Mary Perry, a longtime UTA supporter who earned four degrees from the University, died Aug. 10 in Fort Worth from complications following surgery. She was 69.

Dr. Perry earned a bachelor of ne arts in art in 1989, a bachelor of arts in Russian in 1992, a master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies in 1993 and a Ph.D. in humanities in 2000.

She began teaching international students in 1995 at the UTA English Language Institute (ELI). Prior to teaching at UTA, she worked as an interior designer and a real estate agent.

Born Mary Ingram on April 11, 1934, she grew up in Konawa, Okla., and graduated from high school in the early 1950s. She and her husband moved to Arlington in the 1960s.

In 1975, Dr. Perry opened an interior decorator shop called Designers Corner. In 1985, she earned her real estate license and became an agent with Re/Max Pinnacle Group while also maintaining her design business.

She took a three-month teaching trip to Russia funded by a $10,000 grant from the Arlington Rotary Club and Rotary International to develop international relations and promote understanding. She completed much of the research for her dissertation while teaching the English Language Program at the University of St. Petersburg in Russia.

That paper, which focused on the depiction of women in art in Stalinist Russia, made her a sought-after speaker at museums and art schools.

Dr. Perry loved to travel. “Getting to know the people was what I enjoyed most,” she said in a March 2002 English Language Institute Newsletter story. “I would go any place, any time, anywhere.”

ELI Director Keith Maurice says Dr. Perry’s extensive travel experiences helped her to connect with the international students in the institute. “She not only helped them improve their English skills but was able to ease their adjustments to living and studying in a different country.”

She received four research grants from The University of Texas at Austin Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies. She was also a research associate at UTA’s Center for Post-Soviet and East European Studies.

Dr. Perry was an active member of the Friends of the UTA Libraries and served as president from 1989 to 1990. She was a sponsor for UTA Alpha Chi scholastic honor society and also served as Alpha Chi Region 2 president and program chairwoman for the biregional convention in 2002.

Memorials may be made to the Mary Perry Scholarship Fund, c/o National Scholarship Society, Alpha Chi, UTA Box 19557, Arlington, TX 76019-0557.

Diana Wright Branum, 51, April 26 in Spring. Ms. Branum was a 1969 graduate of Arlington High School and graduated from UTA in 1973 with a bachelor’s degree in speech.

Vernon Brown, 73, July 20 in Arlington. Mr. Brown last attended North Texas Agricultural College (now UTA) in 1948. He worked in labor relations at General Motors and was a contract negotiator for General Dynamics/Lockheed Martin.

Lois Evelyn Vaughan Burch el, 88, July 17 in Arlington. Ms. Burchfiel was a retired administrative services officer at UTA’s Student Health Center. She was a Realtor in Arlington prior to her 16-year employment at UTA, from which she retired in 1982.

Monroe George Cheney, 84, June 9 in Arlington. Mr. Cheney taught physics at UTA for 30 years, retiring in 1989 as an assistant professor. He traveled extensively, including to the Antarctic with Admiral Byrd, and participated in numerous scientific research endeavors.

C. Michael Clark, 47, July 17 in Grapevine. Mr. Clark earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from UTA in 1984 and later earned a law degree from the University of Houston Law Center. He served as a briefing attorney for the Texas Supreme Court, practiced law in Houston and was most recently a board certified appellate attorney with the law firm of Frank L. Branson, PC in Dallas.

Cindy Clark-Pittman, 53, July 23 in Arlington. Ms. Clark-Pittman received her master’s degree in social work from UTA in 1978. She was a case worker for Dallas County Child Protective Services and served as director of the Northeast Tarrant County Volunteer Center. She was active in the community and was appointed by Dallas and Tarrant County district courts to prepare social studies for both adoption and custody cases.

William F. “Bill” Fagan, 60, July 5 in Arlington. Mr. Fagan graduated from UTA in 1973 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. He was a longtime employee of Northrop Grumman.

Janie Golan Gore, 52, May 9 in Plano. Ms. Gore earned her master’s degree from the School of Social Work in 1980 and was a co-founder of Adoption Resource Consultants, Inc., a Plano-based adoption agency, in 1987. She also co-founded Women and Children in Crisis, Inc., in Bartlesville, Okla., and in 1990 was honored as a Woman in History in Oklahoma. Returning to the Dallas area, her social work efforts included founding the St. Vincent DePaul Society at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church.

Robert Michael “Bob” Green, 80, April 20 in Dallas. Mr. Green served in the Coast Guard during World War II and went on to complete a degree in geology at SMU. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from UTA in 1971. He retired from LTV/Lockheed Martin with more than 25 years of service.

