Range Rider Spring 2009

SPRING 2009

Environmentally Enlightened

Back to the Future

Jesse C. Fletcher President Emeritus

It’s back to the future for Hardin-Simmons University. On March 5, 2009, the Board of Trustees unanimously elected Dr. Lanny Hall to be the university’s 15th president. Dr. Hall was HSU’s 13th president as well.

The trustees feel this action brings the experience of the past along with energy and vision for the future to the presidential position.

Dr. Hall succeeded me in 1991 and served for 10 years with distinction, marked by progress and significant achievement. He stepped down in 2001 for health reasons and became HSU chancellor when Craig Turner was named as our 14th president.

But Dr. Hall’s health rebounded with time, and six years ago he assumed Howard Payne’s presidency where he had formerly served as provost. He did a great job at our neighboring institution, but still had Cowboy purple-and-gold in his system. When Dr. Turner went to Catawba in North Carolina, the trustee’s attention, after a thorough nation-wide search, focused on Dr. Hall.

Our new president, who was welcomed with a standing ovation when introduced to the faculty and staff, will assume his role as HSU’s 15th president around June 1, 2009. In the meanwhile, the interim team will finish out what has been, in light of current economic conditions, a surprisingly good year.

Much credit goes to the operational team of Harold Preston ’69/’72, senior vice president for finance and operations officer, and Bill Ellis ’75, university provost, with the help of Mike Whitehorn, senior vice president for student development, Shane Davidson, vice president for enrollment management, and Leland Harden ’84, vice president for institutional advancement. My assignment in the “show and tell” position has been easy and rewarding because of their efforts, backing, and inspiration.

A dedicated group of trustees led by Chairman Hilton Hemphill ’63 and a representative search committee worked hard, responsibly, and wisely for 11 months to bring us to this exciting, new stage in the university’s 118th year.

The year of interim has really been business as usual at HSU with a strong financial position despite the national recession, an achieving and pioneering faculty effort, and student successes galore in the classroom, academic competition, community, and on the athletic fields. Examples of that parallel stories that celebrate the lives and roles of HSU alumni around the world.

So it’s time to give thanks to the Father-God who guided those who began our pilgrimage and who continues to lead and enable us. It’s time to ask him to again bless this storied Forty Acres and especially Dr. Lanny Hall and his first lady, Carol (Bardin) Hall, as they return to the campus where they both began as students in 1967.

For them, and for us, it’s back to the future.

Jesse C. Fletcher President Emeritus

HARDIN-SIMMONS UNIVERSITY

SPRING 2009

Hardin-Simmons University’s mission is to be a community dedicated to providing excellence in education enlightened by Christian faith and values.

Departments

inside front cover

2 4 12 18 21 24 49 61

Letter from the President Emeritus An update from Dr. Jesse Fletcher on HSU’s new president.

Editor’s Corner A conversation with our readers.

Alumni Notes A message from your alumni director, Britt (Yates) Jones ’84. Catch up on alumni events.

Homecoming 2008 A photo recap of Homecoming events.

Sports Report Keep up with those HSU Cowboys and Cowgirls!

News about Track & Cross Country.

Campus News Catch up on news from the campus and meet new faculty and staff.

Development News Newly established scholarships and a word from VP for Institutional Advancement Leland Harden ’84.

Folks & Facts Class notes from your friends.

Friends We’ll Miss Memorials to those we’ve lost.

Special Sections 11 7 4 72

History Mystery Devotional Corrections

26 28 32 36 38 42 44

Features Light Saver Bob Harrison spent his 30-year career making sure school environments were safe.

Protector of the Environment Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Jay Green deals with the criminal element of environmental management.

Caretaker of the Garden David Holland ensures the quality of water the watersheds of Washington State.

Quieting the Growl Brian Brewer follows God’s call from environmental science to the mission field.

Superheroes Jim Armstrong, Gary Burling, and Brian Danko, three environmental managers ensure the environmental quality of life at Dyess AFB. Appreciating the Environment Jeff Rennells enjoys the environment he helps protect.

Regulating the Environment Mike Taylor works for the agency that ensures environmental quality for the state of Texas.

31 American Consumption 35 How Green is Our Campus 48 Recycling Tips

Letter from the Editor

Editor’s Corner As the Irish statesman and philosopher Edmund Burke said, “Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.”

I learned a lot about the environment while putting together this issue. I also discovered that I didn’t know much about recycling. Like many folks, I’d thought about recycling but had never gotten around to actually doing it.

I didn’t know how it all worked, so it was easier to throw that pickle jar in the trash can rather than rinse it and put it in a recycle bin.

But, in doing the research for this issue, I have learned how to recycle and have found that it’s not that difficult. It just makes sense to reuse what we can rather than filling up our landfills with materials that will not biodegrade— especially when those items can be remade into something useful. Recycling non-biodegradable materials also cuts down on the raw materials needed to produce new items.

In this issue you’ll meet several graduates of the HSU Environmental Management Program. Their duties range from law enforcement to state regulation to inspection— all jobs without a lot of glamour, but with a great deal of importance. These are the people who make sure we all have clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, and live in an environment safe from hazardous toxins. These features start on page 26. Each article introduces you to one of our alumni in the field of environmental science, and each alumnus offers tips that can help you assist them in their efforts to protect and enhance our way of life.

I’m excited about the direction the HSU administration is going in order to make our campus community

On the Cover

Brenda Harris Director of Publications & University Editor

The front and back cover photographs were taken by Dr. Joseph Bailey, HSU assistant professor of communication. The photos were not “photoshopped.” Dr. Bailey soldered a replacement lamp cord to the bottom and backside socket connections, hidden from view. There is also a light source on the left and right side of the bulb to illuminate the base.

The back cover photograph was taken using similar techniques. The older incandescent bulb was used to illustrate inefficiency. Before photographing this bulb, Dr. Bailey broke the bulb carefully while avoiding damage to the filament.

Setting the camera to high-speed burst mode, the bulb was plugged in and allowed to burn out, giving time for four exposures in approximately one second.

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environmentally responsible. You can read about steps already in place and plans for future endeavors on page 35.

You’ll notice we received our first batch of Letters to the Editor (on the following page). I’m pleased with the input we’ve received so far and hope to hear from more of you.

It is our hope that this issue will entertain, educate, and enlighten you and perhaps help you find a way to do your part for the environment—even if it’s “only a little.”

Range Rider Magazine

Letters to the Editor “I stopped receiving the Range Rider several years ago, and I loved getting it as it helped me keep in touch with old friends. I would love to receive past copies if you have some you can send me. I keep every copy and cherish each one. I look forward to reading Range Rider from cover to cover. I loved my time at HSU.” ~ Elizabeth (Herndon) Dennington ’82.

Editor’s Note: Limited back issues of Range Rider are available. Email or mail your request to rangerider@hsutx.edu; or Range Rider, HSU Box 16100, Abilene, TX 79698-6100. Or just give me a call at 325.670.1262.

“I just received the latest Range Rider. Enjoyed it very much and recognized some old faces.

I often think of HSU days of the late 40s and the many pleasant memories from there.” ~ Howard DeShazo, www.hdeshazo.com.

May I compliment the Range Rider staff for an excellent Fall 2008 issue. I know that many hours of writing, editing, and creativity for layout and design have gone into publishing such an issue. I salute your leadership in publishing a quality publication. Please continue in your efforts toward excellence.” ~ Charles R. Richardson, MA ’71 (Former Range Rider editor, managing editor, associate editor, and Folks & Facts editor) “I always look forward to finding my Range Rider in the mail. This month I was delighted to see the “Talk to Us” for requested opinions on page 3, because I have an opinion to share.

I may be writing for many of us elderly HSU graduates. I struggled to read this issue because the print was so faint/light. I did enjoy reading all the words written in the bold font. I just had to wonder what all the articles said.  Thanks for listening.” ~ Toni Jenkins ’64.

Editor’s note: And listen we did—this issue is designed with a darker font. We also heard from Billie Johnston ’51 and a group of Houston area alumni who agreed that the Range Rider layout is “beautiful; however, the past two issues have been very hard to read.”

“I love the new format of the Range Rider and was very impressed with the publication and all the articles and information. Thank you for all the good work you do. I look forward to many wonderful Range Rider publications in the future.” ~ Ann Lindsey ’66 “We are not alumni of Hardin-Simmons University but . . . our oldest daughter (Emily Hunter ’10) is a criminal justice major. We recently completed a cover-to-cover read of the Fall 2008 edition of Range Rider and came away deeply appreciative of the community that is Hardin-Simmons University. The stories of character and perseverance across the variety of academic and athletic disciplines were inspiring, and we are pleased to see our daughter investing in herself even as the university community is investing in her.

Living multiple hundreds of miles away from the university, we appreciate learning about the history of the institution and the surrounding Texas community. As an example, we did not know there is a Hardin-Simmons University Alumni Wall on campus. We look forward to visiting Abilene in May of 2010 and will be proud to see our daughter’s name on the wall in the years ahead. Please express our kind regards to the administration, faculty and staff of Hardin-Simmons University on behalf of grateful parents in Farmington, New Mexico, and thank you for the great job you do as editor of the Range Rider.” ~ Chris and Katie Hunter Spring 2009 | Range Rider Magazine

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Connected for Life

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Whatever you do, work at it wholeheartedly as though you were doing it for the Lord and not merely for people. Col. 3:23

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Range Rider Magazine

Students Jack and Ruby met at HardinSimmons in the spring of 1951.

Jack, a history aficionado, loved the school’s rustic beginnings and hardy pioneers who were determined to provide a quality education out here on the Texas plains. Despite hardships and setbacks, they built a sturdy foundation which has served HSU well since 1891.

Following in the footsteps of his two older siblings and at least three other relatives, Jack embraced all that was Hardin-Simmons. He loved the Cowboy Band, the Rodeo, and all the unique Western traditions.

As a junior he joined the Rangers, a new spirit organization for men.

He became active in student government and was elected Student Body president his senior year.

In May of 1951, he received the Bachelor of Arts degree in political science.

Ruby, on the other hand, had little time for the extracurricular because she was working her way through school.

As student body president, Jack needed copies of agendas for meetings and such. In January of 1951, there was a new girl operating the school’s mimeograph machine (today’s copier). And wow, was she pretty. And smart. And so easy to talk with. Soon, Jack required copies more often than ever.

The two married in 1953, while Jack was completing his law degree at the University of Texas.

Ruby’s studies weren’t complete and, although she took classes in Austin and other locations, she reserved her last six hours for the couple’s eventual return to Abilene. She wanted her diploma to come from HardinSimmons, and so it did.

Years later, when their daughter was attending HSU, she and Ruby had the fun opportunity of being inducted into Alpha Chi at the same time. Ruby had been invited join in 1953, but she married and moved to Austin prior to the induction ceremony.

So you’ve probably guessed that the daughter is me.

I’ve been blessed with an HSU legacy.

In our home, Hardin-Simmons was always spoken of with admiration. I knew that HSU had the first accredited school of music in the state. And that the faculty was superb. And that Rose Field House had excellent acoustics. And that Bob Hope and many other famous people had visited campus through the years.

For my 11th or 12th birthday, I chose for my party to include attending the HSU rodeo. We didn’t do much else on the campus that I remember specifically, but I was always confident that HSU was an excellent school.

When I decided on music as my course of study, I had no thought other than to apply at HSU. I was accepted and discovered that everything was true—the music faculty was superb, I made great friends, and I appreciated being surrounded by Christians.

When I took the alumni director job in 1995, as you might surmise, my parents were as delighted as I was. Mother helped decorate my office. My father filled me in on the traditions and history of HSU that I hadn’t paid attention to as a student. And they prayed with me through the learning curve (one doesn’t really train to be an alumni director) and beyond.

My personal HSU legacy now lists nine family members, going back to a 1925 graduate. I’m hopeful future generations of my family will make HSU their own.

When my dad passed away in January of this year, I lost my best go-to source for questions about HSU history.

Always interested in history, especially that of Texas, of Abilene, and of HSU, he remembered so many campus personalities and events through the years.

My parents always worked hard and put their faith into their work. My father was highly ethical, extremely honest, and he cared a great deal about his clients. He chose to use his law practice for God’s glory, first and foremost. He and my mother have always been excellent role models for me.

Because of Jack and Ruby and their love, for the Lord, for one another, for me—and for Hardin-Simmons—I have inherited a tremendous cherished legacy.

Britt (Yates) Jones ˇ84 Director of Alumni Relations

2009 Alumni Association Board

President, Chris Carnohan ’75, Abilene President-Elect, Steve Post ’85, Abilene Vice President—Celebrations, Phil Ashby ’80, Abilene Vice President—Homecoming, Linda (Davis) Cargile ’82, Abilene Vice President—Special Projects, Emily (Hager) Clancy ’95, Abilene; and Rosa Lee (Hemphill) Prichard ˇ58, Abilene Vice President—Outreach, Amanda (Perez) Etter ’05, Abilene Chaplain, Roxie Keenan ’05, Ft. Worth Secretary, Laura (McBeth) Thaxton ’51/’68, Abilene Directors, Vance Cooksey ’85/’87, Abilene; Denise (Greene) Duchesneau ’77, Austin; Phyllis (Gandy) Ewing ’60, Abilene; Erica Fairbanks ’11, Current Student; Melissa (Thompson) Kidd ’98, Abilene; Allison Lovejoy ’12, Current Student; Joe Melson ’88, Abilene; Melissa (Martin) Milliorn ’93, Abilene.

Every HSU graduate and former student is a member of the Alumni Association!

There is no membership fee, and your benefits include: Free Range Rider subscription Free use of the campus swimming pool Discounted rates at La Quinta hotels nationwide Access to HSU Career Services resources To make a suggestion or become more involved, contact any of the officers below or the Office of Alumni Relations at 800.460.3908, 325.670.1317, or alumni@hstux.edu.

Spring 2009 |

HSU Box 16102, Abilene, TX 79698 | 325.670.1317 | 800.460.3908 | alumni@hsutx.edu | www.hsutx.edu/alumni Range Rider Magazine

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Alumni Notes Laine Walker ’00.

Area Alumni Events

Charlotte, NC, was the site of a casual alumni dinner on July 23, 2008. Hosts were Kim (Shipton) Hoffman ’96 (left) and Sarah Bartlett ’04 (right), pictured with Pansy and Lawrence Webb ’55.

On Saturday, July 26, 2008, D.C. Area alumni enjoyed a casual lunch and toe-tappin’ Irish music, provided by Laine Walker ’00 and friends, at the Piney Orchard Community Center in Odenton, Maryland. Helping make the event possible were James & Rachel (Whelan) Christoferson ’97 & ’99, Jack Grogan ’67, Phil McFadden ’59, and Peggy Mallow ’62.

Emma and Ethan Hale model their new HSU spirit T-shirts.

The DC Alumni gathering was coordinated by Larry and Sarah (Rousseau) Smedley, ’05 and ’06 (on right), and enjoyed by Karen Pound ’97 and Sherry (Hull) Reynolds ’66.

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Range Rider Magazine

Leland Harden ’84, HSU vice president for institutional advancement, visits with Lee and Sandra (Wood) Peoples ’01.

Alumni in the Virginia Beach, VA, area gathered on July 22, 2008, for Southern-style BBQ on the campus of Regent University. Special thanks to Mike and Tracy (Crews) Hale, both ’95, for all their help.

New York City alumni enjoyed a July 24, 2008, dinner at the Cornell Club. Pictured are Paul Gomez ’82, Teresa (Mixon) Gomez ’89, Danny Stewart ’88/’92, Jamie Hajart, Aaron Hajart ’01, Deanna Julian ’00, Ruth Schleifer ’82, Wallace Sherertz ’63, Peggy (Graham) Sherertz ’62, Leland Harden ’84, and Michael Hamlet ’85.

Janet (Adams) Thornton ’88 and her husband, Philip, with two prospective HSU students, daughter Micah Thornton and friend Kyann Williams.

Plainview Area alumni and friends gathered for lunch on Sept. 27, 2008.

Included on the program were Karomy (Drum) Purkey ’02 and Dave Purkey ’99/’01.

Bitsy (Boler) Aldridge ’67 emceed the Plainview lunch.

Range Rider Magazine

Spring 2009 |

Mary Lou (O’Rear) Haygood ’48 did a great job orchestrating the Plainview gathering.

In Plainview, Cindee (Davis) Appling ’88 and daughters (prospective students!) Laurie and Christy pose with HSU admissions consultant Abby (Horrell) Neinast ’06.

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Don Ashmore ’78 scoops up a bowl of cool cream for Jayce Boyd ’12.

New student Ben Sterrett ’12 thought his homemade ice cream was totally cool.

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Area Alumni Events

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Dishing it up for new students at the Abilene Area Alumni Ice Cream Social are Libby (Connel) Gibson ’08, Shea (Sims) Moses ’06, Lindsey McIntyre ’08, and Josh Price ’08.

Range Rider Magazine

Carla Lowery ’82, Phyllis Ewing ’60, and Melissa Kidd ’98 made and served homemade ice cream to new HSU students.

Natalie Case ’12, Chelsea Dean ’12, and Kimberly Caddell ’09 sign beanies.

Scott Oldenburgh ’95, James Stone ’07, and Meredith (Hare) Stone ’01/’06 during the Logsdon Seminary luncheon.

Carrie Whisenhunt ’08 and Chris Norwood ’06 enjoyed the HSU Alumni Ice Cream Social.

Chris Simmons and his father enjoy the December 2008 Graduation Celebration, hosted by HSU Alumni.

HSU Alumni & Friends gathered during the 2008 Baptist General Convention of Texas in Ft. Worth.

Quincy and Rachel (Elrod) Opdycke ’04 met up with Michelle Coleman ’04 at the Alumni Ice Cream Social during BGCT.

Wayne Pimpton and Joe Bob Ratliff are excited about receiving their diplomas.

Graduation Celebration

Spring 2009 |

Among the alumni hosting the December Graduation Celebration are Board of Young Associates members Kathryn (White) Mitchell ’99, Stephanie Harvell ’10 (student worker), Wendy James ’99, and Jennifer (Rucker) Woodard ’02.

Newly minted graduate Brian Brewer ’08 discovers that a White Horse is an excellent photo op.

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Christa (Gray) McWhorter ’08.

Francisco Gloria ’08 signs HSU’s Official Ring Book.

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Ring Rally Oct. 08

Tracy (Hennington) Holmes ’08, a third-generation legacy student, signs her name in HSU’s Official Ring Book.

During the Fall 2008 Official Ring Rally, Katie Lindeman ’08 rings the bell after receiving her HSU Ring.

December 2008 graduates Jordan Daniel and Yolanda Daniels see their Official Rings for the first time.

Amanda Carpenter ’06 and Ernest Aaron Carpenter ’06/’08 would be pleased for their baby to someday follow in their HSU footsteps.

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Physical Therapy doctoral students show off their new HSU Official Rings.

Stefanie Long, April Johnson, Greg Johnson, Amy (Russell) Johnson, and Sadee Goodwin all graduated in December 2008.

History Mystery

University campuses contain buildings erected not only to house students and to facilitate their education, but also—hopefully—to inspire them to academic excellence. In addition, such structures often honor former university officials or significant benefactors. Too often, we view our university buildings as merely parts of the familiar landscape and overlook their symbolism, their contribution to our learning environment, and the person responsible for their design.

Hardin-Simmons University is blessed with several historically and architecturally significant buildings. One such structure is Caldwell Hall. Dedicated in 1923, the building was thoughtfully designed to be a fitting home for the fine arts. Therefore, in addition to his classical creation, the architect displayed prominently on its façade the names “Shakespeare,” “Wagner,” “Titian,” “Webster,” and “Beethoven.” The skilled architect who designed Caldwell also created at least three other existing HSU buildings.

