In Memoriam

Published in the upcoming Spring 2025 issue

Always a Lumberjack - SFA students

Brayton Barber, Jan. 1 
Matthew Deluna, Nov. 8
Ryan Derr, Dec. 18
Katherine Heestand, Oct. 22
Deshun "James" Pham, Dec. 17

Peggy Albritton '77, Dec. 10

Richard Ames '77, July 4

Sonja Angelo '63, Aug. 17

Max Atkinson '70, July 16, 2022

Connie Axelson '73, Aug. 10

Dr. Flamen “David” Ball VI, former staff member, passed away Sept. 19. Ball graduated from Baylor College of Medicine in 1966 before being drafted into the U.S. Navy in 1968. In 1978, Ball and his family moved to Nacogdoches where he practiced pediatrics for 27 years. He worked at Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital and served for five years on the Nacogdoches Treatment Center board of directors, including as board president for one year. After closing his private practice, Ball worked as a campus physician at SFA from 2006-11.

Mickey Barlow '63 & '72, Sept. 21

Dora Lee Barnes '72, June 19

Bob Barton '58, Jan. 15

Juanita Birdwell '70, Dec. 3

Angela Pacillo Blair '60, July 31

Helen Blount '07, Nov. 16

Charles Bond '73 & '74, Feb. 7, 2023

Cindy Bozeman '84, Nov. 24

Eleanor Charlotte Brady '76, May 30

Charles Brazil '57 & '57, July 27

Joan Bridges, a 1968 graduate of SFA and former Twirl-O-Jacks choreographer, passed away Dec. 10. Bridges owned the East Texas Twirling Academy for more than 50 years, shaping countless young lives with her talent and enthusiasm. She served as the featured twirler for SFA’s Twirl-O-Jacks and later served as the program’s choreographer for 37 years. She received a Bachelor of Science in general business from SFA.

Claudette Smith Brown '73, June 10

Juanita Vicki Brown '53 & '73, Dec. 31

Margaret Brown '84 & '90, Sept. 21

Tonnyna Brown '89, Oct. 11

Terrie Brummett '67, Dec. 17

Haroldlyn Pate Bryan '66 & '72, Oct. 31

Andrew Bryngelson '11, Aug. 11

Samuel Bradley Caraway '78, Jan. 20

Jo Ellen Carlson, former faculty member, passed away Oct. 7. Carlson came to SFA to fill a temporary role for an art history professor who was on sabbatical. Soon after, the position became permanent, and she was able to settle in Nacogdoches. While teaching at SFA, Carlson met and married Robert Gruebel, a widower and professor of physics and art history at the university. They acquired and restored many old buildings in the city. Her friends and students enjoyed her large personality, replete with rings on every finger and fur coats.

Gordon “Diane” King Carr '76, Oct. 18

Dr. Marius Carriere Jr. '67, Jan. 9

Dr. James Carroll Jr. '69, Oct. 12

Emmaly Choice '12, Sept. 29

Ronald Chumley '70 & '76, June 16

Mark Clark '78, June 18

Jacqueline Coker, former staff member, passed away Nov. 10. Coker served as the administrative assistant for the Department of Physics, Engineering and Astronomy at SFA for more than 17 years. She retired in 2003.

Betty Baker Colburn '76, Sept. 7

Candice Conger '04, Dec. 24

Francis David Conley '66, Sept. 12

Thomas “Tom” Cox '52, Feb. 15, 2022

Robert Cranshaw Jr. '80, May 30

Michael Crowell Jr. '90, June 24

Stuart Cureton '87, Jan. 3

Catherine Davis '78, Jan. 17

Janette Davis '87, Jan. 3

Doris Mixon Delafield '66, Nov. 3

Sharon “Sherrie” Dement '74 & '79, Sept. 9

Sue Dockery '75, March 14, 2024

Carol Rush Dodson '78, Dec. 29, 2023

Davie Downs '93, June 14

Dr. Jane Edwards '96, July 24

Dr. James “Kel” Ferguson '57, June 13

Kenneth Fortner '71, July 23

Jody Franks '00, Oct. 16

Vivian Fusillo, a 1966 SFA graduate and former faculty member, passed away Aug. 19. Fusillo received a Master of Arts in theatre from SFA. After holding positions at SFA, Florida Southern College and Western Illinois University, she spent the remainder of her career teaching at Winona State University. Fusillo directed more than 100 plays from every genre from 1968 to 2014, and her immense impact on the university led WSU to name its Performing Arts Center’s main stage the Vivian Fusillo Theatre in her honor. With her creative flair and one-of-a-kind teaching style, she inspired countless students. She also was the inspiration for Ann-Margret’s character in “Grumpy Old Men,” which was written by a WSU student. 

Dr. Paul Garcia '68, Aug. 5

Paul Phil Gilbert '55, Oct. 29, 2022

Jill Goad '90, Aug. 11

Sandra Goodwin '72, July 30

Keith Green '64, Nov. 19

Sharon Green '96, Dec. 11

Grace Grimes '69, Aug. 19

John Hafner '67, Aug. 16

Kathleen Hall '79, July 25

George Hampton Jr., former staff member, passed away Jan. 10. In 2007, Hampton took an opportunity to work at SFA as a building operator for Residence Life Operations. He retired in 2023 after 16 years of service. He could fix anything and everything that was broken. A jack of all trades, he helped to maintain and renovate many of the sorority houses in Nacogdoches.

