Class Notes

Class of 1949
John Windle, Joplin, MO, writes that his wife Jo Ann passed away in June of 2007. They were married for 58 years. On December 9, 2008 he married Barbara Louise Baker. They have purchased a new home and are very happy. The have added curtains, carpet and waterfall not with-standing.

Class of 1954
William M. Feagans, Palm Beach Gardens, FL, has retired as Dean of the School of Dental Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo.

James R. Matthews, Albuquerque, NM, is retired from active practice but is a part time clinical instructor at University of New Mexico School of Dental Hygiene.

Bill Shellhart, Colorado Springs, CO, reports that his son, Craig, is teaching Ortho at the  University of Colorado.

Richard and Elsie Yokoyama. Kaneohe, HI, retired in October of 2000. His wife had a heart attack in March of 2001. She survived and is doing well for the past seven years. He is doing well but hearing is not as good and is assisted by a hearing aid. Their oldest son is a periodontist practicing in California. He married his classmate Dr. Jaye Veruti Yokoyama, and she is a pedodontist. They have two boys and visited Hawaii for six days in January. Their oldest daughter and husband work as teachers at Oregon State University and have two children. Christopher is seventeen and Malia is ten. Their second daughter is in Kailua, Oahu and they have two children as well. Kelly is sixteen and Mark is fifteen. Their youngest son Ross is still single and a cabinet maker.

Kwai Lum Young, Camdenton, MO, shares that he and his wife, Mary Lou, manage a free dental clinic for Medical Missions for Christ Community Health Center in Camdenton. The center provides free medical, dental, counseling and dispensary services to people without insurance or Medicaid. He also serves on Dental Advisory Group of Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

Class of 1959
Don H. Barrow, El Dorado, AR, is currently the president of Arkansas State Dental Assoc., Arkansas State Board of Dental Examiners, ADA Delegate, member of American College of Dentists. He is retired from private practice.

James A. Burgess, Jr., Greenwood, AR, is teaching at the University of Arkansas- Fort Smith two days a week and also works at the Community Dental Clinic for free one day a week.

Ronald R. Davis, Wichita, KS, a past president, Kansas City- Midwest Chapter of American College of Dentists, Editor for the Kansas Dental Association for seventeen years, Pierre Fauchard Academy, Wichita Dentist of the Year 2007, Delta Dental Plan of Kansas and Director- Capital Management. He still practices three days a week and shares an office with his son, Dr. Mark Davis. He has two more sons whom are both CPA’s and they both live in Wichita. He and his wife, Corinne, have been married for 56 years and have five grandchildren.

James R. Hunt, Fayetteville, AR, is serving as Dental Director of the Community Clinic in Springdale, AR and celebrating 50 years of dentistry. He is still married to his high school sweetheart and will enjoy their 54th wedding anniversary this summer. They are in semi- retirement working only 32 hours a week.  They have been serving as medical missionaries in West Africa for fourteen years. With more time, he gets to spend it with his eleven grandchildren, gardening, fishing, traveling and target shooting.

Jacob H. Moberly, Clovis, NM, stepped down as the chairman of the New Mexico Board of Dentistry in 2008 after serving eight years. He served a total of nineteen years. He has declined reappointment from the Governor of New Mexico. 

Jerome J. Solow, Tulsa, OK, has been doing geriatric nursing home dentistry. He has written publications about dentistry. He enjoys riding his Harley and volunteer work.

Class of 1961
Howard Johnson, Lakeside, CA, wife and lover of over 61 years passed July 23, 2008.

Class of 1963
Grant T. Cookson, Parkville, MO, is retired and is enjoying his two grandchildren, gardening and traveling.

Class of 1966
Thomas A. Jones, Kansas City, KS, is part time minority recruiter for UMKC Dental School.  He received the Alumni Achievement Award for the School of Dentistry in 2007.

Class of 1969

Gary and Cheryl Grantham, San Diego, CA, have three grandchildren; Christian is two, Kyler is a year and a half and Sienna Marie was born in Jan of 2009.  Last year they traveled to China, Tibet, Ecuador and Galapagos Islands.

Lee Ronald Ingram, Pratt, KS.  Still practices full time. He plans to bring in a new associate this summer who will buy the practice. He plans to retire in one or two years. Alison Rickhof is his daughter and is a dentist in the Kansas City area.

Donald R. Jump, Bolivar, MO, has been practiced general dentistry in Bolivar, MO since 1971.

Howard Schneider, Wellington, KS, writes that he and his wife Pat  recently celebrated 58 years of marriage. They have four children and several grandchildren and great grandchildren. During his 30 years of practice, he received five fellowships. Man of the Year and several other honors. He says it has been a fantastic trip!!! He is retired and spends his time as an international big game hunter and consultant. He is also in ranching and banking. In his words, “It’s a great life”!!.

Benjamin K. Sherman , Silver City, NM, is retired. Mastership Academy of General Dentistry, Fellowship International College of Dentists.