Thus, this issue’s History Mystery is to name the person who designed the 1923 Caldwell Hall and to identify three other existing HSU structures for which he was the architect. The first person to do so will receive a copy of Dr. Rupert Richardson’s Famous Are Thy Halls. One copy will be awarded for the first correct email and one copy for the first correct U. S. mail response received. Send your answers to Dr. Gary Lindsey, Research Center for the Southwest, HSU Box 16195, Abilene, TX 79698, or glindsey@hsutx.edu.

Responses to Fall 2008 “Can You Dig It, Man?”

Left to right: Dr. Elwin L. Skiles, Mburia Mutindwa ’75, Melba (Hernandez) Carmona ’74, Randy Dale ’76, and Marcia (Weaver) Wood ’75.

Spring 2009 |

Thanks to everyone who responded to the last History Mystery! The winners were Marcia (Weaver) Wood ˇ75 and Brad Layton ˇ75.

Marcia writes, “I received my Range Rider today, and before I got to the articles on the geologists, I saw my picture. What a surprise! I only recently gave away that plaid jacket. I had not worn it for decades, but it was somehow sentimental. I wear my skirts longer now, and I’ll bet Melba wears her a little shorter now. The photo is an example of how, then as now, a variety of fashion styles were seen as appropriate, (though I’m sure my father, Dr. G. Norman Weaver, HSU professor emeritus of religious education and applied Christianity, always thought my skirts were too short!)”

We also heard from Randy Dale ’76 who was surprised to find himself pictured in Range Rider. See an update on Randy as well as on Marcia and her husband, Phillip in the Folks & Facts section.

Marcia and Brad each received a copy of Dr. Rupert Richardson’s history of HSU Famous Are Thy Halls.

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Homecoming 2008

Members of the Class of 1968 enjoy their 40th Reunion.

Presenting the 2008-09 University King and Queen, Rachel Lundy ’09 and Alex Hyde ’09.

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Chris Brown ’01, Adam & Lisa (Foser ’01) Brackin ’99/’01 have fun during the 6th annual Computer Science Reunion.

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The 2008 inductees into the Athletics Hall of Fame are Vincent Langston ’88 and Linda (Dulude) Jeffery ’96.

Among the Leadership Minor “Purple Coats” welcoming guests to Homecoming were Morgan Rainer ’12, Erica Fairbanks ’11, and Maria Olivas ’11.

Attending the 1998 Reunion Dinner are Amy and Mark Wood ’98/’03 and Jennifer (Mitchell ’99/’01) & Tim Dunn ’98/’00/’03.

Leland Harden ’84 presents a painting of Doyle Kelly ’51 for the Cowboy Band Hall of Fame.

Members of Tri Phi social club are ready to welcome their alumnae.

Spring 2009 |

She said yes! Benjamin S. Johnson ’00 proposed to Mandy Hazzard ’04 during SING on Friday night.

George Gurganus ’98 performs during the Friday night Class of 1998 gathering at Mezamiz Coffee House.

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Dr. Kelvin Kelley ’99/’02, Chris Carnohan ’75, and current student Eric Benson visit.

Gary, Ashley, Brittany, and Susan (Petersen ’88) Morgan.

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During the Theta Coffee, senior Kreg Boyd visits with Wayne Holder ’05, Brent Gentzel ’91, and Clif Kapka ’06.

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Members of the International Student Fellowship: Crystal Koe, Katie Whitmore, Natalie Vong, Archana Mathew, and Kylie Chye.

Members of the Class of 2003 who met for coffee at Java City included John Gamble, Ginni (Lewis) Gamble, Ty Carvalho, Justin Custer, and Kevin Rayburn ’02.

Shirley Anderson ’72/’75 enjoys visiting during the School of Music Foundation dinner.

Showing off their HSU Spirit Shirts are Alumni Association Board member Joe Melson ’88 and his wife, Jessica, with their children Josh, Julia, and James along with Julia’s friend, Emma Lowry.

Virginia (East) Nollner ’43 and Virginia (Hawkins) Boyd Connally ’33 wait in front of the dorm for a ride, just as they did back in their student days.

Joe Melson ’88, Sheri (Styles) Adams ’88, Jeff Adams ’88, Kerry Graham ’88 and his wife Kristina.

Drum Major Justin Stabach ’09 recruited a prospective student to help direct the Cowboy Band.

Range Rider Magazine

Spring 2009 |

During the Cowboy Band’s 85th Reunion, Bobby Bingham ’58/’70 poses with himself “back in the day.”

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Homecoming 2009 October 15-18

H o t e l Ac c o m m o dat i o n s

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Call the Abilene (local) number; be sure to mention HSU Homecoming or HSU when making your reservations.

To ensure rate and availability, please call before or by the date indicated. NOTE: make your reservations soon as hotel rooms are in demand this weekend. Abilene Coliseum is hosting a major motorcycle rally; ACU and McM are hosting homecoming.

Hotel (Release Date) Address Phone (325) Rate

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Comfort Suites (Sept. 30)

1902 E. I-20

Courtyard Marriott (Sept. 24)

4350 Ridgemont Dr., near Mall of Abilene 695-9600

Days Inn (NA)

1702 E. I-20

MCM ElegantĂŠ Suites (Sept. 18)

4250 Ridgemont Dr., near Mall of Abilene 698-1234

$109

Fairfield Inn (Oct. 8)

3902 Turner Plaza, near Mall of Abilene

695-2448

$85

Hampton Inn & Suites I-20 (Oct. 1)

3520 West Lake Rd.

673-4400

$89

HIlton Garden Inn (Sept. 15)

4449 Ridgement Dr., near Mall of Abilene 690-6432

$99

Holiday Inn Express (Oct. 1)

1802 E Overland Trl.

675-9800

$94

La Quinta (Oct. 1)

3501 West Lake Rd; I-20 Exit 286C

676-1676

$84

Wingate by Wyndam (Sept. 1)

3010 Catclaw

690-6400

$94

Whitten Inn University * (N/A)

1625 Hwy 351; I-20 Exit 288

673-5271

$75

*Will no longer block rooms for Homecoming, but does provide a special rate to HSU.

672-0338 672-6433

$103 $89 $55k/$65Q

Plan On It!

ALUMNI EVENTS CALENDAR July

24-25 Board of Young Associates Summer Retreat

August

19 Abilene Alumni Homemade Ice Cream Social—NSO* 22 Alumni Assn. Board Meeting 24 Fall 2009 Classes Begin

September

3

11

12

18

27

Convocation (9:30 a.m.)

Joe Black Classic Golf Tournament Alumni Assn. Board Meeting Cowboy Friday for Prospective Students Cell of One’s Own: John Frost ’96; The Old Jail Art Center, Albany, TX

October

15 Alumni Awards Dinner* 15-18 Homecoming* 15-17 All-School SING

17 HSU Football vs. Howard Payne (2 p.m.)

17 HSU Soccer vs. McMurry (1p.m./3p.m.)

18 Alumni-Led Worship Service*

23 B W Aston Fall Break Day

30 Cowboy Friday for Prospective Students

November 3 & 4

13 12 & 13

14

16

25-27

30

Grad Finale* Cowboy Friday for Prospective Students Official Ring Rally and Presentation Ceremony* Alumni Assn. Board Meeting BGCT in Houston—Alumni & Friends Ice Cream Social (8 p.m.)

Thanksgiving Holidays Christmas Tree Lighting

December

Plan Ahead!

Homecoming 2010 October 14-17 Complete University Calendar Available Online at www.hsutx.edu *To help with any of these alumni events—or those yet to be planned—contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 800.460.3908 or alumni@hsutx.edu.

11 Cowboy Friday 12 Commencements & Graduation Celebration* 18 Campus Offices Close

January

4 Campus Offices Open

11 Spring 2010 Classes Begin

18 Martin Luther King Holiday 22-23 Alumni Assn. Board Retreat

29 Cowboy Friday for Prospective Students

Range Rider Magazine

Spring 2009 |

Note: Dates are subject to change.

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Sports Report

By Chad Grubbs

Volleyball

The Hardin-Simmons volleyball team had another solid season, advancing to the American Southwest Conference Tournament for the fourth straight year and posting a record of 20-12. The 20 wins marked the first time since 1989 that the Cowgirls have won 20 or more games in a season two or more years in a row.

Leading the way was Kaela Parnell, who became the school’s first Division III all-American. The junior from Carrollton was named to the Women’s Volleyball Coaches Association all-American third team. She was also a first-team all-region selection.

Not only was she stellar on the court, Parnell racked up several prestigious academic awards. She was named an academic all-region selection, and she and Cambra Hughes were named first-team all-ASC West Division. Junior college transfer Chelsie Fowler was named the ASC West Newcomer of the Year.

Cross Country

Our new cross country team has had varying levels of success. The Cowgirls finished eighth at the American Southwest Conference Championship. Alyssa Thompson paced the Cowgirls at the Conference meet with an 18th-place finish.

The best event for the Cowgirls during the season was at the UT-Permian Basin meet, when they finished fourth. Ashley Huston finished eighth in her only meet of the season. Haylee Allen finished 15th and Thompson 16th in the meet.

The men did not have enough runners to score as a team in most events this season. However, Joe Rosas, Adam Dobbins, Jeffrey Nutt, and Josh Malacara laid a good foundation for the Cowboys next season.

Men’s Soccer

| Spring 2009

The men’s soccer team had another strong season as they finished with a record of 10-6-4. They finished second in the ASC with a record of 9-2-2, marking the sixth straight season that the Cowboys have advanced to the ASC Tournament.

The Cowboys only had two seniors on this year’s team and should be one of the top contenders to win the ASC next season. The Cowboys had 24 newcomers on the team going into the season.

Junior midfielder Estevan Arbaiza and sophomore defender Chris O’Brien were each named to the all-central region team. Freshman Isaiah Hicks was named the ASC Freshman of the Year. Arbaiza, O’Brien, senior defender Chinedu Okoro, junior forward Cody Oswald, and senior midfielder Roberto Martinez were named to the all-ASC teams.

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Women’s Soccer

Another year, another ASC title. The Cowgirls won their sixth straight league title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the sixth straight year. HSU also extended its NCAA-record conference unbeaten streak to 106 games. Overall, the Cowgirls posted a record of 15-3-4.

Christi Carr was named as the ASC Defensive Player of the Year and Sarah Stansell, Morgan Loyd, Amy Kuykendall, Jordan Morley, Carlyn Powers, Megan Ryan, and Carr were named to the all-ASC teams. Marcus Wood was named the ASC Coach of the Year.

Amy Kuykendall was named the league’s Top Scholar-Athlete and was also named academic all-district.

Football

Spring 2009 |

After a 6-4 record in the 2007 season, the 2008 football team came out with a point to prove, and they accomplished that by going 9-1 in the regular season and making it back to the NCAA playoffs.

The Cowboys lost in the regular season to Mary Hardin-Baylor 20-18, and then UMHB kicked a last-second field goal to beat HSU in the playoffs 38-35. Both games were heartbreakers for sure, but it also proved the Cowboys had come a long way in just one short season.

The biggest reason for the Cowboys improvement was a defense that was vastly improved. It went from last in the nation in scoring defense in 2007 to 71st in the nation. The defense was spearheaded by a young group that will mostly all return for 2009, making the defense one of the strengths of the team going into the season. They will miss all-American safety Matt Warnasch.

That is not to say the offense was not a big part as well. The Cowboys were third in the nation in total offense and Gagliardi finalist quarterback Justin Feaster threw for over 3,000 yards and had 31 touchdown passes. He was the ASC Offensive Player of the Year. Mychal Carrillo was a first-team all-American at wide receiver and four others on the offense were also named to other all-American teams including center Ryan Hunter, tackle Brian Fitzgearld, and tight end Jerrad Grisham.

The Cowboys once again got the job done in the classroom as well, as 20 players were named to the academic all-ASC team and four players: Ryan Hunter, Joe Bob Ratliff, ZaVious Robbins, and Matt Warnasch were named academic all-district.

Range Rider Magazine

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Keeling Coaches 500th Game

By Dave Coffield

Sports Report

Hardin-Simmons University’s head football coach Jimmie Keeling has coached a lot of football since his days at Hamilton High School.

On Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008, the 19-year HSU head coach reached a rare milestone in the sport; he coached his 500th career game. In all, Keeling has a career record of 352–137–11 in 50 seasons.

When Hardin-Simmons went looking for a coach to revive its program after a 27-year hiatus, it didn’t take long to find their man. Keeling’s ability to build a program from the ground up was key in his selection, and it didn’t take long for the Cowboys to become a dominant force in the conference. His teams won 11 conference titles from 1993 to 2004 and have a 155–46 record.

The influence Keeling has on his players often continues into their careers. “We have

over 120 guys who are coaching at collegiate and high school levels. Darren Allman ’94, one of our first recruits, was the head coach at Odessa Permian and is newly in that role for Austin Westlake. It is a thrill to have kids come from all different backgrounds and do well in life. That is probably the highlight for me.”

Keeling has very specific advice to young coaches: marry well.

“A coach’s wife has to be supportive of what you are doing. I am so grateful to have Susan and that she has been so involved in what I have been doing over the years.”

Evidence that Coach Keeling is still making a difference came in 2004 when the Fellowship of Christian Athletes selected him for the Grant Teaff Lifetime Achievement Award.

“My daily prayer is ‘God, if I am to do this, let me help the players and the coaches I am working with and be an influence on them.’”

HSU Names Carse as Men’s Basketball Coach

| Spring 2009

By Chad Grubbs

20 Range Rider Magazine

HSU’s Director of Athletics John Neese ’98/’02 has named Craig Carse as the 26th head coach in the history of the men’s basketball program.

Carse comes to Hardin-Simmons after a successful 13-year stint as the head coach at Division II Montana State University-Billings (MSUB), where he posted a career record of 211–137 and coached his teams to four NCAA Tournament berths and three PacWest Conference Championships. He is 290–190 overall as a head coach.

“HSU is rich in tradition and excellence,” said Carse. “I look forward to having a role in the continuation of the Cowboy success.”

Carse has coached at the NCAA Division I, II, and III, and NAIA levels, earning championships in the President’s Athletic Conference, the West Virginia Athletic Conference, the Southeastern Conference, the Pacific West Conference, and the Heartland Conference.

“Craig has tremendous experience at all levels of NCAA basketball,” said Neese. “He

has also demonstrated a keen understanding of how important recruiting is at the Division III level.”

Prior to MSUB, he spent two years as the executive vice president of the United States Basketball Academy. Prior to that, he was an assistant coach at Louisiana State University where he was the lead recruiter of Shaquille O’Neal and Chris Jackson. Under head coach Dale Brown, he helped lead the Tigers to a No. 1 national ranking.

Carse is a noted speaker and clinician, having lectured and taught the game of basketball nationally and internationally. He has represented the United States in Europe where he lectured at the Super Cup and also instructed the Chinese National Teams.

A native of Sistersville, West Virginia, Carse and his wife of 31 years, Leslie, have two adult children, David and Lindsey. Carse earned undergraduate degrees from Bethany College in West Virginia and a master’s degree from West Virginia University.

Campus News News Highlights

Visit the campus news archives at www.hsutx.edu/news for details on these stories and more.

University Sees Highest Number of Applications September 8, 2008 Freshmen compete for admission in third year of managed growth at HSU.

HSU Ex Headlines Texas Songwriters Concert September 17, 2008 Grammy Award winner Terri Hendrix headlines concert.

Forum Focuses on Prevention

September 18, 2008 Logsdon Seminary hosts “Keeping your Church Out of Court” conference.

Six White Horses Team Set

September 18, 2008 Judges pleased with large turnout for 2008-2009 team tryouts.

Cornerstone Series

September 24, 2008 Alumni Dr. Brent Gentzel and Dr. Steve Bezner featured speakers at the annual Cornerstone Series.

New Leland Scholars Named

September 29, 2008 Five honors students receive full-tuition scholarships.

Alumna Honors HSU Mentor

October 1, 2008 Social Work major receives surprise scholarship.

Criminal Court Case Held on Campus

October 9, 2008 District Judge Thomas Wheeler brings felony injury to a child case to Skiles Social Sciences Building courtroom.

George Knight Lectures

Kelley College of Business Fall Recognitions October 27, 2008 Delta Mu Delta welcomes 18 new members.

HSU Pair Take State PT Honors

October 28, 2008 Professor and student win top physical therapy awards.

Chick-fil-A Sponsors Cross-Town Showdown

November 4, 2008 Cows graze Forty Acres as Chick-fil-A’s Spirit Week kicks off.

Fall Dinner Theatre

November 10, 2008 HSU Theatre presents Willy Wonka.

HSU Musicians at the 2008 BGCT Convention

November 23, 2008 Performance draws standing ovation. View the video online.

Athletic Training Student Represents State

December 1, 2008 Athletic Training student Emily Jones one of two chosen from state to represent Texas at national conference.

December Commencement

December 8, 2008 Includes first Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy candidates.

First Leland Scholar Graduates

December 15, 2008 HSU salutes academic elite at December commencement.

Cowboy Band Achievement

December 17, 2008 HSU Cowboy Band names Holly Fidler as first female recipient of the Spears-Presley Award.

Spring 2009 |

October 14, 2008 A study in Philippians and Hebrews offers images of Christ in a dark world.

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Extensive Rare Bible Collection Given to HSU

| Spring 2009

Collection Includes Rare First Edition King James Bible

Dr. Charles and Roena Tandy have gifted Hardin-Simmons University with a rare and valuable collection of early and antique Bibles and Christian writings, some dating to the early 1500s.

Dr. Tandy, a 1949 HSU graduate, wanted to give something back to the university that had given him so much.

The collection includes a 1611 first edition King James Bible and a 1613 “Great She” Bible, which is an edition of the King James Version named for the correction of a previous printer’s error found in Ruth 3.

Also included is a 1541 edition of the Great Bible and a first edition of the Geneva Bible translated by Protestant reformers at Geneva in 1560.

The complete collection consists of 26 Bibles, 19 leaves and fragments, and 31 volumes of secondary literature. The collection is housed in the Rare Books room of the Richardson Library.

Read more on the HSU news archives online at www.hsutx.edu/news, December 10, 2008.

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Campus News Welcome to the Forty Acres!

New Faculty and Staff Dr. Jon Ashby

Dr. Jennifer Plantier

Craig Carse

Edgar Reed

Dr. Lindsay Edwards

Dr. Melody Rich

Abigail French

Sue Robinson

Awilda Hayes

Dr. Dee Romines

Dr. Ben Johnson

Dr. Steven Rosscoe

Olivia King

George Swanson

Dr. Melissa Madeson

Rachael Tomko

Jodie McGaughey

Salvador Torres

Visiting Professor of Speech-Language Head Basketball Coach Asst. Professor of Fitness and Sport Sciences Student Services Coordinator, PHSSN Instructor of Nursing Assistant Professor of Biology Instructor of Nursing Asst. Professor of Fitness and Sports Sciences Visiting Instructor of Accounting

Asst. Professor of Business and Marketing Visiting Instructor of Fitness and Sports Sciences Asst. Professor of Voice Visiting Asst. Professor of COHD Assoc. Professor of Music/Director HSU Chorale Instructor of Geology

Asst. Basketball Coach Residence Hall Director (Behrens) Graphic Designer

Jeffrey Miller Police Officer

Wait! Don’t throw away your old Range Rider.

Recycle It! Use it to share the exciting news about HSU.

Or include it with your paper recycling materials.

Spring 2009 |

Leave a copy in the waiting room at your office. Or perhaps in the waiting room of doctors, dentists, hair salons—the list is limited only by imagination. Even consider taking it to a local high school, nursing home, or church.

Range Rider Magazine

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Development News A Word from the VP for Institutional Advancement

Some of my fondest memories are of family water-skiing excursions on sweltering West Texas days. While we all enjoyed our own attempts at water gymnastics—especially when a fall was inevitable. Dad always reigned with his repertoire of special tricks, like skiing while holding the rope handle in his teeth or between his knees—you get the picture. Imagine my enjoyment when, as a teenager, I was able to be out behind the boat with him trying to master all of his “aquabatics.”

