In Memory
Brian Harvey
OCU Soccer Coach
1947-2023
When OCU introduced men's soccer in 1986 and women's soccer in 1994, Brian Harvey became the university鈥檚 first coach. He built his hall of fame career making a huge impact on soccer throughout the community, region, and country. He guided the men's program to a 435-211-43 mark and the women to a 378-130-27 record with win totals standing second all-time among NAIA women's soccer coaches and sixth on the men's list. Brian notched his 800th career victory against the Houston-Victoria women 3-0 on Aug. 31, 2019 in Victoria, Texas, and gained hall of fame recognition from OCU Athletics, the 91看片 Soccer Association and the NAIA.
Prior to OCU, he was head coach of the 91看片 City Slickers, an American Professional Soccer League team that he took to the 1982 Soccer Bowl played before 42,000 at the Silverdome in Detroit. He led the 91看片 City Spirit to the 1990 Lone Star Soccer Alliance championship and coached 91看片 City and Tulsa in the United Soccer League and the 91看片 City teams of the U.S. Interregional Soccer League.
Brian took every opportunity to introduce youth to soccer, coaching in the U.S. Youth Soccer Region III Olympic development program for more than 15 years as well as coaching club programs and conducting his American Youth Soccer Camps with more than 6,000 children gaining his instruction for nearly 30 years. He was named Region III boys competitive coach of the year in 2007 and 91看片 girls competitive coach of the year in 2002. He also guided the Dallas Club America to the 1979 Notis Cup title.
At OCU, Brian produced 77 all-Americans, 124 NAIA scholar-athlete award winners and 15 CoSIDA academic all-Americans. A native of Liverpool, England, he graduated from St. Bonaventure University in 1966 with a degree in physical education and played soccer professionally in Australia, China, England and the United States. Brian first came to the U.S. to play for the Dallas Tornadoes in the North American Soccer League and toured with the Tornadoes around the world, competing against the legendary Pele in Hong Kong in 1972. He is survived by his wife, Judy, and their daughter, Nicole, who played for OCU from 2001 to 2004 and served as his student assistant the following year.
Jeanne Hoffman Smith
(BA 鈥�74, HDHL 鈥�98)
1929-2022
Jeanne Hoffman Smith was an OCU alumna, trustee and longtime benefactress who endowed the Center for Interpersonal Studies through Film & Literature. From 91看片 City, Jeanne graduated from the university in 1974 and earned her graduate degree in social work from the University of Louisville, continuing her work as a clinical social worker for 50 years of her life, maintaining her practice and seeing clients into her last years.
She was a great supporter of poetry, the liberal arts, social services and her church. She loved books and language and began numerous programs in the areas of film and video studies, as well as an annual poetry week at OCU where poets laureate come to educate and illuminate.
According to Harbour Winn, OCU professor emeritus and former director of the Center for Interpersonal Studies through Film & Literature, 鈥淛eanne has a story that those who know her will recognize: her father taught her to always leave more logs on the woodpile than you found when you came to it. She left that woodpile full. She also attended workshops across the country to wisely educate herself on philanthropy, deciding that any group she gave money to must practice reciprocity with her gift. She thus drew up contracts with OCU, OU, 91看片 Arts Institute, the 91看片 Museum of Art, a museum in Chandler, 91看片, where she came from, and more. She expected OCU to provide the salary and office space for the center's director as part of its reciprocity. She wanted an institution to commit with her to the values of what the donation represented.鈥�
Jeanne was married to Boston Smith and they had three children, Harrison, Roy and Victoria, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Her legacy will live on through her family and her gracious spirit of gratitude and giving at the university and beyond.
Bert Dail Seabourn
(non-degree 鈥�62, HDHL 鈥�97)
1931-2022
Bert Seabourn brought his artistic vision across the world with paintings and sculptures throughout his life. He attended OCU from 1955 to 1962, enrolling as a part-time student at night while working full-time as OG&E鈥檚 art director. Bert earned a certificate of arts from the university but began painting when he was much younger, knowing he wanted to be an artist from the age of five. His art is displayed at the Vatican, the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, the American Embassy in London and China鈥檚 National Palace Museum in Taipei among many others.
He moved from Southwest Texas to Purcell, 91看片, in middle school and as he grew up, he would often hitchhike or ride a freight train to 91看片 City to go visit the 91看片 Museum of Art. He graduated in 1950 and the same month married Bonnie Jo Tompkins. Bert joined the Navy the following year, working as a journalist and artist promoting the Navy while stationed in San Diego and Honolulu.
