The University of Texas
at Arlington

Charles T. McDowell

Dr. Charles T. McDowell, COL USA (RET), 85, passed away Sunday, July 8, 2007.
When asked to describe Charles McDowell, General W.C. Westmoreland wrote that he was "one of the few outstanding officers that I know." This was an apt description for a gallant, warm-hearted, and highly accomplished man who touched uncountable lives. During his 85 years, McDowell would meet 6 U.S. Presidents, travel to Russia over 55 times, and positively influence hundreds of students, colleagues, and friends. Professor McDowell was born on Nov. 23, 1921, to Jesse Calvin McDowell and Alva Lange in Twin Falls, Idaho. After graduating from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science, he earned a Master of Arts at Columbia University and a Ph.D. at Texas A&M University. He was also a graduate of the Defense Language Institute, Armor Advanced Officer Course, Command and General Staff College, various intelligence courses, and a two-year Soviet-East European Advanced Foreign Area Studies Program at the doctoral level. After receiving his commission, McDowell fought in the European Theater of World War II, where his early assignments ranged from platoon leader to battalion commander. A master parachutist, he jumped behind enemy lines as part of Operation Market Garden. At the conclusion of the war in Europe, McDowell served in the occupational forces in Japan, where his staff assignments included Commandant and Director of the Tokyo Army College and Information and Education Officer for the Eighth U.S. Army. Later, he was a professor of Russian language, history, economics, geography, and political science and Chief of the Research Division for a classified joint military/civilian intelligence agency and an instructor at the Command and General Staff College in Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and Hawaii. He also served as Professor of Military Science at the University of Texas at Arlington (then Arlington State College). Prior to his retirement, McDowell served the Joint Chiefs of Staff as Intelligence Officer of the Airborne Command Post. In that role, which often involved flying with the President of the United States, McDowell was the custodian of the Nuclear Football. In addition to the awards typical for WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam Conflict, he earned the Combat Infantry Badge, Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, and Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster. After playing a key role in the establishment of the Job Corps program, McDowell was invited to return to the University of Texas at Arlington, where he served consecutively as Assistant to President Jack Woolf and Dean of Student Life. There, he was Professor, Chairman of the Department of Modern Languages, and Director of the Center for Post-Soviet and East European Studies, which he founded. At UTA, he was the first chairman of the Faculty Senate (subsequently reelected six times) and sponsor of Alpha Phi Omega, Alpha Chi Honor Society, the Soviet and East European Club, and the Student Congress. On multiple occasions, he has been selected as an Outstanding Educator of America, UTA Outstanding Teacher, and the recipient of the UTA Chancellors Council Award for Outstanding Teaching. In 2000, McDowell was inducted into the UTA Military Science Hall of Honor. Throughout the course of his life, McDowell made numerous TV and radio appearances concerning Russia, Eastern Europe, and the Peoples Republic of China. He was the author or co-author of numerous book reviews, articles, documents, and books, including classified government materials concerning the Soviet Union. He was chief translator or editor on many projects conducting technical, industrial, and scientific translation from English to Russian and Russian to English. He was the first Eagle Scout in San Saba County, a lifelong leader in the Boy Scouts of America, and a 41-year member of the Arlington Kiwanis Club. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Francis McDowell and his daughter, Cynthia Kathleen Stewart. Survivors: Son, Charles Patrick McDowell; grand children, Charles Cale McDowell and Angela Kathleen McDowell; he will also be missed by his in-laws, nieces, nephews, friends, and colleagues.

Memorials: In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Dr. McDowell to the Center for Post Soviet and East European Studies at U.T. Arlington, Office of Development, Box 19198, 701 S. Nedderman Dr., R421B, Arlington, Texas 76019-0198, phone (817)272-5276, www.uta.edu/giving.

