One of the longest serving members of the board of trustees died last week.
Ann Alspaugh died Sept. 20 in her home. She served as a university trustee since 1981, President Robert Henry wrote in an email sent last week to the campus community.
“Ann intuitively understood the need for a broad education and the beauty of the fine arts,” Henry said.
“She loved Oklahoma City and exercised both generosity and intellect to enhance the culture of our city. She lived with beauty and grace, and perhaps that is why she understood the need to keep Oklahoma City moving forward. Her belief in Oklahoma City University and OCU students was unequaled. She leaves a legacy of service and love.”
Alspaugh received an honorary doctor of letters from OCU in 1986.
Alspaugh was the mother of three, the grandmother of seven, an executive, a community leader, a patron of the arts, and a philanthropist.
Alspaugh was born Dec. 13, 1934 in Duncan, Oklahoma. She was the daughter of Marjorie Simmons Alspaugh Gray and Howard Beason Alspaugh. Her stepfather, Robert Mark Gray, was an advertising executive for Exxon.
Alspaugh is also the granddaughter of Ola Mixson Simmons and Louis Bascom “L.B.” Simmons. L.B. founded the Rocket Oil Company of Duncan, Oklahoma and the Rock Island Refining Companies whose pipelines and other assets were merged into Koch Industries.
Alspaugh attended Duncan High School. After graduation, she attended Smith College and later University of Oklahoma, where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma.
With her first husband, Paul Anthony Andres, Alspaugh had three children.
Alspaugh dedicated herself to the enrichment of Oklahoma and the often anonymous care of those in immediate need. In return, the state honored in 1997 her with induction into the Hall of Fame.
Alspaugh’s awards include, but are not limited, to:
– OCU’s Distinguished Service Award in 1984,
– the Governor’s Arts Awards for the State of Oklahoma in 1991,
– OCU Norick Hulsey Gallery Society Award in 1992,
– The Byliner Award by Oklahoma City Professional Chapter of Women in Communications in 1992,
– Distinguished Friend of the OCU Alumni Association in 1993,
– the Oklahoma City Arts Council Mayor’s Award in 1994,
– the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence Distinguished Trustee Award in 1997,
– the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics Faculty Award in 2000,
– the Oklahoma University College of Medicine Deans Award for Distinguished Community Service in 2002,
– the Oklahoma Health Center Foundation’s Living Treasure Award in 2002, and
– the Oklahoma Commerce and Industry Hall of Honor’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.
Alspaugh is survived by her daughter, Holly; her husband, Clay Healey; her son, Dr. Louis Howard Andres Cox, and his wife, Kathryn; her son, Paul Anthony Andres Cox, and his wife, Melinda, and by her seven grandchildren. She also is survived by her sister, Gay Alspaugh Roane, and nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, the Simmons Charitable Foundation of Oklahoma, P.O. Box 307, Oklahoma City, OK 73101, or the charity of your choice.
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