Dorothy Ella Johnston 1922-2025

Nobody is immortal. Not even my aunt Dorothy, who died on April 1st, just a few months shy of her 103rd birthday. She was laid to rest in Temple, Texas yesterday. Her obituary was carried by the Temple Daily Telegram and can also be accessed on her funeral home's website (along with a bunch of pictures of her over the years if you click on "gallery"). As is my tradition, I am also posting it here (especially because I wrote it!):

Dorothy Ella Johnston, of Temple, departed this earth on April 1, 2025.

Dorothy was born in Osage County, Oklahoma on July 22, 1922 and graduated from Bowlegs High School in Bowlegs, Oklahoma in 1940. In 1941, she entered the Sisters of St. Francis in Maryville, Missouri. She graduated from the St. Anthony School of Nursing in Oklahoma City as a Registered Nurse in 1948, Benedictine Heights College in Tulsa, Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Science in 1956, and St. Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri with a Masters of Education in 1962. She spent most of her career as a medical records administrator but also served as principal of Mount Alverno Academy in Maryville, Missouri in the 1960s. Dorothy left the Sisters of St. Francis in 1968.

In 1973 she settled in Temple, where she would spend the rest of her life. She worked in the medical information section of the Olin E. Teague Veterans Administration Hospital until 1984 and then taught in the Medical Records Technology Program at Temple College until 1987. Whether as a nurse, a teacher, an administrator, or an aunt, and in hospitals, schools, convents and so many other places, Dorothy touched an uncountable number of lives during her 102 years on this planet.

Dorothy will be remembered for her independence, her wisdom, and her enthusiasm for imparting it upon others (whether they wanted it or not!). Dorothy did not realize she was a dog person until later in life, when she met her two best friends, Penny and Daisy.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Henry William Johnston and Ruth Ella Mitchem Johnston, and her brothers James Orrin Johnston and Glen Edwin Johnston. She is survived by her brother Joseph Henry Johnston of Austin, sister Rosemary Teresa Johnston Gray of Houston, sister-in-law Carolyn Johnston of Beaverton, Oregon, and innumerable cousins, nieces, and nephews living all over the world. She also leaves behind many friends and neighbors who provided her support, comfort and companionship.

A mass funeral will be held at 11 am on Monday, April 14, 2025 at St. Luke’s Catholic Church, where she was a parishioner for over half a century. A rosary will precede the service at 10:30, and her ashes will be interred in St. Luke’s columbarium afterwards. In lieu of flowers, her family requests donations be made to Feed My Sheep (116 W Avenue G, Temple, TX 76504).

And now, time for some pictures... 

Dorothy and a very young me, March 1974

Dorothy, along with my grandmother, moved to Temple the same year I was born. Given that Temple is only about three hours away from Houston, I saw her on a regular basis. Most holidays and even some vacations were spent with her and she was always there for the big events of my life, such as graduations and my first wedding. It felt weird being in Temple for her funeral yesterday, knowing that it might have been the last time I would ever be there. 

Dorothy and me in Tucson, Arizona, where we were attending my cousin's wedding, June 2004

Dorothy, having no spouse or children of her own, definitely lived an independent life. I will never forget how she, in her mid-60s, decided to travel down to Ecuador by herself to visit us (and take an excursion into the Amazonian rainforest with us!) when we were spending the summer there. 

The five of us in a hotel in the Ecuadorian rainforest, July 1988

After my grandmother passed away in 2000, Dorothy lived alone. When my uncle and her younger brother Glen, who also lived in Temple, died back in 2007, I wrote that Dorothy's "days of living independently are probably numbered." She proved me wrong by herself for another fifteen years, only having to move out of her house a few months short of her 100th birthday when her eyesight had deteriorated to the point where she could no longer get around her own home. She spent the next two-and-a-half years in assisted living and was only transferred to full nursing care a couple of months ago, when her body finally gave out. Her mental abilities never diminished.

Family, friends and neighbors gathered for Dorothy's 95th birthday, July 2017

This does not mean that Dorothy lived in isolation. She had a number of friends and neighbors who checked on her on a regular basis when she lived in her house, providing her with much-needed support and conversation. Those same people continued to visit her in assisted living. She also had the companionship of Daisy, her dog. Sometimes I'd even make the trip to check in on her.  

Corinne and myself visiting Dorothy and Daisy, June 2021

As for "her wisdom, and her enthusiasm for imparting it upon others (whether they wanted it or not!)," that's a gentle way of saying that Dorothy had very strong opinions and didn't hesitate to share them with others. Sometimes it was humorous, but at other times it could be awkward. She especially loved to nag my brother and me, imploring us to be more obedient to our parents or do better in school. I know it was because she had our best interests in mind, but when we were teenagers it got to the point that we started referring to the street in Temple on which she lived, Lancelot Lane, as "Nag-a-lot Street."

Dorothy spent a lot of time in the kitchen, but her tastes were fairly basic.

Dorothy Johnston led a long and remarkable life, so much of it spent in service of others. She will definitely be missed. After being on this earth for almost 103 years, it will definitely feel strange for Dorothy not to be here anymore.

Dorothy and me shortly after her transfer to a nursing facility, January 2025. This is the last picture of us together.

Ralph Anthony "Tony" Trainello 1950-2023

"Uncle Tony" was Corinne's uncle; I first met him not too long after I began dating her. I only had the pleasure of knowing Tony for a few years, but I will always remember him for his hospitality and generosity. Whenever we went up to "the farm" - Uncle Tony and Aunt Lori's ranch halfway between Teague and Mexia - he would always be waiting for me with a warm hug and a cold beer. 

The last time I saw him was in late July, when Corinne, Kirby and I stopped by there after visiting my aunt in Temple. He was happy and healthy and was proud to show off his new "toy" - a griddle that he used to cook hamburgers for all of us for lunch. I had no way of knowing at the time that, only a matter of weeks later, he would be gone.

Tony's sudden passing cast a pall over the entire autumn; his loss has been especially hard on Corinne. Tony was like a father figure to her, especially after her own father passed away. In fact, Corinne's original plan for our wedding (before the pandemic forced us to change everything) was for Tony to walk her down the aisle.

Tony did not want a formal funeral ceremony and no obituary ran in any newspaper. However, at a remembrance for him on the farm a couple of months ago, a pamphlet containing a testimonial of his life was distributed to attendees. I am reproducing it here, with very minor edits for clarity, and with Aunt Lori's permission:

Ralph Anthony Trainello (Tony or Apaw to us) was born on July 4, 1950 in High Point, North Carolina. Tony never knew his father as his parents divorced shortly after he was born. Tony and his mother, Betty, moved to Dallas where they lived with his beloved grandmother, Elizabeth, in the early '50s. Soon his mom met and married Kenneth Bracey and they became a family. Tony's brother, David, was born a few years later. Tony Graduated from H. Grady Spruce High School in Dallas in 1968. He then moved to Houston where he pursued a degree in Construction Technology while holding full-time jobs in engineering firms and moonlighting at night by drafting for mechanical, electrical and plumbing companies. It was his afterhours drafting job that paid for the 68.5 (and eventually 92.5) acre ranch be bought in 1979 in Freestone County, Texas, naming it Patton Creek Ranch. He became interested in this area while visiting with his best friend, Tony Miller, who owned property in Freestone County. They both dreamed of one day retiring to their ranches and spending time sitting together on their porches. Sadly, both were taken too soon, and they were never able to fulfill their dream together. 

