1930-1959

Mildred Huddleston (BS ’49, MED ’54) gave a review of the book by Elizabeth Carpenter, Unplanned Parenthood, at the October meeting of the Gaslighters Review Club in McKinney, TX.
In November Ralph Ray Hughes (BS ’59, MS ’77) coached the Whitewright (TX) High School robotics team to its fourth first-place win at the annual Texas BEST competition at A&M-College Station. The team, which included Ralph’s grandson, Chris, and the school’s robot, “Hughes Dues,” beat out 60 other teams’ machines for the win.
Dr. George W. “Bill” Whitt (BA ’56, MED ’63, EDD ’76) has donated a copy of his book, I Danced with the Lady, to the James G. Gee Library at the University. For the book, Bill compiled and edited stories remembered by former crew members of the USS Saint Paul.

1960-1969

A February article in the Sulphur Springs (TX) News-Telegram recognized Hoyle (BS ’60, MS ’65) and Ann (BS ’56, MS ’62) Julian for donating the salaries they earn teaching at A&M-Commerce to the University Foundation on behalf of students.
The Texas Community College Teachers Association hosted Mike Morrow (BS ’61, MED ’62) as a speaker on “The role of the Community College in Correctional Education.” Mike is superintendent of Windham ISD, which has one of the nation’s largest literacy and vocational education programs for prisoners. He is a well-known speaker, and the Texas House of Representatives has awarded him a citation for his work in human relations.
Martha White Pentor (MS ’69) and her husband, Lon, have retired and moved to the Las Vegas area, where they say they are having “lots of fun!”
Albert Rice (BS ’71) is directing the Upward Bound program for Southwestern Christian College in Terrell, TX.
Rebecca Riley Velekei (BS ’66, MED ’78) retired in May after 35 years in Texas education. Those years were spent in Garland, Fort Worth, Everman and Queen City ISDs as an elementary teacher and gifted & talented coordinator. Beckye is a substitute teacher and lives outside Atlanta, TX, with husband Todd, two of her three daughters and three of her six grandchildren.

Bill Adams A&M-Commerce Alumnus and volunteer leader B.W. “Bill” Adams (BBA ’49) died Jan. 25 at age 75 and was buried in Houston. Bill was the immediate past co-chair of the Securing the Promise campaign as well as the immediate past chair of the Foundation Board of Directors.

“It was my extreme privilege and honor to be able to work closely with Bill this last year,” says Catherine Crawford, who worked with Bill on the Foundation. “Bill worked diligently and tirelessly to continue promoting the vision and mission of the A&M-Commerce Foundation. He will be missed, but because he understood the importance of giving back, his legacy lives on.” Bill is survived by his wife of 50 years, Marie, two children, Lisa Hartman of Houston and Kyle Adams of Corpus Christi, their respective spouses, and five grandchildren.

He served in the U.S. Naval Service-Coast Guard in World War II and graduated with a business degree in 1949 from A&M-Commerce. Bill forged a stellar 39-year career with Shell Oil Company, one that began in the oil fields of West Texas and came to fulfillment in the corporate office. In 1998 he was inducted into the Founder’s Circle of A&M-Commerce. The Foundation’s board served as honorary pallbearers. Memorials may be made to the Bill Adams Accounting Endowment and A&M-Commerce Foundation through the Promise Campaign.

1970-1979

James Barrington (BS ’74, MPA ’76) was elected president of the New Hampshire Municipal Management Association. James and his wife, Darlene Panter Barrington (BS ’74), met in the Freshman Leadership Class of ‘71-’72 and married in 1973 in Commerce. James is currently town manager of Hampton, NH, and Darlene is a special education case manager in the elementary school there.
Kathy Fischer Binney (BS ’73) received a proclamation from the mayor of Port Aransas Dec. 19 honoring her as the Official Artist of the United States Maritime Literature awards. The award was acknowledged by First Lady Laura Bush. Kathy has created the awards since their inception in 2000. She has owned Kathy Fischer Binney Art Glass Studio in Port Aransas since 1982 and custom designs stained, etched and beveled glass doors, windows, cabinets, etc. Her studio and work were also the subject of a feature on the local ABC affiliate KIII in May. Most of her work is commissioned but can also be seen at Garden Spirits Gallery in Fredericksburg and Gary Osborne Fine Art Gallery in Port Aransas.
Donald P. Themer (BS ’73) is in his 30th year as an English teacher at Forney High School. He has three sons: Will, who graduated summa cum laude from the University of North Texas; Waylon, who was the valedictorian of Forney High School; and Weston, a third grader at Claybon Elementary in Forney.
Kern Baker (BS ’76) is the national sales manager of the brokerage division at Physicians Mutual in Omaha.
Bebe Hubbard (MED ’74) and her husband, Joe, of Lufkin have endowed a scholarship with the Stephen F. Austin State University Alumni Association to benefit students from Angelina County in East Texas.
Photographer Dennis Murphy (BS ’77) is the subject of a feature story, “Great Sport,” in the November issue of the magazine Studio Photography & Design.
When he was chosen as a 2002 Distinguished Faculty at Tarleton State University in November, Dr. Jim Boyd (EDD ’78) became half of the first husband-and-wife team to be so honored at the university. Dr. Boyd was named along with his wife, Dr. Veleda Boyd, during homecoming ceremonies. He was dean of the College of Education at Tarleton and retired in 1998 as president of Weatherford College. The Boyds live in on a 725-acre ranch in Mason County, TX.
John D. Perkins (BS ’74, MS ’78) recently was promoted from assistant professor to associate professor of history at Tarrant County College. He has taught at the Southeast campus of TCC since 1996.
Lana Porter (BS ’74) has been promoted to assistant chief deputy in the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department.

