Births

Jeff Nichols, '81, and Paula M. Nichols, daughter, Laura Grace, March 24, 1999.
Cindy G. Davis, '88, '91, and Lowery (Woody) H. Davis, Jr., '87, '88, daughter, Alexandria Beth, Feb. 22, 1999.
Denise Z. Emmett, '89, and Mike Emmett, son, Gerdi Zack, Feb. 1, 1999.
Marta Frassanito, '91, and Rob Frassanito, '89, daughter, Megan Marie, March 9, 1999.
Barbara Lynn R. Dillaway, '93, '94, and Mason P. Dillaway, daughter, Allison Angela, Jan. 22, 1999.

In Memory

Mark E. Spanogle, '34, of Truth or Consequences, N.M., April 29, 1999
Frank B. Burke, '49, of Portales, N.M., April 14, 1999
Fred N. Denney, '52, of Albuquerque, June 1, 1999
Gail Lee Hill Freeman, '63, of Santa Fe, N.M., May 27, 1999
Thelma W. Roederer, '66, of Las Cruces, May 12, 1999
Glen L. Hymer, '70, of Alamogordo, N.M., May 9, 1999
Linda Holcomb Scott, '73, Alamogordo, N.M., May 25, 1999

Elizabeth Gillette, 1922-1999

Gillette

Former NMSU Non-Traditional Program Director Elizabeth Gillette, '60, '68, '76, died April 22 at the age of 77. A Las Cruces native, Gillette retired in 1985 as director and founder of NMSU's non-traditional program, which was then located at the College of Human and Community Services. The program has been renamed Community Education and is now administered through Dona Ana Branch Community College.

"She was the first director of the Non-Traditional Program, and she did a marvelous job with a good imagination and a good administration," said Lowery Davis, former dean of the College of Human and Community Services (now the College of Health and Social Services).

Gillette received a bachelor of science degree in education in 1960, a master of arts in education in 1968 and an education specialist degree in 1976, all from NMSU. She taught science at Lynn Middle School in Las Cruces from 1957 to 1970.

Jacob Tejada 1916-1999

Jacob Tejada, '40, former assistant director of NMSU's Cooperative Extension Service, died May 25 at the age of 82.

Tejada, named a 1988 NMSU Distinguished Alumnus, was a member of the NMSU Pioneers, an organization of retirees and NMSU employees with 20 or more years of service. He also was named the Centennial Outstanding Alumnus of the NMSU College of Agriculture and Home Economics in 1988.

After completing a bachelor's degree in agriculture services and agronomy at NMSU in 1940, Tejada began working for the extension service and served as an agricultural agent in Guadalupe and Dona Ana counties for 14 years. He served as assistant extension director for four years.

He also was a Peace Corps trainer and worked for the United States Dairy Association as a technical consultant in El Salvador and Nicaragua. In 1959 he earned a master's degree in extension administration and supervision from the University of Wisconsin.

George Jackson Jr., 1923-1999

George Andrew Jackson Jr., '46, died May 17 at the age of 76.

A native of Aztec, N.M., he enrolled in NMSU in 1940 and was involved in football, basketball, track and the Sigma Alpha Omicron fraternity.

Jackson

He left NMSU in 1943 to join the U.S. Army. As a decorated captain in World War II, Jackson fought with the 42nd Rainbow Division in Europe during the battle of the Bulge. He was one of the first allied troops to liberate the Dachau concentration camp. He recounted the experience for Steven Spielberg's SHOAH Foundation holocaust library and in his book From the Grapes of Wrath to Dachau and Back. After the war he returned to NMSU and completed a bachelor's degree in agronomy in 1946.

He went on to receive a doctoral degree in philosopy and religion from the Claremont Graduate School in California and began teaching at the University of California at Berkeley in 1948.

He helped establish the Vernon Hall 4-H Memorial Scholarship at NMSU in 1996 in memory of Hall, his best friend, who was killed during World War II.

Opal Lee Priestley, 1904-1999

Priestley

Opal Lee Priestley, '52, author of Billy the Kid: The Good Side of a Bad Man, died July 20 at the age of 94. Priestley moved to Las Cruces in 1947 with her husband, Orville, and two sons, John and Gene, after they purchased the Las Cruces Sun-News. The family owned the newspaper until 1970. Priestley, who received a bachelor's degree from NMSU and a master's from the

University of Oklahoma, penned more than 1,000 books, short stories and articles during her lifetime. She received many awards, including the Woman of Achievement Award from the Associated Women Students of New Mexico State University, the 1980 Benefactor Award from the University of Oklahoma School of Journalism and Mass Communications and two Zia book awards from New Mexico Press Women.

