Omaha Resident Uncovers Texas Tech Diploma And Launches Search For Owner

So everyone has seen that movie where a lost family heirloom is found in an everyday object and returned to the family years/decades later. Well this is almost like that but in real life and it involves a lot of Lubbock history.

A woman named Alicia Ramirez posted on the 'If you grew up in Lubbock, Texas' Facebook page a diploma from the Texas Technological College dated 1937. Alicia lived in Lubbock but now lives in Omaha, Nebraska and wanted to get this diploma back to its proper home. Alicia decided she would try to search for any family members of the diploma owner, Mary Louise Wilson, and was able to find lots of her students who had fond memories of their beloved teacher.

We spoke with Alicia who was able to tell us that this diploma was found behind a picture frame that her brother had purchased at a Goodwill a few years back and when she went to switch out the photo is when the Mary's diploma was discovered. This diploma has the signatures of some very prominent names associated with Texas Tech University to this day. Those signatures include Clifford B. Jones (Jones AT&T Stadium), Bradford Knapp (Knapp Hall), Margaret Weeks (Weeks Hall), and WM Gaston (Gaston Hall) all of which have buildings on Tech's campus named after them.

Just Who is Mary Louise Wilson?

Well from the comments we were able to find that she was a teacher at Lubbock High School starting in 1947 and taught Mechanical Drawing then later other forms of art such as pottery and fashion illustration. There is more to this wonderful woman though than meets the eye because Mary Wilson's father was an integral part of Lubbock. Mary's father is none other than Smylie Chenoweth Wilson, or Smylie C. Wilson, and was very involved on the Lubbock School Board and in Lubbock's overall development. He even has a school named after him.

What of the Diploma?

While we look at this woman, beloved by many, the question still lingers. What about her diploma? Unfortunately Mary Wilson is no longer with us and passed away on August 21, 2009 at the age of 93 and is resting at Resthaven Memorial Park. As a Texas Tech graduate herself Alicia wants to return it to the Hub City because it is hard work to earn a degree and Mary's should be back home where she made a very big impact.

A plan is currently in place to return the diploma, as Alicia Ramirez let us know, it will be going to the Texas Tech Alumni Association so that this piece of history can be properly taken care of and cherished the way Mary would have wanted. Mary very much followed in her father's footsteps and made an impact on the community of Lubbock as many of her former students talked about how much they loved her class.