University of Texas

María Martin (1952–2023), creator of Latino USA radio

María Martin was a longtime journalist who created the Latino USA radio program and broadened coverage of Latin American news and events in the United States.

C.R. Roberts (1936–2023), football star who defied segregation

C.R. Roberts was a college football star with the USC Trojans who went on to play for Canada's Toronto Argonauts and the NFL's San Francisco 49ers, following a historic college career that included beatingan all-white team in the segregated South.

John Goodenough (1922–2023), Nobel-winning lithium-ion battery creator

John Goodenough was a scientist who won the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work in the creation of the rechargeable lithium-ion battery.

Tiffany Jackson (1985–2022), WNBA star and coach

Tiffany Jackson was a WNBA star and coach who played for teams including the New York Liberty and Tulsa Shock.

Rolando Hinojosa-Smith (1929–2022), author of “Klail City Death Trip” series

Rolando Hinojosa-Smith was an award-winning Chicano novelist whose works included the 15-book “Klail City Death Trip” series.

Bobby Dillon (1930–2019), legendary Packers safety

Career leader in interceptions for Green Bay was blind in one eye.

Cedric Benson (1982–2019), former NFL running back

Cedric Benson was a star running back for the University of Texas who was the first draft choice of the Chicago Bears in 2005. Benson was a legendary back in Texas who was a high school superstar at Midland Lee and rushed for over 5,000 yards at the University of Texas. Benson had a tough 3-year stint with the Bears due to injuries and disagreements with coaches. He signed with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2008 and rushed for over 1,000 yards three out of four seasons. He retired from injuries while with the Packers in 2012.

Johnny “Lam” Jones (1958–2019), track star played in NFL

Johnny “Lam” Jones won an Olympic gold medal in the 4x100 relay at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. A star wide receiver at the University of Texas, he went on to play in the NFL for the New York Jets. Jones was a legendary athlete in Texas, a star sprinter who set records in high school and college, winning a gold medal at the age of 18. He was drafted in the first round by the Jets in 1980 but never lived up to expectations, becoming known for dropping passes. He admitted to drug and alcohol issues but later turned his life around.