Marriages

Kymn R. Roberts, '84, and David W. Cardosa
Jeffrey L. Mobley, '91, and Cristy R. McGinnis
Michelle H. Litzenberg,'94, and David P. Elston

40s & 50s

Mr. and Mrs. Chavez

Rachel L. Chavez, '49, and Tomas Chavez, '54, of Norman, Okla., marked their 50th wedding anniversary April 22. They celebrated the event in June with their seven children, their children's spouses and grandchildren.

Guard

Keith Guard, '49, of Fort Worth, Texas, finished third in his age group (74-79) at the Cowtown 10K in February. Gilbert Moore, '49, and Phyllis Moore, '50, a husband and wife team from Monument, Colo., completed work on their latest student space project called Starshine, which was launched May 20 aboard the space shuttle Discovery. A total of 25,030 students in 18 countries were involved in the project.

60s

James R. Gober, '60, of Albuquerque, has optioned his award-winning book, Cowboy Justice: Tale of a Texas Lawman, to Brand Heart Film Productions Inc. of Dallas, Texas, for production of a pilot film and television series.
Capt. William F. Holcomb, '60, of Gaithersburg, Md., an engineering officer and the National Institutes of Health's Radiation Safety Training Officer, was honored by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers' Nuclear Engineering Division with the Robert E. Wilson Award for 1999.
Larry A. Stump, '61, of Arlington, Va., retired in July 1998 after 40 years of federal service including time at New Mexico's Jornada Range and White Sands Missile Range.
Ellis D. Hart, '63, of Monroe, La., was awarded a Life Membership in the American Society of Civil Engineers, at an April 15 meeting in Lafayette, La.

Leyendecker

Lynnette (Mawson) Baughman, '66, of Los Alamos, N.M., a freelancer for several magazines and newspapers, will see her first novel, A Spy Within, in bookstores this November. Douglas K. Benson, '66, of Manhattan, Kan., a professor of modern languages at Kansas State, was the recipient of the 1999 Presidential Award for Teaching Excellence. The award recognizes excellence in teaching and advising at the undergraduate level.

William L. Bruton, '68, of Camarillo, Calif., received the Meritorious Civilian Service Award, the U.S. Navy's third highest civilian award. The award was presented March 15 in recognition of Bruton's efforts to develop a replacement air surveillance radar.

Van Sweden

Jerry Leyendecker, '68, of Las Cruces, was hired by Dona Ana County as the new utilities administrator. Leyendecker will oversee planning, development and construction of water and wastewater projects. John Van Sweden, '69, of Raton, N.M., president of the New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau, was elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the American Farm Bureau Federation, the nation's largest organization of farmers and ranchers. His election marks the first time in more than 20 years that New Mexico has had representation on the board. The board is considered one of the most influential bodies in agriculture in the world.