Allan Jensen

Allan Eugene Jenson was born March 7, 1939 in Fort Worth, 'Texas to the late Spence and Clara Geisler Jenson. He was baptized at St. Paul's Lutheran and confirmed at Zion Lutheran, both in Fort Worth. He was a 1957 graduate of Polytechnic High School (Fort Worth) and from what is new the University of Texas, Arlington (1961) with a BA in Business Administration... During his college years Allan was enrolled in ROTC. In 1960 he participated in a 6 day, 160 mile march from Arlington to Fort Hood for ROTC camp. For this feat Allan and those cadets who also walked 160 miles, were honored at the University of Texas at Arlington Military Science Hall of Honor in 2004. Following graduation, Allan served in the U.S. Army from January 1962 until January 1965 ending as a 1st Lieutenant of Ordnance and serving in Kassel, Germany.
Following military service Allan began a career in hospital financial management, beginning at Harris Hospital in Fort Worth, TX, and then at Washington Hospital Center and INOVA Hospitals in the Washington Metropolitan Area. He was serving as a health care consultant at Ernst and Young at the time of his death. Allan was married to the former Carol Walter in 1970 in Fort Worth.
Allan Jenson is well remembered at Our Savior, Arlington, where he has been a Servant Leader at almost every level of the congregation, including Vice President, Chairman of the Board of Elders, Member of the Boards of Christian Service, Finance, Sunday school and Altar Guild. He may be best remembered by the members of Our Savior as a faithful choir member and as the congregation's Lutheran Hour Representative. He was also the Director of the congregation Sustained Giving program during which funds were raised for the new school and gymnasium construction in 2000-2001. Alan was also an officer in the Arlington Chapter of Thriven Financial for Lutherans.
Allan loved nature and the outdoors. He had a special interest in bird watching, enjoying the opportunity to travel to ten countries in Latin American, from Mexico to Tierra Del Fuego, over the past ten years. He was also an avid reader and music lover.
Allan Jenson is survived by his sons David, of Marshall, Virginia, and Phillip, of Burke; by sisters Carole Anderson, of Harker Heights, Texas, and Bobbye Manire of Bedford, Texas, and by three nephews and two nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents, and by his brother Douglas and his sister Bettye.

Allan was in the first four-year graduating class and in the first group to receive a U.S. Army Commission in May, 1961. He also marched with the Jodies for four years and was one who walked to Fort Hood in the summer of 1960. Allan was surprising; he looked a bit frail but, he could always go as far as the toughest man in the Corps. Zach Prince

Charles Key

1941 - 2005 Charles "Charlie" Key, 64, a longtime football and golf coach and a two-term member of the UTA Alumni Board of Directors, passed away at home in Arlington Friday, Aug 19, 2005. Memorials: In lieu of flowers, Charlie Key Athletic Scholarship at UTA Athletics. To contribute, call 817-272-2032.

Charlie was born in 1941 in Sherman to Mr. and Mrs. Harold W. Key and grew up in Pilot Point. He moved to Arlington in 1953. Charlie's first love was his family. He fell in love and married Joy Ellen McAlpine in 1964 after he graduated from UTA. They later had two children, Jonathan and Leigh Ellen, who were his pride and joy. He was a beloved husband, father, son, brother, and uncle who often was the mainstay at family events providing delicious food, tall tales and wonderful camaraderie. Many friends and families would never know how good vegetables could be if it were not for Charlie's recipes.

Charlie's second love was the Arlington community and UTA athletics. Charlie spent 22 seasons on the University of Texas at Arlington Mavericks football coaching staff as the defensive coordinator (1980 to 1985) and the offensive backs coach (1964 to 1979). He was also the head golf coach for UTA from 1965-66 and 1974-76. Charlie was proud of the accomplishments of his players who were often nationally ranked. He played on the UTA football team from 1959 to 1962 and was captain of the football team in 1961 and 1962. He ranked fifth in scoring history with 155 points, including 17 touchdowns, 34 point-after-touchdown kicks, five field goals and two two-point conversions.

Charlie was a member of the UTA Athletic Alumni Chapter Advisory Board and was a two-term member of the UTA Alumni Association Board of Directors. He was inducted into the UTA Athletics Hall of Honor in 1993. Survivors: Wife, Joy Ellen Key; son, Jonathan Key; daughter, Leigh Ellen Key; mother, Lucy Key; brother, Harold Key and wife, Judi; sister-in-law, Barbara Meier and husband, Jim; brothers-in-law, Oscar McAlpine and Butch McAlpine and wife, Shirley; many, many family members and friends; and beloved dog, Fred.

Richard Raines; September 2005

Richard Raines. a Commander in the Sam HOuston Rifles (1983-1987) passed away in September after a prolonged battle with Leukemia.

