John Randolph (Randy) Storie died May 11, 2015, in Midland,TX. He was born in Odessa, TX, February 10, 1949, to Prebble Hortense Brannon Storie and Dale Storie. After graduating from Odessa High School, he attended West Texas State University in Canyon where he earned both a Bachelor of Music degree in 1971 and a Master of Arts degree in 1978.

Mr. Storie began his 45-year teaching career in Plano I.S.D. as an assistant director, followed by positions at McDonald Middle School in Mesquite (1972-73), Fort Stockton Junior High (1973-1976), and San Jacinto Junior High in Midland (1976-1980).

In 1980, he was named Director of Bands at Robert E. Lee High School in Midland, a position he held until the fall of 2014, when he was promoted to Coordinator of Music for Midland I.S.D. He was a highly respected and sought-after clinician and adjudicator.

During his time as director of his beloved Mighty Rebels, he served terms as chairman and president of Region VI Band Division of the Texas Music Educators Association and was elected vice president and chairman of the state organization for 1996-1998. Other professional honors and memberships included the Legion of Honor (1996), Texas Bandmasters Association, National Bandmasters Association, and American Bandmasters Association. He was a member of Phi Betu Mu Bandmaster fraternity and life member of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity.

During his 35-year tenure at LHS, he and the Rebel band were without question the “heart and soul of Lee High School.” It would be nearly impossible to cite all the awards and recognitions Mr. Storie and his band have earned, but several made him especially proud. First of all, under his direction, the Rebel Band earned 35 consecutive sweepstakes awards in UIL competition. In 1992, the band was the recipient of the John Phillip Sousa Sudler Flag of Honor. His bands were invited to perform at two gubernatorial inaugurations (for George W.Bush in 1994 and 1998), and three presidential inaugurations in Washington, D.C., including those of Ronald Reagan in 1985, George H. W. Bush in 1990, and George W. Bush in 2001. In 1998 his band performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City. His bands also received invitations to march in the Tournament of Roses Parade 1993 and then again in 2015. Since 1984, they have been consistent top 10 finalists for the Texas Honor Band.

Mr. Storie was preceded in death by his parents, Prebble Storie and and Dale Storie. He is survived by his cousins David Rhoads (Rebecca) and Mary Rhoads Routh of Wimberly, TX; Marsha Wolfe (Roger), McCamey, TX; Heavia Doyle (Jerry), Floresville, TX; Gerry Patterson (Suzanne), Georgetown, TX; Mike Patterson, Houston, TX, and Buenger Dickson (Sally), Austin, TX.

He was an honorary uncle to and hand-picked by Melissa Moore, Lori Kuhl, Melainie Lauderdale, David Rhoads III, and Jonathan Rhoads.

He is also survived by his very special friends, Bob and Billie Vick, Midland, TX as well as more than 9,000 students whom he loved and taught over the years, including more than 60 whom he influenced to become music educators or professional musicians themselves. He also leaves behind countless parents of band students who have remained close to him throughout his career.

Viewing will be Thursday and Friday, May 14-15, 2015 from 10:00 am – 9:00 pm at Nalley-Pickle and Welch Funeral Home, 3800 N. Big Spring St., Midland, Texas. The family will receive guests Thursday, May 14, 2015 between 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm at the funeral home.

Graveside services will be held at 11:00 am, Saturday, May 16, 2015 at the family plot in East Hill Cemetery, Fort Stockton, TX with his cousin David L. Rhoads officiating.

James Ralton Shirley, Jr., 60, of Charlotte, NC, formerly of Bluffton and Irmo, SC, passed away at home on June 25, 2014. Jim was the beloved husband of Jo Shirley; father of Abbie Shirley Warren (Jason), James R. (Trey) Shirley III (Ashley), Kristen Martin (Chase), David Rosati, and Lauren Rosati; brother of Dot Shirley Hardin (Allen); uncle of Kathy Brown Bowie (Brad); brother-in-law of Robert Brinkmann (Lisa), Jean Brinkmann, and Beth Brinkmann; and grandfather of Hunter, Caroline and Jackson.

Family and friends are invited to the funeral service at 2:30 p.m. on Monday, June 30, at the McEwen-Pineville Chapel, 10500 Park Road, Charlotte, NC. Visitation will begin at 1:30 p.m., prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations may be made, in Jim’s name, to support cholangiocarcinoma research at The Johns Hopkins University, The Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, 750 East Pratt Street, Suite 1700, Baltimore, MD 21202.

Dr. Charles DeWitt Dunn (67) died May 5, 2013 at his home in Arkadelphia, AR of complications from his battle with pancreatic cancer. Born on December 2, 1945 to Charles E. and Lucille (Bailey) Dunn in Magnolia, AR, he graduated from McNeil High School in 1963, earned his BA as a first generation college student from Southern Arkansas University in 1967, an MA from the University of North Texas in 1970, and his Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University in 1973, each in political science.

An educator for 43 years, he began and ended his career teaching political science to college students, a role he dearly loved. He began his career in 1969 at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, teaching in the political science department before moving in 1975 to the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, AR. There, he served as a professor of political science before becoming chair of the department and being named the university’s Director of Governmental Relations. It was this experience with the Arkansas State Legislature that sparked his interest in university administration, and in February of 1986 he was named the 14thPresident of Henderson
State University in Arkadelphia, AR. He retired from the presidency in 2008 and at twenty-two years in the position, was the longest serving president in the university’s history. He ended his career at Henderson as President Emeritus and Distinguished Professor of Political Science, teaching courses in the American Presidency, Political Behavior, and State & Local Government. In each of his roles in higher education, he was focused on the needs of students and was particularly proud to serve the needs of students from Arkansas.

