In Memoriam: Frank L. Brister, PhD

Dr. Frank L. Brister, PhD, passed away on Monday, October 8, 2018, in Nacogdoches, Texas. He was born on April 7, 1937, in Tupelo, Mississippi.

Frank graduated from high school in Yazoo City, Mississippi in 1955, and earned his BA in speech and secondary education from Mississippi College in Clinton, Mississippi. He did graduate work in speech pathology at the University of Mississippi, and then earned his MS and PhD in Audiology and Speech Pathology from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Frank did additional work and study at the Callier Center for Communication Disorders in Dallas and LSU Medical Center in New Orleans.

Frank’s teaching includes: Sanders School for Cerebral Palsy in Jackson, Mississippi, The University of Mississippi, Jackson Speech and Hearing Clinic in Jackson, Mississippi, Pearl River Junior College in Poplarville, Mississippi, private practice in Gulfport, Mississippi, Mississippi State College for Women, Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, and at East Texas State University in Commerce, Texas. He is both licensed and certified in his field. Frank returned to Nacogdoches and began working at Stephen F. Austin State University in the Speech Language Pathology Department in 1989. Frank was an amazing educator who impacted thousands over his career. His influence is deeply imprinted in all of his students.

Frank served as the Rotary Club of Nacogdoches President 1998-1999 and Secretary from 2000 to 2018. He was the longest-serving Club Secretary. He received the Bieto Beseler Award in 2002, the RI District 5910 Roll of Fame Award, and was selected Secretary Emeritus in 2018.  Additionally, the American Academy of Audiology bestowed upon him the Humanitarian Award in 2001 for services he provided to hearing-impaired children in Haiti.

Frank also was a member of the Texas Language Hearing Association (TSHA), American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA), and American Academy of Audiology.

Frank is survived by his beloved wife, Jane Elizabeth Marshall Brister of Nacogdoches; sons, Frank L. Brister, III and wife, Melanie of Livingston and Ben Brister and wife, Nikki of Rogersville, Missouri; sisters, Patricia Brister Johnston and husband, Steve of Columbus, Ohio and Marie Brister Manor and husband, Tim of Yazoo City, Mississippi; grandchildren, Marshall Dean Brister, Joshua Benjamin Brister, Jeffrey Dane Brister, Ansleigh Jeanniece Brister, Jesse Lee Brister and Merek Anthony Brister; great-grandchildren, Chevy Lynn Brister and Ivy Elizabeth Brister.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Rotary Foundation or to the Texas Speech and Hearing Foundation.