Darrell Kenneth Glenn; 1917 - 2005

Darrell Kenneth Glenn, 87, a retired deputy regional administrator with the General Services Administration, died Monday, May 30, 2005, at his residence.

Memorials: Mr. Glenn's memory may be honored with a gift to the Rotary Foundation, 306 W. Seventh St., Fort Worth, Texas 76102; First Presbyterian Church, 1000 Penn St., Fort Worth, Texas 76102; or American Red Cross, 1515 S. Sylvania, Fort Worth, Texas 76111.

Darrell's achievements began early in life. He was awarded the rank of Life Scout at the Longhorn Council's first summer camp at Worth Ranch in 1930. He was the cadet corps commander as well as commander of the rifle drill team at North Texas Agricultural College, also formerly NTAC, now UT-Arlington. He went on to serve as first lieutenant in the Combat Engineers, Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army.
Following the war, he was a civilian personnel director at Carswell Air Force Base. There he was also a founder of the Credit Union, now OMNI Credit Union.

He spent the next 43 years with the General Services Administration of the United States, the latter portion of that career as deputy regional administrator for Region 11, which included Texas. During this service, he received the GSA Public Service Award, Civil Servant of the Year and Exceptional Service awards. He was also a founder of what is now the Fort Worth Community Credit Union.
Darrell's service to our community included many years on the boards of directors of the Fort Worth chapter of the American Red Cross; the Longhorn Council, Boy Scouts of America; the Child Study Center; Casa Manana; and the Salvation Army. He also served as president or vice president of each of these organizations.

Mayors Stovall and Woods each honored him by proclaiming a "Darrell Glenn Day" for his service to the city and our community. He was also appointed by Mayor Bolen to be park board chairman. Other appointments included the Alan Bean (astronaut) Day Celebration and the Sesquicentennial Celebration. He was the president of the Rotary Club of Fort Worth in 1973 and a club director from 1971 to 1975. He was a recipient of the William B. Todd Award and was a Paul Harris Fellow. Darrell lived his life according to the motto of Rotary International: "Service above self."

He was a longtime member of First Presbyterian Church of Fort Worth, an outstanding community leader, a loving and inspirational father and husband, and a loyal friend. He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Kathleen Jeanette Glenn, and a brother, Arthur Melvin Glenn. Surviving family members are: daughter, Sally Glenn Parmelee and her husband, Bob; grandson, Kenneth Robert Parmelee and his wife, Mary; granddaughter, Julia Kathleen Russell and her husband, Brian; great-granddaughters, Elizabeth, Catherine and Caroline Russell and Arwen Parmelee; and brother, Wayne E. Glenn and his wife, Barbara.

Jim Braziel

Jimmy "Jim" Howard Braziel, 60, a retired supervisor for General Motors, passed away suddenly of a massive heart attack on Tuesday, March 19, 2002 at an Arlington hospital. Jim was born July 3, 1941. He attended J.P. Elder Jr. High and was a 1959 graduate of North Side High School and a University of Texas of Arlington graduate. He was a member of the elite drill team, Sam Houston Rifles, the "Jodies". Jim was a Vietnam veteran (1st Cavalry Division), earning many decorations, including the Purple Heart. He retired in 1998 from General Motors as a supervisor after 36 years of service. Most recently he was a consultant for Breed, Gentex and GuideLamp Corporations. He was a Master Mason of the Poly Lodge #925, a member of Elks Lodge #2114, and was a 22-year member of First Presbyterian Church of Arlington. Everyone who knew Jim knew he loved life and lived it to the fullest. He loved his family very much and was an avid golfer and traveler. Survivors: Wife of 35 years, Shirley Braziel; children, Jeff Braziel, Stacy Pickett and husband, Jason, all of Arlington; siblings, Kay Wolfe and husband, Don, and Lynn Braziel and wife, Sarah; many other cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. He will be dearly missed by many friends and family.
Memorials: May be made in Jim's memory to the American Heart Association; or charity of your choice.

Robert Darrah

Robert J. Darrah passed away on Sunday afternoon, January 5, 2003 at his home, after an extremely courageous battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). Bob graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School and UTA (B.S. Math). After an exemplary ROTC career he joined the army in 1962 and served in Berlin, Germany, until 1964.