On one occasion, we did a dual-wake jump and met in the middle. During the maneuver, Dad’s heel slipped out of his right ski. While he was able to recover and not wipe out, he was struggling to hold his tow rope with one hand and re-secure his foot in his ski with the other. Seeing an opportunity, I offered to help him by holding his rope for him. As he handed me the rope, it dawned on him that

handing me the rope would render his ski problem moot.

As Christians, God has given us His lifeline—the rope.

Yet we are tempted every day to hand that lifeline off as we attempt to handle life’s problems on our own. Debt, work, and relationships all carry their own weight of stress and worry. Why, then, do we always carry these burdens with us, when God has made it clear that these are trivial under His grace?

At HSU we continually strive to strengthen our grip on Christ’s lifeline and encourage reliance on it among all of our students. This is accomplished through a great Christian faculty and staff and a campus environment of love and support. Your gifts help us make sure that at Hardin-Simmons University an education enlightened by faith is financially accessible to all.

Join us.

Leland Harden ’84 Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Why We Give

| Spring 2009

Audra (Haveman ’99 ex) and Brad Butler, MD ’97

24 Range Rider Magazine

Brad Butler sums up his motivation for giving to his alma mater simply, “We both had such a wonderful experience at HardinSimmons that we wanted to give back to help students who came after us.” Three years ago, as a surprise to Audra, Brad established an endowed scholarship in her honor. The couple has given to the scholarship regularly ever since.

A vocal performance major, Audra has the gift of a beautiful voice. She received training at Hardin-Simmons from first-rate musicians and renowned faculty who had a profound impact on her life— not just on her education, but her life as well. For Audra, music is a very personal form of worship that touches lives. To her, their scholarship enables them “to help godly

young adults further hone the natural gifts they have already been given.”

An anesthesiologist and flight surgeon, Brad says he was as well prepared for his profession as anyone from larger or better-known universities. A former Student Congress president, he was in the first class of the Leadership Minor Program, something that he says made him more well-rounded. “The leadership program added another dimension to my education and opened the door for other opportunities in medical school and beyond.”

Heavily involved in the Texas Medical Association as well as the American Medical Association, Brad credits his training in the leadership program for helping to pave the way.

Whether you are able to establish your own endowed scholarships as the Butlers have, or you support the Annual Scholarship Fund, your gifts directly benefit deserving students who need your help now more than ever.

New Endowments and Scholarships

Endowed scholarships ensure the future of the university.

Rosa Belle and Clarence Curtis Endowed Memorial Math Scholarship

This endowed memorial scholarship was established by John and Donna Curtis in memory of John’s parents.

His mother, Rosa Belle, received her MA from HSU, was a math instructor at the university during the 1940s, and worked in the campus bookstore.

John’s father, Clarence, was a Baptist minister and attended HSU throughout parts of his career. The scholarship will benefit junior or senior math majors seeking a degree and a teaching certificate for grades 8-12.

Recipients must be full-time students with no less than a 3.4 GPA. Read more online at www.hsutx.edu/news (May 27, 2009).

Doris Brazzil Endowed Scholarship

This scholarship was established through a bequest from Doris Brazzil. Mrs. Brazzil attended Hardin-Simmons in the 1960s where she met and married her husband, William R. Brazzil.

After receiving his teaching certificate from HSU, William and Doris moved to Arlington where she was employed by the Arlington Independent School District for 28 years. For most of those years, she served as a secretary in the business office at Sam Houston High School.

The scholarship is available to any full-time student with a 3.0 GPA or higher. Recipients must be free from disciplinary action and must meet the acceptance standards of the university without waivers or special qualifications.

Truett Latimer Endowed Scholarship in Political Science

This endowed scholarship was established by Harriett Latimer in honor of her husband, Truett, on his 80th birthday.

Truett graduated from HSU in 1951, and began a career in the insurance business before winning a seat in the 84th District of the Texas House of Representatives at age 25. He was re-elected several times and served as a State Representative until 1962.

During his tenure in the House, he also served as HSU alumni director for seven years. Truett later worked for the Texas Association of Realtors, was executive director of the Texas Historical Commission, and served as vice president for marketing and public relations with Spaw-Glass Construction.

In 1986 Truett became the president of the Houston Museum of Natural Science, retiring in 2001. He remains active as a trustee emeritus with the museum and continues to travel worldwide to produce IMAX films through his company Truett Latimer Productions.

Recipients of the scholarship must be professing Christians majoring in political science. Selected by the department head of the Department of Political Science, together with the dean of the Cynthia Ann Parker College of Liberal Arts, recipients must maintain a 2.5 GPA, have an active campus life, and demonstrate significant financial need.

Read more online at www.hsutx.edu/news (Oct. 14, 2008).

Read more online at www.hsutx.edu/news (May 27, 2009).

Spring 2009 | Range Rider Magazine

25

Light Saver

Bob Harrison spent his 30-year career making sure school environments were safe.

Bob Harrison

| Spring 2009

Retired Registered Sanitarian, Environmental Health Division Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission BS 1971 History

26 Range Rider Magazine

By Janlyn Thaxton

W

hen Bob Harrison graduated from HardinSimmons University in 1971, he was planning to become a teacher.

Although he did end up spending time in a lot of schools across Texas, it was not as a teacher.

In his 30-year career, a good bit of his time was spent in schools over a 44-county territory as a registered sanitarian for the State of Texas. Bob made recommendations over those years to school superintendents on how to make things better for their students and faculty. He says of his career, “I am terribly pleased to have ended up in public health.”

Getting his college degree did not come easy for Bob. He started school at HardinSimmons in 1957 because the ROTC program had such a good reputation. He ended up having to go into the Army after just two years at HSU, but was able to come back to finish up his degree in 1968 after the peace-time G. I. Bill was passed.

After receiving his Bachelor of Science degree from HSU, Bob sent out letters looking for that first teaching job. “Trouble was,” he said, “I wanted to teach in a small school. I didn’t want to go to Houston or any big cities.

I just couldn’t find a teaching job in any of the places I wanted to be.”

A Different Direction

Other Environments

During his time as an inspector for the state, from 1975 until his retirement in 2001, his job also included inspections of water systems, solid waste disposal, day care facilities, youth camps, and the licensing and inspection of on-site sewage disposal systems.

Bob tells a story of an incident that happened about 15 years ago in a city with a population just under 10,000. A property owner was having his home treated for termites when a neighbor noticed that the water coming out of her faucet was milky. An investigation revealed that a water hose had been left in the pesticide tank while filling it.

The toxic mixture siphoned into the water hose and flowed back into the water supply line for three miles. The city eventually ended up replacing the entire supply line to the subdivision to eliminate the toxin. “This classic example of back-siphoning and backflow is a common cause of contamination in water systems and is why all outside faucets should be equipped with back-flow preventers,” Bob explains.

Bob’s wife, Anita (McDonald ’71), passed away in 1998. Their two daughters and one son have given them seven grandchildren.

Bob continues to live in Abilene.

He may not have become a teacher, but his faithfulness to go the extra mile in his work made an impact on the lives of many children across a 44-county region of Texas.

Three things Bob says you can do…

1

Be aware of the problems household chemicals can cause. Make sure they are disposed of properly. Be careful when applying fertilizer or pesticides as a spray through a hose. Make sure you have an anti-backflow system on your water hose so chemicals are not siphoned into the system.

2 3

Recycle.

Be aware of the actions of other people and report violations of environmental laws you observe, like illegal dumping.

Spring 2009 |

So instead, he took a job with the Taylor County Health Department in Abilene when a man at his church mentioned there was a vacancy.

Three-and-a-half years later, Bob transferred to the Texas Department of Health, his territory stretching from Childress to Junction and Colorado City to Eastland.

Bob quickly learned that there were two kinds of sanitarians: the ones you didn’t want to see coming, and the others who treated people as they themselves would want to be treated. He says it was important to him to be that second kind of inspector. “They didn’t always want to hear what I had to say. “But many times after problems were fixed, school superintendents would be grateful for the recommendations.”

One of the most common problems Bob found in schools was a lack of lighting. That’s

not something one might associate with health inspectors, but as it turns out, it was something he looked at all the time. Many schools built prior to the 1980s were likely to have bad lighting. Often times, the bulbs were incandescent and sometimes the bottoms of the bulbs had been painted a dark color.

“I would mention to the superintendents of those schools that they could get surplus florescent fixtures from the state that would shed more light for half the wattage,” he says.

“Usually, on my next visit, they would tell me how much money that suggestion was saving the school district. Those comments always made me feel like I was doing my job well.”

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Protector of the Environment

Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Jay Green deals with the criminal element of environmental management.

Jay Green

| Spring 2009

Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge (ASAC) U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division BBS 1993 Police Science MS 1996 Environmental Management

28 Range Rider Magazine

By Brenda Harris photos by Jeanette Cordero

J

ay Green was fired from his first full-time job. He had gone to work as a busboy in a bar, and when the proprietors found out he was only 13, they had to let him go. His father had died when he was nine years old, and Jay did what he could to help support the family.

Unaffected by the firing setback, at 14 he found another job with a convenience store in East Detroit. He worked there the next five years until graduating from high school and joining the Air Force.

Ironically, one of his first responsibilities at the convenience store was to sort through cockroach-infested trash bags and clean out returnable glass bottles for recycling.

Protecting the Environment

A Career With the EPA

Jay loves his work—the people and the cases. He is the frontline manager of EPACID’s San Francisco Area Office and its subordinate offices in Sacramento, Honolulu, Phoenix, San Diego, and Los Angeles. He supervises 14 employees that include special agents and administrative personnel. He is

Solid hazardous waste produced from cyanide baths used in the metal plating process leaks from its containers in a Dallas warehouse. (Photo courtesy of Jay Green.)

What Is the EPA?

The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency was formed by Congress in 1970 to protect human health and the environment. EPA’s criminal enforcement program was established in 1982, and today is made up of environmental forensic scientists and engineers, attorneys, training specialists, and sworn, federal special agents. EPA-CID special agents investigate knowing, willful, and negligent violations of the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and a host of other environmental laws administered by the EPA. EPA-CID special agents have statutory authority to carry firearms, make arrests for any federal crime, and to execute and serve any warrant.

Spring 2009 |

Today, Jay plays a much larger role in keeping the environment clean. His job is to stop those who abuse environmental laws. He takes that job seriously, knowing he is not only protecting the environment, but also the people in it.

One such case involved a Chinese immigrant who had come to America shortly after the Vietnam War with no money and no education—just a desire to pursue the American Dream. When Jay met Shau Lei “Charlie” Shang in 2007, he had built up a successful property rental business in the Dallas Metroplex.

At first glance, Shang’s industrial warehouse, the size of two football fields, looked innocuous enough. But inside, thousands of gallons and pounds of hazardous chemical waste had been illegally stored. When Shang rented the building to the metal plater, he had no idea that criminal activity would be taking place there.

Solid and liquid hazardous waste is produced from cyanide baths used in the metal plating process. Proper disposal of the waste isn’t just a necessity—it’s the law. It’s also expensive.

Jay had dealt with Shang’s tenant (we’ll call him Frank) on previous occasions—one of which involved Frank-the-felon in the possession of a loaded shotgun. True to form, Frank’s

only concern was his bottom-line profit, and rather than obtain permits and properly dispose of the waste, he carelessly stored and then abandoned it in Shang’s warehouse, leaving behind a chemical time bomb that had to be cleaned up.

Frank had previously avoided incarceration for his numerous crimes by manipulating the legal system. Jay, determined to finally put Frank behind bars, arranged for Shang to act as an informant and wear a wire to elicit incriminating statements.

It worked. Frank was eventually convicted for the crime, fined, and is spending time in prison. But it was Shang and his family who ended up paying for the cleanup of the huge mess Frank created at the warehouse.

Before Frank’s case went to trial, Shang was diagnosed with stage-four cancer.

Knowing he wouldn’t live long enough to go to trial, Shang agreed to an emotionallycharged deposition with the defense attorney.

Shang had wanted to leave his livelihood to his family, but now the profits from his lifetime of hard work would be spent cleaning up the improperly stored waste, which by now had started to leak from its containers.

After Shang died in May 2008, the burden fell to his 22-year-old daughter who was left paying taxes on a property she couldn’t rent out until the hazardous materials were properly cleaned up—an expense potentially reaching as much as a million dollars.

This is the kind of crime Jay works hard to stop—crime that not only destroys our planet but also destroys lives.

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1

Three things Jay says you can do…

Reduce your “carbon footprint.” If every American consumer would buy more “in bulk,” drive more fuel-efficient vehicles, or take public transportation or carpool once in a while, reduce the amount of water they use or electricity and/or natural gas they burn—America could become more a part of the global environmental solution and less a part of the global environmental problem.

2

Teach your children, younger siblings, parents and friends to respect our planet and engage each day in the environmental stewardship God expects of man.

| Spring 2009

3

Report an Environmental Violation by going to www.epa.gov/compliance/complaints/ index.html

30 Range Rider Magazine

responsible for criminal case selection and investigative planning, as well as coordination between EPA-CID and EPA Region 9, various U. S. Attorney’s Offices, the U. S. Department of Justice, and dozens of state and local partners.

Jay doesn’t have to pull his weapon often, but it’s there if he needs it. “You wouldn’t think environmental criminals would be dangerous, but some of them have violent felony convictions as well.

We have to be prepared for anything when we execute a warrant.”

Jay’s journey into the world of environmental protection began when he left the convenience store at age 19. By that time, he was managing the store and had excelled in high school. He had the grades to attend college, but not the money, so he joined the Air Force in order to complete his education.

Fortunately Jay’s first duty assignment was at Dyess AFB in Abilene,

allowing him access to the education he so greatly desired. While still in the Air Force, Jay earned three degrees: an associate degree in police science from Cisco Junior College (CJC) in Abilene, a bachelor’s degree in police science and a master’s degree in environmental management from HSU. He was hired right out of grad school in 1996 by the EPA to work in Dallas’s EPA Region 6 as a hazardous waste enforcement officer, and by 1997, was working as a special agent in EPACID’s Dallas Area Office. In January 2008, Jay was promoted to assistant special agent-in-charge of EPA-CID’s San Francisco Area Office.

Jay met his wife, April (Svab ’96), while they were students at CJC and they married while both were enrolled at Hardin-Simmons. They have two daughters, Bethanne (13) and Chloe (9).

American Consumption By the Numbers

81

How much paper does the average American use each year?

81 pounds. (Source: Idahoforests.org)

6

How much electricity does the typical American household use per year?

10,000 kwh—the equivalent of 6 barrels of crude oil, 36,000 cubic feet of natural gas, or 1.7 tons of coal. (Source: American Evergreen Foundation)

4.6

How much trash does the average American generate per day?

4.6 pounds, which means 230 million tons of trash in the United States per year. (Source: Learner.org)

500

How much gasoline does the average American use per year?

500 gallons, and the average vehicle is driven more than 12,000 miles per year. (Source: Energy Information Administration)

40 15

How much junk mail does each American get per year?

40 pounds. (Source: TIME) How much do Americans spend on bottled water per year? $15 billion (Source: FastCompany.com)

much water does the average American use at home per day?

80-100 How 80-100 gallons.

(Source: U. S. Geological Survey)

Range Rider Magazine

Spring 2009 |

2

How many recyclables do Americans throw away in a year?

2 million plastic bottles an hour, and enough aluminum cans annually to make six thousand DC-10 airplanes. (Source: PBS)

31

Caretaker of the Garden

And the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. ~ Genesis 2:15 NIV

David Holland

| Spring 2009

Watershed Lead Shoreland and Environmental Assessment Program Washington State Department of Ecology BA 1974 Bible and Geology

32 Range Rider Magazine

By Brenda Harris

D

avid Holland graduated from HSU in 1974 with an unusual double major: Bible and Geology. Even though some may consider theology and science to be contradictory, David sees these parallel tracks as perfectly complementary— especially in the area of environmental management. “I think it’s important to have the appreciation of nature as a personal value. It’s interesting to see in Genesis that Adam’s job before the Fall was to be a caretaker of God’s creation. An ethic of environmental stewardship is quite compatible with Christian values.”

After graduating from HSU, David earned a Master of Divinity degree at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1977. He met his wife there, quipping that, “My mother and father met at Hardin-Simmons when they were students there, and both my brother and sister met their spouses at HSU. I had to go to seminary to find my wife.” David has worked as a bi-vocational pastor over the years, serving churches in Colorado, Texas, and Washington.

Environmental Research

Further Study

The job with AFS also included a full scholarship to Baylor, and David completed his Master of Science in environmental management there in 1983. He was fascinated by the challenges presented in environmental studies. “I was, and still am, attracted to environmental studies by the challenge of trying to quantify and understand the multifaceted aspects of interaction between man and nature and what responsibilities man may have toward God’s creation. I continue to ask questions every day. How can we best understand our roles as ‘caretakers?’ (Man’s first job). Is technology the problem or the solution? How do we distinguish between legitimate environmental issues and popular paranoia? And, I am continually intrigued by the interesting dance that takes place between science and sociology.”

For his master’s thesis, David asked the question, “How much ethanol can we produce in this country and how can it replace petroleum?”

His answer was that, over time, we could replace petroleum gallon for gallon, but it would require drastic changes in the way the American agriculture system works. It would involve using more waste—anything with starches or sugars—to create fuel, and using crops that could be grown on marginal lands rather than relying heavily on corn for fuel.

American agriculture systems have changed in the 25 years since he wrote his thesis, and David believes more can be done in the future to decrease our dependency on oil. He said it would also involve a major change in economic policy. “The money we spend on foreign oil could be used to help American farmers build up our own economy and communities.”

David sees an environmental danger involved when dealing with economics and policy. “The issues get so complicated that it’s hard for laypeople to understand, and then

What is a watershed?

It’s the area of land that catches rain and snow and drains or seeps into a marsh, stream, river, lake, or groundwater. Homes, farms, ranches, forests, small towns, big cities and more can make up watersheds. Some watersheds cross county, state, and even international borders.

They come in all shapes and sizes. Some are millions of square miles while others are just a few acres. Just as creeks drain into rivers, watersheds are nearly always part of a larger watershed.

Watersheds supply drinking water, provide recreation and respite, and sustain life. More than $450 billion in food and fiber, manufactured goods, and tourism depend on clean water and healthy watersheds.

The drinking water we receive from our local drinking water utilities or individual wells comes from ground water, streams, rivers, springs, or lakes in a watershed.

Although most water requires some treatment before use, protecting this source water is an important part of providing safe drinking water to the public. Protecting drinking water sources usually requires the combined efforts of many partners such as public water systems, communities, resource managers, and the public.

This information obtained from www.epa.gov and www.conservationinformation.com.

Spring 2009 |

Once he completed seminary, David began work on a PhD in religion and philosophy at Baylor University, but due to financial difficulties, couldn’t finish. But, while at Baylor, a question raised in an ethics class piqued his interest in environmental issues. This interest led to David being offered a job working in fuel alcohol research at Alternative Fuel Systems (AFS), an independent company that worked closely with Baylor faculty and staff.

The researchers developed a solarpowered vacuum distillation system using innovative feedstock for energy production.

In the initial project, the researchers worked with World Hunger to develop a sustainable energy source based on sweet sorghum or similar crops indigenous to third-world countries, specifically Honduras.

The researchers’ energy-efficient production system also used solar energy to distill alcohol from waste candy bars, after they were fermented into alcohol, and then blended with

fuel for cars. Their groundbreaking research aired on the popular 1980s television show That’s Incredible.

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1 2 3

Three things David says you can do…

Live simply. We often buy or acquire much more “stuff” than we need or can use. Quality of life does not correlate to quantity of “stuff.”

Reuse. Try not to waste resources. Reuse was something our parents or grandparents did to survive the hard times in the past.

| Spring 2009

Enjoy and appreciate nature. An ethic of environmental stewardship is quite compatible with Christian values. The more we are out in the environment, the stronger our sense of value becomes of what God gave us, and we don’t want to waste that gift.

