LU Retirees' Association

FY '23 Lamar University Retirees' Association officers:

Dr. Cynthia Barnes, President
Ms. Sara Tusa, Vice President
Mrs. Sarah Matheny, Treasurer
Mrs. Audrey Parigi, Secretary
 

I. BRIEF HISTORY OF THE LAMAR UNIVERSITY RETIREES’ ASSOCIATION
(Prepared by Norma Hall and M.L. McLaughlin May, 1984)

During the fall of 1982, Dr. Bruce Drury, President of the Lamar Chapter of the Texas Association of College Teachers (T.A.C.T.), provided the leadership in establishing the Association. He and several retirees determined there was sufficient interest to warrant scheduling a meeting.

On February 16, 1983, O. Dwight Dorough, T.A.C.T. Coordinator for retired persons, talked to a group of retirees at a meeting held at the Gray Library. Those present decided to proceed with the establishment of an association for Lamar retirees. A planning committee consisting of Norris Kelton as Chairman, Celeste Kitchen, Jewel Blanton, Mary Katherine Bell, Howard Adams, and Norma Hall were elected.

During the spring of 1983, the planning committee distributed to retirees a proposed set of bylaws and a questionnaire. Also, an organizational meeting was scheduled for May 25.

Norris Kelton presided at the meeting which was held in the Gray Library. Bylaws were approved as proposed. It was decided that the required annual business meeting would be held in May of each year. Results of the “Interest Survey” were discussed, and annual dues of $7.50 per retiree and $2.50 per spouse were established. Officers elected were M. L. McLaughlin, President; Nora Leach, President-elect; Virginia Hill, Secretary; J. D. Landis, Treasurer; Norma Hall and Norris Kelton, executive committee members.

Subsequent to the organizational meeting on May 25, 1983, the executive committee made the following appointments for 1983-84:

Social Committee: Nora Leach, chairman, Jewel Blanton and Mary Katherine Bell
University Services Committee: Norris Kelton and M. L. McLaughlin
Historian: Norma Hall
Representative on University Insurance Committee: Ewin Eads
Representative to President’s Staff Meetings: Nora Leach
Editorial Committee: Charlsie Berly, C. A. Davis, and Ewin Eads

Social Activities included a luncheon and a sight-seeing tour of the Neches River on the riverboat, Belle of Beaumont. Two news letters were mailed.

Lamar’s administrators encouraged the formation of LURA and responded enthusiastically to requests and suggestions. For example, a list of all retirees reflecting names, addresses, and telephone numbers was added to the Lamar University Directory. Through the Retirees’ Association, information concerning tickets to athletic and theater events, free parking decals, lifetime activity cards, available copies of the University Press, and health insurance were disseminated. It was discovered that some retirees were unaware they were eligible for free health insurance.
One hundred and thirty-seven members joined during the first year.

II. CONTINUING HISTORY OF THE LAMAR UNIVERSITY RETIREES’ ASSOCIATION
(Prepared by M.L. McLaughlin March, 1988)

The Lamar University Retirees’ Association was created and became an Association in 1983. At the end of that year, a brief history was prepared and is Part I of this report.

Activities, programs, and services similar to those described in the 1983-84 history were continued in subsequent years. Some of the most important are outlined below without indicating particular years:

1. Christmas parties each year.
2. Watermelon parties each summer.
3. Summer luncheons.
4. Bus trips to LU—Rice football games.
5. Annual business meeting in May of each year.
6. Excursion to Orange and visit to Stark House and to Stark Museum of Art. Excursion---boat trip and luncheon down the Houston Ship Canal scheduled for April, 1988.
7. Trip to Galveston by bus.
8. Several programs relating to insurance, investments, taxes, will, etc.
9. Visit to Edison Museum, followed by lunch at the Gulf States Building.
10. Established a policy of presenting a gift of $15.00 to the Lamar Library in the event of the death of a member.
11. Changed the organizations bylaws to combine the office of secretary with that of the treasurer and make it possible for the Secretary-treasurer to serve more than one year.
12. Arranged to have lifetime activity cards issued to retirees.
13. Arranged to have the University Press distributed for a brief time on an experimental basis.
14. Arranged to have names and addresses of retirees included in the University Directory and to have the Directories mailed to retirees each year.
15. Arranged to have the Fine Arts Directory mailed to members.
16. Arranged for retirees and spouses to receive hearing tests at the Lamar University Hearing Center.
17. Arranged for low-cost dental hygiene care at the Dental Hygiene Clinic.