In 1980, Tony married Becky and from that union two beautiful daughters were born, Jennifer and Megan, of whom he couldn't be prouder. 

In the late '80s, Tony was contacted by Maryann Schroder, from New York state, who turned out to be his half-sister, the daughter of his father. Her difficult and vigilant searching resulted in the beginning of a new and loving sibling relationship.

Tony and David built the ranch house during those first few years after he bought the property with the help of the children's uncles and grandfather. It was to be a "deer camp." But it became much more than that. 

Tony's career of 46 years in the engineering and construction business was rewarding and fruitful. His most challenging and satisfying years were those spent at Pollock Electric and Trio Electric. The Pollock family allowed him to manage large projects (the buildings which he never failed to point out as he drove through Houston) and provide for his family and the company. He prided himself on treating the company checkbook like his own and was often found scouring the company warehouse/surplus for parts he needed for a job rather than buying new. He mentored many young men during his career, but sadly, he always said that he didn't think, in the scope of life, his work mattered. It mattered, it mattered...

In 1995, Tony met Lori and the love story blossomed into marriage in 1998. They raised the two girls into beautiful, educated and successful women with families of their own. Tony wasn't a "sleep in the bed dog person," but Lori came up with one, so he became a dog person... Gretel, then Brooke and now Maddie... He loved them all, his faithful companions...

Tony loved fishing with his brother David and grandson, Brody. Kid fish tournaments at Fairfield Lake State Park were a favorite of both Brody and his granddaughter Bryleigh. He was a patient teacher to his grandchildren and, well, to all of us... He would tell Brody that all the things he was teaching him, together they would have to teach Mason, his third grandchild, once he was old enough. He loved the time with his grandchildren and, no doubt, they went home with stories... So many stories. Camping became a passion after retirement and he loved exploring Texas State Parks. In May, a trip to the Devis Mountains to celebrate 25 years of marriage, with a day trip to Big Bend National Park, was a special blessing and a long-time dream realized.

Many, many weekends at the ranch that became his final early home brought joy to so many friends and family celebrations... Everyone was welcome there and he was in his glory hosting. But equally as joyous was the time spent there in quiet, peaceful reflection. As much as he loved camping, coming home to the ranch never got old... It was his absolute happy place, closest to heaven as could be. He loved the Lord and no doubt he is with Jesus.

Tony's Graduation to Glory was on September 3, 2023. He considered family Lori Trainello, his wife of 25 years, daughter Jennifer Fulcher and husband Joel, daughter Megan Morfin and husband Mike, and grandchildren Jae, Hanna, Keila, Bryleigh, Brody and Mason. Also his brother, David, and sister in law, Debbie, nieces Emmy (Dave) and Natalie (Barry) and nephew Nathan and their families, sister Maryann and husband Roger and their family, sister in law Cheryl and niece, Corinne (Thomas) and nephew Aug (Val) and their families along with so many great nieces and nephews. And so many friends and neighbors he considered family. 

Tony always said the three tall oaks at the south end of the yard reminded him of the three crosses on Calvary. He would often do his morning devotional looking out on those trees. Tony's wish was to be cremated. As a place of remembrance, a marker will be placed near the grove of his oaks. Bryliegh and Brody, with the help of their parents. lovingly built the beautiful white cross where the marker will go eventually; probably something very simple, like the cross, as he was a very simple, humble man. We believe he would like that. 

"Well done, good and faithful servant!"

From Matthew 25:21

 

Larry Dee Stevens, 1950-2021

My ex-father-in-law (and my son's grandfather) suddenly passed away at the beginning of the month:

Larry Dee Stevens passed away on Friday, April 2nd, 2021 at the age of 70.  Larry was born on September 8th, 1950 in New Braunfels, TX.  Larry served in the United States Army and fought bravely in the Vietnam War.  He received two Purple Heart medals during his service.  Once he returned home to Texas he began his family with his wife Synthia.  They were married on April 11th, 1970.  Together they brought 4 beautiful children into this world; Lori, Danny, Lorena and Jacob.   

Larry was a pillar of his community for much of his life.  He always tried to help those around him and worked hard until the day he died.  He never met a stranger and worked hard to ensure everyone was happy.  He wore his heart on his sleeve and always made sure those that he loved knew it.  Larry was an avid fisher and hunter and loved to tell a good story.  His pride and joy were his children and grandchildren and he loved to see them grow and accomplish new things.   

Larry is survived by his children, Lori Stevens, Danny Stevens, Lorena deAlejandro & husband Bill deAlejandro, Jacob Stevens & wife Casey Stevens, grandchildren Aiden Stevens, Kirby Gray, Leia deAlejandro, Willow deAlejandro, Griffin deAlejandro, great grandson Gideon deLuna.  He is also survived by his siblings Paul Stevens, Lorena Lightfoot, Linda McNeel, his twin brother Gary Stevens and many nieces, nephews and friends.  He was preceded in death by his parents J.Y. and Bernice Stevens and wife Synthia Stevens.

Larry's funeral service was held one week ago, on Tuesday April 13, in Houston. He was buried on Houston National Cemetery alongside his wife. 

Although I'm no longer part of his family and I hadn't seen him in years, I will still miss him. 

Henry Robert Hermis, Jr 1953 - 2020

The news of Henry's death came as a shock to me when I heard about it a week ago. Henry gave me my first job out of college, at his architectural consulting firm. Although I worked there full-time for less than a year before I moved on to graduate school, Henry still gave me part-time work during the summers and holidays while I was in grad school, and I continued to keep up with him and some of the other co-workers I met there long afterward. 

I would also occasionally bump into Henry at UH football games; in addition to being a fellow UH College of Architecture alum, he was also a fellow Cougar fan. 

I'm glad I got to know Henry. He will be missed.

On Wednesday, September 2, 2020 Henry Robert Hermis, Jr. passed away at the age of 67.  Henry was born to Henry (Sr.) and Rita (Barta) Hermis in Hallettsville, Texas on June 6, 1953.  He was raised in Houston, Texas at his family home on Reinerman Street, with frequent visits back to the family farms in Ammannsville and Schulenburg, Texas with his mom, dad, brother, sister, aunts and uncles, and many cousins.  Henry cherished his Czech Heritage.

Henry graduated from the University of Houston in 1976 with a degree in architecture.  While attending university he met his future wife Barbie and they were married on May 17, 1975.  Together they raised two wonderful sons, Kevin and Brian.