Randolph (Randy) K. Thomason, Mulvane, KS., has been in practice for 40 years. With his wife Pam, they have five children and nine grandchildren. He is a past president of the Kansas Dental Association. He also enjoys fishing, golf, skiing, hunting, dancing and loving his wife.

Class of 1973
Joan E. Aufdembrink Pacheco, Santa Fe, NM, is still working as a dental hygienist and is an avid golfer. She has two wonderful children that are married.

Class of 1974
George H. Bailey, Dixon, MO, has received his MPH in community health for St. Louis University SPH in 2007. Internship DHSS MO 2007(oral health).

Gregory S. Kraner, St. Peters, MO, reports his son Matthew Kraner, graduated from UMKC Dental School in 2006. They share an office in Wentzville, Mo. He also has a daughter named Becky.  He has three grandchildren and a fourth that was due May, 2009. 

Charles F. Massler, Jr., Winston- Salem, NC, is and has remained happily married to his wife Linda who is now retired. Their daughter Shannon is happily married to Greg and has a two year old daughter, Madeline. Their daughter Heather is engaged and is living in the D.C area. Linda retired as a trust officer and C.F.P. with Wachovia in November, 2007 (great timing!).  He retired from the Navy Dental Corps in 1994.  He taught and directed the AEGD program at the Medical College of Virginia School of Dentistry until 1998.  Since 1998 he has practiced with University Dental Associates (www.udadentistry.com) and is a faculty member in the Department of Dentistry GPR program at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine.  Retirement…they are moving in that direction.  They need to get their 201-K back up to a 401-K!

E. Lynn Miller, Columbia, MO, practices with his brother, Douglas and Walt Rooney both UMKC grads. His father, Ercell, is 91 years old and retired from practice about ten years ago. Their oldest daughter is an NICU RN at Baylor Hospital in Dallas, TX and is married with two sons. Their youngest daughter is a 6th grade teacher in Richardson, TX and is also married. Their son, the youngest, is a 2nd Lt. in the Air Force and training at Randolph AFB San Antonio, TX.  He is married with a son.

Galen Miller, Aurora, CO, is an Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Affairs at the University of Colorado- Denver Dept. of Orthodontics.

Patrick M. Pacheco, Santa Fe, NM, will be married to Joan Aufdembrink- Pacheco for 36 years in June of 2009. They have two children.  Daughter, Jennifer Pacheco- Chitton, M.D. a Pediatrician and their son, Sean Pacheco, is an Exec for Robert Half International. Both children have wonderful spouses. They still have no grandchildren.  Patrick still works four days a week and is very busy. He plays golf, still skis and enjoys fishing and camping. He restores and maintains a car collection and is currently learning to play the piano.

Gary Stewart, Stillwell, KS, is married with grandchildren. He retired in 2007. Now enjoys riding horses, flying, skiing, hunting, fishing, diving and traveling. He gives his best to everyone and hopes life is as good for you as it is for him.

John W. Tilton, Wichita, KS, left his private practice in Oct. 2007. He is currently Vice-President of Professional Review and Dental Director for Delta Dental of Kansas.

Class of 1977
Dan Jolly, Newark, OH, retired from academic practice at Ohio State University College of Dentistry and Medical Center at the end of Feb. 2009. He is now practicing general dentistry with ImmediaDent (a KC based company) in the Columbus, OH area. He had a long career in hospital dentistry which included UMKC and TMC faculty for eight years and as Director of the General Practice Residency at OSU. Dan is looking forward to true retirement in a few years to teach scuba diving and underwater photography on the island of Bonaire in the Netherlands Antilles. He continues to be active with a fifteen year dental mission project in Rotan in the Bay Islands of Honduras. Dan’s daughter is a chiropractor in the Kansas City area.

Kenneth Weinand, Independence, MO, has just completed serving on the Misssouri Dental Association Board of Trustees for GKCDS. At the same time, he finished serving the ADA Council on Membership. Both were four year terms. He is serving as an ADA delegate from the sixth district.

Class of 1979
Mark W. Aylward, Ladue, MO, has been married for 33 years and has three daughters. Abi, 31, is the Director of Communications at Villinova University. Abi married a Marine helicopter pilot who survived two tours in Iraq. Alison, 28, is working on her Ph.D. in Psychology at University of Miami. Alex, 22, is working on a Ph.D. in Psychology at Stanford University. They have one granddaughter who is three years old. He would like everyone to know he still has all of his hair. His greatest personal satisfaction is providing education for his three girls.  His greatest professional satisfaction has been working with children from around the world in the Healing the Children program. 

Bob Blair, Honolulu, HI, accepted an offer he couldn’t refuse and moved to Honolulu to be the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon for Hawaii Family Dental Group.

Bob Blundell, Shawnee, KS, retired from the United States Navy in Nov. 2006.  He moved back Shawnee, KS. and works as an Endodontist at Ft. Leonard Wood.  He is also an Assistant Professor at UMKC School of Dentistry in the Endo Department.