1980-1989

Jenny Wilcoxson Davis (MA ’82) has written a book, Eldercare in Texas: A Family Resource Guide.
Stephen B. Rainwater (MS ‘87, EDD ‘89) Associate Professor of Computer Science at the University of Texas at Tyler, has been elected secretary of the Texas Computer Education Association for 2003-2005. As a member of TCEA’s executive committee, Dr. Rainwater will contribute toward the association’s focus on integrating technology into the K-16 environment.
Teresa “Terri” Leo (MS ’88) was recently elected to the Texas State Board of Education. She will represent District 6, which encompasses much of northwest Harris County. Mrs. Leo lives in Spring, TX, and has been married to Joe, a CPA, for 19 years. The Leos have three daughters.
Frank J. Homer Jr. (BS ’88) married Claudia Chavez Sept. 7. He owns and operates Homer Quick Stop in Paris, TX, and she works for Paris ISD.
Kayla Price (BS ’88, MBA ’90) was awarded a doctoral degree in education at A&M-Commerce’s winter commencement. She is the director of Alumni Relations at the University. Her dissertation was titled “The University Presidency: Preparation and Job Satisfaction.”
Wendell Lee Collins (BS ’89) is serving as Special Operations Liaison Element, Special Operations Command Europe, at Rambstein AB in Germany. He is married to the former Jacqueline Cooke of Hickory, NC, and they have one child, Maggie, who is 2.

1990-2002

John Williams (BS ’91) recently left active service in the Navy and is now in the reserves. He is an owner in a security business in Colorado, where he lives with his wife, Tracie Norris, and their two children, 8-year-old Taylor and 18-month-old Grayson.
Catherine Felinski Diggins (BBA ’92) and Johnny Diggins (BS ’89) announce the birth of their second child, John Joseph Diggins III, born March 4, 2002. He is little brother to big sister Lauren.
Shane Summers (BA ’92), his wife, Allison Anne Crabtree Summers (BBA ’92), and their two sons, Trevor (age 4) and Brandon (age 2), have relocated to Howell, NJ, following Shane’s promotion. He was made vice president of finance and accounting at K. Hovnanian Inc., the nation’s eighth-largest homebuilder.
John Tyler High School Principal Dr. Aubrey R. Todd (MED ’92) was named Educator of the Year Nov. 12 as part of Texas College’s observance of National Achievement Week. Dr. Todd, who has been an educator for more than 20 years, was honored because during his tenure at John Tyler, passing rates on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills and math scores reached the highest in school history.
July 14 a second daughter, Paige Elizabeth, was born to Racquel (BS ‘92, MED ‘95) and Bob (BS ‘94, MED ‘95) Connelly.Paige was 7 lbs., 1 oz. and 20 in. Big sister Taylor is now 3. Bobby coached the Washington State Cougars to win the PAC-10 championship and play in the Rose Bowl. He recently accepted a position as the offensive line coach at the University of Alabama, and the family now lives in Tuscaloosa.
Melinda Knowles (BA ‘95) married Simon Andrew Knowles Sept. 3 in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England. After being a full-time “mum” for three years, she will be starting work on a BA in law and criminology at Sheffield Hallam University in South Yorkshire.
Jeffrey M. Haynes (BS ’95) and Eugenia I. Velez Haynes (BS ’96) announced the birth of their first child, Kristen Elizabeth Haynes, on Oct. 25. She weighed 7 pounds and was 18.9 inches long. Jeff currently works at Veritech in Dallas as an environmental consultant and has been with the company more than four years. Genie is the Internet director for PDS Technical Services.
“It Came From Studio Floor” was an exhibition by Trenton Doyle Hancock (BFA ’97) at Dunn and Brown Contemporary in Dallas Nov. 22-Dec. 21.
Kelly Margaret Ozarowski (BS ’97) married Matthew Warren Webb Oct. 5. She is employed as a dermatology physician’s assistant with The Austin Diagnostic Clinic, and he is employed by Moman Architects in Austin where the couple lives.
Aidan Cole Murrey was born to Tennille Stibbens-Murrey (BS ‘00) and J.T. Murrey (BBA ‘00) Dec. 23. He weighed 8 lbs., 14 oz. and was 20 inches long.
Angela Akers-Rennels (BS ’00) recently directed the annual children’s play at A&M-Commerce, “The Honorable Urashima Taro.” She did so while pursuing her master’s degree in theatre here.
Bowie Kennedy (BS ’01) has been promoted to the position of loan officer at Pilgrim Bank in De Kalb, TX.
Hillary Almon Murray (BS ’02) has accepted an appointment with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service as a soil

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