NEWS

Becky and Lue Napper found each other while students on a Louisiana Tech Rome trip, were engaged in 1969, graduated from Tech together in 1970, and were married in January 1971.

Now, the couple is scheduled to do something else together: during Tech’s winter commencement ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 4 in the Thomas Assembly Center on the Tech campus, Becky and Lue will become the University’s newest Tower Medallion recipients and be inducted by the Louisiana Tech Alumni Association into Tech’s Hall of Distinguished Alumni.

The Tower Medallion Award signifies membership in the Hall and is awarded to Tech alumni who have distinguished themselves by exceptional achievement, community service, and humanitarian activities. Loyal friends to the University for more than 60 years, the Nappers easily qualify.

In 2006, to honor the late William and Virginia Marbury, the couple initiated The Marbury Lecture Series, sponsored by Tech’s College of Business and Cedar Creek School.

In honor of the late Harold and LaRue Napper, Becky and Lue provided funds for a special lab in Tech’s College of Education. They have also helped finance the Walk of Honor in Aillet Fieldhouse and continue to support the Marbury Scholarships through the Tech Foundation.

Becky began her Tech education at Ms. Willie’s Nursery School, and later attended A.E. Phillips Laboratory School. Both Lue and Becky graduated with degrees in Business; Becky also earned her MBA in 1990, is a past board member of the Tech Foundation, and is now a Director Emeritus.

Becky and Lue have long been active in the Ruston community.

Becky continues long relationships with Phi Mu, the Junior Auxiliary, the Girl Scouts, Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home, and the Daughters of the American Revolution. She is a member of Omicron Delta Epsilon Economics and Finance Fraternity, a former board member and current Director Emeritus of the Tech Foundation.

While working at First National Bank while a student at Tech, Sam Thomas, the President of the bank, asked Lue to work the Miss Peach Festival pageant and ended up as its Executive Director.  He, Judy Burt, and David Hedgepeth ran the pageant for more than 50 years, and he has for years served on the board of the Miss Louisiana Pageant, which is a part of the Miss America Foundation, the largest provider of scholarships for women in the United States.

The Nappers have one son, Lomax. He and his wife, Sandy, live in Ruston with their son, Camdyn, who is an eighth-grader at Cedar Creek. Lomax is an instructor in the College of Education.