David M. Chapman, Corpus Christi, TX, has had three big events for his family this year. Their oldest son, Brett graduated with a D.D.S from Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio. He joined his father’s practice in June, 2009. Brett is engaged to a fellow dentist, Dr. Allissa Hall.  She has been in practice for two years.  They plan to be married November 2009. Blake, their youngest son, graduated from St. Mary’s University with a degree in Criminal Justice. He also found time to play baseball for the school. He now works for the Texas Dept. of Public Safety as a State Trooper. Blake is also engaged to Kristy Kirkland. She is a physical therapist and manages an office in Rockport, TX. They were married this June.

James David Elias, Lake Winnebago, MO, and his wife Sharon, are still happily married and empty nesters. They have four children and three grandsons.  He still practices in Independence, MO with Drs. Opdahl and Bowen in “their” beautiful new state of the art building. They now live and enjoy Lake Winnebago, being grandparents, traveling and serving with mission work.

Michael Faddis, St. Louis, MO, is married to Linda Faddis and has three children; Kevin- 24, Megan- 15 and Nick- 9.

Mary Jo Frazier, Santa Monica, CA, writes that her father, Dr. L.T. Frazier of Lyons, KS is still seeing patients four days a week. He is 84 years old!

Greg Houston, Kansas City, MO., is full time faculty at UMKC School of Dentistry. March was his tenth anniversary back at the School of Dentistry. Continuing Nicaragua mission trips (www.pbase.com/dan/polley/umkcall) or my home page (www.pbase.com/danpolley/jocote).

Richard P. Melichar, Mesa, AZ, has been retired since March 2005, but is still doing some work. He reports that he has been enjoying life.

Loren Charles McHenry, Ironton, MO, has remarried Diane McHenry. Together they own Mo. 340 Tandem Record. He enjoys Ultra- distance kayaking and placed 3rd in the Mo. 340 open class 2008. He has been the slalom- Mo. State Champion for the last 20 years.

Scott Roberson, Independence, MO, in 2008 became a fellow in American College of Dentistry. In 2008, he attended Institute for Advanced Laser Dentistry and became a user of the PerioLase. Also in 2008, he became the Missouri Dental Association Trustee from the Kansas City Dental Society. His daughter, Britni Roberson is a senior in Dental Hygiene at UMKC.

Kristine Schrock, St. Joseph, MO, has a new office, a different home and is enjoying her life and practice.

David L. Vreeland, Manchester, MO. has received his Masters of Science from Ohio State Diplomat of American Board of Endodontics. He is married with two daughters and one son. Hobbies are fishing and photography.

Class of 1984
Wesley Chang, Foster City, CA, wife, Rae, passed away suddenly at home in December of 2008. Dr. Chang has two adult children, Laura Michelle age 22 and Patrick Michael age 20.

Thomas J. Meyer, Springfield, MO, daughters Nicole and Ashley are doing well in their education. Nicole graduated in May 2008 from Stephens College with a B.S. in Merchandise Marketing and Management. Ashley is a junior at Lynchburg College in Lynchburg, VA and is a Biomedical Science major and plans to attend UMKC in fall 2010.

Randolph C. Robinson, Centennial, CO, will return to Vietnam with Face the Challenge (www. Facethechallenge.org) to help children with cleft lips and palate deformities. This will be his fifteenth year of service.

Suzanne K. Saville, Sebastopol, CA, was assigned as Chief Dental Officer of the United States Coast Guard in July 2007. Capt. Saville also serves as one of the Public Health Service Delegates to the ADA. In 2009, Capt.Saville will become the Senior Health Services Officer for Field Office, Alameda, CA. with oversight of medical/ dental clinics in northern and southern California.

Patrick J. Vezeau, Sioux City, IA, has a daughter, Ann, who is a senior at K.U. and is applying for medical school. Daughter Grace, high school senior, is going into chemical engineering. Son Neil, high school freshman, wants to be a jazz star. His wife Debbie, Univ. of Iowa DDS ’87, Oral Path ’90 is keeping them all in line.

Class of 1994
Melanie Huckabee, Kansas City, MO, after graduating, bought a dental practice with husband, Sam, in Kansas City. They have five children who keep them very busy; two boys age ten and five and three girls, one eight and three year old twins. Their dental practice is at 40 Hwy just east of Noland Rd.

Joe R. Wilson, Belen, NM, recently completed a six year goal to graduate from the OBI Foundation for Bioesthetic Dentistry achieving the level IV status of complete bioesthetic rejuvenation.  He just completed building a new home in Albuquerque, NM.

Class of 1999
Melinda and Daniel Miner, Hays, KS, moved their family practice in Aug. of 2008 to a bigger facility (4,000 sq ft). Miner Family Dentistry has been growing. You can find them at www.minerfamilydentistry.com.  They have three children; Wilson age five, Ansen age three and Jensen age one.

Archived Class Notes