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politicians, who don’t always understand the scientific ramifications, make decisions that on first blush seem environmentally sound, but may in the end create bigger problems. We don’t address some environmental issues until it’s economically urgent, and then we react out of fear rather than reason.”

Ministry

David recently had an opportunity to use his scientific skills in a labor of Christian ministry. In November 2008, he conducted a workshop in Venezuela, teaching the importance of water pollution prevention, how to care for natural resources, and methods of water treatment.

This was not David’s first trip to Venezuela. He’s been on 15 mission trips over the years, helping plant churches there as well as in Peru and Mexico. A member of one of these

planted churches in Venezuela works at the water treatment plant there and asked David to conduct the workshop.

He explains that the Catholic societies of South America are not always open to direct evangelism. “It was an excellent opportunity to share the Gospel. Representatives attended from several water treatment companies that treat water for a population of over a million people. Working with them on a practical level opened a lot of doors for ministry.” Voluntarily sharing his knowledge and skills with them adds credibility to the evangelical message.

Above all else, David believes theology and environmental issues cannot be separated. “As believers, we have to have a consistency in what we think and in what we do. God made our environment—that’s what creates the balance in theology and environmentalism.”

How Green is Our Campus?

Along with millions of Americans who are shifting to a “greener” culture—one that embraces environmental responsibility—HSU has begun an initiative to encourage and educate the campus community on “Going Green.” A committee comprised of faculty, staff, and students has been formed and is taking a comprehensive approach to get everyone on campus involved and on the same page.

Campus Renovations

Several campus renovations in the past few years have included energy-efficient systems that are also saving the university money.

For example, using non-city-restricted effluent water rather than treated water for campus irrigation has resulted in significant savings.

From April 2008 to March 2009, the campus used 35,152,000 gallons of effluent water on campus grounds and athletic fields, which saved the university more than $50,000.

Also, in recent dorm bathroom upgrades, water-efficient toilets and showerheads were installed to help reduce the amount of treated water used by the campus. New energy-efficient boilers were installed in the dorms and several other buildings and should save about 30% on natural gas usage. A computerized management system was added with the replacement of a couple of chillers and pumps for the heating and cooling system, which helps to reduce energy and runs the systems more efficiently.

Several years ago, the fluorescent lighting in most of the campus buildings was updated in order to reduce the amount of electricity being used. And the millennium lights that illuminate the campus use energy-efficient high-pressure sodium bulbs.

Recycling Efforts

Several departments make efforts to use the proceeds from recycling to help fund mission activities. The Physical Therapy Department, for example, deposits the money they receive from recycling soft drink cans into their missions account.

The Financial Aid Office reduces the amount of paper used by accepting only digital versions of products generated and supplied by school lenders. All loan and lender information is provided on the HSU website in a lender library for student and parent access.

The Richardson Library recycles books through Better World Books, an organization that collects and sells books online to fund literacy initiatives worldwide. Several of the staff in the library also reuse paper by making scratch pads for the computer kiosks.

The Student Development Office is working on new parking regulations that will keep emissions lower by restricting dorm residents to parking only in their respective dorm lots.

Technology Services donates old reusable computers whenever possible and takes unusable systems to be disposed of properly. The department is currently setting up a virtual server system that will reduce the number of physical servers used from 28 to about five.

This will reduce the amount of energy used to run the equipment, plus the “smart” system will shut itself down when not in use.

The University Print Shop reuses scrap paper to make scratch pads, and old phone books from across campus are collected in the Sandefer basement and given to schools that recycle them.

Confidential documents produced through the Accounting, Human Resources, and Enrollment Services areas are sent to a shredding service that uses a hammer-mill process guaranteeing documents cannot be reassembled. That paper is then recycled by the shredding service.

EPA Regulations

The issues of environmental safety are being attended to by departments such as Maintenance, Science, and Art where chemicals are stored and disposed of. HSU is entering into a program with ICUT (Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas) where colleges perform self-inspections to ensure the proper storage and disposal of chemicals and items such as computers and fluorescent light bulbs.

A Greener Future

A lot of people on the HSU campus are doing their part to be environmentally responsible. And with encouragement and education, even more Go Green efforts are expected in the future.

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Through the efforts of the HSU Neighborhood Enhancement Center, recycling receptacles were installed near the campus for the collection of paper, plastic, cardboard, glass, aluminum, and bimetal cans. There is also a cardboard recycling receptacle behind the HSU cafeteria.

Many individuals across campus collect and recycle paper, plastic, and aluminum cans in their offices. Next fall a campus-wide recycling effort will be encouraged. Last November, Baptist Student Ministries (BSM) held a Go Green fund-rasing event for Mission Thanksgiving, during which they painted recycling bins. In the fall of 2009, these bins will be installed in the lobby of each dorm, in the BSM Office area, and in the basement of Moody Center.

In addition to having collection boxes for recycled paper under their desks, many across campus conserve paper by printing on both sides and by reusing paper that has been printed on only one side.

Departmental Endeavors

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Quieting the Growl

Brian Brewer follows God’s call from environmental science to the mission field.

Brian Brewer

| Spring 2009

Missionary and Environmental Scientist BA 2004 Bible and Chemistry MDiv 2008 MS 2008 Environmental Management

36 Range Rider Magazine

By Chelbie Bolton ’09

I

n the eastern Himalayas, it’s only 10 miles from a village with water to one without water. On foot, the hike seems much longer. Bringing in supplies by pack mule, Brian Brewer and the locals who help him are greeted by residents anxious to take part in building their community.

Yet Brian’s intention to help quickly becomes sitting, waiting, watching—observing the pride and curious refusal of help as the indigenous men build a dam and makeshift sewage system. No longer will the water they bathe in be the same water their children drink from. And with ownership, they can say, “This is the dam we built,” instead of, “This is the dam the Americans built.”

Preparing for the Journey

Brian doesn’t look like a scholar. His quiet demeanor and baseball cap disguise the three degrees he has earned from Hardin-Simmons.

And what an interesting combination of degrees: Brian received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2004 as a Bible/chemistry double major. He went on to earn a Master of Divinity degree plus, in 2008, a Master of Science degree in environmental management.

Additionally intriguing is that this adjunct professor is also the youth minister at Anson Baptist Church.

As he prepares to leave the country for at least two years, possibly indefinitely, Brian must say goodbye to the students he has mentored and watched mature. His last few days before leaving Texas for training are spent not only packing, but also transitioning and trying to set up a summer mission trip for his youth group once he is gone.

From Environmental to Missions

planting techniques, and sanitation problems is both believable and welcomed.

The terrain of the eastern Himalayas makes it hard to reach many of the small villages located deep within the hills. From an American standpoint, it is difficult to imagine asking someone, “Have you ever heard about a man named Jesus” and the answer being “No, who is that?” But for Brian and his team, the response is all too familiar.

Listening to the Call

Brian has called the Anson Baptist Church parsonage home for almost four years. Born and reared in Fort Worth, Brian attended Springdale Baptist Church throughout high school. While attending a summer camp at Hardin-Simmons between his junior and senior years of high school, he developed an interest in the university.

Though many of his friends stayed close to home and attended local schools, he found himself wanting to branch out and get away from the fast-paced Metroplex. Studying as a Bible minor and then major, Brian enjoyed learning the history behind the stories he had heard in Sunday school. What began as curiosity ultimately led to a calling.

Following the Master’s Example

Brian’s goal is to use his natural talent for environmental science to open doors and hearts. “Just as Jesus often healed on more than one level when performing miracles, it is my personal goal to help not just their spiritual needs, but also their physical needs,” Brian explains. “These people can’t hear the Gospel over the growl of their stomachs.”

Spring 2009 |

The jump from environmental management to missions came through a not so far-fetched medium: Logsdon School of Theology. As Brian explains, in the seminary students are allowed to take one non-Logsdon or university-wide elective course.

Brian chose an environmental management course with Dr. Mark Ouimette, which sparked an interest in that field. “I appreciated

the practicality of it; the hands-on nature of the program. It featured more of a commonsense type approach, rather than a ‘save the world’ or ‘go green’ stance.”

Brian looks back on the “Pecos River Course” as one of his fondest memories in the program. The short course featured selected reading and preparation meetings, culminating in a three-day trip on the Pecos.

“We started at the head of the river in New Mexico and followed the river down, running samples on the water as we went. In addition to learning a lot about West Texas history, it gave us a chance to focus on pollution issues; to consider the why and how and what we could do to fix this.”

The Environmental Science program at HSU allows the department to tailor the schedule according to students’ needs. In Brian’s case, this included an internship which built the foundation for his current mission work.

His first trip to the Himalayan region came after his first year in seminary and was spent mainly doing mission work and college ministry. But his second trip, under the auspices of the environmental management internship, allowed him to foster relationships with local people who also feel compelled to share the gospel. Brian noted that living on his own with no translator gave him a new appreciation for those with language barriers. “I gained a lot of patience for people in America learning English.”

Having already considered a career in missions, receiving a degree in environmental management was more than just an opportunity to further his education. It was a way in. “Having a degree provides credibility, especially to a foreign government. It would be much more difficult to gain access without a set of skills to offer. To put it plainly, my degree gives me a secret purpose.”

In an undisclosed country not open to missions, it is still possible to gain access under the platform of humanitarian work. In a village where agriculture is one of the main sources of income, the premise of speaking with farmers about agricultural issues,

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Superheroes

Three environmental managers make a difference in the quality of life at Dyess Air Force Base.

Brian Danko

Water Quality Program Manager Environmental Management Group, Dyess AFB MS 1998 Environmental Management

Gary Burling

| Spring 2009

Hazardous Waste Manager Environmental Management Group, Dyess AFB BS 1998 Biology MS 2000 Environmental Management

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Jim Armstrong

Air Quality Program Manager Environmental Management Group, Dyess AFB BS 1996 Environmental Management MS 2004 Environmental Management

By Brenda Harris

The sky darkens. Jim Armstrong, Gary Burling, and Brian Danko gather in a circle and touch their fisted knuckles together summoning Captain Planet. Jim’s bold “AIR!” permeates the darkness, followed by Brian’s fearless “WATER!” and Gary’s . . . “waste?”

Okay, the analogy does start to fall apart at that point.

Admittedly, we don’t have Captain Planet’s five Planeteers with their rings representing earth, fire, wind, water, and heart, but the three environmental managers do represent the three elements that make up the core of what environmental science is all about. And if you add in their immediate supervisor, David Laurence ’83/’96, and his supervisor, Teresa Clouse ’96, you do get five members.

This team makes up the environmental management group at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene. Teresa and David are both graduates of HSU’s first environmental management master’s class in 1996. Teresa is the asset management flight chief and David is the section chief for the Environmental Management Group at Dyess. Jim, Brian, and Gary are program managers for the group, with Jim responsible for air quality, Brian for water quality, and Gary for hazardous waste.

The three have known each other for 10 years, having met during their student days at HSU. Gary and Brian worked together at the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for four years and Jim worked at Cardinal Labs before the trio went to work at Dyess in 2004.

A Small City

Jim Armstrong

Jim, who grew up in Clyde, Texas, came to HSU because of the religious affiliation and the location. He began his environmental career under the tutelage of Dr. Richard Garner and his son Dale Garner when HSU partnered with a private firm to create Anviron Laboratory, an environmental lab operated on

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They explain that Dyess is like a small city when it comes to environmental management. Their jobs involve maintaining compliance in both the housing area and in the industrial-type shops across the base.

Jim’s job primarily consists of ensuring base personnel adhere to all federal and state clean air regulations through the Federal Clean Air Act and amendments and the Texas air quality regulations. He trains personnel on proper techniques for controlling and reporting air emissions from their processes, and he researches and identifies alternative processes to reduce or prevent excess air pollution.

And, of course, there’s the record-keeping of all required permits, usage data, and emissions inventories for regulatory and historical purposes. He also provides technical assistance to other base offices on current and future air quality regulations that may affect the base.

Jim explains, “Dyess has numerous air emission sources such as natural gas water heaters, emergency generators, paint booths, aircraft engine-testing, and fuel storage. All of these sources have certain regulatory requirements as specified in

federal and state law. I strive to educate the base populace on these requirements in order to prevent Dyess AFB from excessively polluting the air.”

Brian’s job is similar in scope, helping to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations regarding drinking water and waste water. For waste water, this involves developing pollution prevention plans for storm water runoff control and obtaining permit authorization for discharges from construction sites and the military family housing area. He also samples storm water runoff from the base’s industrialized areas and submits annual reports to the state.

For drinking water, this involves working with water operators at the base to ensure they meet safe drinking water standards and respond effectively to any water problems within the distribution system. “I develop operating and monitoring plans and report as needed to the public and TCEQ regarding the quality of drinking water at Dyess.”

The most fundamental requirement of the Hazardous Waste Program Manager position is to ensure that the base is in compliance with all state and federal environmental regulations regarding hazardous waste management, such as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and its amendments.

Gary is responsible for communicating overall direction and policy for hazardous waste management at Dyess. “I must ensure that every waste generated at our facility is properly characterized and disposed of and that all required documentation is maintained. I am also charged with promoting pollution prevention and minimizing the amount of hazardous waste we generate.”

Gary explains that four years ago, Dyess generated over 49,000 pounds of hazardous waste. In 2008 that amount was reduced to just over 27,000 pounds. The reduction was achieved by employing technological solutions as well as by substituting hazardous chemical products with non-hazardous products.

“There are 96 different locations on base that generate hazardous waste. Well-informed personnel are key to proper hazardous waste management. Therefore, I train personnel from each shop in the appropriate management of hazardous waste (over 700 people per year) and subsequently visit the shops on a routine basis to ensure that day-to-day implementation of base policies is accomplished.”

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the 2nd floor of the Sid Richardson Science Building at HSU. Anviron was sold to Cardinal Laboratories in 1995 and Jim moved to Cardinal in the transfer.

Jim continued with Cardinal for seven years, analyzing soil, water, and other environmental media for presence of contamination from sources such as leaking underground storage tanks. He attributes his days at Anviron with Dr. Garner and Dale for inspiring him to become an environmental professional. “My experience with Anviron changed my direction in life. I was originally pre-pharmacy and changed to the environmental management program that has resulted in a career that is both highly rewarding and challenging.

Thanks to HSU and Dr. Garner!”

When he’s not playing fantasy football with Gary and Brian, Jim enjoys outdoor sports. He says he’s into tennis right now, “but that may change.”

Gary Burling

When Gary isn’t protecting the environment, he enjoys fishing, camping, and watching sports (especially HSU football). He is originally from Pecos, Texas, and came to HSU in part because his older brother was here playing football.

He is married to Shaylee (Richardson ’99/’03), who is an assistant professor of accounting at HSU. They have two children, five-year-old Alex and Evan who was born Dec. 18, 2008.

Brian Danko

Brian is originally from Albany, NY, and came to Abilene to attend McMurry University where he earned a BS degree in natural science. He and his wife, Jodi, wanted to remain in Abilene, so he came to HSU for the environmental management program. After completing the program, Brian worked at TCEQ for six years before going to Dyess. It was during his time at TCEQ that the space shuttle went down in Texas, and he was part of the team that recovered dangerous chemicals from the fuel cells before they were lifted for reclamation.

How You Can Help the Environment…

Three things Jim says you can do…

1

Maintain your vehicle. Change the oil, check tire pressures, drive the speed limit, reduce idling, and decrease excess weight by removing items from your car that aren’t necessary. All these activities will increase your gas mileage, thus reducing emissions from your car’s exhaust. Vehicle emissions are the largest air polluter in our area. And as an added bonus, you save money by purchasing less fuel for your vehicle.

2

Be energy conscious in your home. Turn off lights when not in use, adjust your thermostat to 78 in the summer and 68 in the winter, weatherize windows and doors, replace old, inefficient appliances, and ensure your attic is properly insulated. These activities will significantly lower your electric bill every month and reduce emissions from fossil fuel-burning power plants.

3

Be energy conscious in your office. Again, turn off lights and adjust thermostats. Unplug electronics when not in use and activate “standby” power settings for copiers and printers that cannot be turned off. And if possible, set up a car pool program with other co-workers. Again, all of these are money-saving ideas that also reduce air pollution.

Three Things Gary says you can do…

municipalities offer these services and will typically accept many hazardous items generated in a household such as used oil, batteries, and paint. These programs keep these kinds of items out of municipal landfills, which aren’t really designed to handle these types of wastes.

2

Experiment with some of the less hazardous household cleaning products on the market. While some do not perform as well as their more toxic counterparts, others are just as effective.

3

Electronic waste is a growing problem in today’s society.

Recycle or donate used electronics such as cell phones and computers.

Three things Brian says you can do . . .

1 2 3

Washing full versus partial loads of laundry and using cold water can reduce annual water usage and reduce utility bills.

When brushing your teeth, turn the water off till you need to rinse. Small amounts add up over a year.

Collect and retain rain water runoff from your roof for later watering needs during dry periods.

1

Find out if there is an environmental recycling center or household hazardous waste collection center in your area. Many

Outside the environmental management arena, Brian enjoys (among other things) golfing, fishing, and watching sports on TV.

What Can Be Done About Environmental Issues?

Spring 2009 |

All three environmentalists agree that global warming is real and man’s contribution to this problem needs continued research and debate. They also point out that pollution is a definite problem with a definite solution: place limitations on what can be put into the atmosphere.

They believe the next generation of scientists and engineers will be crucial in developing advances in technology. Jim explains, “New technology is needed that will allow us to harness wind energy, to store that energy, and to build the infrastructure that will take the energy where it’s needed.”

And as far as recycling is concerned, they also agree that every little bit helps. As Gary points out, “Lots of people add up.

We don’t do it because it’s a little extra work. It’s all about convenience.” And as Brian notes, “There’s got to be a market for it. If you’re recycling plastic, then buy recycled plastic. Unless you’re buying what you recycle, the market dies out.”

The three made it clear that environmental management is not the Dyess airmen’s top priority—they are soldiers first and foremost. Serving and protecting their country takes precedence over everything else they do. So Jim, Gary, and Brian do their best to streamline their environmental requirements so it doesn’t take up more of the soldiers’ time than necessary.

As Captain Planet reminds his Planeteers: “the power is yours.” We all have the responsibility and the ability to make a difference in the environment in which we live.

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Appreciating the Environment Jeff Rennells enjoys the environment he helps protect.

Jeff Rennells

| Spring 2009

Senior Project Manager Green Star Environmental BS 1992 Geology MS 1996 ENVM

42 Range Rider Magazine

By Brenda Harris

W

Jeff Rennells, his daughter Chris, and seven-year-old granddaughter Ashlie atop Guadalupe Peak (highest point in Texas) in February 2007. Ashlie is the first of Jeff’s eight grandchildren to make it to the top of Guadalupe. (Photo courtesy Jeff Rennells. See more of Jeff’s photos http://community.webshots.com/user/hrox55.)

includes for Jeff and two of his daughters mountain climbing in Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Scotland, England, and Wales. While stationed in England, Jeff was determined to summit all four of the highest mountains in the UK. He summitted Mt. Snowdon in Wales four times, with three of those climbs during the winter. “I tried Sheffield Peak in England with my daughter who was four years old at the time but only got her to a lake on the saddle of the mountain (one mile short of the summit). This attempt was during the rains from hurricane Gloria, so we had a small window for the attempt.”

Jeff also summitted Ben Nevis in Scotland, which starts close to sea level and reaches more than 4,000 feet. “While on a camping trip at Glen Nevis, Bonnie told me that if I could be back before noon the following day, I could attempt it. So I got up at 5 in the morning and did the eight-mile trek and was back by noon. I was pretty sore the rest of the trip traveling in the car.”

