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William D. Hinson (BS ’31, MS ‘38) spent 46 years as a teacher/administrator in Texas public schools: six years in Wood County, seven in Haskell County, and 33 in the Goose Creek Consolidated ISD of Harris County.

Rheba Icenhower (BS ’50, MED ’52) presented “Profiles in Time” of vintage fashions at the Audie Murphy/American Cotton Museum in Greenville, TX. Rheba showed original ensembles—including gloves, hats, shoes, and seamed silk stockings—which dated from the late 1920s to the early ‘30s. Many were obtained at estate sales in Dallas and from shops as far away as California and Oregon. Rheba became interested in vintage fashions after her husband purchased a 1930 Model A Ford.

Violet Iva Shirey (BS ’55, MED ’56) was a nominee for the Jefferson Volunteer Award. Vi is a volunteer in a number of organizations, including Aransas County (TX) Medical Services, Aransas County Retired Teachers Association, and AARP, among others. She also cleans and restores cast-off toys for underprivileged children—enough this year to give toys, books and a filled stocking to each of 600 kids.

The work of Jo Ann Durham (BS ’56), “Cosmos Dancing Energy Forms” won Best of Show at the recent International Society of Experimental Artists exhibit at the Beverly Arts Center in Chicago. “Photon Field” and “Swirling Cosmos Forms” were juried into the opening and traveling show. These two paintings will be exhibited at the Cynon Valley Museum in Aberdare, Wales, in 2004 and then go to Cardiff, Wales, in 2005.

Don Petty (BS ’60) runs his own company, Line of Snacks Consultants International. He and his wife, Sylvia Flippin Petty, live in Dallas. Don recently published a book, How to Catch—and Keep—a Man, which is available at www.1stBooks.com

Bill O’Neal (BA’64, MA ‘69) has received the 2003 Literary Award from the National Association for Outlaw and Lawman History. In accepting the award, Bill was reported to have quoted Gene Autry in saying that he “didn’t deserve the award, but he also didn’t deserve arthritis, so he would accept it.” Bill’s 26th book, a biography of Arizona lawman Harry Wheeler, was recently published by Eakin Press. Bill’s expertise in history also landed him a spot on A&E’s “City Confidential.” He offered an historical perspective

on his hometown, Carthage, TX, where the crime featured in that episode occurred. It was Bill’s first appearance on A&E, though he has through the years appeared in history shows on the Learning Channel, TNN, TBS, and the BBC. A second A&E appearance may be in the works, however, for a show featuring singing cowboy Tex Ritter, about whom Bill has written.

Jim Ainsworth (BBA ’65) has published a new book, In the Rivers’ Flow, with Dan River Press. Jim is the author of four previous books, with this being his first novel. Set in rural Texas in the ‘50s, In the Rivers’ Flow tells the story of the Rivers family and their belief in something they call “the flow.”

J. Scott Buchanan (MS ‘68) of Sherman, TX, received the Outstanding Fund Raising Executive Award at National Philanthropy Day in Dallas. He has been an independent consultant to nonprofit institutions and organizations for more than 20 years. His daughter, Elizabeth Ellen Buchanan Dunn(MS ’97), son John Scott Buchanan (BS ’94), and late mother, Nina B. Burns Buchanan Ellis, all graduated from the University.

Dr. Charles W. Carona (BS ’68) has been named dean of the College of Education at Dallas Baptist University. He previously served as director of the MED program at Dallas Baptist. Charles spent 35 years with schools in Richardson and Highland Park as a teacher and administrator and served as principal of J.J. Pearce High School from 1996 to 2002.

Anita Kay Gregg (BS ’68, MS ’71) retired from the Rockwall (TX) ISD after teaching 26 years. She was named Teacher of the Year at Dobbs Elementary there. Dr. Robert Watkins (MED ’69, EDD ‘80) is an education consultant and associate vice president for Academic Affairs at Wiley College in Marshall, TX.

Joe Hyde (BS ’70) received a master’s of divinity and arts degrees and his doctorate in counseling. He currently serves as pastor at Highlawn Baptist Church in St. Albans, WV, where he lives with wife Nancy. They have three grown children.

After 27 years in the corporate world and founding a successful business, James R. Hamilton Sr. (BS ’73) is fulfilling his dream of teaching. He teaches biology and integrated physics and chemistry at Commerce High School. He and his family have a small horse farm outside Greenville. He reports that after 50 years of wishing for horses, he has seven Polish Arabians.

Carolyn Cantrell (BS ’74, MED ’75) has retired from teaching after 30 years, one during which she was Texas’ Special-Ed Teacher of the Year. She has written and published a children’s book, My Special Sister, about her life with a mentally challenged sister.

Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry has appointed Cathy Conway (BS ’74), director of human resources at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, to the Teachers’ Retirement System of Oklahoma Board of Trustees. “It was an honor to sponsor Cathy Conway’s nomination to the Teachers Retirement System Board,” said Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, who sponsored her nomination. “Our retired educators are a precious resource to whom we owe much. With Cathy on the board, I am certain that their retirement system is in very good hands.” Prior to Southeastern, Cathy served as the administrative associate at Oklahoma State University in the College of Engineering, Architecture,

and Technology in Stillwater, OK, and as a benefits coordinator for OSUStillwater. “It is an honor and a privilege for me to be able to serve as a member of the Board of Trustees to help ensure that TRS will be able to meet the future needs of our state’s educators,” Cathy said. “TRS is one of five major retirement systems in the state and one of the major retirement systems in the country. I am very grateful to Governor Henry for his nomination, to President Glen D. Johnson for his leadership, guidance and support, and to Senator Jay Paul Gumm for his sponsorship.”

Helen Perry (BS ’74, MS ‘75) and her husband, Wiley, left in October for their third trip to Romania to teach in several Bible schools. They have been on missionary trips to 36 countries.

Melanie Strasner Wade (BS ’74) and Dennis Wade (former student) celebrated their 29th anniversary in September. He will retire in March after 28 years with United Parcel Service.

Pete Neville (MS ’75), director of student activities at Trinity University in San Antonio, has been honored with the Robert D. Bradshaw Small Colleges Student Advocate Award. The award acknowledges members of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators who demonstrate outstanding commitment to the mission and goals of small colleges, strong student advocacy and interaction with individual students and small groups, and performance that exceeds the call of duty while serving multiple roles within the campus community. “He finds ways to say ‘yes’ to the wildest student scheme,” said Gage Paine, Trinity’s vice president for student affairs, “and when he can’t, he takes the time to explain why as carefully as possible.”

Thomas Vance (BS ’75, MS ‘76) is a biology instructor at Navarro College in Corsicana, TX, where he and wife Shanda Weaver Vance (BS ’85) live. He does research in herpetology, mammalogy and paleontology. His current research concerns the Ice Age animals of Texas, and he was project director for the planetarium show “Ice Age Texas” and the video “Pin Oak Creek Mammoth.” In 2003 he won a number of awards, including the Navarro College Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Award, the Great Minds of the 21st Century Award and a medal from the American Biographical Institute of Raleigh, NC; three awards from the International Biographical Centre in Cambridge—as Scientist of the Year, for Achievement, and for Intellectual and Vocational Excellence. Shanda is founder and president of Navarro County Animals At Risk Foundation. She volunteers for the Corsicana Aniumal Shelter and works to find funding for the medical care of stray animals as well as foster and adoptive homes for them. She is a reader in the Immaculate
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Survey SAYS…

The results of the recent reader satisfaction survey are in, and for the most part readers seem very happy with their Pride. Most respondents were graduates 40 to 60 years old who are not duespaying members of the A&MCommerce Alumni Association. They pick up The Pride only once or twice, but read nearly all of it in those times.

The sections getting read “often” by more than 50 percent of respondents were Class Notes and obituaries, followed by Memories of Old ET and the News Report.

In order of how often they are read are the remaining categories: alumni profiles, Alumni Report, letters to the editor, Events Wrap-Up, homecoming updates, full-length features, alumni social events, current campus activities and upcoming events, president’s column, Sports Report, the Foundation Report, and fundraising activities.

When it came to the overall quality of The Pride, 53 percent rated it “excellent,” 38 percent “good,” 8 percent “fair,” and 1 percent “poor.”

Few readers access The Pride online, saying they get most of their news about A&M Commerce through the printed version.

Pride survives the storm!

The Pride staff thanks each and every one of you who took the time to participate in our recent reader satisfaction survey.

But it’s Geraldyne Irons Johnson (BS ’53) who, when it comes to staying in touch with her Alma Mater, took us by storm.

It was at the close of the survey response period when Geraldyne’s survey page arrived at our University offices spattered, smeared and creased—but filled out in its entirety, and obviously with a great deal of care.

A handwritten note at the top of the page explained that it was almost three weeks after a tornado passed through her hometown of Jackson, Tenn., that her Pride and its enclosed survey arrived in her mailbox.

Though her household received only “minor scrapes,” Geraldyne reported, the tornado had heavily damaged their downtown post office. Mail was strewn across parking lots, leaving her to only guess at what The Pride weathered on that May day.

However long it took to get to her, Geraldyne noted, she was happy to get her Pride. Sadly, it was that particular issue which contained the announcement of her 50-Year Reunion at the University, which she had missed by the time she had the chance to read about it.

Well, Geraldyne, we’d really like you to join us next year at the 50-Year Reunion, where the only thing you’ll be blown away by is how much we fuss over you.