Henry is preceded in death by his father Henry Hermis, Sr. and mother Rita Barta Hermis.  He is survived by his wife Barbara Kahanek Hermis and son Kevin Hermis and wife Megan Womack Hermis and granddaughters Olivia, Eliza, and Emilia and son Brian McCann-Hermis and wife Ashley McCann-Hermis and granddaughter Hana.  Henry was a loving and dedicated husband, father, and grandfather that cared about his family and friends tremendously and everybody will miss him dearly.

A private Catholic mass will be held at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Plantersville, Texas, which will also be his final resting place.

Henry was a kind and generous man that showed compassion for all those around him and we believe he would appreciate donations to the Salvation Army, or The Czech Center Museum of Houston, or a charity of one's choice.

RIP Gerald Hines

I would venture to say that no single person has impacted Houston's skyline more than Gerald D. Hines. The legendary developer passed away last weekend at the age of 95:

Hines, who launched his property company as a one-man shop in Houston in 1957, developed billions of dollars’ worth of real estate across the globe, influencing generations of builders and leaving a lasting mark on the world’s top cities. 

The founder and chairman of the Hines firm was one of the first developers to hire sought-after architects, proving that tenants would flock to top-quality buildings, even in a down market. He raised the bar for commercial real estate by showing that quality and financial success could be mutually attainable. 

“Gerald Hines was one of the great patrons of American architecture of the 20th century,” said architectural historian Stephen Fox, putting him in a category with John and Dominique de Menil, Ima Hogg and her brother William, and Edgar Odell Lovett, the first president of Rice University. 

“He put Houston on the map in terms of architecture by his imaginativeness and his business discipline in understanding how he could work with the best architects of the world within the economic constraints of real estate development and construction,” said Fox, a lecturer at the architecture schools at Rice and University of Houston.

Hines and his development firm were responsible for many of Houston's most iconic buildings, including One Shell Plaza, Pennzoil Place, the TC Energy (originally RepublicBank) Center, the JP Morgan Chase (formerly Texas Commerce) Tower, the Transco (now Williams) Tower, and the Galleria. The JP Morgan Chase Tower, built in 1982, remains Texas's tallest building, while the Williams Tower, opened in 1983, remains the tallest building in the United States located outside of a central business district. In addition to his Houston developments, Hines was responsible for notable buildings in places such as New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and Dallas.

Downtown’s Pennzoil Place represented a breakthrough for Hines from a design and development standpoint. The twin 36-story trapezoidal towers of darkly tinted glass was named “Building of the Decade” when it was completed in 1975 by the late New York Times architecture critic Ada Louise Huxtable. 

Hines collaborated on the project with architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee who turned away from the boxy modern design of the era exemplified in One Shell Plaza just up the street. 

“In so doing they demonstrated that if you make a building that is distinctive there are tenants that will pay extra to have their offices there,” Fox said. “That was kind of the Hines breakthrough — to understand and respect the power of architecture to create structures potential clients would want to identify with.” 

Hines worked with Johnson and Burgee on multiple projects, including the so-called “Lipstick Building” at 53rd at Third in midtown Manhattan, a 34-story elliptical-shaped office tower completed in 1986; and San Francisco’s 101 California, completed in 1982, a cylindrical 48-story tower of glass and granite and glass, featuring a seven-story, glass-enclosed lobby. 

Hines developed friendships with many of the architects who designed his buildings. For his 90th birthday, he was joined by seven of them to discuss design and development in a public architecture forum at Houston’s Hobby Center. Hines sat alongside Burgee, A. Eugene Kohn, Henry Cobb, Cesar Pelli, Robert A.M. Stern, Jon Pickard and Art Gensler who talked of Hines’ outsize influence on commercial real estate. The event drew an audience of more than 2,000. 

“Our best work was for Gerry Hines,” Burgee, who, along with the late Philip Johnson designed several buildings for Hines, said at the forum.

Given his patronage of some of the era's most notable architects, perhaps it is only natural that Hines also lent his support the next generation as well:

Hines’ philanthropic contributions included a $7 million donation in 1997 to the University of Houston’s architecture school that now bears his name. 

When he spoke to students, Dean Patricia Belton Oliver said, there was an immediate connection and mutual respect. 

“I never saw him light up quite the way he did when he was surrounded by students,” she said. “For someone who made his career in such a tough business, it was so gratifying to see the joy he experienced when he had the opportunity to share his legacy.”

Discussions about Hines' contribution to the UH College of Architecture occurred towards the end of my time as a student there, and I remember it being controversial at the time. Some students were miffed that the college "sold out" to a developer, rather than an actual architect. Never mind the fact that, without developers, architects wouldn't have any business at all!

I never got to meet Hines in person, although I was among a group of UH architecture students who was invited for a luncheon at his River Oaks mansion, which was rather impressive.

Hines' firm continues to operate under the direction of his son, Jeffery. A tribute to Hines on the company's website is worth a read. The UH College of Architecture has put up a tribute as well.

RIP Bill Yeoman

The legendary University of Houston football coach has passed away.

Bill Yeoman, a standout lineman and teammate of Heisman Trophy winners Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis at Army, who would go on to shepherd the University of Houston into the top tier of college football as the Cougars' coach for 25 years, died Wednesday at age 92. 

His son, Bill Jr., said Yeoman died of pneumonia and kidney failure.

Yeoman had been hospitalized with COVID-19, and things looked hopeful after he was released from the hospital at the beginning of the month. Unfortunately, he simply couldn't recover from the ravages of the disease.

Yeoman took over as coach at Houston, then an independent, in 1962. He invented the veer offense, a triple-option attack similar to the wishbone. The ESPN College Football Encyclopedia quoted Yeoman as saying, "We stumbled upon it, really. Almost by accident." 

Yeoman dared to recruit Black athletes before any major program in Texas, signing back Warren McVea to a scholarship in 1964. Between his recruiting and his offense, Yeoman created an offensive machine. The Cougars famously defeated Tulsa 100-6 in 1968, the first season they finished in the top 20 (18th). 

"Coach Yeoman was a leader and visionary in our game," current Houston coach Dana Holgorsen said in a statement. "Not only was he a Hall of Fame coach, but also he brought our program to national prominence during his tenure. His legacy will live on in our program and will stand the test of time. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, former players and coaches." 

Houston's success under Yeoman created a path to membership in the Southwest Conference. Houston won the SWC in its first season (1976), finishing 10-2 with a No. 4 national ranking. The Cougars won three more SWC championships (1978-79, 1984) under Yeoman. 

He retired in 1986 with a record of 160-108-8. The College Football Hall of Fame enshrined Yeoman in 2001.

In addition to the aforementioned 1976 season, the Cougars also finished the season in the AP top ten in 1973 (#9) and 1980 (#5). Between the 1969 and 1980 seasons, in fact, the Cougars ended the season with a national ranking nine times - the best such stretch in program history. Yeoman's teams were also 6-4-1 in bowl games. For many UH fans, especially the older ones, Yeoman's tenure represents the "glory days" of UH football; looking at the program's record since then, it's hard to argue with that. He put the program on the map.