Jeff does his part to keep the environment free of humancreated debris, helping his clients with waste management and with finding ways to minimize costs tied to resources. “With the population continuing to grow, we need to find ways to reuse items we have or to do without some things.” Jeff encourages his clients to use water efficiently. “We don’t know what it’s going to be like in 30 years—depletion rates are not constant. It can’t hurt to be careful.”

Three things Jeff says you can do…

1 2 3

Take advantage of the municipal programs in place to recycle, dispose of wastes, and manage the resources provided.

Try not to use businesses that continue to use poor environmental practices.

Be proactive toward the environment but also be realistic and aware of different economical approaches that will still meet the same goal.

Range Rider Magazine

Spring 2009 |

hether he’s kayaking Lake Ouachita in Arkansas or summitting Mount Snowden in Wales, Jeff Rennells stays close to the environment.

On Lake Ouachita, he breathes in the morning air, lit by the sun burning through the early mist. The pristine water reflects the red and gold of the autumn leaves surrounding the lake. With each dip of his Greenland paddle, cold water splashes him awake. This scene is as it should be. An environment untouched by the wastes of man. An environment as close to original design as man will see this side of Eternity.

Then on Monday, Jeff returns to the traffic exhaust, the din of engines, and the grime of industrialization. His work is in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex where he uses his skill to help find solutions to eradicate environmental damage.

As senior project manager for Green Star Environmental, Jeff is a consultant who helps determine if environmental impacts have been left behind from active or historical industrial activities. He is normally called in during property transactions when the property or surrounding properties have a history of chemical use, such as gas stations, dry cleaners, manufacturing, or industrial uses which could have impacted the subsurface environment by leeching chemicals into the soil and groundwater.

Green Star provides the property owner or potential property owner with recommendations if there are environmental impacts. They provide the needed support to remediate the impacted property through state programs to meet the state’s environmental standards.

Green Star also provides prevention-related environmental measures by creating or reviewing plans for spill prevention countermeasure control and storm water pollution prevention plans.

They also help in the management of plans for wastes, health and safety programs, and air compliance-related programs.

Jeff’s personal interests focus on the environment as well.

While kayaking and mountain climbing, Jeff watches for fossils and rocks. This interest stems from having grown up in the mining country of Iron Mountain, Michigan. “I used to go into old mining stopes and look at rocks. I was always curious as to how it got there and why it was what it was.”

Jeff completed a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology while overseas in the Air Force, but had always wanted to get a degree in geology. So while stationed at Dyess in Abilene, he took advantage of HSU’s geology program. “HSU had a great geology program, with a wonderful faculty. I was looking at three different degree programs, but after spending four hours talking with Dr. Hughes, who was head of the department then, I didn’t need to look any further.” After completing a bachelor’s degree in geology in 1992, Jeff continued at HSU to finish his master’s degree in environmental management in 1996.

When he’s not kayaking, Jeff and his wife, Bonnie, with three daughters, a son, and eight grandchildren, spend as much time as possible outdoors enjoying what nature has to offer. This

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Regulating the Environment Mike Taylor works for the agency that ensures environmental quality and safety for Texas.

Mike Taylor

| Spring 2009

Air and Waste Section Manager Texas Commission on Environmental Quality BS 1991 Geology MS 1996 Environmental Management

44 Range Rider Magazine

By Leland Harden ’84

landed a job with the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, which is now known as the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).

“I have the hardest time explaining my work. It’s the equivalent of the EPA for the state.” Since Texas is such a big state, the environmental agency is large: 2,600 people.

To really be available for its citizens, the commission has 16 regional offices across the state. Their structure is primarily to be investigative offices.”

The Abilene office is responsible for 30 counties, and its primary functions are compliance and enforcement.

Mike began in the agency as an environmental investigator in the air quality section and has been the air and waste section manager for the last two years. “The rules and regulations can be a little overwhelming.”

Mike explains, “Title V of the federal Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) requires major sources to obtain a federal operating permit, which the state issues. With limited resources, the state risk-ranks facilities to determine which facilities are investigated annually. The facilities with federal operating permits are investigated annually by either a file review investigation or an on-site investigation.

In addition, the investigators handle on-demand activities such as complaints, and conduct outreach activities with the public and regulated community.”

Mike currently manages the section in the region office that consists of air and waste investigators. The waste investigators conduct scheduled and on-demand investigations also at facilities that fall into one of three categories: petroleum storage tanks, industrial and hazardous waste, and municipal solid waste. Examples of the types of facilities investigated include gasoline service stations, industrial facilities, and landfills.

“The myriad of rules and regulations that continue to be promulgated and the difficulty in keeping up with all the requirements is demanding, but it is also very important to the welfare of our citizens,” emphasizes Mike.

1 2 3

Three things Mike says you can do...

Reduce. Evaluate ways you can reduce the amount of waste you generate each day.

Reuse. Consider ways you can reuse items before they have to be discarded.

Recycle. Instead of discarding all waste in the trash, collect those items that can be recycled such as paper, glass, plastic, and aluminum cans and take them to a local recycling center.

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Pickax in hand, a young Mike Taylor makes his way through a small arroyo in the Sonoran Desert near Phoenix, Arizona. He’s looking for igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks, some as old as two billion years, in the area surrounding the city he now calls home. Born into an Air Force family, Mike spent his childhood living on or near bases in Florida, Nebraska, Germany, and Arizona. While the landscapes were different, one common element was his interest in the formations of the land—the rocks.

His mother, a native of Wyoming and Idaho, always encouraged this interest, as did his aunt, who was instrumental in establishing the Fossil Butte National Monument in Wyoming.

Mike ultimately enlisted in the Air Force, and after 7½ years, found himself at the end of his obligation at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene. Considering a move back to Arizona, he was encouraged by his friend, Curtis Robertson ’85, to check out Hardin-Simmons. Mike had been working for Curtis at his scuba diving shop, teaching diving lessons and feeding his passion for diving.

Mike followed his friend’s advice and enrolled at HSU. He had taken some college courses during his time in the Air Force, many in geology, so when he arrived at HSU, he was naturally drawn to the sciences.

Dr. Ed Hughes, a professor with whom he’d taken an oceanography class, encouraged Mike to pursue geology, and Dr. Charles Lane mentored him throughout his academic career. “The oil business had tanked, so becoming a petroleum geologist didn’t look too promising.

But in the Air Force, and in Arizona, environmental issues were important, so I was considering the environmental career track from the beginning. Dr. Lane played a major role in implementing that decision,” Mike explains.

After earning his BS in geology in 1991, Mike began working for Peter Nance, ’86 ex, who had an environmental consulting business. Mike worked all over the country performing site assessments and other tasks as needed. A large part of the work entailed inspecting property under contract for sale to determine if there were chemical cleanup, underground tanks, or other liabilities to address.

As opportunities for career advancement presented themselves, Mike and his wife, Catherine (Holland ’89), whom he had met during a summer music appreciation class taught by Dr. J. G. Martin, made a conscious decision to stay in Abilene. She was from Comanche, and the couple wanted to stay close to her parents as they would be the only grandparents their children would have.

Mike continued his studies and earned his MS in environmental management in 1996. Shortly thereafter, Mike

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REFLECTIONS a devotional

Dead, Living

“As soon as one of them begins to pull himself up, the others grab o’hold of him and drag him back in.”

I’m sure my eyes widened at the thought. To this day I don’t know if he was just pulling my leg, repeating an old folklore, or telling the truth. But it seemed real enough to me, as I stared at the crabs grabbing at each other as they slowly roiled in the churning water. A picture of the living dead.

In John 11, Jesus makes a bold statement to Martha, who is grieving because her brother, Lazarus, is dead. He says, “Your brother will rise again.”

Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life. . . .” He then proceeded to the tomb where Lazarus was buried, said a prayer, and commanded Lazarus to come out.

Here, the author says something fascinating. He says, “And the dead man came out.” (NRSV) It’s not “And Lazarus came out,” or “the man came out,” or “Jesus’ friend came out,” or “the guy came out.”

It’s “the dead man came out.” It makes no sense on a literal level. Dead men don’t come out. Dead men, well, just lie there. Dead.

When I picture this story being told to early Christians, I imagine them huddled in a catacomb, surrounded by the bodies of Christian martyrs. I see the small group of Christians clapping and laughing when this phrase was read, because it’s both ludicrous and true. And it was something that confounded the Romans who would have walked on the pavement above the catacombs; Romans who were far more dead than the bodies of the martyrs beneath their feet.

For the early Christians understood that Jesus saves us from the world of the living dead. He saves us from the cauldron of boiling water where people claw at one another to rise to the top, only to be dragged back down into the depths. He saves us by commanding us to experience the power of the resurrection, not at some event far in the future, but here and now as he continues to go around turning the living dead . . . . . . into the dead, living.

Spring 2009 |

One of my favorite pastimes growing up in New Orleans was crabbing, which is a lot like fishing but without the slime. To crab, you simply drop a specially constructed net in the water and wait for the crabs to find the chicken necks used as bait. At the time I thought this was a little strange, because if crabs fed off of chickens, it seemed to me that the bottom of Lake Pontchartrain was a stupid place for crabs to live.

Now, there’s no art to crabbing. You don’t watch a bobber dip under the water and tug a line just right to hook anything. You simply pull the net up from time to time to see how many crabs you’ve caught. If something happens to be in the net, then the excitement begins. For then you drop the net on the pier, prompting the crab(s) to scatter sideways in all directions.

The adults, sitting in their lawn chairs with sunburned faces, yell, “Get the crabs! Get the crabs!” The children, giggling wildly, make a mad dash for the crabs, which can move surprisingly fast. They instinctively know the shortest distance to the edge of the pier as well, and every now and then a crab wins, rolling over the edge and making an obscene gesture with its claw before plopping back into the water.

To prevent this from happening, the child must step on the crab (it’s important to have shoes on, as my brother learned the hard way) with just the right pressure to stop the crab from moving, but not so hard that you crack its shell, because this will kill the crab. If you do that, the adults get really mad, because later in the day they want the pleasure of boiling it alive.

Admittedly, this was the part of crabbing that always made me a little uneasy. Dad typically put a large pot of water on the stove, tossed in a couple of bags of crab boil (a pouch filled with spices) along with a lot of salt, and then the live crabs. I can’t imagine that being boiled alive is a good way to go. And yet, there the crabs would be, a pot full of shells and eyes, looking at me, slowing turning red, and clawing at one another.

On one particular occasion I remember one of my dad’s friends standing behind me as I stared at the crabs.

“Those crabs could crawl out easy enough if they wanted to,” he said. “Did you know that?”

I shook my head.

“Know what keeps them from getting out?”

“No idea,” I said.

by Dr. Kelly Pigott, HSU Chaplain Illustration by Salvador Torres ’07

Range Rider Magazine

47

Fun Facts About Recycling Waste

Incinerating 10,000 tons of waste creates one job; landfilling 10,000 tons of waste creates six jobs; recycling 10,000 tons of waste creates 36 jobs. (EPA)

Alumninum

Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a 100-watt bulb for 20 hours, a computer for 3 hours, or a TV for 2 hours. (EPA)

Paper

Recycling 1 ton of paper saves 17 mature trees, 7,000 gallons of water, 3 cubic yards of landfill space, 2 barrels of oil, and 4,100 kilowatt-hours of electricity—enough energy to power the average American home for five months. (EPA)

Plastic

It takes over 1.5 million barrels of oil to manufacture a year’s supply of bottled water. That’s enough oil to fuel 100,000 cars. (earth911.com)

Numbers on Plastics

What do those numbers on your plastics mean? They identify what the item is made from and what it will be in its next life (www.thedailygreen.com):

1 PET or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate) Found in soft drink, water, and beer bottles; mouthwash bottles; peanut butter containers; salad dressing and vegetable oil containers; ovenable food trays.

Recycled into polar fleece, fiber, tote bags, furniture, carpet, paneling, straps, (occasionally) new containers.

2 HDPE (high density polyethylene)

Found in milk jugs, juice bottles; bleach, detergent and household cleaner bottles; shampoo bottles; some trash and shopping bags; motor oil bottles; butter and yogurt tubs; cereal box liners.

Recycled into laundry detergent bottles, oil bottles, pens, recycling containers, floor tile, drainage pipe, lumber, benches, doghouses, picnic tables, fencing.

3 V (Vinyl) or PVC

Found in window cleaner and detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, cooking oil bottles, clear food packaging, wire jacketing, medical equipment, siding, windows, piping.

Recycled into decks, paneling, mudflaps, roadway gutters, flooring, cables, speed bumps, mats.

4 LDPE (low density polyethylene) Found in squeezable bottles; bread, frozen food, dry cleaning and shopping bags; tote bags; clothing; furniture; carpet.

Recycled into trash can liners and cans, compost bins, shipping envelopes, paneling, lumber, landscaping ties, floor tile.

5 PP (polypropylene) Found in some yogurt containers, syrup bottles, ketchup bottles, caps, straws, medicine bottles.

Recycled into signal lights, battery cables, brooms, brushes, auto battery cases, ice scrapers, landscape borders, bicycle racks, rakes, bins, pallets, trays.

6 PS (polystyrene)

Found in disposable plates and cups, meat trays, egg cartons, carryout containers, aspirin bottles, compact disc cases.

Recycled into insulation, light switch plates, egg cartons, vents, rulers, foam packing, carry-out containers.

7 A wide variety of plastic resins that don’t fit into the previous

categories are lumped into number 7.

Found in three- and five-gallon water bottles, “bullet-proof” materials, sunglasses, DVDs, iPod and computer cases, signs and displays, certain food containers, nylon.

Recycled into plastic lumber, custom-made products.

Folks&Facts 1929

Mary Mildred (Vineyard) Andrews, ex, celebrated her 100th birthday on Jan. 6, 2009. Mary lives in Amarillo TX.

1946

John Earl Seelig, honorary DHL, and his wife, Virginia (Garrett ’46), received the L. R. Scarborough Award from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth on Oct. 21, 2008; johnearlseelig@cs.com.

1952

Charles Spicer received recognition as a 50-year member of the Texas Society of CPAs in November 2008.

He and his wife, Carlene (Holder ’59/’91), live in Abilene; cspicer37@ suddenlink.net.

1955

In July 2008, Doris (Young) Haby received the Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association’s Dietert Award for her lifelong contributions to the Association, to the TSGRA Auxiliary, and to the American Sheep Industry Women. The former White Horse Rider and her husband, Hayden, live in Uvalde TX; hghaby1@sbcglobal.net.

1957

Rolla Bradley and his wife, Genevieve (Wellborn ’51), returned to Texas in the fall of 2008 after 22 years in South Korea and 20 years in South Carolina and now live in New Braunfels; randgb@aristotle.net.

1962

HSU Distinguished Alumnus Claude Dollins and his wife, Lavenia (Wages ’63), recently moved from Lubbock to Dallas where he provides executive coaching services for the marketing company, The Dollins Group; cdollins@thedollinsgroup. com. ✯ Bill Franklin has retired as a high school vice principal. His wife, Sue (Engstrom ’63), passed away May 28, 2008. She had taught high school Spanish. Bill now lives in Eagle River AK.

1964

John Hyde received the 2008 Distinguished Citizen Award from the Buffalo Trail Council of the Boy Scouts of America for his contributions to the community. Current HSU trustee and former Board of Development member, Judge Hyde lives in Midland with his wife, Sharon; hyde@co.midland.tx.us.

1965

Virginia Adian recently moved to Boerne TX; v.adian@gvtc. com. ✯ Bettye (Reeves) Kamstra lives in Lancaster CA; bettyekamstra@aol.com. ✯ Judy (Chandler) Murff and her husband, Stan ’64 ex, live in Austin; judymurff@gmail.com.

1967

Peg Davis has written a children’s book, Napoleon and Marigold. Peg retired from teaching in 2006 and lives in Lubbock TX; pegdavis1@suddenlink.net.

1968

HSU Distinguished Alumnus Dr. Carl Trusler, general practitioner, has accepted a position on the board of trustees of the Texas Medical

Association Foundation. Carl and his wife, Jaynne Middleton (HSU professor of voice), live in Abilene; ctrusler@aol.com.

1969

Diane (Newman) Garcia was chosen as a chaplain of the year for 2008 by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. She is the chaplain at the Christina Melton Crain Unit (female corrections) in Gatesville, TX; tiadiana47@yahoo.com.

1972

Evelyn (Stacy) Cogdill, MEd ’06, is now a licensed professional counselor intern at Safe Harbor Counseling Center in Willow Park TX; ecogdill@ hotmail.com.

1974

Karen (Chandler) Cutler is a data manager for Iredell-Statesville schools. She and her husband, William, live in Davidson NC. Karen stays busy with volunteer work, her church handbell and choir groups, clown ministry, and Boy Scout leadership; kcutler@iss.k12. nc.us. ✯ Michael Manley and his wife, Fran (Rock ’71 ex), have three children and seven grandchildren and live in Rockwall TX where Michael is minister of music and worship at First Baptist Church and where Fran has been office manager with her company for 19 years; michael@ fbcrockwalltx.org.

1975

Marcia (Weaver) Wood and her husband, Phillip, live in Dallas where she teaches in a grant-funded research project in the Productive Aging Lab at the University of Texas at Dallas, Center for Brain Health;

Spring 2009 |

HSU Distinguished Alumnus Robert Holladay was inducted into the Cooper High School Hall of Fame in September 2008. He retired in 2006 after teaching for 42 years at Cooper.

1963

Range Rider Magazine

49

marcia.wood@sbcglobal.net. Related story on page 11.

1976

FOLKS & FACTS

Kathy Cummings, after 30 years in civil service with the Department of Defense, transitioned in December 2008 to work for a government contractor as a computer engineer. Kathy lives in Ridgecrest CA; kathyca@ earthlink.net. ✯ Randy Dale and his wife, Melinda, live in Belton TX where, after practicing law for almost 30 years and dabbling in the education/ recreation ministry for a few, Randy is now in the dissertation stage of his PhD in education from Texas State University, San Marcos. He serves as a graduate assistant at Texas State and is an adjunct professor at University of Mary Hardin Baylor in Belton and at Central Texas College in Killeen.

The couple have two daughters, Jennifer (Dale) Essary ’04, and Andrea (Dale) Huffman; rd1102@ txstate.edu. See related story on page 11. ✯ HSU Distinguished Alumna and Hall of Leaders Inductee Consuelo (Castillo) Kickbusch has launched a new website for her motivational company, Educational Achievement Services; www.easleadership.com.

| Spring 2009

1978

50 Range Rider Magazine

Terry Bowman and his wife, Lea Ann (White ’78), live in Corinth TX where Terry is pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Lewisville and Lee Ann works in the Denton ISD; terry.lea_ann@yahoo.com. ✯ Sherry (Bradley) Cashwell received a South Carolina scholarship to attend the annual summer Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, Teacher Institute. Sherry teaches at Summit Parkway in Columbia SC; sbcashwell@aol.com. ✯ Bill Skelton and his wife, Hisako, live in Newman GA where he is the reference department manager at the A. Mitchell Powell Jr. Public Library; hiskelton@bellsouth.net. ✯ Kyle Usrey is dean of the faculty of the College of Business, Arts, and Sciences at

Friends University Wichita KS. In October, he escorted the mayor of Wichita and Kansas Senator Caroline McGinn to China for a 10-day meeting with government officials and potential economic partners for a number of projects, including wind power turbines and city infrastructure endeavors. The group visited Beijing, Kaifeng, Xian, and Shanghai; kyle.usrey@friends.edu.

1979

Pamela Culbertson, MEd ’82, has moved to Frankfurt Germany where she is minister to youth with the International Christian Fellowship Church. She looks forward to seeing her classmates at Homecoming this year (30th Reunion!); pamela.culbertson@icf-frankfurt.com. ✯ Michael Metcalf is now an Army wounded warrior advocate with Serco, Inc., and lives in Albuquerque NM; michael.metcalf2@va.gov. ✯ Barbara (Stephenson) Kelley was chosen as a Texas state-level finalist in the 2008 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching Program. Barbara is an elementary math specialist in the GrapevineColleyville ISD and lives in Grapevine TX; kelleyb@swbell.net.