70s

Logan T. White, Jr., '71, of Tucson, Ariz., has written a technical book titled Hazardous Gas Monitoring, a Guide for Semiconductor and other Hazardous Occupancies.
David A. Estell, '72, of San Mateo, Calif., and Richard Bott, '95, of Alamogordo, N.M., were honored March 23 by The American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society, for designing and developing enzymes specifically for laundry detergents.
Bonnie Buckley-Maldonado, '72, of Pinos Altos, N.M., retired June 1 from Western New Mexico University. Buckley-Maldonado coordinated the masterŐs program in counseling and guidance and was director of the counseling service, assistant dean of the general college, head administrator of the Student Development Center, chair of the education and psychology department and family support coordinator at the Child Development Center.
Javier C. Vargas, '72, of Las Cruces, retired Jan. 31 as Dona Ana County agricultural agent and extension program director. Vargas started the annual New Mexico Chile Conference and has helped develop it into a worldwide conference. He is a past president of the New Mexico County Agents Association and received a distinguished service award from the National County Agents Association in 1991. He also served as chair of the State Library commission for five years.
Michael J. Davis, '74, of Santa Fe, state superintendent of public instruction, was the guest speaker at the 1999 baccalaureate ceremony held in the Wood Auditorium in Clayton, N.M. As superintendent, Davis oversees the state's education system as head of the Department of Education.
Kathryn M. King, '74, of Bartlesville, Okla., was chosen by Jane Phillips Elementary School as Teacher of the Year for 1999-2000. King has been teaching for 26 years: three years in Colorado Springs, Colo.; three years in Las Cruces; nine years in Wann, Okla.; and 11 years in Bartlesville. Her husband is Tommie King, '78.
Michael R. Rogers, '74, of Fairfield, Conn., is vice-president/marketing of Knight Ridder. Rogers will have responsibility for supporting the marketing strategies of Knight Ridder newspapers and online services.
Dan Troy, '74, of Albuquerque, is corporate controller for Jack B. Henderson Construction Co. Inc. As corporate controller, Troy will prepare financial statements, budgets, manage external audits and oversee payroll. Stephen G. Gutierrez, '75, of Tularosa, N.M., is president of the Alamogordo area Postal Union 3994.
Maury D. Hiers, Jr., '75, of Northborough, Mass., is vice-president of sales for Application-Specific Integrated Circuit, a design services company. Hiers has worldwide responsibility for driving United States domestic growth and initiating corporate expansion into foreign markets.
Alfred Montoya, '75, of Tularosa, N.M., is coach of the eighth grade boy's basketball team at Tularosa Middle School.
Oscar Perez, '76, of El Paso, Texas, was guest musical director of the production of Oliver, presented at the Newman Center in Las Cruces. Perez also has directed Into the Woods, Kismet and Bye Bye Birdie.
Stephen Schultz, '76, of Albuquerque, was ordained as a Catholic priest in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, before entering the seminary at St. Mary's in Houston, Texas. His home parish is Our Lady of the Assumption in Albuquerque, where he attended grade school.
Susan Siepel, '76, of Carlsbad, N.M., was a guest speaker for the Carlsbad AWARE program, which assists teen-age mothers who wish to continue their education. Siepel has been AWARE executive director for the past six years. She is a former elementary teacher and is involved in United Way and the Carlsbad Inter-agency Council.
Blake C. Lawless, '78, of San Diego, Calif., after a rewarding career in the high-tech industry, "is happily underemployed in the mainland paradise of San Diego."
Dina C. Reitzel, '78, of Albuquerque, executive director of the New Mexico Beef Council, was presented a 10-year service pin for her employment with the Beef Council. Reitzel began her work at the Beef Council as director of consumer affairs. Reitzel was honored by NMSU as the 1996 Distinguished Alumna of the College of Agriculture and Home Economics.
Spankie L. Bassett, '79, of Rio Rancho, N.M., was named Region IV Teacher of the Year by the Association for Careers and Technology Education, formerly the National American Vocational Association. Basset teaches culinary arts in Bernalillo High School's Family and Consumer Science Department.
Roy Hayes, '79, of Silver City, N.M., is southeast area division chief for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. Hayes is in charge of the game and fish office in Roswell, N.M., which covers the entire southeastern part of the state.
Kathryn R. Hood, '79, of El Paso, Texas, is assistant treasurer with El Paso Electric Co. Hood is a member of the El Paso Chapter of the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants, the American Institute of CPAs and the Edison Electric International Budgeting and Forecasting Committee. Hood has been employed at El Paso Electric for 17 years.

80s

Frank Quarrell, '80, Silver City, N.M., is associate superintendent of learning services in the Silver City Consolidated School District. Quarrell was principal at Silver City High School for seven years. He has spent his entire career in education.
Janet Green, '81, '92, of Santa Fe, is the New Mexico Department of Tourism secretary. She had served as the departmentŐs deputy secretary.
Alice U. Barnard, '82, of Farmington, N.M., is the grounds supervisor for San Juan College. Barnard also teaches community classes when time allows.
Reese L. Carson, '85, of Las Cruces, is senior vice president of commercial lending for First National Bank of Mesilla. Carson, a member of the Independent Bankers Association of America, has extensive experience in commercial and agricultural lending in Southern New Mexico.
Karen A. Edwards, '85, of Los Alamos, N.M., is a member of the New Mexico Commission for the Blind. Edwards will oversee commission programs that help visually impaired adults achieve vocational, economic and social equality.
David Swift, '85, of San Diego, Calif., is vice president of concerts for Universal Music Group. Swift oversees all concert activities for the company in the San Diego/Tijuana, Mexico area. Universal Concerts in one of the largest concert promotion firms in the United States and Canada. Swift joined Universal Concerts in March 1998.
Robert Wes Morris, '86, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is director of field human resources for Extended Stay America Inc. Extended Stay America owns and operates more than 325 hotels in 39 states.
Steven D. Lewis, '87, of Chandler, Ariz., is director of marketing for Sun Investment, which owns all 40 Whataburger restaurants in Arizona. The company plans to add 60 new restaurants in the next five to six years.
Amy Rankin, '87, of Raton, N.M., had one of her paintings chosen to hang in the "Women Artists from the Land of Enchantment" show sponsored by the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Rankin displayed her work, The Prodigal Daughter, at the June show in Santa Fe.
Scott C. Davis, '89, of Los Lunas, N.M., a radio show host in Albuquerque, received the Small Business Administration's New Mexico Media Advocate of the Year award. Davis received the award in recognition of his efforts to promote small business in New Mexico through radio.

