Dr. Robin M. Rudoff, a longtime history professor and award-winning educator at A&M-Commerce, died Sept. 12.

Memorial services were held in Dallas on Sept. 17 at Temple Emanuel Leskowitz Chapel and in Commerce on Sept. 18 at the First United Methodist Church. The Los Angeles, Calif., native was born May 25, 1934 to David and Ethel Rabinowitz Rudoff. He and his wife, Judy, were married in 1965 in Dallas.

During his 30-plus years at A&M-Commerce, Rudoff served on numerous committees including co-chairman of the Sam Rayburn Public Affairs Symposium from 1989 to ’94. He served as president of the Faculty Senate in 1994-95, 1996-97, and 1998-99 and was a member of the institution’s Committee on the Feasibility of a Merger with the Texas A&M University System in 1994-95. Rudoff retired last summer because of health problems. Suriving are his wife; daughter, Leah Rudoff of Commerce; brother, Sandy Rudoff of Dallas; two grandsons; and several other relatives. Memorials may be made to the Robin M. Rudoff Honor Scholarship at A&M-Commerce.

Dr. Willard R. “Bill” McDaniel, 66, of Commerce died June 28.

A memorial service was held in Commerce on Wednesday, July 5, in the Performing Arts Center at A&M-Commerce with Rev. Mike House officiating. Born June 9, 1934, in Hammond, Ind., he was the son of Theodore Lewis McDaniel and June Lucille Rich. He worked as a park ranger at Yellowstone National Park for two summers and served as a graduate assistant at A&M-Commerce from 1959 to 1963. He attended A&M University in College Station and earned his Ph.D. in meteorology in 1967.

He then returned to Commerce as a professor in the earth science department from 1967 to 1984. He served as the department head from 1972 to 1982. He later moved to the physics department. Numerous students remember him for the astronomy course he taught.

In addition to his teaching duties, McDaniel served on the Faculty Senate for several years. He received a teaching award from the A&M-Commerce Chapter of the Texas Association of College Teachers in 1986. He was a member of Sigma XI, TACT, American Meteorological Society and Science Teachers Association of Texas and several other organizations. In 1996, he retired and was named a Professor Emeritus. Surviving are a son, Dr. Marc McDaniel of Commerce; daughter, Marcie Magruder; six grandchildren; and several other relatives.

Lester “Bill” Monroe Stone Jr., 76, of Commerce died recently. The funeral service was held at Pemberton Funeral Chapel in Commerce on Sept. 6, with burial in Rosemound Cemetery.

Born in Tampico, Mexico, Stone was the son of Lester Monroe and Leafy Lee Clifton Stone. He was a longtime resident of Commerce. He graduated from East Texas Training School in

1940 and then attended East Texas State Teacher College and the United States Marine V-12 School in Rustin, La. Stone graduated from officers’ school and received his M.B.A. from Tulane University in New Orleans, La. A veteran of the Marines, Stone served in the Korean War and received a Purple Heart. He was a military aide at the White House during the Eisenhower Administration. He also served as a military aide and escort to King Hussein of Jordan. From 1967 until his retirement in 1999, Stone taught economics at A&M-Commerce.

He was a member of the First United Methodist Church. Surviving are his sister-in-law, Mary Sue Stone of Houston; and several nieces and nephews.