Houston Christian University Retirees Association

Purpose of the Association

Desiring to continue cherished relationships that have been enjoyed
through the years, the Association will exist to…
1. provide an opportunity for Houston Christian University (HBU) retirees to
maintain relationships with one another and with the University, and
2. identify the needs of the HCU retired community and initiate procedures
to provide services to meet the various identified needs, and
3. provide appropriate social events, thereby encouraging and facilitating
the development of friendship.

The following is a list of Retirees Association members who are currently paid for membership.  Names will be added after each meeting as people pay dues.*

Albritton, Carolyn
Anderson, Marianne M.
Anderson, Marion
Berry, Debra L.
Best, Ed J.
Bordelon, J. Michael
Bradley, Nancy L.
Bradley, Walter M.
Byrnes, Don R.
Byrnes, Georgia S.
Caldwell, Athalee W.
Clark, Linda R.
Curtis, Frances
Curtis, John
DeRooy, Joan L.
Dodson, Daton A.
Elleson, Judith A.
Elsbury, Carol F.
Fulton, Barbara R.
Furr, James H.
Furr, Rhonda S.
Gaultney, Virginia S.
Greer, Rebecca L.
Hedger, Jennie F.
Hedger, Michael
Henderson, Nancy D.
Hooker, John C.
Hooker, Wallace K.
Linder, Robert J.
Looser, Donald
Looser, Elsa Jean
Moffett, Hilda S.
Moore, Ferrell D.
Moore, Norma F.
Owen, Carolyn A.
Owens, Barbara R.
Peavy, Charles
Peavy, Elysee E.
Peterson, Verna M.
Phillips, Sally R.
Pross, Edith E.
Raley, Harold C.
Raley, Victoria
Rogers, Kenneth W.
Shields, W. L.
Smith, Charles R.
Smith, Elizabeth A.
Spore, Charles U.
Spore, Mary Ellen
Suter, Jon M.
Warren, Doris
Wentland, Stephen H.
Wescott, Shari H.
Williamson, Roger L.
Williamson, Ruth Ann
Yuill, Nancy C.

*Dues can be paid through the online event RSVP form, a check mailed to the Treasurer prior to the meeting, or dues can be paid at the meeting.

Click below to view the minutes from past meetings.

January 11, 2019 Minutes

October 12, 2018 Minutes

September 13, 2018 Minutes

April 6, 2018 Minutes

October 20, 2017 Minutes

June 9, 2016 Minutes

January 29, 2016 Minutes

January 12, 2016 Minutes

October 23, 2015 Minutes

September 1, 2015 Minutes

April 10, 2015 Minutes

March 10, 2015 Minutes

February 13, 2015 Minutes

January 13, 2015 Minutes

October 10, 2014 Minutes

August 12, 2014 Minutes

June 10, 2014 Minutes

March 18, 2014 Minutes

February 21, 2014 Minutes

January 14, 2014 Minutes

October 18, 2013 Minutes

August 20, 2013 Minutes

June 25, 2013 Minutes

April 26, 2013 Minutes

March 19, 2013 Minutes

February 22, 2013

January 15, 2013  Minutes

October 19, 2012 Minutes

August 28, 2012 Minutes

June 21, 2012 Minutes

April 13, 2012 Minutes

March 20, 2012 Minutes

While the HCU Retirees Association serves primarily as a social organization, from time to time a project or cause is brought to the attention of the Executive Committee who votes to share the opportunity with the Association.  Given the University provides a partial operation budget each year, the Association will use accumulated dues payments to cover the support of these projects.