I met Coach Yeoman on several occasions: at alumni luncheons, at events for season ticketholders, and at the games themselves. In addition to being very friendly and fun to listen to - he had no shortage of stories to tell - he also retained his passion for UH football, encouraging people to buy tickets and keep the faith.

Thank you, Coach Yeoman, and rest in peace. Ryan Monceaux has more.

Kirby Lloyd Harding 1927-2017

Although I am no longer married into his family, hadn't seen him in years, and know he had been in ill health for some time, I am going to miss Kirby Harding.

Kirby was as hilarious and as mischievous as he was cantankerous. He made the best seafood gumbo. He was a fan of UH football from the very beginning of the program and even gave me the copy of Jerry Wizig's Eat 'Em Up, Cougars - a history of UH football from its inception to its 1977 Cotton Bowl victory - that currently sits on my bookshelf. And he adored the fact that my son is named after him.

Kirby died just a month shy of his 90th birthday and 70th wedding anniversary. This is his obituary as it appeared in the Galveston County Daily News; however, Lori's cousin read a much longer and more interesting obituary at the funeral service on Monday. If I can get my hands on a copy, I'll replace this one with that one.

Kirby Lloyd Harding born October 16, 1927 in Waco, Texas and went to be with the Lord on September 15, 2017 in New Braunfels, Texas. 

Kirby was preceded in death by his mother, Willie Ables Harding and his daughter Synthia Marie Harding Stevens. He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Charldeen Jeanette Watts Harding; three daughters, Sandra Wicker (Tom), Sherry Cass (Ron) and Sharlene Bailey (Brian); and a son-in-law, Larry Stevens;13 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren. 

Visitation will be at Crowder Funeral Home in Dickinson, Texas on Monday, September 18, 2017 at noon, with a service to follow at 1:00 pm, and a graveside at Forest Park East.

John Zemanek 1921-2016

I'm not sure I ever encountered an instructor - at any level of my education - quite like John Zemanek. I interacted with him frequently while a student at the University of Houston College of Architecture, be it through the courses I took from him, the numerous critiques and juries of mine that he attended, the Friday afternoons I spent chatting with him in his office, or the visits to his fascinating Montrose home my friends and I made. And even after all that, I don't think I ever quite understood him. To say that he was merely "eccentric" or "enigmatic" would be an understatement.

John Zemanek was a brilliant man; he was a scholar of philosophy, art, anthropology and history as much as he was an instructor of architecture. That was, in my opinion, both a gift and curse to his teaching abilities.

The actual lecture courses I took from him were a disappointment. They were always variations on the same theme: the Western World is in decline; consumer culture, the privatization (and militarization) of public space, and the rise of the "entertainment-industrial complex" are making us a bunch of joyless pawns of the rich; knowledge is being superseded by mere information; culture is being superseded by mere civilization. Maybe he had a point - see, for example, Donald Trump - but his lectures oftentimes felt like apocalyptic indoctrination sessions with only tenuous links to the actual practice of architecture. I didn't do well in his classes.

He was much more engaging when he was outside the classroom setting and not following a scripted lesson plan. I think I learned more about architecture and urbanism from him just by chatting with him in his office or walking to and from the Satellite for lunch with him than I did by sitting in his lectures. He was especially interested in youth culture (and counterculture) and on a couple of occasions even accompanied my friends and me to a couple of rave parties to observe Houston's nascent techno scene. Zemanek is also probably one of the major reasons why I decided to go to graduate school for a degree in city planning.

I think a friend of mine said it best: "on the one hand a condescending prick of an architect, on the other a teacher pushing his students to be better."

Although I knew that he served in the Second World War, I had no idea that Zemanek was a bombardier on a B-24 and that his plane was shot down on the last day of the European war. He never talked (to me, at least) about his experiences in WW II, although they clearly had a great influence on his life and teachings.

As is my custom, I'm reposting his Chronicle obituary here. The UH College of Architecture has a more detailed remembrance as well.

Johnny "John" Eugene Zemanek, FAIA, architect, planner and professor, 94, died Monday, April 18. The youngest of twelve children of Bohemian political refugees Jan (John) and Frantiska (Frances) Machacek Zemánek of Moravia, John was born in Guy, Texas near the Brazos River. He attended Big Creek, Guy, and Damon rural schools, before attending Texas A & M University and graduating with a degree in architecture, a member of the Corps of Cadets. In 1942, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps Reserves and entered active duty in January 1943. A second lieutenant, he served as a bombardier on B-24 Liberators, flying allied missions from Foggia, in southern Italy. On the last day of the European war, his plane was shot down and made an emergency landing at an unmarked airfield behind enemy lines. All crewmembers were recovered.

After the war, he went on to The University of Texas in Austin for Bachelor of Architecture and Master of Architecture degrees, then moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to earn a Master of City Planning degree from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, led by Walter Gropius. John returned to Houston to practice with Kenneth Franzheim, then relocated to Tokyo to work for Czech American modernist architect Antonin Raymond; there he planned 17 airbases in the Far East. He practiced also for the U. S. Department of State in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) planning village housing and institutes.

Returning to Houston, he worked with many of Houston's eminent firms, including Wilson, Morris, and Crain, where he contributed to the development of the Harris County Domed Stadium, now known as the Astrodome.

Invited to teach at the University of Houston College of Architecture first as a visitor, then full time in 1964, he earned tenure in 1969. He maintained a solo practice, and his independent architecture reflected the profound influence of his Texas rural heritage and landscape as well as his respect for and deep knowledge of the diverse Asian cultures that engaged him so fully throughout his life. His work has been published in local, national and international journals and television media, and has won design awards at the local, state, and national level. In 1978 he earned the national AIA Honor Award, for his Three H Services Center, a social services complex for the Bordersville community, which had been established by former slaves. He is remembered especially for a series of three Montrose houses, each designed as his personal residence, dating from 1969, 2000 and 2011. He would later refer to these as Gaia 1, 2, and 3. While each is an unassuming essay on modest materials carefully combined for great spatial effect, a comparison reveals the evolution of his thinking from ephemeral delicacy toward distinct rootedness.

Over his 48 years of teaching at the University of Houston he never failed to challenge students to think critically and to engage them in an "architecture that begins with our social structure."

His latest creative efforts include his memoir Being••Becoming (2016) published just before his death, and a design consultation for Morningstar Coffee, opening in Houston next month.

John was preceded in death by his parents, 5 brothers and 6 sisters. He is survived by his sister-in-law, Mary Sue Zemanek, as well as numerous nieces and nephews and extended family and by a multitude of friends.

Details of a memorial will be forthcoming. Donations may be made in his honor to the UH Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design.

Guy V. Lewis, 1922-2015

The legendary University of Houston basketball coach has passed away:

Guy V. Lewis, the self-professed “good ol’ boy from Arp” and father of the Phi Slama Jama basketball dynasty at the University of Houston, has died. He was 93.

