January 25, 2021

The Ion:
DivInc launches diverse accerelator to boost entrepreneurs (Houston Chronicle)

Drucie Chase (1931-2021):
On January 19, Drucie Chase passed away.  A native Texan, she was a gifted teacher as well as “a hardworking and compassionate community volunteer”.  She is predeceased by her husband John Chase (he passed away in 2012) and their son Judge John Chase Jr (who graduated from Rice in 1975 and passed away in 2019).  Click here for the Chronicle obituary.

January 24, 2021

Jim Bridenstine '98:
Outgoing NASA chief calls for unity in space exploration exploits (Space.com)

John Stewart Adams (1958-2021):
On January 16, John Stewart Adams passed away.   A native Houstonian and a member of Mensa since the age of 14, he graduated from Rice in 1980.  He worked as a SAP Net Weaver Technology Consultant.  Also, he “enjoyed fine wine, a good beer, skiing, diving, skating, and cycling”.  He is survived by, among others, his wife Helena (they married in 2014).  Click here for the obituary.

January 22, 2021

Rice Scientists:
Much of Earth's nitrogen was locally sourced (Rice News)

Fred Goree, Jr (1935-2021):
On January 18, Fred Goree Jr passed away.  An accomplished pedal steel guitar player at the age of 13, he graduated from Rice in 1957.  He founded Goree Architects in 1963 which has designed thousands of auto dealerships nationwide including the seven-story Audi dealership on the Southwest Freeway and the 550,000 sf Westside Lexus.  Also, he was active in his church.  He is survived by, among others, his wife Jewell.  Click here for the Chronicle obituary. 

January 20, 2021

Doerr Institute:
Institute blasts leadership development in higher education (Rice News)

AR Ginn (1939-2021):
On January 7, AR Ginn Jr passed away.  A native Houstonian, he attended Rice on a football scholarship after graduating from Sam Houston High School in January 1958.  He left Rice in 1959 to join Metallic Building Company.  In 1976, he co-founded MBCI which became a leading manufacturer of metal building components and later merged with NCI.  In 2007, he retired from NCI as Chairman and CEO.  Also, he was inducted into the Field Hall of Fame at the National Bird Dog Museum in 2018.  He is survived by, among others, his wife of forty-one years, Ollie.  Click here for the obituary.

Rice History Corner:
Click here for Melissa Kean's latest blog entry entitled "Glee Club, 1954".

January 19, 2021

James Tour:
Flashing plastic ash completes recycling (Rice News)

Wade Craddock Jr (1940-2020):
On December 28, Wade Craddock Jr passed away.  A native Texan, he earned a BS in Physics at Arlington State College and a Master of Science in Space Sciences at Rice in 1967.   He enjoyed a long career in engineering and systems management at NASA in Houston before moving to Las Cruces to work at the Physical Science Laboratory at New Mexico State University.  Also, he was active in the community.  He is survived by, among others, his wife Sandra.  Click here for the Las Cruces Sun News obituary.

January 18, 2021

Rice scientists:
2D compound shows unique versatility (Rice News)

William "Bill" Connor (1931-2021):
On January 4, William “Bill” Connor passed away.  A native Houstonian, he earned a BA from Rice in 1955 and a masters from SMU.  He worked for Tracor, taught architectural acoustics at UT Austin and was an accomplished concert pianist.  Also, he was active in the community and in his church.  He is predeceased by, among others, his wife Mary Elizabeth.  Click here for the Austin American-Statesman obituary.

January 17, 2021

Rice Scientists:
Rice flashes new '2D' materials (Rice News)

Charles B Wilson (1924-2021):
On January 2, Charles B Wilson passed away.  A native Texan, he was popular as the young boy soprano, “Charles Burton”, mascot and live radio featured singer of The Light Crust Doughboys in the late 1930s.  In 1941, he started Rice Architecture, left for military service in WWII and returned to graduate in 1949.  With two classmates, he founded the architectural firm Langwith, Wilson, and King in 1956 from which he retired in 1998.  Also, he was active in the community and in his church.  He is predeceased by, among others, his wife of sixty years Katheryne.  Click here for the Chronicle obituary.