In Memoriam – Fall 2014
Lewis V. Johnson Sr.
Lewis V. Johnson Sr. (‘50) of Twin City, Georgia, died at his home on April 24 at age 92. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and fought in the attack on Pearl Harbor. After the war, Johnson earned three higher education degrees and had a long career as a teacher and principal.
James Ralph Etheridge Jr.
James Ralph Etheridge Jr. (‘86) passed away in April at his home in Hinesville, Georgia. He grew up as an Army Brat living in Germany, Georgia, California and several other places. Etheridge was a history teacher in Liberty County, Georgia.
Guinelle Jones Thomas
Guinelle Jones Thomas (‘59) of Hazlehurst, Georgia, died April 24 after an extended illness. She taught English for many years and later served as a member of the Jeff Davis County Board of Education and as board chair for 10 years.
Grant Richmann
Grant Richmann (‘07, ‘09) of Lawrenceville, Georgia, died suddenly on April 26, following a three-year struggle with Type 1 diabetes. He was a professor of American Government at Georgia Perimeter College. While attending Georgia Southern, Richmann started the Skateboard Club with many of his friends.
Marilyn Thompson Purnell
Marilyn Thompson Purnell (‘73) passed away on April 30 in Jacksonville, Florida, after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. She served in the education field for 35 years and retired as a member of the Duval County Public School Board.
Jean Warnock Odom
Jean Warnock Odom (‘54, ‘72) died May 9 at Griffin House in Claxton, Georgia. She was a retired home economics teacher for the Tattnall County Public School System.
Luis Fuentes
University of Massachusetts Amherst Professor Emeritus Luis Fuentes (‘53) of Boqueron, Puerto Rico, died on May 9. The lifelong educator taught all grade levels from kindergarten to advanced graduate studies in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
Justine S. Mann
Georgia Southern University Professor Emeritus Justine S. Mann died peacefully in Statesboro on May 23 at age 98. She retired as the chair of the Department of Political Science in 1986. Mann, formerly of Meridian, Mississippi, was named the 1956 Woman of the Year by the Business and Professional Women’s Club of Meridian. Following the death of her husband in 1960, she moved to Alabama and became the first woman to receive a doctorate degree in political science from the University of Alabama.
Crystal Rahn
Crystal Rahn (‘96) died in May at her home in Effingham County, Georgia. She was a registered nurse at Effingham Hospital and active in the Relay for Life movement, which raises awareness and funds to fight cancer.
Scott Lively
Scott Lively (‘07) of Atlanta, Georgia, died on May 6 at age 30. A memorial service celebrating his life was held at Johns Creek Baptist Church.
Joan Prescott
Lifelong Savannah resident Joan Prescott (‘59) died in May at Spanish Oaks Retreat. She was an educator in the Chatham County School system for more than 20 years.
Ouida Ingram Franklin
Ouida Ingram Franklin (‘44) was 91-years-old when she died on May 14 in Brooklet, Georgia. The lifelong resident of Bulloch County graduated from Brooklet High School and returned there to teach business courses in the 1940s.
Jean Dickerson Pye
Jean Dickerson Pye (‘66) died at Meadows Regional Hospital in Vidalia, Georgia, last May. As an employee of the Bulloch County Board of Education, she worked at Southeast Bulloch High School and Statesboro High.
John Hammond
The family of John Hammond (‘61) mourned his passing on May 28 in Thomson, Georgia. He served as a teacher, guidance counselor and principal in the public schools of McDuffie County, Georgia, and led hundreds of students on educational trips in Georgia, Washington, D.C., the American West and Europe.
Mike Hurst
Mike Hurst (‘71) of Lawrenceville, Georgia, died on May 31. An avid football fan, he worked for many years as a coach and teacher with the Gwinnett County Public School system.
Porter Headlee
Porter Headlee (‘12), a native of Kennesaw, Georgia, died tragically after being shot in St. Petersburg, Florida on June 1. His family remembers him as “a rare gem who saw the beauty in everything.” A neighbor has been charged with his death.
James “Mike” Carpenter
Attorney James “Mike” Carpenter (‘73) passed away on May 31 after a brief illness. He lived most of his life in Macon, Georgia, where he was a member of the Macon Bar Association and the Georgia Bar Association. Carpenter served on the University’s Board of Trustees and as president of the Alumni Association. Donations in his memory may be made to the Frank Hook Alumni Scholarship Fund at Georgia Southern.
Kathryn Simmons Lovett
Kathryn Simmons Lovett died at East Georgia Regional Medical Center in Statesboro, Georgia, on June 8. She was 97. Lovett was in the first class of women admitted into the Emory University School of Medicine. In Statesboro, she practiced psychiatry with her husband, Dr. Lindsay Franklin Lovett, a general medicine practitioner, and was a teacher of psychology at Georgia Southern.
Eugene “Gene” Crawford
Eugene “Gene” Crawford (‘60, ‘62), who spent most of his life in Statesboro, Georgia, died on June 7 in Atlanta. The former principal of Stilson Elementary and Sallie Zetterower Elementary Schools served as an aide to U.S. Congressmen Ronald “Bo” Ginn and J. Roy Roland. He also served as director of Alumni and Community Development at Georgia Southern. Crawford was inducted into the Georgia Southern University Athletic Hall of Fame. Donations in his memory may be given to the Gene Crawford Georgia Southern University Football Scholarship Fund or the “Mr. Crawford” Pro Am Golf Tournament at Georgia Southern.
Jamie Hendrix
Retired Army Col. Jamie Hendrix (‘71) of Tybee Island, Georgia, was under the care of Hospice Savannah when he passed away on June 9, surrounded by family, friends and former Soldiers. His distinguished military career spanned more than 30 years, as he fought as an Army infantry officer during the Korean War and served four separate combat tours during the Vietnam War.
