Veteto, Fenner to be honored at Homecoming

Published or Revised November 10, 2008

This year two graduates of Paris Junior College will be named Distinguished Alumni of PJC at homecoming on Nov. 8: Weldon Veteto, class of 1937, and Joy Lynn Phillips Fenner, class of 1955. Veteto was born in Deport, the only child of the late William and Exa (Langford) Veteto, and attended PJC from 1935-37. While there he participated in the band, pep squad, College Y and the Collegiate Players. He graduated from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, in 1940, and entered the Air Force. As a pilot in World War II he flew 2300 successful mission hours in England, Africa, Sicily and Italy and served until 1945, advancing to the rank of Major. Veteto also worked in the credit industry in Beaumont, Texas, then was promoted and relocated to Dallas where he was trained to take over the Texarkana, Texas, operation. While there he began to acquire farm and ranch land in the Deport area. In 1947 he purchased the Ford Tractor Implement dealership in Marshall, Texas, and transitioned from owner/operator in 1957 to continued arms-length oversight until 1967 when he retired from the implement business. He went to Dallas and worked for Texas Instruments in the Human Resources department for an extended time, and then worked as a business manager for the Marshall Hospital. He was also involved in the oil exploration business, again in the personnel area. The owner of the operation believed in sharing his successes with his co-workers and went on to be a leader in the oil exploration industry striking ‘liquid gold’ in several drilled wells and sharing his blessing with those who helped him attain his success. A friend gave him what he calls the best birthday present ever of a first blind date on his birthday in June 1964. Rebecca Bayliss became his wife and business partner some 43 years ago. Since 1983, Veteto has been fully retired but continues to manage a portion of his investments. The couple is active in the First United Methodist Church in Marshall and enjoy traveling in the US (48 states so far) and abroad. Through it all, Veteto has remained loyal to the former "concrete campus" and fondly remembers the influence of teachers such as Imogene Bentley, Rena Smith and Mary Agnes McFarland during his time at PJC. Mrs. Fenner is from Avinger in Cass County, Texas. She considers her two years at PJC “formative ones" that set the stage for a lifetime of service spreading the “good news." She is completing her year as president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, representing 5,700 Baptist churches across the state. While at PJC, Fenner served as president of Phi Theta Kappa, Secretary-Treasurer of the Student Council, was a member of Alphaettes, and was involved in the College Y.W.A. Her greatest accomplishment was a first for PJC and certainly distinguishes her in a special manner. In 1955 she was the first student to become her class’ valedictorian and also awarded the coveted Distinguished Student Award. From PJC she went on to continue her education at East Texas Baptist College, Marshall, and served as secretary at the First Baptist Church there. In 1959, she became Director of Girls’ Auxiliary for Woman’s Missionary Union, a Baptist mission education organization. She married Charlie W. Fenner in 1966 and the two would begin a lifetime of Christian service together. For 14 years, the Fenners were missionaries in Fukuoka, Japan, under appointment of the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Upon returning to Texas, Mrs. Fenner was named Executive Director-Treasurer of the Woman’s Missionary Union of Texas, continuing in that role for over 20 years. After her retirement from the WMU of Texas, she served almost two years in a similar interim role with the Tennessee WMU. Mrs. Fenner has been involved in a number of leadership roles with the Baptist General Convention of Texas, serving as the second and first vice president before being elected President in October 2007. She has served as a member of numerous boards including the Texas Baptists Committed, East Texas Baptist University, Woman’s Missionary Union Foundation, Baylor University School of Social Work, Healing Hands Ministries, Seinan Gakuin 4-L Foundation, President’s Advisory Council of the Hispanic Baptist Theological School, and Alumni Council of Baylor Alumni Association. In 2001 she was named as the Executive Director-Treasurer Emeritus by the Woman’s Missionary Union of Texas. Mrs. Fenner has received an Honorary Doctor of Humanities from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Belton; was named as an honorary alumnus of the Truett Theological Seminary, Waco; received the Pioneer Award for Service in Missions from the Texas Baptist Missions Foundation; and received the George W. Truett Distinguished Church Service Award from the Baylor Alumni Association. An author and Garland resident, Mrs. Fenner has written numerous articles, feature stories, curricula and promotion pieces. She has traveled to over 20 countries availing many life-changing opportunities to spread God’s message. The PJC Distinguished Alumni will be honored at a luncheon on Saturday, Nov. 8. For more information about Homecoming activities and tickets, contact the PJC Office of Institutional Advancement at 903-782-0291. » Download the Homecoming 2008 reservation form (PDF)