Michael Hasley '78, Dec. 5

Joan Hayley '49, Dec. 18, 2023

Dr. William Heeth '81, Aug. 16

John Hendrick '69, '91, '92 & '94, Dec. 26

Evelyn Hendrix '58, Nov. 30

Janice Darlene Henson '81 & '87, Aug. 4

Penny Horne '65 & '68, Dec. 7

Charlene Humphreys '78, Dec. 30

Sean Jennings '02, Dec. 19

Will Jennings, a two-time graduate of SFA and accomplished singer-songwriter, passed away Sept. 6. Jennings received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from SFA in 1965 and 1967, respectively. He was a Grammy- and Oscar-winning musician who wrote the lyrics for some of the best-known songs in pop music history.

In 1980, he began a professional and productive relationship with English musician Steve Winwood. The two of them wrote many hits, including “While You See a Chance,” “Back in The Highlife” and “Higher Love.” He was a prolific and immensely talented songwriter with over 500 credits to his name, most notably “My Heart Will Go On,” the theme of the 1997 movie “Titanic,” written with James Horner.

Jennings collaborated with such stars as Dionne Warwick, Eric Clapton, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, B.B. King, Emmylou Harris, Jimmy Buffet, Barry Manilow, Roy Orbison and Joe Cocker.

Gary Jentz '81 & '82, Nov. 29

Elmer Johnson '71, Oct. 11

Mary Johnson '57 & '67, Dec. 7

Royce “Lynn” Johnson Jr. '87, Aug. 17

Dr. William R. Johnson, SFA’s fourth president, passed away Oct. 23. Johnson’s leadership and vision shaped SFA’s trajectory during his 14 years as president, from 1976-90, making him one of the university’s longest-serving presidents.

During his tenure, Johnson was responsible for several transformative projects across the campus. He oversaw the construction of Dugas Liberal Arts North and the Bush Mathematical Sciences Building. Additionally, he spearheaded the renovation of what was then called the University Center, the Forestry Building, the Rusk Building and the Lehmann Chemistry Building, among several other construction and renovation projects. Built in 1974, the William R. Johnson Coliseum was named in his honor.

Additionally, Johnson oversaw the creation of the Regents Professors program, the University Scholars program, and the first fully funded academic chairs at the university.

Cody Jones '18, Oct. 28

Tracy Kennedy '98, Aug. 20

Berry Kidwell '58, Nov. 28

Larry “Scooter” King '76, April 7, 2024

Larry Kosta '71, June 20

James Lacy Jr. '80, Aug. 26

Fleda Lambert '76, March 14, 2024

Ted Lankford '72, July 18

Malinda Lindsey '92, '99 & '02, Nov. 9

Elvin "Buddy" Lowery '59, Sept. 15

Meghan Lucas '16, Oct. 19

Betty Maldonado '79, Dec. 29

Robert “Bob” Marshall Sr. '84, Dec. 10

James Mayberry '77, Aug. 16

Billy McDaniel '53, Aug. 15

Michael McJilton '68, Sept. 29

Janice McKnight '67 & '71, Aug. 11

Dr. Tom Middlebrook '74 & '77, Sept. 17

Steven Miller '77, Jan. 3

Rachel Monahan '04, Oct. 5, 2016

Terri Morse '80 & '83, Aug. 12

Debra Moulder '73, July 6, 2022

Roland Muckleroy '56, Feb. 14

Julie Muller '65, Dec. 5

Keith Neill '81, June 6

Donna O'Sullivan '95 & '97, Nov. 7

Jerry Parker '64, Nov. 12

Phillip Pate '62, Dec. 14

Lena Evalyn Prudhome Patterson '66 & '71, Dec. 13

J.C. Patton, Nov. 16

Travis Phillips '70, July 21

Robert Poole '99, July 29

Kenneth Pye '57, Oct. 6

Hettie Analea Rawson '78, Sept. 6

Laura Reasoner '88, Aug. 10

Aleene Jackson Reid '52, Sept. 12

Barry Salmon '74, Dec. 2

Robin “Rob” Schill '86, June 5

Stephen “Stevie” Scurlock '74, Aug. 31

John Sepmoree '86, July 3

Kathleen Shelton '78, Nov. 16

Susan Danette Shoemaker '82, July 9

Garner Spring '61, Oct. 6

Jo Spurlin, Aug. 14

William Tannert '57, June 6

Kathryn Toon '07, Oct. 3

Mary Trimble '78, Dec. 25

Larry Dean Ward '74 & '76, Sept. 25

Anita Walker '79, July 27

Allen Watters '66, July 11

Anne Weaver '02, Nov. 18

Marjorie White '62, June 25

Ken Wilbanks '73, Sept. 12

Melody Witt '90, July 11

Paula Woods '88, June 6

Lando Young '04, Jan. 9