Juel Dean “Jude” Knowles

Juel Dean “Jude” Knowles

Juel Dean “Jude” Knowles, 91, of Sanger passed away Saturday, Dec. 12, 2009 at the Texas Health Hospital in Denton, Texas.

She was born on Jan. 11, 1918 in Sanger, Texas to John and Rachel (Kemp) Seal. She graduated from Sanger High School in 1936 and after attending business school in Houston, she married Morris Knowles in Sanger on May 19, 1940. She was a member of the First Baptist Church, Wednesday Study Club and the Sanger Garden Club.

A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2009 at Coker Funeral Home in Sanger, Texas. Dr. E. L. McNeal will be officiating.

Ms. Knowles is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Judy and Kenneth Selph of Denton; grand-daughters, Sammae McAlister and husband, Brent of Denton and Jessica Mauldin and husband, Kyle of Lubbock; great-grand-children, Hope, Zoe and Cole McAlister.

Kevin Allan Yoder

Kevin Allan Yoder

Kevin Allan Yoder, 37, associate professor of sociology at the University of North Texas, died on Friday, Dec. 11, 2009.

He was born on March 31, 1972 to Floyd and Vickie Ackley in Virginia, Minnesota, where he grew up and graduated from high school. He then attended St. Olaf (MN) College where he participated on violin in the orchestra and earned his bachelor’s degree, Summa Cum Laude, in mathematics and economics.

He went on to earn two Master’s degrees, in statistics and sociology, and, in 2001, a Ph.D. in sociology, all from Iowa State University where he met his future wife, Jill Yoder, whom he married on Aug. 8, 1998. He did two years of post-graduate work in sociology at Rutgers University and then moved to Denton, Texas, having secured a position in the sociology department at UNT where he subsequently earned tenure.

In addition to being a fine instructor, with high marks in teaching evaluations from his students, he was a meticulous and dedicated scholar having published numerous research articles on suicide in homeless adolescents, and was becoming a recognized authority on the subject.

Kevin was a very friendly individual with a neat and well exercised sense of humor. Two cats of the home, Joni and Tuki, were frequent objects of his affectionate nature. He was a beloved member of the extended Yoder family as well, including siblings, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, and parents-in-law.

He is survived by his wife, of the home in Denton; and his parents and maternal grandfather, Eino Valo of Virginia, Minnesota. A younger brother, Brian, preceded him in death.

A memorial service will be held at 4 pm Monday, Dec. 14, at the DeBerry Funeral Directors, 2025 West University Drive, Denton, Texas.