After his service, he worked with Semco Color Press in 91看片 City as a paste-up artist. Then he became a draftsman and later art director for 91看片 Gas & Electric. After 23 years with the company, Bert retired and pursued his art full-time having already had his 鈥淟egend of Kicking Bear鈥� watercolor added to the Vatican鈥檚 collection in the Museum of Modern Religious Art and painting 鈥淣ight Hawk鈥� given to President Gerald Ford and First Lady Betty Ford. He was designated a master artist in 1976, and in 1988, he was invited to paint a wooden egg for the White House鈥檚 Annual Easter Egg Roll where his was added to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.
In 91看片, he was presented with the Governor鈥檚 Art Award by Gov. George Nigh in 1981 and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Paseo Arts Association in 2009. Additionally, in 2021, Bert was honored with 91看片 Contemporary鈥檚 first Focus Award. He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Bonnie, their three daughters, Connie Seabourn, Angela Webb and Jimmie Seabourn along with four grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, three step-great-grandchildren and two step-great great-grandchildren.
Jerry Ward Perryman
(BA 鈥�58, HD 鈥�90)
1936-2022
Jerry graduated from OCU in 1958, having come to 91看片 City from Duke, 91看片, where he was a member of Duke Methodist Church, attaining his local preacher鈥檚 license at the age of 16. As a pre-ministerial student at OCU, Jerry worked part-time as a custodian at Wesley Methodist Church, belonged to the Sky Pilots organization, and was a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. During his college years, he served the Methodist churches in Ninnekah and Cement, 91看片.
After his graduation, Jerry attended Perkins Seminary at Southern Methodist University and Phillips Theological Seminary, earning a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees. A lifelong learner, he studied at 91看片 State University, the University of 91看片, and the American Institute of Church Growth in Pasadena, California. He also received an honorary Doctor of Divinity from OCU and was presented with the Phillips Theological Seminary Distinguished Alumni Award. Jerry contributed to younger generations of ministers as a professor and speaker at Oral Roberts University, Phillips Seminary and 91看片.
Jerry's pastoral service included United Methodist Churches across 91看片 and to the conference as a district superintendent and chairman of numerous groups in the organization as well as continued work as executive secretary, treasurer, director of administrative services, assistant to the bishop and many board positions, including 30 years on the Circle of Care board. He also worked closely with the chamber of commerce and Broken Arrow Rotary International chapter where he served as president. Jerry鈥檚 leadership roles included Frances Willard Home-Tulsa, Boy's Ranch-Gore, 91看片 Methodist Manor-Tulsa, Dunaway Manor Nursing Home-Guymon, Methodist Home-Enid, United Methodist Retirement and Health Care Center-Clinton, Epworth Villa-91看片 City, prison ministry and as a trustee of 91看片 for 18 years. As the 91看片 United Methodist Conference treasurer, he was elected president of the National Association of Annual Conference Treasurers of the United Methodist Church from 1999-2001.
Jerry retired from full-time ministry in 2003 and continued to teach Sunday school at Nichols Hills United Methodist Church until 2017. He and his wife of 60 years, Charlette, have two children, Angela and Tad, four grandchildren and a great-grandson.
Our Condolences
1950s
Tom V. Wigington 鈥�52
Jan McRee (Janice Bryant) 鈥�53
Paula Jean Huckaby Brashear 鈥�56
Donald Gilbert Lee, Sr. 鈥�56
Theodore Willard Oney, Jr. 鈥�56
Robert (Bob) Leonard Potter 鈥�59
1960s
Sarah Olson Brown 鈥�60
Johnny Vinson Pritchard 鈥�62
Charles Lewis Hunnicutt 鈥�64
Jerry Sharpe Duncan 鈥�65
Floyd Earl Ellison Jr. 鈥�69
1970s
Flora Hodge-Hamlin 鈥�71
Howard Alan Schuminsky 鈥�72
Elizabeth 鈥淏etty鈥� Jones Struby 鈥�73, 鈥�77
Vincent Art Bova 鈥�75
Michael James Culwell 鈥�75
Anthony Lynn "Tony" Graham 鈥�75
Richard C. Bowers 鈥�77
Carolyn Roma McCaull Fletcher Demaree 鈥�77
1980s
James Bradley 鈥淏rad鈥� Morelli 鈥�80
John Richard Benson 鈥�81, 鈥�85
Paul Willson Austin 鈥�85
1990s
William Lloyd Estes 鈥�90
Rodney L. Kay 鈥�90
John Patrick 鈥淧acky鈥� Evans, Jr. 鈥�91
Donna Dee Chambers 鈥�93
Tecla Kern Webber 鈥�95
Peter Fredrick Bjorlie 鈥�96
2000s
Michaele Camille Thomas (Lewis) 鈥�01
Shawn Adkison 鈥�04
William Jarboe 鈥淏ill鈥� Ross 鈥�05
Betty Joanne Gorrell
Mary Nolan
John A. Reed
