CLASS NOTES
1960s
Virginia Barnett Dickert '77, '84 won UNF's
2018 Gladys Prior Award For Career Teaching
Excellence. She has taught music for 36 years
here in Jacksonville. In addition to class and
grade-level music, Dickert leads chorus,
facilitates annual performances, takes students
to Music USA in Orlando and provides musical
outreach as well as entertainment with
performances at area retirement communities
and hospitals. Her students gain not only an
appreciation for music but also learn self-
confidence and perseverance.
John Eppinger Jr. '77 graduated on January
29, 2018 from Wilmington University with a
Master of Science degree in Information
Systems Technologies with a concentration in
Management and Management Information
Systems. He is now working in the College of
Technology as an Adjunct Instructor.
ZTA sorority (pictured above) came to JU in
1968. On February 24, 2018, members of the
sorority met on campus for their 50-year reunion.
Steve Piscitelli ’75 (pictured below) is a
volunteer for Pet Therapy at Jacksonville
International Airport as part of the JIA Jax Paws
Program. He is shown below with his dog, Roxie.
1970s
Bette Mattox '70 (pictured below) celebrated
50 years as the organist at Southside Baptist
Church in Jacksonville, FL in November 2017.
After earning her elementary education degree
at JU, Mattox spent 20 of her 35 years in
education as a fourth-grade teacher in Duval
and Clay Counties. She served her final 15
years as a librarian at San Jose Elementary
before retiring in 2012. She served as organist
at Southside throughout her time teaching,
and does not plan to retire from her music
anytime soon.
Frank "Rocky" Martello '87 was appointed to the
position of Assistant Principal at Citrus Grove
Elementary School in Deland, FL after 28 years
as a teacher, baseball coach and Dean. Martello
played for the JU Dolphins from 1984-87. He
was Coach of the Year for a third time this past
season and stepped down from baseball in
August 2017.
John Mitchell '87 has been named Vice
President of Sales at QTC Management, the
largest provider of disability exam services to
our nations veterans. He will head up sales for
the entire organization. John has been in the
healthcare business since graduating from JU
and currently resides in Southern California.
Christiane Tourtet '75 presented during the
observance of "Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
and Electromagnetic Sensitivity Awareness
Month," May 2018 in Tallahassee, FL.
Mary Hester '76 has been selected for the third
time as “Trusts and Estates Lawyer of the Year
in Baton Rouge” by Best Lawyers in America ®
in its 2018 rankings. The distinction is awarded
to individual attorneys with the highest overall
peer feedback for a specific practice area
and geographic location. Only one attorney
is recognized as the “Lawyer of the Year” for
each specialty and location. Hester previously
received this honor in 2012 and 2016. Hester also
has been previously recognized among the "Top
25 Women Attorneys in Louisiana" by Louisiana
Super Lawyers. She has been listed in both
Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers since 2008.
ALUMNI & FAMILIES
1980s
Patty Geary Jones '88 recently celebrated her
20-year anniversary at Crown Point Baptist
Church as Worship Leader and 30 years in
Music Ministry.
Deborah (Debbie) Buscher '89 is a 27-year
employee at NASA/Johnson Space Center
and is currently the Deputy Manager of the
Project Management and Integration Office
within the Engineering Directorate. Her Office
is responsible for all of the large, cross-
cutting Government Furnished Equipment
(GFE) designed and built for the International
Space Station (ISS) and Orion programs.
Recent projects include the Alphamagnetic
Spectrometer (AMS), the Capsule Parachute
Assembly System (CPAS), the Bigelow
Expandable Activity Module (BEAM), and the
Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) Crew Module/Separation
Ring (CSR).