Past projects include:

• Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund for HCU Employees
• Husky Veterans Association Lounge
• Music Department Spring Tour
• Tutor Training, Academic Success Center

Robert Linder 2001-2002
Sebron Williams* 2002-2004
Jerry Gaultney 2004-2006
Elysee Peavy 2006-2008
Harold Raley 2008-2010
Don Looser 2010-2012
Mary Ellen Spore 2012-2014
Ruth Ann Williamson 2014-2016
Don Byrnes 2016-2018
Eloise Hughes 2018

*deceased

In a meeting of the Faculty Assembly in 1999, a proposal was presented by Assembly
President Rhonda Furr to consider forming an organization for retired faculty and staff.
The proposal was accepted and a faculty committee appointed to consider this possibility.
The committee consisted of Chair Sebron Williams, Jim Taylor, Harold Raley, and Ann
Gebuhr who rendered their report on March 15, 1999. On the basis of this report, a larger
committee was appointed to implement the formation of an organization for faculty and
staff retirees. The members of the Implementation Committee were Chair Jerry Gaultney,
Sebron Williams, Teresa Boyd, Rhonda Furr, Bob Linder, Don Looser, Harold Raley, and
Elysee Peavy. The first meeting was held on June 29, 1999. The committee immediately
sought to obtain information from retired faculty and staff and from members of the
administration to determine interest in such an organization. Based on a favorable response
to this inquiry, the committee collected names and addresses of retired faculty and staff and
selected a name for the organization. A subcommittee began to work on the Constitution
and Bylaws.

The Implementation Committee studied ways in which the organization could be helpful
to its members and to Houston Christian University. Officers were nominated, to be voted
on at the first meeting of the Association. These plans were presented to University
President Hodo and the Faculty Assembly and were approved. The first meeting of the
Association was held on February 16, 2001 with the following officers elected to serve
until September 1, 2002: Robert Linder, Chair; Sebron Williams, Assistant Chair; Barbara
Owens, Secretary-Treasurer; Robert Creech, Member-at- Large; Pauline Wright, Memberat-Large;
and Dick Parker, Liaison Officer. Under the leadership of these officers, a
successful period of organization and growth ensued.

In 2010, a study committee proposed amended By-Laws which would create the office
of Association Historian, redistribute some duties among the elected officers, delete
information no longer correct or valid, and update content to conform with current
University organizational operation. The By-Laws were adopted by the Association on
October 22, 2010. Additional updates and corrections to the By-Laws were presented
to the Association on October 19, 2012 and adopted by the Association on February
22, 2013. These changes include redefining the duties of Hospitality and Membership,
changing their titles from Hospitality Chair and Membership Chair to Hospitality Officer
and Membership Officer. Future changes to the By-Laws will be made when deemed
appropriate by the Administrative Board.

The HCU Retirees Association wishes to thank all those at the University who aided in the
establishment of the Association. In particular, we acknowledge with gratitude our debt
to Dr. E. D. Hodo, Mr. Dick Parker, Dr. Don Looser, Ms. Sharon Saunders, Dr. Rhonda
Furr, and Ms. Teresa Boyd for their ongoing encouragement, support, efforts, and good
will, without which the Association would not now exist. We also thank the members of
the 1999 Faculty Assembly under the presidency of Dr. Rhonda Furr for their unanimous
endorsement of the idea of an organization for retirees, thereby initiating the formation of
the Association.

“The Lord is my shepherd…”
“I go to prepare a place for you…”

2001 – 2016
Margil Benedict
Warren Benedict
Robert Bush
Ruth DeHart
Joyce Fan
Muriel Flake
Edward D. (Doug) Hodo, Sr.
Calvin Huckabay
Darrell Lassonde
Patricia Lassonde
Bill Lawrence
Lois Lawrence
Paul Brooks Leath
Norma Lowder
Jerry Moffett
Bill Owens
Georgena Prator
James Riley
Marylyn Sibley
Kathleen Strom
Marion R. Webb
Sebron Williams
Ellouise Zapalac

Membership: Dues are $15 per individual and $20 per couple.

Luncheon registration options:

1.   Retirees Association webpage to make your reservation online by clicking the “Register Here” button.  Prepay by credit card at a protected website.  The cost for these reservations is $10 each.

2.  Make your reservation by sending your check for $10 per person to our Treasurer a week prior to the event. Dues can also be sent. Please email Candace Desrosiers (cdesrosiers@hbu.edu) for address.

3.   Make your reservation by calling Linda Clark: 281.649.3434 and pay on your arrival.  The cost of these meals is $12 each.