Kappa Alpha Order - University of Texas

Alumni Update CHAPTER ETERNAL Charles "Charlie" Engelman '54 entered Chapter Eternal on January 15 as a resident of Wichita Falls, Texas. He enjoyed a rewarding career at Engelman General Inc., a company he started in 1963, which he eventually sold to NATCO to spend more time with his family. Charlie took pleasure in spending time at Possum Kingdom Lake and Playa de Carmen, and served on various bank and insurance boards and as a regent for Midwestern State University. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Joan; daughters, Kathy and Cindy; and five grandchildren. James Davenport Jr. '69 entered Chapter Eternal on April 12 as a resident of Argyle, Texas. He was a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserves for 23 years and served in Desert Storm. He also flew as a commercial airline pilot for Braniff and Northwest Airlines, which later became Delta Airlines. James enjoyed cheering on the Texas Rangers with his family, friends, and Omicron brothers. He is survived by his mother, Naomi; wife of 39 years, Judy; brother, Robert; and several cousins, nieces, and nephews. James "Jay" Beckman '78 entered Chapter Eternal on February 1 in Houston, Texas. Born in North Carolina in 1959, Jay grew up in San Antonio and moved to Houston after his UT years. There he began a career in corporate finance that spanned three decades and touched a wide range of investment banks and financial services firms. He developed extensive expertise in corporate financing, expansion, reorganization, leveraged buyouts, and mergers and acquisitions. Jay and Sherrie Potts Beckman had two daughters, Dylan and Hannah. Jay is also survived by his parents, James and Ann Beckman, as well as his two brothers, Brad and Berry and their families. ALUMNI NEWS Bill Thacker Jr. '42 works with his three sons, Billy, Ty, and Jeff, at 3-T Exploration, Inc., founded by Ty in 1981. The company develops, acquires, and operates exploration projects for itself, other family entities, and investors in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Bill serves as president of the general partners of 5-T Properties, Ltd., which manages the legal and accounting aspects, Jeff manages the investments for all of the family entities, and Billy manages the Three Eagles Building in Wichita Falls after retiring from 30 years in civil service at Sheppard Air Force Base. E-mail: wmthacker@3texploration.com Wyman Gilliam Sr. '51 was hospitalized from April to October in 2015. Despite breaking his neck in January, he reports that he is doing okay. He and his wife, Joan, live in Del Valle, Texas, and are deeply saddened by the passing of their daughter, Jennifer, earlier this year. David Johnson '59 and his wife, Sara, stay busy with their three children and eight grandchildren in Garland, Texas. E-mail: dbjprof@yahoo.com Rob See Jr. '61 has a son, Robert, who currently attends UT Austin and is working on a master's degree in aerospace engineering. In 2014, Rob had the pleasure of hosting a Silver Spur alumni event with Bevo, the UT Austin mascot, in his yard. E-mail: rsee@rseelaw.com Bob Richardson '68 serves as a receiver appointed by a Maryland federal judge in Alexandria, Va. He is happy to hear about Kappa Alpha's new communications program and is proud to see that the chapter is doing well. Bob and his wife, Patria, have one daughter and take pleasure in staying active around the community. E-mail: robtrichardson@gmail.com Paul Green '71 spends time with his wife, Courtney; three sons, Paul, John, and Ethan; and four grandchildren in San Antonio, Texas. His oldest son, Paul, is an engineer for Bell Helicopter in Fort Worth; John is a lieutenant leading the Fort Worth area of the Attorney General's Fugitive Unit; and Ethan is a student at Keystone School in San Antonio. E-mail: pgreen13@me.com Bob O'Neal '73 and his wife, are raising their grandchildren, ages 4 and 6, in Dallas, Texas. "Haven't we all wished to go back 40 years and start over? Well, part of that came true for us a few years ago when we started taking care of the grandchildren," he says. Despite a hip replacement impacting his golf game, Bob is still going strong and has enjoyed a rewarding career with his insurance business. "Today, more than half of my business comes from helping those aging into Medicare deal with their insurance options. If any of my Omicron brothers are nearing Medicare or already there, please contact me and I'll be sure to answer any questions to help you save some money." E-mail: onealinsurance@aol.com Michael Nelly '74 retired in 2005 and consulted for two years before purchasing a men's clothing store, which specializes in crafting custom shirts, in Glen Allen, Va. He sold the clothing store in 2015 and has traveled extensively, both domestically and internationally, since 2010. Michael holds CPA, CIA, CFE, and CBA certificates, along with management service certificates from Harvard and the University of Chicago. He is a member of Christ Episcopal Church, Kiwanis Club, Commonwealth Club, Kentucky Colonels, Rotary Club, and The Dominion Club. E-mail: neelyml@yahoo.com Lane Linthicum '05 and his wife, Carrie, got married on February 1, 2014, and welcomed their first child, Claudia, in May. They live in Bakersfield, Calif., and embrace all the community has to offer. Grant Dixon '15 began medical school at the University of Texas at Houston in August. He values the friendships he gained during his days in the Omicron Chapter and looks forward to reconnecting. E-mail: gdixon929@gmail.com Omicron brothers from the '70s and '80s gather at the alumni reunion in April. Turn to page 3 for the full story. UT Kappa alpha OmicrOn hOUsing cOrpOraTiOn 4903 cOmmercial parK Drive aUsTin, TX 78724 Address Service Requested OmicrOn Update Attention: This newsletter is intended for alumni and undergraduates. If you know someone who did not receive a copy, please send their mailing address to John Newlin '77 at johnrnewlin@twc.com. Thank you.

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