Gay Barnes Banowsky, a longtime art professor, passed away on September 23. She was 89 years old.
Born in Mocksville, North Carolina, Banowsky earned her bachelor’s degree in communications with a minor in art from what is now Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. Later in life, she continued her studies at what is now the Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, ultimately earning her master’s degree in art from California State University, Northridge.
In 1968, Banowsky’s husband, Bill Banowsky, was hired as executive vice president of Pepperdine University. Two years later, he was promoted to chancellor. In 1971, he became the university’s president and CEO. During his tenure, Gay served as a member of the art faculty and earned Pepperdine’s highest faculty award. When Bill was named president of the University of Oklahoma in 1978, Gay joined the art department faculty at Oscar Rose Junior College (now Rose State College), where she taught until 1985.