Throughout his career he served on numerous boards and commissions at the state, national, and local levels. In 1986 he was selected by his peers to chair the Arkansas Presidents and Chancellors Association; Governor Bill Clinton appointed him to chair the Commission on Arkansas’s Future from 1989-1993; and he was a member of the Arkansas Community Foundation Board of Directors from 1996-2006, chairing the board from 2002-2003. After leading Henderson into the NCAA in 1992, he served as vice president and then president of the Gulf South Conference from 1996-2000. From 2000-2001, he served as president of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. He was also committed to serving his local community, and among his many service organizations were the HSU Wesley Foundation Board, the Executive Board of the United Way of Arkadelphia, and the Arkansas Methodist Children’s Home Board of Directors. He was a member of the Rotary Club between 1982 and 2008, and was selected as a Paul Harris Fellow.

A loving husband, father, and grandfather, Charles played an active role in the life of his family, whether traveling to Japan, organizing family trips to Orlando, or simply teaching his grandchildren and daughter-in-law to drive a four-wheeler or shoot a pistol in the Ozarks. He is survived by his best friend and wife of 47 years, Dr. Donna Jane (Parsons) Dunn of Arkadelphia and four children: Dr. Aimee M. Shouse (Robert) of Macomb, Illinois, James D. Dunn (Haruno) of Kawasaki, Japan, Joseph C. Dunn (Rachel), of Little Rock, and Mary E. Dunn of Little Rock; five grandchildren: Emma Shouse, Meghan Shouse, Ethan Dunn, Isabelle Dunn, and Emily Dunn; his father, Charles Edward Dunn of Arkadelphia; his brother, Michael E. Dunn (Mary) of Leesburg, Virginia; his niece, Meredith Ortiz (Jose) of Silver Springs, Maryland; his aunt, Dorothy Cook of Magnolia, and seven loving first cousins who live in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. He was preceded in death by his mother.

Memorials may be made to the Charles D. Dunn and Jane Parsons Dunn Scholarship in care of the Henderson State University Foundation, HSU Box 7550, Arkadelphia, 71999-0001. Sign the online guest book at www.ruggleswilcox.com

Chad Michael Pierce, 38 of Madill, Oklahoma, passed away Friday, January 4, 2013, at the Texoma Medical Center in Denison, Texas. He was born on February 2, 1974, in Arlington, Texas, to John Michael Pierce and Linda Dell Talley Pierce.

Chad was raised in the Dallas, Texas, area until the age of 6 when he moved to Atlanta, Georgia. At age 8 he moved back to Dallas and in 1985, he moved to Madill where he graduated high school in 1993. While in high school Chad received numerous awards for performance on the trombone. He went to All District and All State competition yearly and received the “John Phillip Sousa’ Award. Chad attended East Central University on a Band Scholarship and received the “Saied Award” as a senior. Chad participated in the marching, jazz and concert bands and graduated with a music performance degree in 2000. While at East Central he was a very active member of the Kappa Kappa Psi Band Fraternity and became a lifetime member after graduation.

Chad worked for the last six years at Winstar Casino in many roles. During his free time he enjoyed playing and listening to music and cheering for his favorite sport’s teams; the Madill Wildcats, ECU Tigers and OU Sooners. He also enjoyed and collected science fiction movies.

He is survived by parents, Mike and Linda Pierce, Madill, Oklahoma; brother, Marcus Pierce and wife, Alexis, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; two nieces, Avery and Whitney Pierce, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; aunts, uncles and cousins.

Chad preceded in death by his grandparents; John and Wanda Pierce and Delia Talley.
Visitation will be Monday at Watts Funeral Home, Madill from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Services will be Tuesday, January 8, 2013, at 11 a.m. at the Watts Memorial Chapel, Madill, Oklahoma. John Tidwell, Doug Hansen, Adam Mewhorter and Kent House will officiate the services. Interment will be at the Oaklawn Cemetery, Sulphur, Oklahoma.

Condolences may be sent to wattsfuneralhome.com.

Services will be under the direction of Watts Funeral Home, Madill, Oklahoma

Bruce Edward Bashford, 84 of Cocoa Beach, FL, passed away on Friday, January 4, 2013. He was born in Wray, Colorado in 1928, grew up in Wray, and attended the University of Colorado at Boulder, where he met Barbara Lines, who would become his wife of 56 years.

Bruce and Barbara came to Cocoa Beach in 1959, where he worked as an engineer at the Space Center. He was active in community organizations including Friends of the Cocoa Beach Library and several barbershop quartet groups. His job took Bruce and Barbara away from Cocoa Beach for a number of years, but they returned upon his retirement to the home that they built here.

Bruce is survived by his children, Don and June; and grandchildren, Steven, David and Bert.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to UNICEF or to Cocoa Beach Community Church.

Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 2, 2013 at Cocoa Beach Community Church. You may sign Bruce’s guestbook at www.beckman-williamson.com.

SWANICK, ANTHONY JOSEPH, 52, of Orlando, FL, beloved son of the late Joseph A. and the late Catherine M. Swanick (nee McCall), passed away unexpectedly on Nov. 11, 2012. Anthony (Tony) Swanick was a Founding Father of the Eta Rho chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi, and was an Active Brother until he left WCU in 1982. Tony was born August 29, 1960 and raised in Abington, PA. He served as the Communications Director for Congresssman Jon Fox from 1995-1999, working in the Philadelphia, PA area. Tony relocated to Orlando, FL, and was the Communications Director for Power Place Tours in the early 2000s.

Tony is survived by his brother, Patrick J. Swanick (Diana L.) of Austin, TX. Contributions in his memory, made to the Humane Society of the United States, www.HumaneSociety.org, will be gratefully accepted. A private Memorial Service and interment will be held at a later date.