1980

Greg Jaklewicz has moved back to Abilene where he is sports editor for the Abilene Reporter-News. Greg and his wife, Hollye, have two children, Jaret (10) and Aubrey (5); gregandhollye@att.net. ✯ Ginger (LaGrone) Tucker retired in June 2008 as executive director of curriculum and professional development for Canyon ISD. Since 1996 she has been president, owner, and trainer for GKT Consulting, which provides training for school, business, and church personnel. Ginger has authored a number of published works which are listed at www.gingertucker.com; ginger@gingertucker.com.

1981

Brad Bradley completed a PhD in education in May 2008 at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio; rollabradley@satx. rr.com. ✯ Brenda (Hill) Edins teaches junior high science and theatre arts in the Hamilton TX ISD. She is in her 23rd year of directing the Hamilton High School One-Act Play, which has qualified for the state tournament four times. She is a deacon at First Baptist Church, Hamilton, where she teaches Sunday School, is in the choir, directs the handbell choir, and has participated in missions; brendins@ htcomp.net. ✯ Burl Fulenwider and his wife, Linda, live in Leander TX where he is a plumber; blfulenwider@ yahoo.com.

1984

Kim (Watts) Pond has been ordained to the ministry by First Baptist Church Tulia TX. Kim is an adjunct professor in the department of religion and philosophy at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview.

1985

Laura Holt received a juris doctorate in 2007 from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law and is now an attorney with Walsh, Anderson, Brown, Schulze, and Aldridge in San Antonio TX; lauraleaholt@gmail.com.

1986

Robert Batchelor retired from the Air Force in 1994, and in 2000, started his own consulting business, LifeCycle Project Management Consultants, Inc. In 2006, he opened Beauty’s Haven Farm and Equine Rescue (www.beautysequinerescue. org). He and his wife, Theresa, live in Morriston FL; bob@beatuysequienresescue.org. ✯ Nick Watts and his wife, Michelle (Pittam ’88), live in Lubbock where he is music/worship pastor at Bacon Heights Baptist Church; nick@ baconheights.com.

1987

Monte Baker and his wife, April, were appointed recently by the Southern Baptist Convention International Mission Board to serve as missionaries in central and eastern Europe.

They have four children, Joshua (5), Elizabeth (4), Olivia (2), and Stephen, (9 months). ✯ Tim Richardson, MA ’00, pastor of Hilltop Baptist Church in Weatherford TX spoke to his congregation on Nov. 9, 2008, after nearly six months absence, recovering from critical injuries suffered in an automobile accident on May 27. Tim and his wife, Carla (Pitts ’88), and their daughter Chanae live in Springtown TX; carpittz@yahoo.com.

1988

Sheri (Pesch) Bonsal and her husband, Doug ’89, live in New Caney TX where she teaches elementary school. They have two children, Caleb (9) and Kennedy (7); sbonsa11965@ yahoo.com. ✯ Gena (Goff) Corley, after 20 years teaching elementary music in the Garland ISD, is now the assistant choir director at Webb Middle School in Garland, TX; gacorley@garlandisd.net. ✯ Donnie Stark and his wife, Grace (Gibson ’88), live in Pearl River LA where Donnie is a special education teacher in the Recovery School District in New Orleans. After graduating from HSU, Donnie attended the University of Chicago where he received his MA in history and is working toward his PhD. He taught history at Sterling (KS) College for 11 years. Donnie and Grace were foster parents to 25 special-needs children while in Sterling. The couple have four children, Amanda (18) who plans to begin as a nursing major at HSU in the fall, Luke (15), Matalyn (12), and William (8); gracestark@excite.com.

1989

1990

Lara (King) Smith has been named chair of the speech and theater department at Tyler Junior College in Tyler TX; mattlara@earthlink. net. ✯ Janet (Boren) West is the new children’s librarian at the Abilene Public Library’s newly opened Mockingbird branch. She has worked as a library consultant for Region 14 Education Service Center, various rural school districts, and as a school librarian for Abilene ISD; janet.west@abilenetx.com.

1991

John Bearrie was named Player of the Year in 2008 by the Texas Golf Association after winning the TGA North Amateur Championship.

John, brother of HSU Professor of English Dr. Laura Pogue ’87/’97, was on the HSU golf team and turned pro, working as a golf professional, before regaining his amateur status in 1995. John and his wife, Lydia, live in Arlington with their three children; john.bearrie@lpl.com.

1992

Shannon Miller-Gilbreth and her husband, Zane, welcomed daughter Charlotte Laurel on July 10, 2007. She joins big brothers, Henry and Samuel; shannonmg@sbcglobal.net. ✯ Lori (Holland) Green and her husband, Darren, welcomed their eighth child, Joshua Dalton, on July 9, 2008. The family lives in Mount Nebo WV; ourbiggreenhouse@aol.com.

1993

Amy (Harrison) Smith, MEd ’94, joined the teaching staff of Abilene Ballet in August 2008; sesmithlaw@ umconnect.com. ✯ Paul Taggart has been the worship pastor at Cypress Bible Church since 2005 and lives in Tomball TX with his wife, Wendy, and four adopted children. Paul, a kidney cancer survivor (four years), has been

a stockbroker and then associate pastor of worship at First Baptist of McKinney; ptaggart@cbcintl.org.

1994

David Crowe and his wife, Cynthia, live in San Antonio where he is assistant principal at Lee High School.

They have two children, John (2) and Michael (born Nov. 30, 2008); d c r o w e _ 5 5 @ ya h o o. c o m . ✯ Jay Lester, MM ’95, and his wife, Lisa (Brunner ’95), have recently moved to Victoria TX where he serves as director of fine arts and she teaches kindergarten at Rowland Elementary School. Jay completed an MEd in educational administration at UNT in December 2007 and served as VP of the HSU Board of Young Associates 07-09. He also serves on the board of the Cowboy Band Foundation and the HSU Board of Development. Jay and Lisa have two sons, Michael (8) and Brian (6); jonjaylester@yahoo.com or lisaglester@yahoo.com. ✯ Lauri (Phillips) Wilks recently moved back to the States after spending three years in Okinawa. She and her husband, Tim, now live in Fircrest WA where he is participating in a developmental pediatric fellowship at Madagan Army Medical Center. The couple have two daughters, Clara (5) and Ellen (2); larwilks@yahoo.com.

FOLKS & FACTS

1995

Collin McCormick lives in Mesquite TX where he is a personal trainer at Sleek Physiques and a youth sports coordinator for the Park Cities YMCA; cmac5ntx@yahoo.com. ✯ Rick Redden has been selected as president elect of the North Texas Athletic Trainers Society. Rick and his wife, Christy, live in Ft. Worth; rredden@ ems-isd.net.

1996

Keri (Watson) Janoso and her husband, Rich, welcomed son George on Oct. 25, 2007. He joins big sister, Rheanna (3); kerisue_74@hotmail. com. ✯ Russell Massey and his wife,

Spring 2009 |

Lois Coppic lives in San Angelo where she is an accounting manager for Conner Steel Products. She has two children and welcomed her

second granddaughter in 2007; loiscoppic@verizon.net.

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51

Jeanette, welcomed daughter Erica Jean on Aug. 22, 2008, to their home in Nashville TN; texnykazrus@yahoo. com. ✯ April (Winberg) Rentzsch and her husband, Brian, welcomed Ethan Kelly on July 29, 2008. He joins big brothers, Christopher (7) and Daniel (4); abcrentzsch@peoplepc.com.

1997

| Spring 2009

FOLKS & FACTS

52 Range Rider Magazine

1999

Phillip Thomas, MDiv ’07, is now pastor of First Baptist Church in Sweetwater. ✯ Lin (Martinson) Thompson is a dance team director for Abilene ISD. She and her husband, Corey, have two children, Ava Leigh (4) and Laton James (born Oct. 10, 2007); thompsontrio@suddenlink.net.

Steve Bezner, MRE ’99, completed his PhD at Baylor University in August 2008. He and his wife, Joy (Leatherwood ’98), live in Kaufman with their sons, Ben and Drew; bezner@mac.com. ✯ Mark Edington and his wife, Lisa (Matteson ’96), recently moved to Anchorage AK where Mark is worship/music pastor at Faith Christian Community and Lisa is the school partnership coordinator there. She is also a consultant for Southern Living at Home.

They have two daughters, Emily Jane and Samantha; edington.lisa@gmail. com; maedingt@gmail.com. ✯ Wayne Lisenbee, assistant director of the City of Abilene Water Utilities Department, was the Texas winner of the 2008 George C. Askew Award from the American Academy of Certified Public Managers. Wayne serves on the Cowboy Band Foundation and the Board of Young Associates where he was a VP this past year; howdy34@ sbcglobal.net. ✯ Sara (Hodges) Mackey has moved to Post TX; saraallred@cebridge.net.

2000

1998

2003

Gary Burling, MS ’00, and his wife, Shaylee (Richardson ’99/’03) who is HSU asst. professor of accounting, welcomed son Evan Robert on Dec. 18, 2008. He joins big brother, Alex; gsburling@yahoo.com. See story on Gary, pg. 38. ✯ After being stationed in Germany for three years, Marshal Coen, his wife, Jill, and their son Silas have moved to Fort Bragg NC where Marshall is a battalion chaplain to the 1-504 Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborn Division; marshall. coen@us.army.mil.

Kami Nunn married Mark Jackson on Dec. 8, 2008. Kami is pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Texas at Tyler and is employed in pharmaceutical sales. The couple live in Tyler; kami.nunn@lifeway.com.

2001

Aaron Cade married Erica Swicegood on May 17, 2008. The couple live in Temple where Aaron is completing his residency in anesthesiology at Scott & White Medical Center. acade51414@aol.com ✯ Ryan Holmes married Tracy (Henington ’08) on June 14, 2008. The couple live in Roby TX where Ryan is employed by the school district and Tracy teaches and coaches at the middle school in Sweetwater; tutu1285@yahoo. com. ✯ Lex Robertson, MDiv ’06, was ordained to the ministry on May 4, 2008, by Crosspoint Fellowship of Abilene. Lex lives in Spokane WA where he is chaplain at Sacred Heart Medical Center; lexrobertson@mac.com.

Amy (Aycock) married Brad Brazell ’06 in July 2008. The couple live in Abilene where Amy teaches at Wylie Elementary School and Brad manages the accounting department of his family’s business, A-Town/Hi-Tech; amya99@yahoo. com. ✯ Kristy Channer married Jonathan Roach on June 21, 2008.

The couple live in Abilene where she is employed by West Texas Rehab as a speech language pathologist; kristy_ channer@yahoo.com. ✯ Jonathan Krake, MM ’06, and his wife, Amy (Heath ’03), welcomed son Camden

on Aug. 8, 2008. He joins big brother, Conner. The family lives in Abilene where Jonathan is worship and outreach pastor at Southwest Park Baptist Church in addition to being the conductor for Chorus Abilene’s Youth Chorus and Youth Chorale.

Amy is the marketing and special events director for Chorus Abilene plus she teaches Kindermusik and does creative design for the Abilene Performing Arts Company. She also serves as the interim preschool coordinator for Southwest Park. jonkrake@yahoo.com; amykrake@ hotmail.com. ✯ April Miller married Brad White on June 9, 2008. The couple live in Highland Village TX; aprilwhite9@gmail.com.

2004

Since 2006 Jeffrey Donhauser has been a B-1 instructor pilot at Dyess AFB in Abilene. He and his wife, Laura, have three children, Wesley (10), Clayton (8), and Bayleigh (2). Jeffrey went on his second deployment in January 2009; hossjad@sbcglobal. net. ✯ Kirsten Hancock is teaching fifth and sixth grade special education at Murch Elementary School in Washington DC; kirstenhancock@ yahoo.com. ✯ Zack Howard and his wife, Angela (Perfetti ’04), welcomed son Joseph on Oct. 18, 2007. The family lives in Kingwood TX where Zach is a senior assurance associate for BDO Seidman, LLP, and Angela is the director of children and family ministries for First Presbyterian Church, Kingwood; zaj.howard@ gmail.com. ✯ Daniel Kirkpatrick completed a degree at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2006. He and his wife, Michelle (Bailey ’04), live in Fort Worth; danny_chelle@yahoo.com. ✯ Nikki Medders recently completed a master’s degree in social work at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches TX. She is working as a house/foster parent for Texas Baptist Children’s Homes; heathernicole1222@gmail.com. ✯ Jacob West, MDiv ’07, and his wife, Emily

(Morrison ’05), live in Stamford TX where he is pastor of First Baptist Church; brojacobwest@sbcglobal.net.

2005

Brooke (Smedley) Bennett and her husband, Jeff, live in Abilene where Brooke works in marketing for the 7th Force Support Squadron at Dyess AFB. Their son Brady was born in 2005; tatenlucy@clearwire.net. ✯ Joshua Howard married Aimee (Tucker ’08) on June 21, 2008. The couple live in Abilene; aimeetucker1852@hotmail. com. ✯ Amanda LaRue completed a master’s degree in physical education at Northwest Missouri State University in 2007 and is a teacher and athletic trainer at Liberty Public Schools in Liberty MO; amandala r u e @ ho t ma i l . co m . ✯ Ma r y Morgan is teaching biology and AP biology at Ellison High School in Killeen TX and is a faculty advisor for the prestigious Ellison Leadership Academy; angelofmusic317@yahoo. com. ✯ Austin Moss married Lindsey Dunn on Nov. 8, 2008. The couple live in McKinney TX where he is a realtor with Keller-Williams Realty; austin. moss@yahoo.com. ✯ Jay Tippen and his wife, Carrie (Helms ’06), have moved to Philippi WV; jptippen@ gmail.com.

2006

Kaci (Bland) Murphy

and

her

husband, Justin, welcomed Jace Kelly on Oct. 7, 2008; Kaci is HSU’s coordinator of students with disabilities and assistant director of career services.

Proud grandmother is Melinda Murphy, HSU’s assistant cashier; kmurphy@hsutx.edu. ✯ Darrell Smith and his wife, Kathy (Martin ’06), returned from the mission field in Albania in June 2008. They now live in McDonough GA; SmithDarrell@ compuserve.com. ✯ Stephen Thatcher and his wife, Ali, live in Artesia NM where he is the worship pastor at Faith Baptist Church. They have adopted five children, Shyann (12), Harley (10), Dakota (9), Cleya (8), and David (4); thatcher@pvtn.net.

2007

Rob Galusha married Katie Boyce (current student) on July 5, 2008.

Rob teaches and coaches at Cooper High School in Abilene; hlkkboyce@ aol.com. ✯ Travis Heady is now the pastor of Canyon Ridge Baptist Church in Bellvue CO; trheady@ hotmail.com. ✯ Crystal (Morton) Leake is now a chaplain at Acadia in Abilene and is working toward a master’s degree in family psychology at HSU. She and her husband, Carl ’09, live in Abilene; ishout4joy@ yahoo.com. ✯ Jonathan Leftwich is now pastor of The Fellowship at Plum Creek in Kyle TX; jonathan@plumcreek.org. ✯ Lori Lytle married Justin

Bartts on July 20, 2008. The couple live in Abilene, and Lori is employed

by First Financial Bank in Clyde; ljlprincess1@aol.com. ✯ Ashlee (McKinney) Snider has been promoted to branch manager for the United Branch of First Financial Bank of Abilene. She and her husband, Jeff ’06, live in Abilene where he is a billing analyst for Genesis Network Solutions; jase.snider@gmail.com.

2008

Tara Harris married Brian Cole ’08 on May 24, 2008. The couple live in Lubbock TX where Brian is an RN with Covenant Medical Center and Tara is teaching special education; falula@aol.com; bcole77@yahoo. com. ✯ Bo Edwards married Brittany (Cooley ’08) on July 12, 2008. The couple live in Abilene where Brittany is a sales marketing representative for Nestle Corp. and Brandon is employed with Condley and Company; s.i.lassiter@att.net. ✯ Brice Johnson married Amanda (Perry ’05) on July 19, 2008. The couple live in Abilene; janaj@wtxs.net; superamanda83@ hotmail.com. ✯ Jared McCaleb married Shelby (Harp ’08) on June 28, 2008. The couple live in Spring TX where Jared is the associate youth pastor at First Baptist Church, The Woodlands; jared@sbctw.org; shelbyharp@yahoo.com.

FOLKS & FACTS

Spring 2009 | Range Rider Magazine

53

1940

David Hull published his book Prairie Crossing in 2008, which is the first in a planned trilogy. David lives in Santa Barbara CA with his wife, Diana; dphull@ cox.net.

FOLKS & FACTS

1953

Jim Riddle escorted his granddaughter Courtney Lee Riddle to her high school homecoming where she was voted Sophomore Princess. Jim, a member of the HSU Athletics Hall of Fame, is proud that Courtney made the all-district 7-5A softball team as a freshman.

1941

Frances (Landers) Isbell lives in Madisonville TX and would love to hear from former HSU classmates; flee1920@yahoo.com.

1956

HSU Distinguished Alumnus Bob Tremaine and his wife, Glenda (Wages ’58), have established the Christian Study Library in Hudson Oaks TX to serve as a resource to equip Christians, both laymen and pastors. Visit the library’s website at www. christianstudylibrary.com; dom@ pppba.org.

1957

Bill Neal has published his second book, From Guns to Gavels: How Justice Grew Up in the Outlaw West. His first novel, Getting Away with Murder on the Texas Frontier: Notorious Killings and Celebrated Trials, which was published in 2006, was named Book of the Year by the National Association for Outlaw and Lawmen History, received the Rupert N. Richardson Award for the best book on West Texas history from the West Texas Historical Association, and was a finalist for both the Violet Crown Award from the Writers’ League of Texas and the Spur Award from the Western Writers of America. His third book, Sex, Murder, and the Unwritten Law: Courting Judicial Mayhem, Texas Style, will be published in the fall of 2009. Bill retired in 2008 after a 40-year law career. He and his wife, Gayla, live in Abilene; bill-neal@hotmail.com.

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54 Range Rider Magazine

Left to right Gail (Webb) Curtis of Abilene, Barbara (Ledwell) McCollum of San Antonio, Linda (Hair) Lewis of Katy, and Joyce (Reeder) Allen of Dallas met in San Antonio in July 2008 to celebrate the 45th anniversary of their graduation from HSU; jimgailcurtis@ att.net; paulsmc@earthlink.net; lhairlewis@ aol.com; jjallen20@sbcglobal.net.

1991

Tracy Bradley and his wife, Sheryl (Stanley ’89 ex), celebrated in Sept. 2008 the second birthday of their youngest daughter, Sarah, who is already preparing for her freshman year at HSU and might join Cowboy Band like her father. Older sisters Rebecca (12) and Rachel (10) also enjoy music.

The family lives in Allen TX; tbradley_tx@yahoo.com.

1971

1992

Glenn Ward (right), along with Chuck Smith 81, baptized Chuck’s wife, Denise, in the Jordan River in Israel. Glenn and his wife, Carolyn (Springer ’72), live in Granbury TX where he is pastor of Acton Baptist Church; gward@actonbaptist.org; chuck.b.c.smith@ shell.com.

Melinda (Anderson) Browning and her husband, Robert, welcomed their son Jesse on Oct. 15, 2007. Melinda is a senior training consultant for New York Life where she has worked for 16 years; mindysue07@verizon.net.

FOLKS & FACTS

1996

Melissa (Stephens) Brown and her husband, David, welcomed Trinity Addison Brown on May 10, 2008. Proud big sisters are Jordan and Mackenzie; melissa.brown@ obhc.org.

1997

Duane Jobe, MEd ’99, his wife, Wendy, and son Andrew are serving with the Network of International Christian Schools in Nagoya, Japan. Duane is the director of the International Christian Academy of Nagoya; gdjobe@yahoo.com.

