July 19, 2021

George Zenner MD, Jr (1935-2021):
On July 13, George Zenner MD, Jr passed away.  A native New Yorker, he earned a BA from Rice in 1956 and a MD from UT Galveston in 1960.  He had a highly respected private practice in Houston from 1963 until 1978 and then he assumed teaching and administrative leadership positions with UT – Houston Medical School.  In total, he enjoyed a 54-year medical career.  Also, “he loved the outdoors, and thoroughly enjoyed his hunting and fishing trips”.  He is survived by, among others, his wife of sixty-two years, Tommye.  Click here for the Chronicle obituary.

July 16, 2021

Wes Anderson:
On July 12, Wes Anderson’s latest film, The French Dispatch, debuted and Wes “is the artfully centered toast of Cannes once again”.  Click here for the recent Texas Monthly story entitled “Everything We Know So Far About Wes Anderson’s ‘The French Dispatch’.

Wes is the son of ARA Meritorious Service Award winner (2003) and avid Rice baseball fan Texas Anderson ‘81/’85.

July 13, 2021

Baker Institute:
Study: Oil demand likely to grow despite pandemic (Rice News)

Donna Yeager Wood (1955-2021):
Donna Yeager Wood recently passed away.  After graduating from Rice in 1977, she “went on to a rich and diverse acting career, continuing a legacy of brilliant and funny performances with the Rice Players”.  Also, she was a fundraiser as well as “a relentless advocate for all artistic endeavors, and an important asset to Houston’s artistic community for decades”.  She is predeceased by, among others, her husband Larry.  She was featured in the April-May 1988 Sallyport Magazine (p. 9) and click here for the Chronicle obituary.

July 9, 2021

What's In Woodson:
House of Mirth (Woodson Research Center)

Helen Morgan Johnson (1939-2021):
On June 14, Helen Morgan Johnson passed away.  A native Pennsylvanian, she graduated from Rice in 1961 cum laude with her future husband, Gaylord Johnson.  Together they raised three sons and she “developed into a successful amateur tennis player and teaching professional”.  Divorced in the mid ‘70s, she earned a Master of Education from UT in 1986 and a MA in English from UH in 1994 and she taught English and the tennis team at Del Valle HS in Austin.  Later in life, she was devoted to her six grandchildren.  Click here for the Chronicle obituary.

July 8, 2021

KC Nicolaou:
Reversal speeds creation of important molecule (Rice News)

Christian Carr (1996-2021):
On June 29, Christian Carr passed away after a six-month battle with cancer.  He graduated from Rice with a BA in English and Political Science in 2019.  He worked as the Digital Marketing and Database Coordinator for the Houston SPCA.  Also, he was an amazing local artist and duct tape was his medium – check out this Rice Magazine feature about him entitled “I’m a Nerd About … Duct Tape”.  And click here for the Chronicle obituary.