90s

James F. Kirley, '90, of Tucson, Ariz., is a senior financial analyst with Intel Corp. in Chandler, Ariz.
Andrea Schoelikopf, '91, of Rio Rancho, N.M., is a general assignment reporter with the Albuquerque Journal. Schoelikopf covers schools in Albuquerque, Rio Rancho and Bernalillo, N.M.
Eric Bickel, '92, of Albuquerque, received a Ph.D. in engineering economic systems from Stanford University and has accepted employment with Strategic Decisions Group in Woodlands, Texas.
Shirely Bailey, '93, of Peralta, N.M., is a staff member with Resource Technology Inc. She has more than 12 years of experience in contracts and financial management and will help Resource Technology meet contractual financial and human resource commitments.
Ron Johnson, '93, of Las Cruces, is responsible for design and project management of several Las Cruces projects with Chavez-Grieves consulting engineers.
John H. Oestreicher, '93, of Boston, Mass., is an inside wholesaler for Fidelity Investments World Fund. Oestreicher's territory is the Andean nations of South America.

Coffeen

Desaree Whitfield, '93, of Las Cruces, is managing and writing grants for the academic programs office and Cooperative Extension Service of NMSU's College of Agriculture and Home Economics. Kelley Coffeen, '94, of Las Cruces, a cookbook author and owner of Paloma Publishing, has signed a contract with Lisa Ekus Public Relations Co. of Hatfield, Mass. Coffeen is the host of "Kelley's Kitchen," a weekly cooking segment on KTSM-TV's NewsChannel 9 at Sunrise, which airs in El Paso, Texas, and Las Cruces.

Fresquez

Catherine Fresquez, '94, of Belen, N.M., received her M.D. from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. Fresquez will conduct her residency in pediatrics at the UNM Hospital. Denise Rinehart, '94, of Arlington, Texas, is vice president and director of the Econometrics Group at Decision Analyst Inc. Decision Analyst provides multifaceted research services designed to help businesses plan for future growth. Erika A. Sewell, '94, of El Paso, Texas, is assistant director of the Wound

Management Center at Providence Memorial Hospital. Sewell has been a nurse for 20 years.
Richard Bott, '95, of Alamogordo, N.M., and David A. Estell, '72, of San Mateo, Calif., were honored March 23 by The American Chemical Society for designing and developing enzymes specifically for laundry detergents.
Cynthia Garza Ramirez, '95, of Las Cruces, is coordinating recruiting efforts in southern Dona Ana and El Paso counties for NMSU's College of Agriculture and Home Economics.

Anderson

Jason P. Anderson, '96, of Albuquerque, is vice president of marketing and public relations with the Bank of Albuquerque. Sandra Cassen, '96, of Las Cruces, is home economist for Cibola County with NMSU's Cooperative Extension Service. Cassen is responsible for nutrition and family life education programs in the county as well as 4-H programs. Cassen will work out of the extension office in Grants, N.M. Darrell R. Cole, '96, of Sapello, N.M., is the Lea County game warden for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.

Cassen

Raul Ramirez, '96, of El Paso, Texas, is the new campus director of NMSU's Dona Ana Branch Community College in Las Cruces. Ramirez had been with El Paso Community College since 1976. James L. Haynes, '97, of Amarillo, Texas, is a test and measurement engineer with Mason & Hanger Co., the operating contractor for the United States Department of Energy Pantex Nuclear Weapons Facility in Amarillo. Sean M. Moore, '97, of Corrales, N.M., is the 4-H agricultral agent in Sandoval County. Moore is a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society.

Ramirez

Brian Elmore, '98, of Russells Point, Ohio, is a staff member of the Mission Quality Department with Honda Transmission Manufacturing of America. John M. Gladden, '98, of Las Cruces, was awarded a National Science Foundation graduate fellowship. Gabe Jacquez, '98, of Las Cruces, is coordinating recruiting efforts in New Mexico high schools for NMSU's College of Agriculture and Home Economics. Eric Carpenter, '99, of Las Cruces, received the Dean's Award of Excellence from NMSU this spring.

Kathleen Lee, '99, of Santa Fe, won the Red Crane Book Writing prize in honor of the late poet Jim Sagel. Her story, "Still Life," will be published in the Winter 2000 issue of NMSU's Puerto Del Sol magazine.
Matthew T. Martinez, '99, of Albuquerque, is a staff accountant in the audit department of Henderson, Black & Co.
Clinton Winner, '99, of Rio Rancho, N.M., works for Ratheon Missile Systems in Tucson, Ariz.

What's new with you? Send your news to: NMSU Alumni Association, MSC 3AS, P.O. Box 30001, Las Cruces, NM 88003. Don't forget to enclose your photo. News may also be sent by fax: (505) 646-6123 or email: dellsanc@nmsu.edu