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In Memoriam

Ryan Custer Amacher

Ryan Custer Amacher

71, Nov. 25, Lake Shore, Minnesota. President of The University of Texas at Arlington from 1992-95, Dr. Amacher stayed on to teach as professor of economics and public affairs until his retirement in 2012. Previously he worked for several universities, including the University of Oklahoma, Arizona State University, and Clemson University. In addition to his academic career, Amacher held a variety of positions in Washington, D.C., working for the Pentagon and as a consultant at the Federal Trade Commission, among others. He co-authored or edited nine books on economics and served on the board of directors at Business Week.

Tony Baker
82, Oct. 17, McKinney. He taught history and economics from 1979-98.

Randy Bohannon
72, Jan. 5, Euless. Dr. Bohannon was a research engineer at UTA's ARRI (now UTARI) and TMAC from 1996-2008.

Thomas "Tom" Cogdell 
82, Oct. 27, Arlington. He served as an assistant professor in the Chemistry Department from 1966-99.

Richard L. Cole 
70, Jan. 8, Arlington. As a professor of public affairs from 1980-2016, Dr. Cole served as dean of the School of Urban and Public Affairs (1980-2008), interim dean for the School of Social Work (1996-98), and dean of the College of Liberal Arts (2001-03).

Vincent Dannis 
(BA, English), 69, Sept. 15, Hurst. He was an adjunct lecturer in the English Department from 2007-12.

Timothy Edward Denny 
(BBA, Management), 48, Oct. 23, Mansfield. Denny taught first-year seminars and conducted workshops for student veterans while an adviser for University Studies from 2010-12.

Joe Gilbreath 
93, Feb. 3, Windom. The U.S. Navy veteran taught mathematics from 1960-88 and served as an assistant director in student affairs.

Samuel Barksdale Hamlett 
95, Aug. 16, Austin. An associate professor from 1956-92, Dr. Hamlett served as the first chairman of the Department of Government, now Political Science, for 10 years. He retired from full-time teaching in 1984, but continued to teach and advise students for another 10 years. In 1987 he was designated as a professor emeritus of political science.

Marie Louise Kauth 
86, Jan. 7, Arlington. A member of the Friends of the UTA Library, she created the Marie Kauth Endowment Fund to enhance the library's collection of journals and monographs.

Quetha Jo "Bell" Lacy 
77, Nov. 20, Arlington. An adjunct instructor from 1981-2001, she taught the first children's literature classes in the Department of English.

Darlene Langas 
80, Sept. 9, Arlington. She was an accountant in the E.H. Hereford University Center from 1981-2003.

Dolly Lynn McLemore 
56, Jan. 24, Fort Worth. She was a senior auditor and compliance specialist in internal audits in the business office from 2001-03.

Gary C. McMahan 
56, Aug. 30, Dallas. Dr. McMahan was an associate professor of management in the College of Business from 1996-2015. He served as the management doctoral program coordinator and as the chair or a member of numerous dissertation committees.

Robert Ray Minter 
93, Dec. 8, River Oaks. A U.S. Army veteran, Minter worked as the senior construction inspector and engineer from 1972-92 for UTA and the UT System.

Shirlyn Sloan 
61, Aug. 23, Grand Prairie. She worked as an administrative assistant in Education Tech Support Services from 1983-2014.

Luke Joseph Sparvero 
77, Dec. 18, Arlington. He was a senior lecturer of finance and real estate in the College of Business from 1980-2008.

Frederick Viña 
84, Oct. 27, Arlington. An associate professor of Spanish from 1963-2002, Dr. Viña was named a professor emeritus of modern languages and the 2000-01 Outstanding Academic Adviser as an undergraduate faculty adviser.

Velma Porter Wilson 
101, Aug. 29, Fort Worth. A cashier, she worked in admissions and the business office from 1966-80.