Alumni Update

’50s

Michael R. Jones, ’51 zoology, said goodbye to the love of his life, Ruth S. Jones, on April 13, 2019. The couple raised seven children and had 15 grandchildren and 11 greatgrandchildren. Their greatgranddaughter, Callie Ulm Gruenwald, graduated from OSU with a bachelor’s in psychology in 2009 and a master’s in counseling in 2021. Their niece, Courtney Jones, attended OSU and majored in engineering.

’60s

Phil Stout, ’63 business, started an equity position in January 2021 with SunState Labs, the maker of Dazz Cleaning Tablets, a sustainable brand in household consumer products. Shelagh M. Curtin, ’64 zoology, celebrated her 80th birthday by visiting the Stillwater campus, bringing back memories of her time as a student. Though the campus has changed a lot since she attended, Curtin was still able to find her way around. The Edmon Low Library, Life Science buildings, Physical Science and Student Union are all still in the same places, as well as Theta Pond and her old residence, Stout Hall. After visiting campus, Curtin and her family ate at Eskimo Joe’s and headed back to Tulsa.

Richard Gardner Engel

’67 mechanical engineering, is a 77-year-old alumnus living in California. He is proud of his daughter, who is interested in attending MIT in the late Dean Karl Reid’s honor. David A. Hall, ’69 mechanical engineering, was welcomed to GableGotwals as a litigation attorney in the Tulsa office. He will focus on complex commercial litigation, including employment lawsuits, insurancerelated matters and white collar and government investigations. Previously, Hall worked for an international law firm in Chicago covering a variety of matters. He received his law degree from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, where he was articles editor of Northwestern Law Review and president of the Native American Law Students Association.

’70s

Dennis Skaggs, ’71 agricultural economics, retired in 2019 after 48 years of banking. Cheryl Marrs, ’74 secondary education, ’80 master’s in education, ’90 Ed.D., is mourning the loss of Fox Wood III, her former father-in-law, who died March 4, 2021. He attended OSU for one year as a graduate student.

Patty J. Fisher

Dixon, ’75 recreation, was elected vice mayor for a third consecutive year by her Sand Springs Council colleagues. In September 2019 at the Oklahoma Municipal League Conference in Tulsa, the Women in Municipal Government Committee presented Dixon with the inaugural award of Woman of the Year for communities with more than 5,000 in population.

Steven Phillip

Elwart, a ’75 chemical engineering and life member, retired July 9, after a 45-year career in the energy industry. Elwart served as director of systems engineering at Ergon Refining Inc. in Vicksburg, Mississippi. He plans to spend his time in retirement as a hospice counselor and energy consultant. Pam Street, ’75 elementary education, retired as a diagnostician and now lives in Willis, Texas, with her husband, John, ’76 chemical engineering, ’77 master’s in chemical engineering. Pam is a dyslexia therapist and continues to work with students virtually. John Thomas Altland, ’76 psychology, ’77 master’s, is the pastor at Jefferson Avenue United Methodist Church in Wheat Ridge, Colorado.

Marcus B. Whitt

II, ’76 corrections, and his wife moved to Morristown, Tennesee, in July 2021. They purchased a new Harley Davidson trike for trips back to Oklahoma.

John Joseph

Garvey, ’77 history, has made it into print. Author Chris Rodell of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, included Garvey’s story as Chapter 15 in his latest book, Arnold Palmer, Homespun Stories of the King. The author wrote that Garvey is one of Arnold Palmer’s fans who believed Latrobe was a mystical place even after Palmer died in September 2016. Garvey’s journey to Palmer’s hometown was a little like a pilgrimage to a holy city. He met Palmer a couple of times at golf tournaments in Oklahoma, once in 1962 and again in 1986.

’80s

Michael G. Zahler, ’80 EET, has been with Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Dallas for 40 years. His education at OSU prepared him for a successful career in missile electronics design and his current role as a senior program manager. Aaron Spencer Fogleman, ’81 history and German, is a distinguished research professor in history at Northern Illinois University, where he teaches courses, directs dissertations and writes books and articles about the Atlantic world and early America. He lives in Batavia, Illinois, with his family.

Fogleman coaches soccer and continues to follow OSU wrestling, cross country and football with passion. Edward C. Applegate, ’84 Ed.D., has written The File on Thomas Marks, a mystery novel filled with twists and turns under the pen name of Bentley Turner. Although he has written articles for academic journals, chapters for academic books and several nonfiction books, this is his first novel. Mark Chezem, ’84 business administration, saw his youngest son, Ty, graduate with a sports management degree from OSU in May. Ty is the family’s fifth OSU graduate.

Cheryl Lynn

Stands Evans, ’88 elementary education, ’88 master’s in instruction, ’04 doctorate in educational administration, has retired as president of Northern Oklahoma College. She served as president for 10 years and was part of the construction of a new classroom building for the NOC/ OSU Gateway program on the Stillwater campus. She served Oklahoma higher education for 27 years.

’90s

Nikki Gill Gatch, ’95 journalism and broadcasting, is the chief operating officer of the Southern California PGA. Gatch was a member of the OSU women’s golf team from 1990-1994. Since her graduation from OSU, she has spent her career in the golf industry. Adam L. Wyatt, ’98 agronomy, of Faxon, Oklahoma, is the CEO and general manager of Wyatt Farms, an agronomy operation.

’00s

Jason Arnold, ’02 marketing, joined the Croke Fairchild Morgan & Beres law firm in Chicago as a partner. Arnold is a corporate attorney and business adviser with nearly 15 years of experience. He has worked in both the public and private sector with regard to mergers and acquisitions, securities, corporate governance and business counseling. Tamya Cox-Touré, ’03 journalism and broadcasting, was selected as the new executive director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma. She served as the first legislative counsel for the ACLU of Oklahoma. Her first day as executive director will be Nov. 23. Jennifer Schmitt, ’06 biological sciences, was recently elected to the board of directors for the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists. She will be representing over 50,000 anesthesia providers across the country. Schmitt is the first Oklahoman to serve on this board since it was founded in 1931 and the first Oklahoma State graduate to do so as well. Lance Shaw, ’08 agriculture communications, ’14 master’s in landscape architecture, began a new position with Oklahoma Living magazine as a multimedia specialist in the communications department. Oklahoma Living is published on behalf of the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives.

’10s

Taylor Dearinger, ’14 architecture, ’15 architectural engineering, was promoted to associate with David Baker Architects in San Francisco.

Cheyenne

Sparks, ’15 university studies, graduated from the University of Oklahoma College of Law with a master’s in legal studies in indigenous peoples law. She is the operations and communications manager for the Oklahoma Ag Mediation Program. She resides in south central Oklahoma with her husband, Landon, and two children, Laramie and Clay.

Lawrence J. White Jr.,

’19 business administration, was hired as an assistant professor of business administration at Riverside City College in California.

’20s

Denise Feltnor, ’20 human development and family sciences, is grateful for OSU and proud of her Cowboy heritage.

Alexanderia

Minor, ’20 animal science, is an agricultural educator in Grady County for the OSU Cooperative Extension Service. She is also working to obtain a master’s in rangeland ecology and management from Colorado State University. Joseph Weium, ’20 master’s in health care administration, is forever grateful to OSU for being accepted into the master of health administration program. He graduated in fall 2020 with a 4.0 GPA. He is proud to have a new job despite the

COVID-19 pandemic.