Lewis died Thursday in Kyle.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Hall of Fame Coach Guy V. Lewis, who passed away this morning," UH athletic director Hunter Yurachek said on Twitter. "A true Cougar legend."

With his signature red polka-dot towel in hand, Lewis was the winningest coach in UH history, compiling 592 victories and making five Final Four trips while coaching such stars as Elvin Hayes, Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler in 30 seasons from 1956 to 1986.

Off the court, he was regarded as a visionary and innovator for putting together the 1968 “Game of the Century” against top-ranked UCLA at the Astrodome and for being one of the first college basketball coaches to embrace racial integration in the South.

“He belongs on a pedestal with the greatest coaches ever to coach the game,” Drexler said. “Where the game of basketball is today is because of Guy V. Lewis.”

I'm glad Lewis lived long enough to see himself finally get inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Given his contributions to the sport, he should have been inducted much sooner. The fact that he never won a national championship - North Carolina State's miracle finish against the Cougars in the 1983 NCAA Championship will always be a dark spot in this city's sports history - was the only blemish on his amazing legacy.

“The coaches I hated coaching against were the real good ones, and Guy was one of those,” legendary UCLA coach John Wooden said in 1998. “I think Guy took a bum rap because he never won a national championship.”

Lewis led the Cougars to Final Four appearances in 1967, 1968, 1982, 1983 and 1984. Those accomplishments seem even more amazing today, considering the dumpster fire that UH basketball has been lately.

Guy Vernon Lewis was born on March 19, 1922, in Arp, Texas, just outside Tyler, the son of an independent oil wildcatter at the height of the East Texas oil boom.

After serving as an Army Air Corps flight instructor in World War II, Lewis returned and played two years at Rice and eventually decided to attend UH in 1946. A 6-foot-3 co-captain, Lewis was the leading scorer on the first two UH basketball teams in 1946-47.

Lewis returned to UH for the 1953-54 season, serving two seasons as an assistant before his promotion to head coach when Alden Pasche retired in 1956.

UH reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 1961, one of 14 appearances under Lewis. In all, Lewis coached 15 All-Americans and 10 NBA first-round picks, among them Donnie Schyerak, Gary Phillips, Hayes, Chaney, Drexler, Olajuwon, Dwight Davis, Dwight Jones, Otis Birdsong, Rob Williams and Michael Young.

Three players – Hayes, Drexler and Olajuwon – are in the Hall of Fame and were voted among the NBA’s 50 greatest players of all-time.

Guy and his wife, Dena, who passed away shortly before he did, lived in the same University Oaks neighborhood where I grew up and where my parents still live. So it's not a stretch to say that I've lost a neighbor as well as a legend. 

Thank you, Guy, and rest in peace.

Thomas Colbert, 1954-2015

I never had Tom Colbert as a studio instructor at the University of Houston College of Architecture, but I knew him well. He was on several of my design juries while I was a student, provided me with some ideas when I was working on my Master's thesis at UT, and eventually became a neighbor of mine when he moved into a house a couple of doors down from me and my ex-wife in the University Oaks neighborhood adjacent to campus.

Hardly an afternoon went by when he wasn't in his front yard playing fetch with his chocolate lab. He had purchased a vacant lot down the street and I was always interested in what kind of house he would eventually build there. Unfortunately, he never got around doing so:

Tom Colbert, a University of Houston professor who fought to protect Texas' coastline, died Friday after a battle with stomach cancer. He was 61.

Colbert grew up in New Orleans, and Hurricane Katrina affected him powerfully. As I wrote in 2013, "He knew what that drowned city had been, knew how much was lost when its levees broke. After Katrina, Colbert's elderly father took refuge in a facility that ran out of drinking water. Nurses resorted to using saline IV bags to keep survivors hydrated."

What, Colbert asked himself, would happen to Houston, his adopted city since 1985, if a similar storm hit? The scientific projections, he found, are terrifying: If a worst-case storm hit Houston, the economic damage and loss of life wouldn't just be as bad as Katrina. It would be much, much worse. If a hurricane storm surge rushed up the Houston Ship Channel, knocking over and busting open the enormous chemical tanks there, toxic goo would slosh all over the city, going wherever floodwater carried it. The result could easily be the worst environmental disaster the U.S. has ever seen.

Colbert, working with Rice University's SSPEED Center (it stands for Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disasters), championed flood-protection infrastructure that wouldn't just fend off disaster. Done right, he argued, floodgates, levees and buffer zones could actually improve everyday quality of life — or even be tourist attractions. Levees, he noted, can be attractive public spaces, like the levee/park behind New Orleans' Cafe du Monde.

I had no idea that he was battling cancer, so coming across this article was a shock for me. He seemed to be doing well the last time I saw him, which was at a Houston Tomorrow event at H-GAC not too terribly long ago.

As we come upon the tenth anniversary of Katrina, we can only hope that Colbert's vision - storm infrastructure that enriches as well as protects - is realized before it's too late.

Colbert's full obituary is here. Like Bill Stern, Colbert was an immensely-talented UH College of Architecture instructor that cancer took from us too soon. He will be missed.

William Stern 1947 - 2013

In addition to being an outstanding local architect, Bill Stern was one of my favorite teachers at the University of Houston College of Architecture. He even wrote letters of recommendation for me when I was applying to graduate school. So I was rather saddened to learn about his passing late last week:

William F. Stern, FAIA, an architect who spent much of his life thinking about places, died Friday, in precisely the place that he wanted: in the house that he designed for himself; surrounded by a carefully curated collection of art and friends; and in Houston, the city that exhilarated and exasperated him. He was 66.

On Thursday, the American Institute of Architects-Houston voted unanimously to give Stern its Lifetime Achievement award.

"Everyone had assumed that Bill Stern would be named sometime in the future," said executive director Rusty Bienvenue. "But we assumed that it would be many, many years in the future."

Until January, when Stern was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, he was a force to be reckoned with in Houston's architecture and art worlds: a member of the Menil Collection's board of trustees; a "Master Mod" in Houston Mod; frequently vocal about the preservation of endangered historic buildings; a frequent advisor to the AIA-Houston; and previously involved with the Contemporary Arts Museum and the Rice Design Alliance.

In his architectural work, says architectural historian Stephen Fox, Stern "was known for rigor, clarity, consistency and economy." He was also known for doing battle in the name of aesthetic principles.

"A willingness to hold fast-that was a hallmark of both Bill's architecture and his civic work," said longtime friend Elizabeth Glassman, president and CEO of the Terra Foundation for American Art.

"He was so wonderful to argue with," said Bruce Webb, a friend and professor in the University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture, where Stern taught architectural history.

