In Memory

Jeraldine “Jerry” Brown, ’43 education, died Nov. 25, 2020, due to COVID-19 complications. She was 99. Brown was inducted into the Chickasaw Hall of Fame in 2018, honored as a veteran of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps, and was a member of the Chickasaw Warrior Society. She was born in Oklahoma City on Oct. 28, 1921, to Annie Rennie Colbert-Meek and Alymer Hightown Meek. While at OSU, she was an Aggiette (a member of the Aggie Pep Squad), and she was named Outstanding OSU Chickasaw Alumna in 2014. While enlisted in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps, she developed and printed photos from bombers. She was on duty at the Pentagon the day the U.S. B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped the first atomic bomb on Japan during World War II. She returned to Oklahoma and married Syl Brown after her discharge. The couple had two children. Mrs. Brown worked as a teacher until her retirement in 1973 and continued substitute teaching until she was 90. She is remembered for a lifelong legacy of service.

James “Jimmie” D.

Willison, ’49 general business management, died Nov. 12, 2020, just one month shy of his 102nd birthday. After graduating from OSU, he worked for Wentz Oil Co. and then Continental Oil Co. in Ponca City, Oklahoma. Mr. Willison was active in his church, a Boy Scout leader and a Little League baseball coach for sons J. Kencil and Neal. He was a lifelong supporter of OSU, and both of his sons and grandsons are also OSU graduates. Jimmie and his wife, Elsie, enjoyed their times together and took many bus tours of the United States. Richard Dale “Dick” Bogert, ’56 mechanical engineering, beloved father and grandfather, died Jan. 25, 2021. He was 87. He was born Oct. 9, 1933, to Frank “Bud” and Helen Lynch Bogert. He and his four siblings grew up on a small farm north of Enid, Oklahoma. After attending Oklahoma A&M, Mr. Bogert always remained “Loyal and True to OSU.” He married Barbara Ann Blake on Dec. 19, 1954, and they were loving companions for 65 years until her death in 2020. Mr. Bogert served in the Air Force as a petroleum supply officer in Charleston, South Carolina. After returning to Oklahoma, he worked for Champlin Petroleum before founding Bogert Oil in 1979. Mr. Bogert, a lifetime member of the OSU Alumni Association, served on the OSU Foundation’s Board of Governors and Board of Trustees, was a Top 150 donor, a Cowboy Gift of a Lifetime participant and a Distinguished Alumnus, among numerous other local, state and national awards and recognitions.

William Warren “Bill”

Mays, ’57 fire protection technology, died at home in Decatur, Georgia, on Dec. 8, 2020. He was 90. Born in Rutherford, Tennessee, and raised in Dyer, Tennessee, he was the only child of the late Horace and Vernell Mays. After a stint in the Air Force, he graduated from OSU and remained a proud alumnus all his life. From 1957 to 1992, he worked for Federated Mutual Insurance Co., first as a loss-control expert, later as an underwriter and underwriting manager. A former deacon, Mr. Mays was a member of Scott Boulevard Baptist Church for 59 years. He is survived by a son, Warren (Noreen) Mays of Lexington, Kentucky; three daughters, Nelda Mays (Rick Jernigan) of Decatur, Kelly J. Mays (Hugh Jackson) of Las Vegas, and Lola Susanne (Joe) Farrington of Smyrna, Georgia; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife of 59 years, Lola Ann Wood Mays, in 2014. Dan E. Miller, M.D., ’58 human resource management, died Nov. 23, 2020, at the age of 84. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Ellie, three children and three grandchildren. Dr. Miller served in the Army after graduating from OSU and spent much of his time in the service deployed to Germany. Dr. Miller practiced family medicine in Edmond, Oklahoma, until he moved to Tulsa in 1975. He served as president of Emergency Care Inc., a firm that covered Saint Francis Emergency Department. Dr. Miller founded one of the first urgentcare facilities in Oklahoma, the Tulsa Emergency Medical Center. He helped found the ambulance service to Tulsa and the EMSA and Tulsa Life Flight service. Dr. Miller enjoyed traveling, music and writing in his retirement. Thomas Raymond Irey, ’62 master’s in chemistry, ’72 master’s in history, died Aug. 2, 2020. He was 80. After graduating from OSU, he served in the U.S. Navy and taught chemistry at the U.S. Naval Academy as well as serving a tour in Vietnam. Upon discharge from the Navy, he returned to OSU to earn his master’s degree. He had a long career as an educator and farmer in Oklahoma. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Karen, and nephews, grandnephews and grandnieces. Thomas Harry McCormick, ’63 chemistry, died June 4, 2020, in Edmond, Oklahoma. He was 79. Mr. McCormick was a retired senior vice president and secretary of the board at Kimray Inc. He was on the board of directors for the Kiwanis, a deacon and elder at First Presbyterian Church of Edmond and a member of the Cowboy Hall of Fame. Memorial donations may be made to the Oklahoma State University Memorial Fund at osugiving. com or 800-622-4678. Floyd Belk, ’66 doctorate in elementary education, died Sept. 22, 2020. He was 95. He attended Joplin (Missouri) Junior College and played football there. He attended Pittsburg (Kansas) State University to obtain his undergraduate and master’s degrees. After obtaining his doctorate from OSU, Dr. Belk returned to Joplin Junior College in 1966 and assisted in its transition to the four-year Missouri Southern State University. Dr. Belk began as director of admissions and institutional research and was named assistant dean in 1972. He was named vice president of academic affairs and dean of the faculty in 1974. He served as an interim president in 1978 and 1979 and retired in 1990. He received the Outstanding Alumnus Award. Dr. Belk also served two terms on the Joplin City Council. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Nancy, in 1993, and his second wife, Mary Sue, in 2016. He is survived by two sons, Tim C. Belk and J. Todd Belk, and extended family. Ron Wanger, ‘78 animal science, died May 21, 2020, in Battle Ground, Washington. He was 69. Mr. Wanger was raised in Fargo, Oklahoma. He attended OSU and was a proud member of the award-winning Animal Science Meats Judging Team. His meat judging experience led him to a 20-year career with Iowa Beef Processors. In 1995, Mr. Wanger became the director of Royal Ridges Retreat in Yacolt, Washington, a Christian camp, retiring in 2019. He was an active member of the Battle Ground Baptist Church. His guitar and banjo were always nearby, and he was always willing to strike up a tune. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Sue, son Emory, daughters Stephanie and Veronica, and grandchildren.