1997

1998

J. C. Baker, MDiv ’05, his wife, Darla (Herndon ’05), and family live in Ft. Worth where J. C. is working to complete his PhD from Texas Chrustian University and Darla is teaching in the Crowley School District; jc@jcbaker.info or darlabaker71@hotmail.com.

Spring 2009 |

Deric Neal and his wife, Melanie, welcomed daughter Scarlett Isabella on Aug. 20, 2008. The family lives in Rogers AR where Deric is an account executive for Warner Brothers Studios. Proud aunt and uncle are Amanda (Eichhorst ’07) and Jordan Neal ’05. Pictured with Deric and Scarlett is Deric’s mother, Linda Neal; md_neal@yahoo.com.

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1998

Lea (Clayton) Hutt and her husband, Jason, welcomed daughter Lawren Rae on Oct. 28, 2008. She is named after her grandfather, the late Dr. Lawrence Ray Clayton, longtime HSU professor of English and dean of the college of arts and sciences.

Lawren joins big brother Jaxon; sonjalea13@sbcglobal.net.

FOLKS & FACTS

1998 1998

Renee (Taylor) Dorbecker, MEd ’04, and her husband, Hector, welcomed daughter Kyleigh Jaden on May 26, 2008; thedorbeckers@yahoo.com.

Kirsten (Hatch) Lofton has moved to El Paso where Kirsten is teaching kindergarten after earning her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Arizona State.

Kirsten married Ricky in July 2006, and their son Noah was born in August 2007; kyhkyh@ yahoo.com.

1998

Bryan McClintock and his wife, Michelle (Kemper ’98), welcomed twins Ashton Anna and Brayden Kemper on Dec. 7, 2007. The family lives in Frisco TX; bryanmcc5712@ yahoo.com.

1999

| Spring 2009

Scott Burkhalter and his wife, Bethany (Bingham ’98), welcomed their second son, Brody, on Dec. 2, 2008. He joins big brother, Tytus.

Scott is HSU’s senior graphic designer. Proud aunt is HSU’s head volleyball coach, Sabrina Bingham; sburkhalter@hsutx.edu.

56 Range Rider Magazine

2000

Melanie (Forster) Muhr and her husband, Mark ’02, welcomed Naomi Eva on Aug. 30, 2008. They live in Lindale TX where Melanie works part time as a veterinarian and Mark is a custom furniture-maker; melaniemuhr@yahoo.com; mark_muhr@yahoo.com.

2000

Darrell Vinson and his wife, Ginger (Huey) ’09, welcomed daughter Ann Marie on Sept.

16, 2008. Big brother is James Daniel, born Sept. 11, 2007; gingervinson@aol.com.

FOLKS & FACTS 2000

Misty (Andrews) married Steven Chandler on Sept. 6, 2008. Misty is a sales operations manager for Trend Micro. The couple live in Ft. Worth; tissy76@sbcglobal.net.

2001

Alida (Smith) Barnes (center), her husband, Matt ’01, and mother, Jackie (Rainwater ’74), visited the Gene Autry Museum of Western History were they found a photo of First Lady Lou Hoover greeting the Cowboy Band of Simmons University at the White House in 1929.

Alida’s father, David ’74, took the picture of the trio in front of the famous shot. Alida and Matt live in Pasadena CA where she works as a speech-language pathologist for McRory Pediatric Services and he is a PhD candidate in New Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary; alidaceleste@hotmail.com; cowboymatt43@hotmail.com.

Jackie 2001 and David live in Mt. Vernon GA where she is an elementary school James ’07 and Meredith (Hare ’01/’06) teacher and he is president of Brewton-Parker College; jasmith@bpc. Stone, along with big sister Hallie, welcomed edu; smithdr@bpc.edu.

Kinsey Abigail to the family on Feb. 19, 2008.

James serves as HSU’s director of church relations, congregational resourcing and ministry placement and Meredith serves as coordinator of recruitment services for Logsdon Seminary in addition to serving as teaching pastor at Crosspoint Fellowship where she was ordained to the ministry on April 13, 2008; jstone@ hsutx.edu; mstone@hsutx.edu.

2001

Spring 2009 |

Adam Thomas, MDiv ’05, was married on March 29, 2008. He and Renee live in Ft. Worth where he works in the Human Resources Department at DFW International Airport; adthomas@dfwairport.com.

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2001

Scott Woodard and his wife, Jennifer (Rucker ’02), welcomed daughter London Mackenzie on Oct. 11, 2008. The family lives in Abilene where Scott is a physical therapist for Legacy Healthcare, and HSU Young Associates member Jennifer is executive director for the March of Dimes; jenncate@hotmail.com.

FOLKS & FACTS

2005

Corey Cornutt, MDiv ’08, and his wife, Cheryl, live in Bronte TX where he is the pastor of First Baptist Church; corey@fbcbronte. com.

2005

2005

2002

Jeremy McGarrah and his wife, Melodie (Fleming ’02), welcomed Holden Wayne into their family on May 8, 2008. Holden was born on May 1, 2008. jeremy_mcgarrah@ hotmail.com.

Kade Curry, MDiv ’08, and his wife, Jennifer Lindy Morff married Gavin Dickson on March 15, 2008. The couple (Siebrant ’05), welcomed daughter Addie in live in Lubbock TX where they both are teachers; lindye4@yahoo.com.

September 2008. She joins big brother Evan; jennicurry1@yahoo.com.

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2007

58 Range Rider Magazine

Toby Farmer, during his senior year at HSU, met then-Senator Barak Obama at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee Policy Conference in Washington DC. Toby is currently in law school in Phoenix AZ; tlfarmer@phoenixlaw.edu.

Posse Kids Club Members The Posse Kids Club is one of the neatest clubs here on the HSU Range—and you are invited to join!

We are sure you will make a great range hand for the club this year and look forward to including you in the fun. Some of the exciting items planned for you this year include a membership kit complete with your own membership card, a Posse Kids Club T-shirt, cool stickers and buttons, an HSU Bookstore coupon, a subscription to the Posse News, a card on your birthday, and free admission to the Posse Kids Corral at HSU’s Homecoming.

Sign Up Today!

If you are age 11 or younger, ask your mom or dad to fill out this form and mail it in right away.

Posse Kids Club HSU Box 16102 Abilene, TX 79698 800.460.3908 Fax 325.670.1574

Wanted Alumni News

New address, new job, new spouse, new baby, or award—anything significant you’d like to share with your classmates? Send your news with the information requested below. (Space is limited, but we’ll do our best!) If possible, include a recent photo with your name and address written lightly on the back (or scan as a tif file at 300 dpi).

Send to: Range Rider, HSU Publications Office, HSU Box 16100, Abilene, TX 79698; FAX 325.670.1263; rangerider@hsutx.edu. You can also update your information online, www.hsutx.edu/alumni_friends/forms/update_info.php

My Name

Degree/Year

Address

City/State/ZIP

Phone

Email

Website

Business Name/Address My Title News

I am interested in helping with any alumni activities and/or student recruiting in my area.

WHO DO YOU KNOW? Please also use this form to share good news about other HSU alumni.

RRSP09

Friends We’ll Miss Editor’s note: Our goal is to include the spouse and all HSU alumni among survivors listed. Please contact the Office of Alumni Relations if you have additional information you can share about our alumni, and we will update our records.

1923

Alice (Elliott) Sheftall (ex), June 12, 2008, at the age of 105.

1926

Ola (Gibson) Butman (ex), Jan. 14, 2009, at the age of 102. ✯ Ruby (Martin) Smith (ex), Jan. 07, 2009.

1930

1942

Riley Brooks (Cowboy Band), June 6, 2008. ✯ Jack Griffith, Dec. 13, 2008. ✯ Winnie (Modgling) Jagt (ex), Sept. 27, 2008. Survivors include husband, Leonard.

1943

Dorothy (Outlaw) Purcell, Sept. 16, 2008.

Elizabeth (Tarpley) Foster, Jan. 13, 2009, at age 100. ✯ Genelle Jennings (Cowgirls, Senior Class Favorite), Dec. 20, 2008, at age 100. ✯ Muriel (Young) Woodson (ex), July 7, 2008.

1945

1933

1946

Loretta (Smith) York, MEd ’65, July 23, 2008. Survivors include son John ’61 ex. ✯ Bessie (Langston) Fomby, Jan. 20, 2009.

1936

Emma (Ferguson) Muse (ex), Aug. 5, 2008.

1937

Verne (Allison) Dykes, Sept. 19, 2008. ✯ Bettye (Hitt) Scott (ex), Nov. 21, 2008. Survivors include husband, Wesley.

Dr. Kenneth Ballenger, Nov. 3, 2008. Survivors include wife, Inez (Ward ’47 ex). ✯ Mary Douglass, June 11, 2008. ✯ Margaret (Dobbins) Logan (ex), Jan. 31, 2009.

Survivors include husband, Dr. William Logan ’48. ✯ U’Nita (Rogers) Sweatmon, July 21, 2008.

1947

Lila (Smith) Mitchell (ex), July 1, 2008. Survivors include nephew Mike Hammack ’85/’89. ✯ Love (Henderson) Headstream (ex), Aug. 20, 2008.

Rayburn Frost (Football), Jan. 02, 2009. ✯ Ruenelle (Cooper) Moore (ex), Jan. 01, 2009. ✯ Eugene Phelps (Orchestra), Jan. 22, 2009. ✯ Bill Cravens, March 27, 2008.

Survivors include wife, Doris (Nelson ’44 ex). ✯ Dorothy (Estep) Cribb (Cowgirls), Dec. 16, 2008. Survivors include husband, Raleigh. ✯ Lt. (ret.) Edgar Harwell (ex, Cowboy Band), Aug. 17, 2008. Survivors include wife, Merna. ✯ Homer Hughes (ex, Cowboy Band), July 22, 2008.

Survivors include wife, Billie (Kitchens ’47 ex). ✯ Kathleen (Bryan) Rumbaugh, June 10, 2008. ✯ Delma (Rhoton) Waltrip (ex), Nov. 30, 2008. Survivors include husband, Arthur.

1939

1948

Violet (Barley) Hoff (Cowgirls), May 11, 2008. Survivors include daughter Carlyn Zubin ’69 and son Dale ’69. ✯ O. K. “Buddy” Jones (ex), May 25, 2008. ✯ Melmadoris (Bantau) Surface, June 11, 2008. Survivors include husband, Grady, and sister Eulalia Henderson ’57. ✯ Roxie (Bass) Vogler (ex), July 21, 2008.

1938

Edna (Lindsey) Allen (ex), June 27, 2008. ✯ Ona (Tittle) Cleveland (Cowgirls), Jan. 23, 2009. ✯ Dr. G. Avery Lee (HSU Honorary Doctor of Literature ’58), Dec. 23, 2008. ✯ Pauline (Tiner) Warren, Sept. 24, 2008.

1940

Spring 2009 |

Drusilla (Jones) Bearden, June 19, 2008. Survivors include husband, Robert. ✯ Helen (Alsup) Altman (ex), May 30, 2008. ✯ Helen (Broadwell) Beene, MS ’53, Aug. 23, 2008. ✯ Jule (Dozier) Crawford, Jan. 19, 2009. ✯ LaVerne (Harwell) Fortner (ex), April 23, 2008. ✯ Cliff Wheeler (ex), Dec. 31, 2008.

Jimmie (Chatham) Burnett (ex), Jan. 07, 2009. Survivors include husband, Marvin. ✯ Joyce (Cox) Caudle (Cowgirls), Nov. 8, 2008. Survivors include husband, Joe ’49, daughters Alice Ruse ’70 and Laura Odneal, and son Jon ’81 and his wife Denise (Steckly ’81). ✯ Eunice (Bradshaw) Garverick, Aug. 16, 2008. ✯ Wayne Hayden, June 25, 2008. ✯ Bob Meador, Sept. 29, 2008. Survivors include wife, Wanda (Baker ’50). ✯ Sue (Partridge) Meeks, June 25, 2008. Survivors include husband, Mervyn. ✯ Clarence Phillips (ex), Oct. 11, 2008. Survivors include wife, Ima. ✯ Annie (Stinchcomb) McKenzie, Jan. 16, 2009. ✯ Walter Stroup, Sept. 21, 2008.

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1949

Frank Everts (Cowboy Band), July 9, 2008. Survivors include wife, Dorothy. ✯ Fern (Shipley) Ford, MEd ’64, June 9, 2008. ✯ Vance Lindell Harris, Nov. 16, 2008.

Survivors include wife, Dorothy (Witt ’48 ex). ✯ Chester Hedrick, Nov. 5, 2008. ✯ Arthur Roddy (Cowboy Band), Dec. 21, 2008. ✯ Evo (Miles) Talbert (ex), Sept. 13, 2008. ✯ Irvin Thacker, May 7, 2008. ✯ Winfred Walker (ex), Nov. 12, 2008. Survivors include wife, Mary.

1950

Maurice Alfred, Dec. 6, 2008. Survivors include wife, Jerrie, and daughter, Laurie Wash ’88. ✯ Tom Beene, Sept. 1, 2008. ✯ Jimmy Cook (ex), Dec. 5, 2008. ✯ Oscar Golden, July 28, 2008. ✯ William Irwin, Sept. 18, 2008. ✯ George Kaerwer (ex), May 15, 2008. ✯ Jack Landrum, Aug. 4, 2008. Survivors include wife, Bernice (Gillis ’50). Jack was Taylor (TX) County Sheriff 19731983. ✯ R. S. Sanders, Dec. 17, 2008. Survivors include wife, Betty (Gideon 61 ex). ✯ Eugene Swinson (ex), July 14, 2008. ✯ Rev. David Warren (ex), May 12, 2008. Survivors include wife, Mary Ellen (James ’50). ✯ Doris (Lard) Shockley, Jan. 02, 2009.

1952

Rev. Dudley Bragg, Dec. 19, 2008. Survivors include wife, Bobby (Wall ’51), and son Val ’89. ✯ Jeremiah Collier, Aug. 7, 2008. Survivors include wife, Mary, and son Kyle ’79/’81. ✯ J. B. Etheredge, Jan. 11, 2009. ✯ Bennetta (Caudill) Holdridge (ex), Oct. 9, 2008. ✯ Wynama (Boss) Lyssy, Dec. 22, 2008. Survivors include husband, Chester ’54. ✯ Jack M. Yates (Student Body President, Rangers), Jan. 26, 2009. Survivors include wife, Ruby (Goodgion ’54), daughter Britt Jones ’84/director of alumni relations and her husband David, daughter Hollye and her husband Greg Jaklewicz ’80, sister Miriam ’45 and her husband Gordon Gustafson ’48, brother Ed Yates ’48 ex and his wife Gloria, cousins Mary Lou (Echols) Fry ’59 and Winifred (Yates) Waller ’68 and her husband Clarence.

1953

Wife of Lawrence Owen, Kathleen Huber Owen, Jan. 04, 2009. ✯ Violet Vletas, Nov. 10, 2008.

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62 Range Rider Magazine

Dr. Ronald Costin, Aug. 27, 2008. Survivors include wife, Janet. ✯ George Creagh (Cowboy Band), Aug. 16, 2008. ✯ Robert Frederick, Sept. 2, 2008. ✯ W. B. Jones, July 11, 2008. ✯ Tommy Lacewell, July 23, 2008. ✯ Marjorie (Campsey) Reese (Cowgirls), June 11, 2008. Survivors include husband, Jack.

1955

Lorilla Bazar, Oct. 27, 2008. ✯ Tom Renick (ex), May 20,

2008. ✯ Dr. Hermon “Bud” Warford, MM ’56, May 26, 2008. Survivors include wife, Janice (Dones ’54).

1956

Clifford Clements, April 27, 2008. Survivors include wife, Margie. ✯ Pat (Weaver) Johnson, Dec. 9, 2008. Survivors include husband, Ray ’58. ✯ Joann (Norman) McKnight, Dec. 30, 2008. Survivors include daughter Sharon ’78 and her husband Jerry Hendrix ’81, and son John ’85. ✯ Melvin Meeks, Jan. 04, 2009. Survivors include wife Linda Kaye. ✯ Leonard Sharp, Oct. 8, 2008. ✯ Rev. Ronnie Skaggs, Aug. 7, 2008. Survivors include wife, Ruth.

1957

Becky Jo (Smith) Doom (White Horse Rider), Oct. 21, 2008. Survivors include husband, Jim ’58. ✯ Nancy (Blackley) Ellis (Cowgirls, Orchestra), Aug. 28, 2008.

Survivors include husband, Cecil.

1958

Veleta (Windham) Day, Jan. 11, 2009. Survivors include husband, Douglas. ✯ Walter Randolph (ex), Sept. 16, 2008.

1959

Clayton Childress, Oct. 27, 2008. ✯ Sam Condo (ex), July 27, 2008. Survivors include wife, Brenda. ✯ Edith (Akin) Lineweaver, Sept. 4, 2008. Survivors include son John ’83 and his wife Janice (Nunnally ’79.) ✯ Don Sizemore, Nov. 9, 2008. ✯ Buddy West (ex), June 25, 2008. Survivors include wife, Shirley.

1960

Patricia (Trexler) Kunz (Cowgirls), Oct. 31, 2008.

Survivors include husband, Richard. ✯ Norris Lineweaver (ex), Sept. 24, 2008. Survivors include son John ’83 and his wife Janice (Nunnally ’79). ✯ Gerald Norman, July 31, 2008. Survivors include wife, Kathy. ✯ Marlene (Morrison) Taylor, July 5, 2008. Survivors include husband, Harry ’71, and son Paul ’88 and his wife Kathy (Keith ’87).

1961

Norm Burgess, July 7, 2008. Survivors include wife, Suzanne. ✯ Peggy (Guelker) Morris, MEd ’71, July 24, 2008. Survivors include husband, Bob. ✯ Warren Olson, Dec. 29, 2007. ✯ Barbara (Porter) Rowland (ex), Oct. 28, 2008. Survivors include husband, Stephen.

1962

Janice Ferguson, July 13, 2008. ✯ Dorothy Wrinkle (ex), Aug. 1, 2008.

1963

Sue (Engstrom) Franklin, May 28, 2008. Survivors include husband, William ’63.

1964

David Smith (ex, Cowboy Band), Dec. 22, 2008. Survivors include wife, Cynthia. ✯ Robert Strickland, Sept. 30, 2008.

Survivors include wife, Pat. ✯ Robert Thompson (ex), Aug. 19, 2008. Survivors include wife, Frances (Fitts ’64).

1965

1982

Russell Noland (Kappa Delta Kappa), Aug. 11, 2008.

Survivors include wife, Stephanie. ✯ Jake Bethany (ex, Basketball), Jan. 05, 2009.

1987

Father of Karin (Dean) Richardson ’65, Kelsey Dean, Nov. 19, 2008. Other survivors include his wife, Dalma. ✯ Jerry Gibson, July 30, 2008. Survivors include wife, Peggy (Bond ’64). ✯ Nancy (Butler) Lewis (ex), May 27, 2008.

Tamara (Booher) Avery, Nov. 18, 2008. Survivors include husband, Randy. ✯ Teresa Dodd, July 25, 2008. ✯ Dorris (Yates) Tull, Sept. 3, 2008, age 97. In 1987, when she earned an MA in English, Dorris was the oldest person to receive an earned degree from HSU.

1967

1988

Patricia “Trish” (Cates) Aurbach, June 4, 2008.

Survivors include husband, Fred ’66, sister-in-law Rosalynn Eads ’62, and Rosalynn’s children Erin Peart ’93, Robyn ’95, and Megan ’98. ✯ Mary (Wright) Brown, June 6, 2008. ✯ Thomas Hamlin, Oct. 25, 2008. ✯ Madelon Lyons, June 14, 2008.

1970

Larry Golden, Jan. 13, 2009.

1989

Husband of Julie (Goodgame) ’89, Glenn Moore, Nov. 8, 2008.

2002

Vickie (Davis) Burch (CAPERS), Dec. 17, 2008.