The above quotes almost make it sound like Stern was a combative ideologue, but that's not the kind of person he was. He did have strong opinions when it came to design and he wasn't afraid to share them, but he was also personable and pleasant. He was an excellent instructor - although I only took one course from him I think it was the most informative class I took as an architecture student - and he enjoyed being with his students such that at the end of the year he invited all of us to his house for dinner and drinks:

Completed in 1992, Bill Stern's own house, at 1202 Milford, marked a break from his past. The design was clearly contemporary. Stern designed the museum-like house around his art collection, including a Sol LeWitt piece painted directly on the front wall of the three-story living room. "That house," says David Bucek, Stern's partner in the firm, "is Bill."

The house, as well as the artwork within it, is very cool. I hope that it will be preserved.

I think the last time I saw Stern was one a flight to Europe eleven years ago. The ex and I were on our way to Germany and the Czech Republic to visit family. He was on his way to Istanbul to see the architecture. I always assumed I'd run into him again someday. Alas...

William Frederick Stern was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on January 15, 1947 and passed away in Houston, Texas, on March 1, 2013, after a brief illness.

Bill received a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, from Harvard College, and a Master of Architecture from Harvard University Graduate School of Design.

After beginning his career in the New York office of Edward L. Barnes, Bill moved to Houston in 1976 and founded William F. Stern & Associates, Architects in 1979. In 1999 he and long-time associate, David Bucek formed Stern and Bucek Architects. Bill served on the Board of Trustees of The Menil Collection in Houston and the Collections Committee at the Harvard Art Museum in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

A dedicated teacher, advocate and leader, Bill was adjunct associate professor at the University of Houston for nearly three decades. He has served on the board of the Rice Design Alliance and was a founding editor of its publication, Cite, for which he received the Texas Society of Architects' John G. Flowers Award for Excellence in Architectural Journalism. In addition to many contributions to Cite, Texas Architect and other publications, he was an editor of Ephemeral City: Cite Looks at Houston, published by The University of Texas Press in 2003.

William Stern is survived by his mother, Mrs. Joseph S. Stern Jr.; his brother Peter J. Stern, M.D., both of Cincinnati; his sister Peggy S. Graeter of Potomac, MD.; six nieces and nephews, and one great niece.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the William F. Stern Fund, The Menil Collection, 1515 Branard, Houston. Texas 77019. Memorial plans are pending.

Frank Graham 1956 - 2012

Frank was once married to my cousin Laura. I first met him in the early 1990s, when he lived in Pasadena and worked for the Clear Lake Citizen. I always thought highly of Frank; he was friendly and intelligent and I had many pleasant conversations with him about journalism, sports, philosophy, politics and architecture. He and Laura moved to Nebraska in 1995, but I would still occasionally see him at family functions. The last time I saw him as several years ago at my uncle's funeral. He and Laura later got divorced.

Last week Frank passed away after a brief battle with cancer. His obituary ran as a full-length story in The Llano County Journal, where he was editor, and per my custom I am posting it here as well.

Frank L. Graham, 56, editor of The Llano County Journal, died Tuesday, Dec. 11 after being hospitalized at Scott & White Medical Center in Round Rock on Friday.

He had been the editor of The Journal since Dec. 12, 2011, and had over 33 years of experience in the newspaper business as a reporter, editor, publisher, sales director, marketing director and general manager.

He is survived by daughters Sarah Lee and husband Antwan of Anderson, Texas, and Kathryn Graham of Hickory, N.C.; son Frank Luther Graham Jr. and wife Glenna of Navasota, Texas; brother J. Tom Graham and wife Kathryn, of Frankston, Texas; sisters Samantha Anderson and husband David of Oglesby, Texas, and Timilu Latham and husband Angus of Apopka, Fla.; a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins; and his best friends and constant companions, Charlie, Max, and Oliver.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Dec. 29 at the 4A Ranch, 850 CR 303 in Oglesby near Waco. Friends, family and co-workers are invited. Memorials in Graham’s memory may be directed to the Christ-Yoder Animal Shelter at Lake Buchanan, P. O. Box 1041 Marble Falls, TX 78654, the Highland Lakes SPCA, P.O. Box 1275, Marble Falls, TX 78654 or any area animal rescue organization or shelter. 

Graham was born on Oct. 6, 1956 to Faye and Jeff Graham in Knox City, Texas.

"When we met, Frank told me his desire was to return to his home state and end his career in the role he enjoyed most – as the editor of a small newspaper in a town where the courthouse square was still the center of community life,” said Roy Bode, president and publisher of The Journal."Fortunately, he enjoyed his wish for a year. Sadly, the end came far sooner than anyone would have expected.


"We’ll remember his friendly manner and winning smile, the joy he took from his three dogs, the gift of professionalism and a lifetime of experience he brought to the newspaper, and his dedication to the calling of journalism,” Bode added.

He started his career in 1978 at the Del Rio News-Herald as a composing room supervisor. There he managed a crew of six for the five-day a week paper until being promoted to general manager of the Pharr Press in Pharr, Texas, where he managed the sales, editorial, composition and circulation departments until 1982.

Following that he took a job as a sales director for the daily Bay City Tribune in Bay City, Texas for two years. In 1984, he moved to the Temple Telegram, as marketing director until 1989.

Graham was appointed general manager for the Sebastopol Times and News and the Bodega Bay Citizen both in California in 1988 and stayed until 1991 when he returned to Texas and worked at the Clear Lake Citizen as the paper’s publisher.

Graham moved to Nebraska in 1995 and was a beat reporter for the six-day North Platte Telegraph. There he covered the city and county crime beat, city government, the local community college, and sports. He also managed special editions and sections for the newspaper.

In 2003, Graham and a friend started the North Platte Bulletin, where he was a co-owner and co-publisher for the next eight years.

Eight years later, he sold his half of the Bulletin to his partner and once again returned to Texas, taking a temporary reporter position at the Frankston Citizen, a paper his brother owned.

In December 2011, Graham became the editor of The Journal and worked in nearly every aspect of the business including managing operations, reporting, editing, photography, layout, and occasionally, sales.

Graham described himself on his resume as being "an energetic, creative and enthusiastic person with a desire to bring meaningful impact on the readers’ lives in the Llano area.”

He won a number of awards in his newspaper career. In 2008, the Bulletin was named the top weekly newspaper website in Nebraska after winning second place in the same category the year prior, and in 2006 the paper was awarded second and third place in News Writing and second place in spot news in the Nebraska Press Association (NPA) Better Newspaper Contest.

The Bulletin was also awarded first place for in-depth writing and news writing by the NPA Better Newspaper Contest. Graham was personally awarded first place for best columnist in the daily division at the North Platte Telegraph in 2000.

Laura Ann Edwards 1974 - 2010

Laura's obituary ran in yesterday's edition of the Conroe Courier. As is my tradition, I am posting it here as well:

Laura Edwards, 36, of Alexandria, Virginia, passed away July 25th 2010 with her family by her side. She is survived by her parents Mr. and Mrs. D.V. Edwards of Conroe, her brother Michael Edwards, brother-in-law Christopher Bride of Dallas, and her boyfriend Josh Rouch of Washington, DC as well as her second family, Tom and Sue Burgess and their children Seth, Zeke and Paul. Laura was surrounded by a strong network of co-workers and friends and will be sorely missed.

