9.19.24
In Memoriam
SUE E. (SMITH) BONNER ’86, educational psychology graduate and former public school 6th grade teacher who served as First United Methodist Church program director, executive director of Wichita YWCA’s Women’s and Children’s Crisis Center and, after moving to Kansas City, Mo., as program director of SAFEHOME, before retiring in 2003, March 15, 2023, Georgetown, Texas.
Harrison “Bud” Charles Boughton taught and conducted the choral groups in the School of Music at Wichita State for 39 years. A talented tenor, Boughton performed as a soloist and in ensembles throughout his life, including a coveted placement in the 1957 All-American Male Chorus which allowed him to perform at Radio City Music Hall in New York City and at the White House for President Eisenhower. During his nearly four decades at the university, his choirs were selected for participation at countless state, regional and national performances, as well as international choral festivals in South America and Europe. His farewell event in 2000 was attended by alumni of the A Capella, University Singers and Madrigals choral groups, who performed a selection of his favorite pieces over the years. Boughton died September 27, 2024 in Wichita.
V. LYNN (CLARK) CALLISTER ’88, homemaker, retired maternal newborn nurse and nursing instructor at Brigham Young University, Aug. 17, 2024, Orem, Utah.
JILL COBB ’77, forensic pathologist whose work took her from Arapahoe County, Colo., to New Zealand and included monitoring and assisting in the exhumation and identification of war casualties in the aftermath of the former Yugoslavia’s civil war, July 3, 2024, Medford, Ore.
KATHERINE “KATIE” CORIELL ’09/17, history and anthropology graduate, Aug. 26, 2024, Andover, Kan.
SONDRA S. (PATTON) COWAN, retired elementary public school teacher, Aug. 23, 2024, Newton, Kan.
LEONARD A. DALE, university friend and retired pastor and graduate of the Lutheran School of Theology, Chicago, whose ministry included serving congregations in various churches in Minnesota, Missouri and Kansas, Jan. 22, 2024, Olathe, Kan.
EUGENE S. DEMPSEY ’63, standout Shocker football player, U.S. Army veteran and decorated Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) special agent, July 14, 2024, Hudson, Fla.
ROBERT “BOB” J. DINGES ’74, U.S. Air Force veteran who worked for the Dillon/Kroger Corp. in Hutchinson, Kan., and Cincinnati, Ohio, for more than 30 years, July 13, 2024, Dalton, Ga.
PATRICIA “PAT” L. DIXON ’82, homemaker, former elementary public school music teacher and pianist and singer who served as music director of various church and community choirs, Aug. 24, 2024, Kingman, Kan.
ROSE MARIE (SOLE) ESTILL ’72, retired educator who was born in Barcelona, Spain, and immigrated to the United States with her husband in 1957; Spanish teacher and counselor at Wichita Public Schools (1966-1997); Spanish instructor at Wichita State (1998-2011), where she served as chair of the university’s foreign language program committee from 2004-2007, July 7, 2024, Wichita.
CURTIS “CURT” D. GRIDLEY ’80, entrepreneur who founded the computer network switching technology company Amber Wave Systems in 1994 and, in 2019, co-founded Groover Labs, a tech-focused community space in Wichita, March 16, 2024, Wichita.
ELIJAH D. JOHNSON, former computer science student and Lyft driver, Aug. 6, 2024, Wichita.
FREDERICK “FRED” D. MARTINEZ, former student, U.S. Army veteran and retired restauranteur whose career began with the opening of The Dugout in Aggieville, Manhattan, Kan., and included work for Trini’s and Casa Del Sol Corp. and owning and operating
Sí Martinez Restaurant in Topeka, Kan., Aug. 17, 2024, Topeka.
SANDRA E. (KIRCHOFF) MCKOWN ’60, homemaker and business administration graduate whose professional career included work at Fourth National Bank in Wichita, Aug. 26, 2024, Wichita.
Mary Nelson, research and operations manager for Special Collections at University Libraries, knew more about WSU and its history than almost anyone else. And if she didn’t know some particular piece of Shocker lore, she knew where to look for the answer. Constantly working to expand her base of subject knowledge and range of library skills, Nelson is noted for her key role in digitizing materials to allow historians and other researchers broader access to Special Collections’ vast holdings. After 25 years of service to Wichita State, in 2019, she was inducted as a Bender of Twigs. She died July 17, 2024 in Wichita.
JESSE A. PAGELS ’02, professional musician, piano and classical trumpet, who performed with various organizations, including the Wichita Symphony Orchestra and the Kalamazoo Symphony; avid runner who ran in 10 marathons, many shorter races and founded Cream City 5K Inc. to raise funds in support of the organ donation community, April 28, 2024, Shorewood, Wis. A memorial has been established with the WSUFAE.
LUCILLE PORTLEY, WSU Office of Admissions staff member who played various roles, most recently as an admissions evaluator, during her 23 years at the university, Aug. 3, 2024, Wichita.
MONA L. (CARTER) ROCHE ’81, military spouse and homemaker who earned an MBA at Wichita State and used her degree in business at various locations for jobs as office manager, in banking and as director of operations and strategy at Schott Defense, Williamsburg, Va.
LOUIS SIGMUND ’82, business administration graduate who had a 35-year career with the Ironworkers labor union, Aug. 1, 2024, Philadelphia, Pa.
WESLEY D. VOTH, former student and university friend who worked various jobs at the Hesston Corp., Boeing, Albertson and Hein, and Spirit AeroSystems, July 30, 2024, Wichita.
LEONARD P. WATSON ’85, Sedgwick County Department of Corrections probation officer and substitute teacher for Wichita Public Schools, Aug. 1, 2024, Wichita.
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