoreland, BA ’64; three children, including Greg Westmoreland, BS ’91, and Jim Westmoreland, BA ’95; nine grandchildren; and a sister.
James Price Brock Jr., MD ’66, of Abilene, TX, died July 21 at age 76. He earned a BS from Mississippi College and served in the U.S. Naval Reserves. As a U.S. Marine, Brock served as battalion surgeon during the 1968 Tet Offensive and was recognized with numerous military decorations. He served as team physician for the Houston Oilers before joining Orthopaedic Associates of Abilene. He introduced sports medicine and scoliosis screening to Abilene area colleges and schools. He served as team physician for Abilene High School from 1974 to 2006 and Cooper High School from 1987 to 2002. Brock also served as a charter member of the Board of Hendrick Medical Center Foundation, was the chair of numerous hospital and medical committees and was the chief of medical staff of Hendrick Medical Center from 1990 to 1991. He was a deacon at First Baptist Church Abilene and part of many other organizations. Among his survivors are his wife of 51 years, Nancy Lee Calhoun, BA ’63, and his son Bryan Brock, ’96.
Leni Anderson Christian, BA ’67, of Woodway, TX, died May 6 at age 73.
Missy Easterwood Sims, BA ’74, died June 24 at age 63. She was a trained concert pianist and taught in San Antonio schools. She later worked in medical equipment sales as a physical therapy service salesperson and in sales of legal support services for the Dallas office of MediVisuals Inc. Sims supported Joyce Meyer Ministries and was a member of Northwest Bible Church in Dallas. She was preceded in death by former husband Donald A. Easterwood and her daughter Reagan Rea McWhorter, BA ’00. Among her survivors are her husband Tom and a grandson.
Cameo Drewitz Melichar, BSCS ’00, of Hewitt, TX, died July 9 at age 40. She attended South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. In Waco, she worked for L3 Technologies and at Baylor as a web programmer. Melichar also volunteered with the youth and college groups at Central United Methodist Church. She is survived by her husband of 20 years, Ken Melichar, three children, parents and siblings.
Britt Lane Bentley, BBA ’02, of Atlanta, GA, died June 9 at age 37. He was a chartered financial analyst and chartered alternative investment analyst. Bentley was a senior VP and analyst with LCG Associates. He was a member of Roswell Community Church. Among his survivors are his wife Melissa Kay Shaefer Bentley, BBA ’03; children Laney and William; parents; and brother Cory Bentley, BBA ’00.
Jerry Crouell Harrell of Fredericksburg, TX, died May 17 at age 85. She married Jack Harrell in Uvalde, TX, in 1950. They lived and worked in Corpus Christi, TX, and Houston until retirement in 1989. They were members of First Baptist Church Uvalde. After Jack’s death, Harrell moved to Fredericksburg. In 2008, both Jack and Jerry received honorary diplomas from Baylor due to their longstanding commitment to the University and its football program. Among her survivors are her son Wayne Harrell, BBA ’75, a sister, a granddaughter and a great-grandson. Memorials may be made to Baylor University.
Wyla Marie Hardin Hohn of Sun City, AZ, died June 6 at age 79. She assisted in running her husband’s law firm and businesses, and served her community in many ways. Hohn was a teacher, pianist, librarian and paralegal, among other roles. She was voracious reader and never missed a day of work at the Recorded Recreational Reading for the Blind while she underwent cancer treatments. One of her many highlights was earning her Life Masters in Bridge in 2016. She was a University of Arizona graduate. Among her survivors are five children, son Kristopher Von Hohn, BBA ’96, and daughters Ilsa Weaver, BA ’90, Kirsten Howren, BA ’94, Isolda Griffin, and Ursla Null, ’99; 14 grandchildren; and two sisters. Her eldest son, Edward L. Von Hohn, BA ’87, JD ’90, predeceased her in 2009. Memorials may be made to the Baylor University School of Law, Endowed Scholarship Fund in Law attention: Edward Lewis Von Hohn.
Marilynn Patricia “Pat” Holland, 67, died May 8 in Plano, TX. She worked in Hillsboro, TX, at Hill Printing and Office Supply, then for McGregor & McGregor law firm, followed by Waco Printing as a typesetter. She later worked at Baylor for 15 years in the printing procurement office. Among her survivors are her husband of 46 years, Dan Holland; two children; three siblings; and three grandchildren.
Patricia “Pat” Carpenter Ling of Eddy, TX, died June 8 at age 70. She was a member of First Baptist Church Lorena and worked at Baylor for almost 20 years as an administrative assistant in the Chemistry and Physics Department. Among her survivors are her husband of 53 years, Clarence Ling, two sons, eight grandchildren and two grandchildren.
Charles Thomas “Tom” Robb, of Waco died July 14 at age 79. In Kerrville, TX, he played football for Schreiner Institute and became a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Corps of Cadets, where earned the American Legion Medal for Distinguished Achievements. He graduated from Texas Tech University. Robb was assigned to Fort Sill in Oklahoma, where he mastered and taught artillery survey. He worked for Ford Motor Company in Dallas, Detroit and West Bloomfield, MI, where Robb traveled the nation putting heavy truck dealerships on the road to profitability. In 1977, his family moved to Waco and ran Creative Fabrics. Robb was president at Ridgewood Country Club a member of Waco Rotary. Among his survivors are his wife of 56 years, Patsy, three children, eight grandchildren and two siblings.
Dr. Daniel Samples, a lecturer in Baylor’s department of biology and a faculty associate in the medical humanities program, died Aug. 6 after a brief illness. He was 66. Samples served in the U.S. Navy from 1969 to 1977. While in the Navy, he completed his GED before studying at Richland College in Dallas. He then transferred to Texas A&M University, where he earned his BS in biochemistry, MS in toxicology and PhD in food science. Samples attended medical school at UT Health Science Center in San Antonio. He completed his training in pathology at Baylor Hospital in Dallas in 1994. He and his family moved to Waco to join the Central Texas Pathology group. Samples began teaching full-time at Baylor in 2013. He is survived by his wife Dr. Roxann Samples, daughter Caitlin, MA ’16, son Daniel, mother Margaret and siblings Sandy and Steve. Memorials may be made to the Baylor Chapter of Alpha Epsilon Delta to support its mission trip to the Dominican Republic.
Terry McGraw Scott of Crawford, TX, died July 25 at age 76. In 1960, she married Richard Scott, BBA ’56, MBA ’65, who served 40 years at Baylor as faculty member, dean and vice president of development. The Scotts were married for 55 years and were involved with Midway schools, Baylor and the Waco community, as well as First Baptist Church Woodway. Richard died in 2015. Among her survivors are her children Dr. Kim Scott, BSEd ’84, MSEd ’86, Rick Scott, BBA ’86, and Kelly Neason, ’03; three granddaughters, including McKenna Scott, a Baylor junior; and a great-grandson. Memorials may be made to The Terry M. Scott Endowed Scholarship Fund at Baylor.