Laura was born February 14th, 1974 in Seguin, Texas, grew up in Conroe, Texas, graduating from Conroe High School. She earned a BA in Architecture from the University of Houston before embarking on a successful career in architecture. She designed as well as managed projects focused on the healthcare industry for HKS in Dallas, CSD in Baltimore, and Ellerbe Becket in Washington, DC. Her skill and dedication has left a legacy that will be felt in hospitals across the country.

Laura's memorial service will be held on Saturday August 14th at 2:00pm at the First Methodist Church in Conroe. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to MD Anderson Cancer Center or St. Jude Children's Cancer Center.

It's been almost three weeks since "Monsterchick" passed away, and I still can't believe it. She will be greatly missed.

Barbara L. Ward

Back in November of 1996, as my days as an undergrad at the University of Houston came to a close, I wrote a column for the Daily Cougar (archives aren't working right now, so no link to the actual column) thanking all the people - professors, friends and family - that made my time at the University of Houston so special. I made a point to mention one person at the College of Architecture who especially deserved recognition:

The most important person at the college, however, is not a professor. Barbara Ward, the college's secretary, is truly a second mother to all architecture students. Without her, the college would simply not function. We love you, Barbara!

Yesterday, I learned that Barbara Ward passed away in Austin last week. Her funeral was held here in Houston last Saturday.

When I say that Barbara Ward was a "second mother" to the students at the University of Houston College of Architecture, I am not exaggerating or otherwise being hagiographic. She truly loved the students in her college as if they were her own children, and she treated us as such. When we needed anything: a stamp to mail something, or help in tracking down a professor to discuss a project or assignment, or help with a job lead, or even just a sympathetic ear, she was there for us. We, as students, loved her as much as she loved us. At my graduation ceremony, when they presented the college's faculty and staff, the person who received the loudest ovation was not a professor, but rather Barbara.

Barbara Ward was a wonderful human being, and the world is a lesser place for her passing.

Thank you, Barbara. I'll miss you.

BARBARA L. WARD, loving Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother, was called to be with her Lord on March 11, 2009. She was a third generation Houstonian and was preceded in death by her husband George H. Ward, parents Howard and Ruth Mann, and great grandson Cameron Clanton. Barbara is survived by her daughters Linda Mader, Georganne Logue and husband Miles, and Janet Bailey and husband Lynn and cousin Nick Grivas. She was also blessed with six grandchildren, Jason Barnes, Kristy Clanton, Danyelle Khaled, Sheri Carey, Courtney Tompkins, and Kelly Sweetin. In addition, Barbara has 13 great grandchildren and another due in September. Barbara attended the University of Houston and spent 28 years working at UH with the majority of the years in the Dean's Office of the College of Architecture. Visitation will be held at 5:00 pm on Thursday March 12, 2009 at Thomason Funeral Home in San Marcos, Texas to be followed by a visitation at 6:00 pm at Forest Park Lawndale located at 6900 Lawndale in Houston, Texas on Friday, March 13, 2009. Services will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, March 14, 2009 at Forest Park Lawndale with burial to immediately follow the service at the same location. Pallbearers will be Miles Logue, Lynn Bailey, Jason Barnes, Greg Clanton, Mike Khaled, and Doug Carey. The family would like to extend a special thank you to Hospice of Austin for the excellent care they provided our loving Mother. Truly, Barbara has given us a legacy built on faith and family - She will be greatly missed.

Katherine Jane Johnston 1940 - 2008

I can't say that I knew my Aunt Jane especially well; she divorced my uncle when I was still young and lived in Oregon for most of my life. Last Thanksgiving was the first time I had seen her in years.

Jane, who had relatively recently moved back to her childhood home in northern Oklahoma, had been in an Oklahoma City hospital - ironically, the same hospital where she studied to become a nurse - to repair an aeortic aneurysm. My parents had gone up there to visit her just a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, something went horribly wrong during one of the surgeries to repair the aneurysm.


This is probably not the entire obituary, but the Blackwell Journal-Tribune requires a paid subscription to access their archives so this is all I was able to get. I'll revise this entry if I get a full obituary.

Katherine Jane Johnston, 68, of Blackwell, formerly of Corvallis, Ore., died Aug. 7, 2008, from surgical complications at St. Anthony Hospital in Oklahoma City.

She was born Feb. 17, 1940, in Blackwell to Hal and Rena Sommers Wilkins. She graduated from Blackwell High School in 1958 and graduated from St. Anthony Hospital as a registered nurse in 1961.

Her body was cremated. An informal memorial will be 1 p.m. Aug. 10 in the fellowship hall of the First United Methodist Church at Sixth and Coolidge in Blackwell.

Right now my thoughts are with my cousins Laura and Ellie. With the span of less than one year, they have lost both their father and their mother.

Charles Ray "Blackie" Lightfoot 1936 - 2008

Until I read his obituary, I didn't know that Uncle Blackie's real first name was Charles. Everybody just called him Uncle Blackie, and that's how I always knew him.

Anyway, Lori's uncle put up a courageous three-year fight against cancer, but that fight is now over. Blackie's obituary ran on the Montgomery County Courier's website, but since I don't know how long it will be available there, and because I've begun to make it a tradition of preserving obituaries of both my and Lori's family members here:

Charles Ray “Blackie” Lightfoot lost his three-year battle with cancer on July 25, 2008.

Blackie was born in Port Arthur, Texas, on August 13, 1936, to Iris Faye and William “Earl” Lightfoot.

He is preceded in death by his mother Iris, his father Earl, his brothers Steven and Jerry Lightfoot, his beloved sister-in-law Cindy Stevens and, lastly, his son and fishing and hunting buddy Tony Glenn Lightfoot. Also, we can’t fail to mention his dearly beloved furry family members Precious, Two-Two, Whiskey and almost grandson, Beau-Beau.

Blackie proudly served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps. The greatest love of his life was his family, which also included the infinite number of friends that Blackie counted as family. His passion was hunting and fishing. Blackie was lucky in that he was able to combine the two and make it his livelihood. He was a Turbine Engineer for Worthington for many years, but, then, decided to follow his love of the great outdoors, and became a fishing guide.

In 1986, he was hired by Whopper Stopper Lures as their traveling Ambassador. From there, he started working as Fishing Ambassador for Pradco Lures. He also co-hosted many episodes of Honey Hole All Outdoors. Blackie had countless articles written about his fishing and hunting expertise. He was nominated three times for the Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame.

He is survived by his wife of more than 22 years and love of his life, Lorena. He is also survived by his son “Chuck” Lightfoot and wife Peggy of Pasadena; daughter Selina Bellar and her husband Norman, also of Pasadena; and son Mark Lightfoot and wife Laura of Montgomery. He is also survived by his brother Mike Lightfoot and wife Loretta, his sister Sandy Beck and sister Marinell Belden and husband Jack, also his sister by heart Lois Hesser. He is also survived by countless grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews who he especially adored. Blackie also had many friends that he loved “like a brother.”

