As keepers of Abilene Christian University’s largest photography archive, we are always pleased to find new images worth preserving and sharing.
A recent email from 1978 alumnus Mack Womack included the sad news of the recent passing of his father, Elmer Womack (’41) and a remarkable photograph with which to remember him. Mack’s father is pictured running at A.B. Morris Stadium on the dirt track that encircled a football field prior to the construction of Elmer Gray Stadium in 1956. The facility was located about where the Mabee Business Building sits today.
Womack was a 1941 graduate who attended ACU, thanks to a track and field scholarship. He was born May 12, 1914, in Ratcliff, Texas, and died April 30, 2012, at age 97. After graduation, he married Ardis Sprott and was stationed in the Philippines with other Abilene Christian alumni after being drafted into the Army Air Corps (a forerunner of the Air Force). After World War II he returned to Central Texas, where he taught school and coached for many years at Killeen High School and served as an elder at Killeen’s 2nd Street Church of Christ. Among survivors are his son, Mack, and two daughters: Bennie (Womack ’64) Manis and Rebecca “Becky” (Womack ’67) Wilks.
Bennie Manis is the widow of former ACU biology professor Dr. Archie Manis (’61). Their two daughters are Leigh Ann (Manis ’84) Craig and Julie (Manis ’88) Cunningham. Craig is a former director of news and information at ACU. Becky Wilks is married to Ed Wilks (’65) and their children are David Wilks (’90) and Sarah (Wilks ’93) Taggart.
Images of the ACU campus, students, faculty and staff prior to 1950 are hard to come by, so it is rewarding to find them, especially when they are shared by thoughtful alumni. If you discover quality images of the university and its people among the keepsakes of your family, contact us. We are happy to scan and return those in which we are interested, and provide a high-resolution image of each you can share with family and friends. We also welcome contributions of historical images to our archive for safe-keeping.