Matthew Kirkpatrick, Aug. 7, 2008. Survivors include wife, Naomi (Reeder ’03).

1971

2004

1972

Former University Faculty and Staff

1973

Former HSU information management staff member Werner Ritz, Oct. 18, 2008. Survivors include wife, Nadine.

1975

Dr. Robert Stephenson, Jan. 24, 2009. Dr. Stephenson taught band and music theory, 1957-1960.

Elizabeth (Lookingbill) Clearman, Nov. 27, 2008.

Survivors include husband, Jamie.

Rev. Douglas Wood, April 13, 2008. Survivors include wife, Guyann (Briscoe ’70 ex), and sister Sheri Black ’74.

Henry Doscher, Oct. 3, 2008.

Betty (Hennessy) Davis, Oct. 11, 2008. ✯ Gael (Harrison) Dillard, Sept. 26, 2008. Survivors include husband, James, father Dr. Earl Harrison ’68 ex, and sister Cindy Wier ’73/’03 and her husband Raymond ’73. ✯ Husband of Patricia (Power ), John Parrish, Aug. 21, 2008.

Friends We’ll Miss

Brian Black (ex), July 16, 2008.

Former HSU Central Plant Manager Glenn Casselberry, Aug. 22, 2008. Survivors include wife, Brenda.

1976

David Guthrie, Dec. 20, 2008. Survivors include wife, Suzanne.

1979

Connie (Arrington) Avery (E Pi A), Nov. 3, 2008.

1980

Helen (Davis) Egger, Aug. 4, 2008.

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64 Range Rider Magazine

Coach Sammy Baugh

Some mighty names have passed through the halls of Hardin-Simmons University. Few have accomplished so much with such passion as Coach “Slingin’ Sammy” Baugh, who did just about everything a gridiron athlete can do. Coach Baugh passed away quietly on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2008, at age 94.

The last surviving member of the inaugural Pro Football Hall of Fame class brought the forward pass into the game during a time when nearly every play from scrimmage was a run.

In 1955 Hardin-Simmons University went shopping for a coach to revive the football program and found an eager West Texas rancher (and retired Redskin quarterback) excited about the challenge. He coached at HSU from 1955 to 1959, compiling a 23–28 record.

He went on to coach with the New York Titans and the Houston Oilers, and was inducted into both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame.

Baugh retired to Double Mountain Ranch in Texas (between Rotan and Roby) and continued to help the sport, raising money for football scholarships. In 2000, HSU inducted him into the Athletics Hall of Fame.

Baugh was once asked about his most memorable game, and the answer was surprising. No, it wasn’t one of the five NFL championship games, the Sugar Bowl, or the time he passed for four touchdowns and intercepted four passes against the Detroit Lions—it was a valiant effort at HSU that he counts as his best game.

The year was 1958, and the schedule took HSU on the road to LSU. The Tigers were unbeaten and en route to a national championship—HSU was just a minor bump in the road. A muffed punt and a long LSU drive settled the game with a 20–6 win for the Tigers, but

their coach later called Baugh and told him, “No LSU opponent did a better job of ball control than your Cowboys. I thought you ought to tell your boys.” Thinking back on a career that reached heights few players or coaches will ever experience, Coach Baugh said, “I was never prouder than I was at that moment.”

Emogene Emery

Miss Emogene Emery, a 23-year speech faculty member and former speech department head at Hardin-Simmons University who devoted 46 years of teaching speech communication in both Texas and Oklahoma, passed away Thursday, Aug. 28, 2008.

She achieved local, state, and national recognition as a certified professional parliamentarian, debater, and civic leader.

Miss Emery was born Feb. 25, 1911, in Howe, Oklahoma, to William Byron Emery and the former Icie Leolun Stembridge. At the age of eight, she moved with her family to Shawnee, Oklahoma, so she and her four brothers could attend Oklahoma Baptist University, from which she graduated in 1931.

At Shawnee High School she was a member of the Women’s Debate Team that won the Oklahoma State Women’s Debate Championship two years in a row. She continued debating for four years at OBU, receiving a full scholarship her last three years and serving as a student assistant to the debate coach her senior year.

For the next nine years, she taught in Oklahoma high schools, six of these at Shawnee High School where her debate teams won many debates and speech honors. She received her Master of Arts degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1937 and attended graduate classes at the University of Washington, University of Wisconsin, and Northwestern University.

Emogene was active in the Texas Speech Association. She served on its Board of Directors for several years and was one of the contributors to History of the Texas Speech Association. She taught speech and coached debate at Mary HardinBaylor College (now the University of Mary Hardin Baylor) and in 1947, accepted an invitation to join the faculty at the University of Texas at Austin.

In 1954, then-president Dr. Evan Reiff persuaded her to serve as associate professor of speech at Hardin-Simmons.

She became so involved with her work that she decided to remain at HSU where she served as chair of the Speech Department for nine years.

Miss Emery loved her church, First Baptist, Abilene. She served as a Sunday school teacher and a mission action chairwoman and was on the Bylaws Committee as chair, or member, for nine years.

Spring 2009 |

Send memorial gifts to The Emogene Emery Endowed Memorial Scholarship Fund, HSU Box 16100, Abilene, TX 79698-6100.

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66 Range Rider Magazine

C. Kenneth Hill Jr.

Kenneth Hill, retired HSU alumni director and administrative staff member at HSU for 23 years, died Nov. 6, 2008.

Kenneth graduated from Chattanooga High School in Tennessee in 1936 and then attended Edmondson School of Business there and also received a vocational arts drafting diploma from Vocational Arts School. He married Betty (Loveless ’52) in 1939.

He was employed by the Tennessee Valley Authority as an engineering draftsman and entered the armed services in 1942. After completing officers training in 1943, he served as an Ordnance Officer with the Eighth Air Force in England for two years.

On being discharged, he and Betty both enrolled at HSU in 1946. He received the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1948 with a major in voice and music theory. She earned her BA in 1952 Kenneth began working at HSU in 1948 as alumni director and field representative. In 1955, he left the university for several years, serving as minister of music and education at First Baptist Church of Littlefield and later as director of activities at First Baptist Church of Lubbock.

He returned to the staff of HSU in 1962 and served as director of recruitment, student financial aid, associate in university relations, and director of alumni.

Betty taught at HSU as a math instructor for nine years.

He served as editor of the Range Rider for a number of years and was sponsor of the Rangers service club, which established an endowed scholarship in his honor.

Kenneth and Betty have been active members in Abilene’s First Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon and was active in the senior citizens program.

Over the years, Kenneth served as interim music director for many area churches.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by daughters Sarah ’69 and her husband Rob Mulkey ’69, and Susan ’74 and her husband Paul Stuerzenberger ’73.

Robert Lacewell

For 45 years, William Robert Lacewell pastored a number of Baptist churches, led a variety of ministries, and assisted in the governance of Hardin-Simmons University. Rev. Lacewell passed away Saturday, Nov. 1, 2008.

He was born July 10, 1928, to Camille (Frost) and Dan Lacewell in Ector, Texas. He moved to Friona, Texas, at an early age, graduating from Friona High School before deciding to attend HSU. As a student, he was treasurer of both the Life Service Band (through the Baptist Student Union) and the HSU Ministerial Alliance.

After graduation in 1950, he continued his studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, earning a degree there in 1953 before entering the ministry. During the next 38 years, he pastored churches in Texas and New Mexico, retiring in 1990.

Lacewell was awarded the Logsdon Distinguished Alumni Award at HSU in 2006. He and his wife, Martha (Nollner ’50), received the Keeter Alumni Service Award in 2003, the highest alumni honor HSU can bestow.

The couple endowed two scholarships, established the William Robert Lacewell Christian Leadership Award for graduating physical therapy students, and funded the HSU School of Music and Fine Arts’ technology lab. In 2002, they joined with the Shelton Foundation to establish of the Shelton-Lacewell Endowed Chair in Physical Therapy.

Lacewell served on the HSU Board of Trustees as vice chairman, was a lifetime member of the Presidents Club, was a Board of Development member, and was a member of the Cowboy Club.

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J. G. Martin

Dr. J. G. Martin, professor emeritus of music education at HSU, passed away on Sept. 20, 2008, at the age of 77.

Dr. Martin served the university for 26 years and was head of the Department of Music Education and Church Music when he retired in 1993.

The publisher of several books, including Sharing Music: An Introductory Guide to Music Education and A Normal Family, Martin might be best remembered for forming the choral group Singers Ho! The song-anddance group toured the nation frequently under his baton and entertained U. S. servicemen on three overseas tours including Greenland, Iceland, and Labrador in 1970; Germany, Italy, Belgium, England, and Holland in 1972; and eight weeks of shows in the Far Pacific during the winter of 1974–1975.

Before his retirement, Martin chaired the State Keyboard Committee of the College Division of the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), was co-chairman of the Abilene North District for the National Guild of Piano Teachers, and was a member of the TMEA Committee for Fine Arts Education.

He did not slow down following retirement, serving as president of the HSU Fellowship. He co-founded and conducted an Abilene community choral organization, The Celebration Singers. Martin also continued to serve as an interim and supply music director for churches in the region for many years.

Martin received his bachelor’s degree in piano from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, a master’s in piano at the University of Arizona, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in music education from the University of Texas, Austin.

Together with his wife, Billie (Shirley ’48/’54), also a retired HSU faculty member, he used the travel time afforded by retirement to make several trips to Thailand, where he was invited to teach and conduct at Baptist mission school choirs and to speak during school chapel programs.

Zane Mason

Dr. Zane Mason, HSU professor of history emeritus, passed away on Sept. 16, 2008, at the age of 89.

Mason served from 1959 until his retirement in 1988.

During this time, he was president of the faculty for two terms, five-time nominee from HSU for the Piper Professor Award, Cullen Professor, first Rupert N. Richardson Chair of American History at HSU, and Faculty Member of the Year in 1986.

In 1999, he was selected as the Former Faculty Member of the Year.

Mason attended five colleges and two seminaries, and received four degrees, including the first Doctor of Philosophy in the field of history from Texas Tech University. He taught at Stephen F. Austin State University, Lincoln Memorial University, and Texas Tech before finding a home at Hardin-Simmons University for 29 years.

As a teacher, Mason’s philosophy was to “stress more in my classes than subjectmatter, since there is a life to live which has needs morally, ethically, and spiritually.”

A native of Brandenburg, Kentucky, Dr. Mason was ordained as a Baptist minister in 1941.

He held pastorates in Florida, Tennessee, and Texas, and published a book, Frontiersmen of the Faith. He was married to the former Bobbie “Snowball” Bell Wade, a surgical nurse at Hendrick Medical Center, who preceded him in death.

The history teacher and man of God summed up his HSU career in this way, “We are giving our lives because we feel that this institution promotes, requires, and demands that we stand up and speak up for values that are life-changing, soulsearching, and of eternal worth . . . no matter what our academic disciplines may be. More than all of this I have said, there are a few of us who have a compelling motivation to point our students to the One who is the source of all joy, all comfort, and our blessed hope beyond this life.”

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Dellanna O’Brien

Dellanna (West) O’Brien, who led the Southern Baptist Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) through some of its most trying times, died Sept. 7, 2008. She was 75. O’Brien served as executive director of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) women’s auxiliary for a decade before retiring in 1999. During O’Brien’s tenure, WMU developed several new programs, including Christian Women’s Job Corps, to assist women with economic and other challenges.

Prior to her post at WMU, she served as president of the International Family and Children’s Educational Services, a non-profit organization she founded to provide educational-testing services for missionary kids.

Dellanna and Bill married following her graduation.

He received his degree from HSU in 1955.

An ardent supporter of Hardin-Simmons, Dellanna served on the Board of Development and was recognized with the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1990, an Honorary Doctor of Humanities degree in 1997, induction into the HSU Hall of Leaders in 2003, and, together with her husband Bill, the Jesse Fletcher Award for Distinguished Service in Missions in 2005. (HSU presented Bill with an Honorary Doctorate degree in 1981, and named him as a Distinguished Alumni in 2006.)

Dellanna O’Brien was the author or co-author of several books, including Timeless Virtues: Lessons in Character for Women and Choosing a Future for U. S. Missions.

Born on July 20, 1933, in Wichita Falls, Texas, O’Brien earned her bachelor’s degree from HSU in 1953 and worked as an elementary school teacher until 1963. She and her family served as SBC Foreign (now International) Mission Board missionaries in Indonesia for the next nine years. Upon returning to the United States, O’Brien pursued graduate studies and received a master’s degree in education from Texas Christian University in 1972 and a doctorate in education from Virginia Tech in 1983. She also received honorary degrees from the University of Richmond in Virginia and Judson College in Alabama.

Following the tsunami that killed hundreds of thousands in Indonesia and surrounding areas in December 2004, O’Brien and her husband returned “to the land we loved.” For 18 months, the O’Briens served in the city of Banda Aceh as volunteers, providing trauma counseling, assisting women with securing small-business loans, and assisting with reconstruction work.

She is survived by her husband, three children, and six grandchildren.

Bring Someone Home to HSU! We’re looking for future Cowboys, and YOU can help.

Do you know someone who has Cowboy potential?

Is there a high school junior/senior or a college transfer student in your community who is looking for a college home? HardinSimmons is the perfect place for students to be challenged in their intellectual and spiritual growth as they experience an education enlightened by faith.

We’re looking for students whose distinguished scholarship, outstanding leadership, and Christian character exemplify their desire for an education centered on Christian principles that integrate faith, learning, and servant leadership.

HSU continues to provide a nurturing environment for students as they explore the possibilities for their futures and become the next generation of leaders.

Complete the Cowboy Referral Card below with the names of students you know who will benefit from HSU’s Education Enlightened by Faith and mail it to us today!

Your Name Name

Phone

Address City

State

ZIP

Email

Potential Cowboy No. 1 Name

Phone

Address City

State

ZIP

Email

Potential Cowboy No. 2 Name

Phone

Address City

State

ZIP

Email Office of Enrollment Services • 2200 Hickory, Box 16050 •Abilene, Texas 79698 877-GOHSUTX • enroll@hsutx.edu

GREATNESS. DEFINE YOURS HERE Bruce Bundrant BBA 1994 Hardin-Simmons University Head of Commercial Partnerships Liverpool Football Club, Liverpool, UK “My experience at Hardin-Simmons University shaped the core values that I have preserved over time. These core values of hard work, respect, curiosity, and dedication were developed from the time I spent with professors and friends in the classroom, on the soccer field, at social functions, and at university events. HSU also provided me with an idea for a career. I had never considered (or heard of) sports marketing until Professor Tom Moritz suggested it, and now I’ve just entered my 12th year as a sports marketing professional.”

Throughout its history, Hardin-Simmons University has been blessed to have touched the lives and to have been touched by the lives of exceptional individuals. Like the HSU graduate featured here, you too can define your future at Hardin-Simmons University.

877-GOHSUTX 2200 Hickory Street Box 16050 Abilene, Texas 79698 www.hsutx.edu

Corrections to Fall 2008 Issue

Page 51: Marian (Shelton) Graham ’92 writes: “My husband, Mark, and I have three daughters, not two. My girls are trying to decide which one is moving out! M’Lee is 12, McCall is 10, and Malone is 8.

All three attend school at Jim Ned.”

Longview, we had lived here so long (33 years!), we decided to make it our retirement home. At the time of my retirement, FBC Longview named the Christian education building in my honor. This building is four stories tall and covers half a city block. That was some kind of shock for someone who grew up in Shamrock, Texas, where we did not have a building in the whole county that big! God is so good! How grateful I am to Him for His grace and the teaching and training I received at Hardin-Simmons University!”

Page 56: Dewayne Beaty ’58 lives in Longview, not Brownwood.

Dewayne writes: “When I retired from First Baptist Church

Page 60: Helen McLeod, who passed away April 20, 2008, is survived also by her great-niece Tessa Phillips ’05.

| Spring 2009

Page 14: Loyd Hawthorne was misidentified in the photo as Lawson Hager.

72 Range Rider Magazine

HARDIN-SIMMONS UNIVERSITY

SPRING 2009

Staff Editor-in-Chief Leland Harden ’84 Vice President, Institutional Advancement 325.670.1376; lharden@hsutx.edu Editor Brenda Harris ’10 Director of Publications/University Editor 325.670.1262; bharris@hsutx.edu Alumni Editor Britt (Yates) Jones ’84 Asst. VP for Institutional Advancement Director of Alumni Relations 325.670.1317; 800.460.3908; brittj@hsutx.edu Editorial Assistant Kimberly Hawkins ’07 University Communications Project Coordinator 325.670.1231; khawkins@hsutx.edu Art Director Scott Burkhalter ’99 Senior Graphic Designer 325.671.2140; sburkhalter@hsutx.edu Cover Photography Dr. Joseph Bailey ’00 Assistant Professor of Communication

Range Rider is the official publication of HardinSimmons University for its alumni and friends.

Published biannually by the HSU Office of Publications, Abilene TX. Postage paid at Abilene TX and additional mailing offices. Opinions expressed in Range Rider are those of the individual authors and subjects and do not necessarily reflect the views of the university administration, faculty, or students. No portion of this magazine may be reprinted without the express written consent of the editor. rangerider@hsutx.edu POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Range Rider, HSU Box 16100, Abilene TX 79698-6100.

(USPS 455-360)

Board of Trustees Hilton Hemphill ’63, Chair Glen Bratcher ˇ57, Jimmie Cantrell, George Gaston, Brent Gentzel ’91, Roy Graham ’63, Dale Haralson ’59, Kay Henard, Ron Howell ’52, Tina Hunter, John Hyde ’64, Mary Jacob, Jerry Joplin ’81/’83, Ann Lindsey ˇ66, Neal Lowry, Joe Martinez ’57, Allan Meador ’78/’82, Karen Muñoz, James Parker ’51, Jan (Evans) Patterson ’78, Jerry Phillips ’67, Jud Powell ’76/’78, Jerry Sawyer, Norma (Willingham) Schaffer ex ’63, Glen Schmucker ’76, Lila Senter, Joe Sharp ’58, Ivan Smith ’68, Guinn Smith, Bubba Stahl ’84, Rick Strange ’82, Melinda (Offner) Stricklin ’83, Rob Wiley ’87, Will Wilkins ’61, John Wilson ’68, Clinton Wolf ’50.

Board of Development Truett Latimer, Chair Committee Chairs: Mark Layton ex ’71, Academic Foundation; Karen (Swartz) Kimball ’63, Alumni Involvement and Retention; Jack Preston ’60, Annual Giving; Dan Munton ’91, Athletics; Joe Weir ’95, Media Relations Advisory; Jeff McMillon, Scholarship and Financial Aid. Alumni Association Board of Directors Officers: Chris Carnohan ’75, President; Steve Post ’85, President-Elect; Phil Ashby ’80, VP for Celebrations; Linda (Davis) Cargile ’82, VP for Homecoming; Emily (Hager) Clancy ’95 and Rosa Lee (Hemphill) Prichard ’58, VPs for Special Projects; Amanda (Perez) Etter ’05, VP for Outreach; Roxie Keenan ’05, Chaplain; Laura (McBeth) Thaxton ’51/’68, Secretary. Directors: Vance Cooksey ’85/’87, Denise (Greene) Duchesneau ’77, Phyllis (Gandy) Ewing ’60, Erica Fairbanks ’11, Melissa (Thompson) Kidd ’98, Allison Lovejoy ’12, Joe Melson ’88, Melissa (Martin) Milliorn ’93.

Board of Young Associates Officers: Jenni (Sims) Pulley ’97, President; Clint Buck ’99, President Elect; Jay Lester ’94/’95, Vice President; Wayne Lisenbee ’97, Vice President; Jon Sibert ’97, Vice President; Kathryn (White) Mitchell ’99, Secretary; Jennifer (Mitchell) Dunn ’99/’01, Chaplain, Brian Kickhoefer ’93, Immediate Past President.

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