Services for Blackie will be held at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, located at 3947 Old 105 W. in Conroe, Texas, as follows: 2 p.m. - visitation for family and friends (refreshments provided) and 7 p.m. - memorial service.

Needless to say, this has not been a very easy few months for Lori's family; the fact that Blackie's death was "expected," so to speak, does not make it any easier. Uncle Blackie was a great guy whom I unfortunately didn't get to spend enough time with; he will be missed.

Synthia Marie Harding Stevens

My mother-in-law's obituary ran in the print edition of the Wednesday May 21, 2008 Houston Chronicle. Because I do not know how long Cindy's obit will be accessible online (and because I think there were a couple of aspects of her life which were not mentioned in the printed obit), I am posting a "permanent" version of my mother-in-law's obituary here:

SYNTHIA MARIE HARDING STEVENS departed this life on Sunday, the 18th day of May 2008 at the age of 56. Cindy was born in Houston, Texas on the 6th of August 1951. She was the daughter of Kirby and Charldeen Harding, who currently reside in Santa Fe, Texas. Synthia graduated from San Jacinto High School and attended Sam Houston State University. At the time of her death, Cindy was an an employee of the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Administration Medical Center in Houston. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, and a loyal friend and co-worker.

Cindy is survived by her parents; her husband, Larry Dee Stevens; daughter Lori Deanne Gray; son William Daniel; daughter Lorena Jeanette; son Jacob Wade; and her two beautiful grandchildren Cheyenne Danielle Stevens and Kirby Benton Gray. She also leaves behind sisters Sandra Wicker, Sherri Cass and Sharlene Bailey, sisters-in-law Lorena Lightfoot and Linda McNeel, and brothers-in-law Gary Stevens and Paul Stevens.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30PM on Wednesday the 21st of May, 2008 at Houston National Cemetery Chapel, 10410 Veterans Memorial Dr., Houston, Texas 77038. Friends and family will be received at the home of Lori and Thomas Gray, 4380 Varsity Lane, Houston Texas 77004 following the ceremony at 3PM.

Glen Johnston 1939 - 2007

Sadly, my uncle Glen passed away on Tuesday, November 20, 2007, from complications related to congestive heart failure. He was about a month short of his 68th birthday.

Glen had not been in good health for some time; he was a lifelong smoker with a history of heart problems. Nevertheless, his death came as a shock to all of us.

Glen's obituary, which was written by his daughter Laura, ran in last Thursday's Temple Daily Telegram, but for some reason is not archived on their obituaries page. In the interests of posterity, I am reprinting it here in its entirety.

Of course, what is unsaid about Glen's life is just as important as what is said in the obit. Glen suffered a severe mental breakdown in the early 1980s, one which essentially erased his memory and caused him to suddenly leave his home and family in Oregon. Glen's whereabouts were unknown to everyone for several months, and we all feared the worst until he finally surfaced in Alabama. Glen's mental state improved with therapy, and he embarked on the herculean - and ultimately successful - task of rebuilding his life from complete scratch while in his 40s. Although we think that PTSD related to his service in Vietnam was a factor, we will never know with certainty what stresses and traumas caused Glen to suffer such a profound psychological calamity. He was an enigmatic person, even to those closest to him, and there are many things about his life that we will never know.

In spite of his life's difficulties, however, Glen Johnston was probably one of the nicest people I will ever know. He was gentle and friendly, had a dry sense of humor and was never judgmental.

To say that this has been a difficult time for my mother's side of the family (they've already suffered one loss this year) would be an understatement. Glen will be missed by all of us.

Glen Edwin Johnston, 67, of Morgan's Point Resort died November 20, 2007, at the Temple VA Medical Center.

He was born December 14, 1939 in Seminole, Oklahoma, to Henry William and Ruth Ella Mitchem Johnston. He attended school in Bowlegs, Oklahoma, and graduated from Seminole High School in 1957. He received a bachelor's degree in music education from Central State College in Edmond, Oklahoma, in 1962, then became the high-school band director in Rush Springs, Oklahoma.

He was commissioned as a U.S. Naval officer November 22, 1963. He served on a minesweeper and a destroyer during the Vietnam War and received the Vietnam Honor Medal with combat action ribbon, among others. He was discharged in 1973 as a lieutenant.

He and his family moved to Bellfountain, Oregon, and took up farming. Glen earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural education in 1975 from Oregon State University. He worked as a realtor in Corvallis, Oregon.

He began work as an equipment salesman for Mohawk Equipment in Temple in 1985. He migrated to MTC when that company bought Mohawk, and stayed there until his retirement in 2005.

He married Katherine Jane Wilkins December 27, 1961, in Edmond. They later divorced. He married Barbara Lyman in 1980 in Corvallis. They later divorced.

Glen was both smarter and kinder than he let on. He enjoyed ships, fishing, crossword puzzles interesting machinery and unusual automobiles.

Survivors include daughters Laura (Frank Graham) of North Platte, Nebraska, and Elinor of Los Angeles, and their mother Jane; sisters Dorothy of Temple and Rosemary (Horace) Gray of Houston; brothers Jim (Carolyn) of Beaverton, Oregon; and Joe of Dodge City, Kansas; many nieces, nephews and friends including Jim Lane and Cheri Coninx; and his beloved poodle Charley.

He was preceded in death by his father in 1957 and his mother in 2000.

The body was cremated. His ashes will be buried at sea. A private memorial will be at a later date.

Arrangements are with Temple Funeral Home.

Horace Benton Gray 1907-2000

(A version of this obituary originally appeared in the August 11, 2000 Macon Telegraph.)

Services for Dr. Horace Benton Gray Sr. will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in Riverside United Methodist Church in Macon, Georgia, with burial in Riverside Cemetery, north gate.

Gray, 93, died Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2000.

Horace Gray was born on July 10, 1907 in Martinsville, Clinton County, Ohio, to Walter and Rose Medary Gray.

He was a teacher in Volusia County school and in Tavares, Fla., was principal at Eau Gallie High School and superintendent of Brevard County schools. He was awarded a Ph.D. at Florida State University, where he was a member of Phi Kappa Phi. He taught at Florida State College for Women, was professor emeritus at Wesleyan College, where he was coordinator of secondary education, and taught at Mercer University.

Survivors include his children, Mary Rose Barnes of Smyrna, Dr. Horace Benton Gray Jr. of Houston, Texas, Walter Ezell Gray of Dallas, Texas, and John Curtis Gray of Nashville, Tenn.; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Mary Harris Ezell Gray.

The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. today in Hart's Mortuary. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Dr. Horace Gray Scholarship Fund, Wesleyan College, 4760 Forsyth Road, Macon 31210.

(Retroblogged on December 31, 2019.)