1964–65 Volume 89 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

• • * THE CHAPTER GRAND • * •Lt. (j.g.) Donald Nixon Norris (Wisconsin'61) died in a Navy aircraftaccident in the Pacific November 5.The accident occurred at sea ofisouthern California while BrotherNorris was attempting to land onthe carrier Midway. A native ofMarshalltown, la.. Brother Norriswas a 1961 graduate of the Universityof Wisconsin where he hadserved as president of Wisconsin Alpha.He received his commission andhis pilot's wings in September 1962,served for a year as a flight instructorat Pensacola, Fla., and had beenin the Pacific since the Laotian crisisof last spring.* * *Byron Spencer (Missouri '15), aprominent Kansas City (Mo.) lawyerand civic leader and devoted MissouriAlpha Phi, died in Kansas City, October26. A native of St. Joseph, Mo.,he returned there following hisgraduation from law school to practicewith his father. In 1920 he joineda law firm in Kansas City and remainedin the practice of law thereuntil his death. At that time he wassenior partner in the firm of Spencer,Fane, Britt and Browne. He servedas a city councilman from 1930 to1934 and as president of the localChamber of Commerce in 1963.Brother Spencer was a member ofnumerous law organizations, a directorand ofScer of various businesses,and was active in many civic causes.In March, 1963, he was named Manof the Month by the Men of theMonth Club.But over and beyond his other activities.Brother Spencer was alwaysintensely interested in and active in* A 6. As an undergraduate, he waspresident of Missouri Alpha and alsoInterfratemity Council. Over the interveningyears he always found timefor the needs and interests of his fraternityand for his efforts he wasnamed "Phi of the Year" in 1952.Perhaps his most importantachievement on behalf of the Fraternityand the University was the creationof Fidelity Educational Foundation,a non-profit corporation whoseprincipal purpose is to provide financialassistance to deserving studentsat the University of Missouri. Sinceits creation, some $114,000 has beencontributed by alumni members. Thissum is currently invested in a secondmortgage loan to the 4> A 6 Clubof Columbia, Mo., and was used inthe construction of the new chapterhouse. In the chapter room a plaquebears this inscription: "Byron Spen-BYRON SPENCERMissouri '15cer, Missouri Alpha 1917, A LoyalPhi. Because of His Deep Love for PhiDelta Theta, His Inspired Leadership,Determination and Vision, ThisHouse Was Made Possible May 19,1956." Brother Spencer was a GoldenLegionnaire of the Fraternity.-imong the survivors are two sons:Byron Spencer Jr. (Missouri '51) andRichard H. Spencer (Missouri '52),both of Kansas City.* * *Raymond G. Crisp (Ohio '09), lifelongAkron (Ohio) resident and devotedPhi, died in Akron on ThanksgivingDay, November 26. Aftergraduation, he joined his father andbrother in business but when thefirm was dissolved in 1922, he enteredthe insurance business. Later,in 1936, he joined the Fred J. CrispCo., founded by his brother, a supplierof building materials firm. Hewas chairman of the company.Brother Crisp was a founder andoldest living past president of theAkron Builders Exchange, a founderof the Akron City Club, an earlymember of the University and DowntownKiwanis Clubs. He was anactive Phi and did much to helpOhio Epsilon acquire its charter in1924. He was a Golden Legionnaireof the Fraternity, having beenawarded his certificate some yearsago by the Akron Alumni Club.Among the survivors is a brother,William E. Crisp (Dartmouth '17),Hudson, Ohio.* * *Ford L. Carpenter (Akron '09),attorney and realtor, died in Akron,Ohio, in early December, 1964. Anative of Akron, he was graduated[209]from old Buchtel College and theHarvard law school. He was presidentof the Esselbum and Ellis Real EstateAgency. Brother Carpenter was aGolden Legionnaire of * A 6.Walter A. Lybrand (Chicago '02)died in Oklahoma City, Okla., May28, 1964. Brother Lybrand began alaw practice, which later became thefirm of Lybrand and Morgan, inOklahoma City in 1906. He was aformer president of the OklahomaBar Association, professor emeritusof legal medicine at the Universityof Oklahoma medical school, andserved as special Justice of the OklahomaSupreme Court, an ofiBce createdby the state constitution forabnormal situations where the regularjustice is disqualified. He wasorganizer of the local branch of theLions International and establishedan Oklahoma City tradition of 25years standing, an annual "DickensDinner," with the reading of the"Christmas Carol." He was a GoldenLegionnaire ot * A 9* * *Joseph Edmund Corley (Williams'33) died in Bryn Mawr HospitalNovember 24. He had lived in Havertown,Pa., for a number of years,during which time he had beensales manager of the Eastern Pennsylvaniadistrict for the Shaw-BartonCo. of Coshocton, Ohio. Brother Corleyspent his early years as a nativeof the Washington, D.C, area,worked for the General Electric Co.in accounting, served as a communicationofficer in the Navy aboardtransports during World War II,and after separation from service,entered upon the business dutieswhich engaged him until his death.Among the survivors is a brother,Karl C. Corley (Williams '28).Joseph Holt Russell (Texas '14),retired vice-president of Gulf RefiningCo. and long active in Houston(Tex.) business and civic activities,died at his ranch near Boerne, Tex.,December 4.A former Texas University footballand baseball star, he started hisprofessional career after graduationas a motorman on the old Bellairetrolley line in Houston, and in ayear and a half became assistantmanager for Stone and Webster, theholding company for the transit system.He went to work for Gulf in 1920