Warren William Greenwald Jr., 57, July 2 in Arlington. Mr. Greenwald was a landscaper and worked construction where he helped build the original Six Flags wooden roller coaster. After becoming unable to work in the construction business, he found a passion for art, earning his B.F.A. from UTA in 1992. With the use of only one arm, he worked in oils, printmaking and watercolor. His award-winning work was included in both regional and national shows across Texas, Arizona, Washington state and New York. For years, he served as ex officio assistant in the UTA printmaking lab.

Linda Jean Roberts Hawley, 51, July 8 in Wichita Falls. Ms. Hawley taught at UTA’s School of Nursing from 1978 to 1999. She was director of the family, gerontological and adult nurse practitioner programs before teaching in the nurse practitioner program at Midwestern State University.

Thomas Harold “Hal” Holley, 54, June 22 in Dallas. Mr. Holley worked at Forney Engineering in Dallas. He was a graduate of Greenville High School and attended the U.S. Naval Academy for two years. He earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from UTA in 1977.

Robert Houston James, 52, June 18 in Dallas. Mr. James was a founding partner of James, Harwick and Partners, Inc., Architecture Agency and president-elect of the Dallas Architectural Foundation. He earned a bachelor’s degree in architecture from UTA in 1974 and held several leadership roles with the Texas Society of Architects and AIA/ Dallas, including chapter president in 1999.

Samuel Thomas “Tom” Keim, 87, June 30 in Arlington. Dr. Keim was a teacher and administrator at UTA from 1960 until his retirement in 1983. He came to the school as dean of arts and sciences when what was then Arlington State College became a four-year institution. During a 23-year tenure he served in many capacities, including vice president for academic affairs. He was a professor emeritus in economics and is recognized on the UTA Walk of Fame. He served in Europe in World War II, ending his military career with the rank of major.

Jerry Mills, 58, July 10 in Mansfield. Mr. Mills was a lifetime resident of Mansfield. He graduated from Mansfield High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in English from UTA in 1968. He was employed as a carpet installer.

Gary R. Moore, 54, May 24 in Fort Worth. Mr. Moore was an attorney in Fort Worth. He received his law degree from Baylor Law School and was a member of the Texas Bar Association. He graduated from Eastern Hills High School in Fort Worth and earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from UTA in 1969.

Patricia Kathryn Humphries Mueller, 48, May 2 in Arlington. Ms. Mueller was a licensed speech pathologist with the Arlington Independent School District. She graduated from Arlington Heights High School in Fort Worth and went on to earn a B.B.A. from UTA in 1977 and an M.B.A. in 1980.

Wallace Boyd “Larry” Nelson, 80, April 6 in Arlington. Dr. Nelson was a retired professor in the UTA College of Business Administration. Taking the job as chairman of the Department of Business Administration in 1961, he strengthened the program and expanded the faculty en route to the department achieving School of Business status in 1969. He stepped down from the dean’s position in 1973 but continued to teach economics until his retirement in 1992. He is a member of the UTA Walk of Fame.

Brenda Kaye Douglas Packer, 59, July 3 in Dallas. Ms. Packer earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from UTA in 1984. She served as a school nurse and teacher in the Dallas Independent School District until her retirement in May 2003.

Kamyar Rohani, 42, July 8 in Fort Worth. Mr. Rohani earned his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from UTA in 1991. He worked at Motorola for 15 years.

Cindy Lu Salser, 57, April 13 in Granbury. Ms. Salser was women’s basketball coach at UTA from 1976-79, posting a record of 51 wins and 38 losses in three seasons. She taught math in high schools in Dallas and Arlington, retiring in June 2002 for medical reasons.

Lamar Schweitzer, 84, July 13 in Arlington. Ms. Schweitzer graduated from Polytechnic High School in Fort Worth in 1936 and earned her associate’s degree from North Texas Agricultural College (now UTA) in 1938. She retired from the Federal Aviation Administration after 31 years of service.

C.L. “Chuck” Shytles, 79, March 24 in Arlington. Mr. Shytles was the retired owner/operator of Texas Windmill Service Co. He was chairman of the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo parade from 1975-89 and was a World War II Army veteran. He graduated from Arlington State College (now UTA) in 1951 when it was a two-year school.

Kristopher Michael Young, 31, July 3 in Creede, Colo. Mr. Young graduated from UTA in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He graduated from the University of Denver School of Law and was also a reading mentor for at-risk youth.