Members of Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity at OU celebrate new house

Master of ceremony Lee Allan Smith welcomes guests to the Phi Gamma Delta House. He also spearheaded the fundraising efforts. He is a FIJI alum. (Photos by Helen Ford Wallace).

University of Oklahoma Phi Gamma Delta fraternity members, alumni, university officials, guests, were at the grand opening and ribbon cutting of Nu Omega chapter at 1200 College Ave. in Norman.

Chairs were set up on the front lawn for the crowd and the front porch served as the stage where dignitaries were introduced, the OU marching band played, Lauren Nelson-Faram, Miss America 2007, sang, and Billy Sims yelled out “Boomer” for the crowd answer “Sooner.”

Current fraternity members moved into the 28,000 square-foot-house earlier this month. Lee Allan Smith, Fraternity alum, spearheaded the project’s fundraising and was master of ceremony. The event featured speeches and tributes by Curtis Mewbourne, David L. Boren, Smith, Turner Hardwick, Mark McPhail and Dahl Brown.

After the ceremony, guests went through a buffet line in the new dining room for hot dogs, hamburgers and lots of side dishes. The dessert table was set up on the patio outside. Party favors for all guests included “I’m Fiji Fan”  fan, Phi Gam crested cups and cup coasters (perfect to set around on the new furniture for drinks).

Tablecloths featured the fraternity symbols and bouquets of freshly cut flowers were on all of the tables.

Among those at the event were Christy and Jim Everest, Patty and Kent Cohenour, Louise and Clay Bennett, Mollie Bennett, Christy Bennett, Helen and Bob Sullivan, Molly Boren, Bob Cornell, Joe Castiglione, Becky and Barry Switzer, DeAnn Smith, Laurie and Jim Hyde, Sharon and John Bozalis, JoAnne Mewbourne, Candy Dulaney, Geoff Dulaney, Lisa Dobbs, Gail and Denny Cresap, John Cresap, Dick Ellis, Bob Ellis, Charles Ellis, Susan and Steve Jernigan, Bebe and Bruce MacKellar, Allison and Bryan Timberlake, Glenda and Randy Fudge, Jim Wade, Mary and Rowland Denman, Dick Lampton, Bill Bell, Dick Cain, Linda and Rudy Hiersche, Sandy and Stewart Meyers, Linda and Bill Rodgers, Mary and Phil Truss, Ed Moler,  Barbara and Bill Paul, DeLee Smith, Mary Fallin, Jennifer and Fritz Kiersch, Wendy Smith, Diane and Tod Sanger, Clara and Gerald McPhail, Linda and Steve Garrett, Dick Clements, Richard Clements, Kathy and Hunter Miller, Guy Liebmann, Karen and Pete Delaney,  Dianne and Denver Meacham, Clarke Nye, Jantha and Charles Freede, Chuck Schroeder, Ramona and Homer Paul, Lauren and Randy Faram, Jan and Bill Robinson, Ann Finley, Earl Ingram,  Mary Ann and Don Haskins, Jim Davis, Clarke Stroud, Paul Massad, Tripp Hall, Kristin Partridge, Rennie Cook, Nick Hathaway, Paul Massad and Joe Lester.