By Michael Freeman, Managing Editor
ACU lost two distinguished and beloved former faculty members this summer.
Martha Virginia Fike Mosier, associate professor emerita of management services, died July 22 in her home in Abilene at the age of 88, and Dr. Edwin Headrick, professor emeritus of psychology and former chair of the psychology department, died May 31 in Fort Worth at the age of 74.
“It would be hard to quantify a legacy,” said Jozell Brister, associate professor of management sciences. “Just one teacher can have such an influence on other people’s lives.”
Mosier impacted many students’ lives over her 30-year time at ACU. She was born in 1919 in Okemah, Okla., and attended Southwestern Oklahoma State University in 1940, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in education. Fifteen years later, she received her master’s degree from the University of Oklahoma.
Following her time at Oklahoma, she began teaching at ACU with her husband, Bert Eugene Mosier. Mosier taught business courses, served on many committees, helped found the Texas Business Education Association and was elected as the first woman to serve on the ACU Faculty Senate.
“She recognized how important teachers are,” Brister said. “She thought teaching was about as important profession as any profession you could choose.”
Mosier emphasized the importance of professionalism to her students. She was a member of Delta Pi Epsilon, a national honor society of business professionals. She also was part of the Western Horizon Chapter of the Abilene Business Women’s Association, where she served as president. After her retirement in 1985, Mosier stayed active in the Abilene community by volunteering twice a week at the Christian Service Center.
Mosier is survived by her husband Bert and brother Charlie; she also is survived by two children and two grandchildren.
“I can’t begin to tell you all the practical things that she knew that she passed on to us,” Brister said. “She contributed so much to her students. What we learned from her was something you could use immediately.”
Headrick was born in 1933 in Ellis County. He earned his bachelor’s degree from David Lipscomb College in 1955 and received his master’s and doctoral degrees from Mississippi State University. Headrick came to ACU in 1971 and was the face of the Department of Psychology for 17 years as he served as the department chair. He retired in 2004.
“He was very enthusiastic, very charismatic,” said Jennifer Shewmaker, assistant professor of psychology. “He really opened a lot of people’s minds up about psychology and about the interesting topics you could pursue.”
Headrick was famous for interrupting psychology classrooms to tell jokes. He strived to build fun, supportive relationships between faculty and students, Shewmaker said.
He also served as a full-time minister for two churches in Tennessee, one in Mississippi and one in Abilene. While in Abilene, Headrick consulted for the Region 14 Educational Service Center and for the Abilene State School. He also served as director of the ACU Counseling Center.
“He was really committed to helping people,” Shewmaker said. “He wanted to seek out the best in situations. That’s just who he was.”
Headrick is survived by his wife Shirley, four children and six grandchildren.
