The University of Houston is mourning the recent loss of two faculty members and a staff member, all of whom died of cancer.

Janet Saltzman Chafetz, professor of sociology, called UH home for 35 years. For 12 years, she served the sociology department chair. Chafetz focused her teaching and research energies on the study of gender roles and the sociology of gender. Her husband, Hank Chafetz, is a UH professor of geosciences. A memorial service at UH is planned for early fall. In lieu of flowers or the usual remembrances, friends are asked to consider a donation to the Janet S. Chafetz Fund at the Department of Sociology. The fund will support graduate and undergraduate programs in the sociology department.

Roland Sparks, associate athletics director for facilities and operations, was a member of the Athletics Department for 16 years. A native of Anahuac, Sparks served as the department’s business manager and ticket manager during his first five years at the university. He was named assistant athletics director for facilities the next six years before being promoted to associate athletics director in 2003. The family has asked in lieu of flowers that donations be made in his name to the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center or your favorite wildlife charity.

Ross Lence, professor of political science, began his service at UH in 1971. His area of study was political philosophy and political theory. He was a devoted teacher of ancient, medieval and American political theory in both his own department and the Honors College. In 2002, a number of his former students joined to create an endowed chair in teaching in Ross’s honor in the political science department. He was named first holder of the Ross M. Lence Distinguished Teaching Chair. Lence was a stalwart of graduation ceremonies in his college, participating in almost every ceremony since the 1970s. A visitation will be held beginning at 5 p.m. Thursday, July 13, at the Settegast-Kopf Co. Funeral Home, 3320 Kirby Drive, to be followed by a 7 p.m. rosary service. A funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, July 14, at St. Anne Catholic Church at the corner of Westheimer Road and Shepherd Drive.

Francine Parker
fparker@central.uh.edu