Former OBU Alumni Director Robert Alcorn Dies

Robert Daniel Alcorn Sr., former Oklahoma Baptist University alumni director, died April 6 in Weslaco, Texas. He was 84.

Alcorn and his wife, Lorene, residents of Oklahoma City, were spending the winter in South Texas, where they lived from 1992-2004.

Alcorn was born in Muskogee, Okla., on July 21, 1921. While living in Bristow, with his aunt and uncle, Alcorn was National Debate Champion in 1939 and runner-up in 1940. As a result of his speech and debating skills, he entered OBU in 1940.

Along with many of his classmates, he enlisted in the United States Army after Pearl Harbor. He served until 1945 and was discharged with the rank of captain. Trained as a pilot and navigator, he continued flying for a number of years while in business in Shawnee.

He and Lorene attended high school in Bristow and continued their relationship while both were attending OBU. They were married in Elko, Nev., Aug. 6, 1943.

Alcorn graduated from OBU in 1952 and was named the university's alumni director in 1964. He served in that role until 1975. He retired from the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission in 1986.

Alcorn was preceded in death by his parents, Mary Aletha and Sherman Russell Alcorn; brothers, Sherman Russell Alcorn and Jay Alcorn; and sister Joy Alcorn. He is survived by his wife, Lorene Long Alcorn; children Robert Daniel Alcorn Jr., Esther Alcorn Brazeal, and Bradford Allen Alcorn, all of Oklahoma City; and Luke Charles Alcorn and his wife, Debi, of Joliet, Ill.; grandchildren, Robert Daniel Alcorn III, and his wife, Danna, of Harlingen, Texas; Tara Bren Alcorn Cortese and her husband, Jay of Amarillo Texas; Ross Dean Brazeal of Germantown, Md.; great grandchildren, Robert Daniel Alcorn IV, Taylor Ray Alcorn and Brady James Cortese; brother Fay Orra Alcorn and his wife Sue; niece Carolyn Alcorn Clow and nephew Russell Charles Alcorn.

Services with military honors will be conducted at Fort Gibson National Cemetery, Fort Gibson, Okla., at 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 19, 2006.