Jefferson Corbitt
The Rev. Jefferson Corbitt (‘51) died June 22 at his home in Guyton, Georgia. The World War II veteran served as a Methodist minister in the South Georgia Conference for more than 41 years.
Kent Murray
Professor Kent Murray died suddenly on June 20 at East Georgia Regional Medical Center in Statesboro, Georgia. Murray enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1969 and served during the Vietnam War. He joined Georgia Southern in 1985 and was a beloved faculty member in the Department of Communication Arts.
William Jennings Tyre
William Jennings Tyre (‘50) died at age 89 at the Ogeechee Area Hospice in Statesboro, Georgia. He retired as the principal of Sylvania Elementary School after 34 years in the education field. The World War II veteran served in the U.S. Army for three years in the 158th Combat engineers and used the G.I. Bill to earn his degree from Georgia Southern.
Thelva Horton Sharpe
Born on July 10, 1911, Thelva Horton Sharpe (‘35) passed away at the age of 103 on July 25 at Gentilly Gardens in Statesboro, Georgia. The Norristown, Georgia, native had many interests including, sewing, gardening, canning and needlepoint. She was an active member of the Garden Club, Canasta Club, the order of the Eastern Star and the Monday Morning Workers at First United Methodist Church of Statesboro.
Ira Hozey Jr.
Ira Hozey Jr. (‘80) passed away July 29 at University Hospital in Augusta, Georgia. During his 25 years of military service in the U.S. Navy, Hozey served in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
Reba Wood Barnes
Reba Wood Barnes (‘51, ‘61, ‘62) died at age 86 on Aug. 1 at Ogeechee Area Hospice in Statesboro, Georgia. The Georgia Southern health and physical education teacher excelled as a tennis player and was a winner of the Georgia State Women’s Tennis Singles and Doubles championships. She also competed in the Georgia Senior Olympics, winning first place in the 100-meter race twice.
Karl “Van” Zeigler
Karl “Van” Zeigler (‘75) passed away July 8 in a Mansfield, Texas, hospital. The 60 year old was buried in Sardis, Georgia, where he grew up.
Benny “Bo” Tew
U.S. Navy veteran Benny “Bo” Tew (‘74) of Sylvania, Georgia, passed away on July 22 at Optim Medical Center Screven. A former assistant coach at Savannah High School, the 73 year old retired from the Chatham County Board of Education as the pupil placement director.
Emerson Turner Jr.
Emerson Turner Jr. (‘77) of Bogart, Georgia, passed away suddenly on July 25 at age 59. A member of Mensa America, Turner was an avid runner and loved kayaking and camping.
James Fields
James Fields (‘68) died at his home in Georgia on July 26. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War.
Kenneth Crumpler
Kenneth Crumpler (‘71) of Zebulon, North Carolina, was surrounded by loved ones when he passed away on July 25.
William “Buck” Maxwell
William “Buck” Maxwell (‘87) of Sylvania, Georgia, died at East Georgia Regional Medical Center on Aug. 17. A master trooper with the Georgia State Patrol, Maxwell retired after 35 years of service. He loved piloting planes and became a pilot when he was just 16 years old.
Jim Hagin
Jim Hagin (‘80) of Weatherford, Texas, died Aug. 19 following a brief illness. The Bulloch County native was an avid cutting horse trainer.
Lowell Bouma
Lowell Bouma, a retired chair of Georgia Southern’s Foreign Languages Department, died of heart complications on Aug. 20 in Grandville, Michigan. He was an active volunteer with Statesboro’s Habitat for Humanity.
Mary Minton
Retired educator Mary Minton (‘68) of Panama City Beach, Florida, passed away Aug. 15. She taught physical education and coached the cheerleading squad and tennis teams at Gulf Coast Community College.
Deanne Hildebrandt
Deanne Hildebrandt (‘77) died at her residence on Aug. 21. The family of the 59-year-old described the Augusta, Georgia, native as a true free spirit. The retired letter carrier was a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves, the National Guard and Air National Guard.
Lorraine Gilpin
Georgia Southern Professor Lorraine Gilpin (‘96, ‘98, ‘02) passed away at Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah on Aug. 30. The dedicated teacher, scholar, wife and mother earned her bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in the College of Education and joined its faculty in 2000. The flag at Sweetheart Circle was flown at half-staff in her honor on Sept. 12.
Estelle “Esty” Davis Butler
Estelle “Esty” Davis Butler (‘65) of Claxton and Richmond Hill, Georgia, died peacefully just one day after her 93rd birthday on Aug. 27. She was an educator for more than 30 years, teaching science and serving as the guidance counselor at Claxton High School.
Shermaine Lee
Shermaine Lee (‘97, ‘02), a special education teacher in Dekalb County, Georgia, lost her battle with Stage IV lung cancer on Sept. 2. She was a nonsmoker and shared her story with Atlanta media to raise money for lung cancer research. Lee is survived by her husband and two young sons.
Ronald “Ed” Rush
Ronald “Ed” Rush (‘49), a World War II veteran, died Sept. 5 in Riverside, California, at age 92. He was the recipient of eight combat medals and attended Georgia Southern on the G.I. Bill.
Rob Bironas
Rob Bironas, a member of the Eagles’ 2000 national championship team and former Tennessee Titans kicker, died in a single car accident on Sept. 20. The 36-year-old was the Titans’ second all-time leading scorer with 1,032 points and the fourth most-accurate kicker in NFL history, connecting on 85.7 percent of his kicks. In 2007, his record eight field goals in a victory over Houston, helped carry him to his only Pro Bowl. Just months before his death, Bironas married Rachel Bradshaw, daughter of Pittsburgh Steelers legend and Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw.
Thomas “Tommy” Blitch Jr.
Thomas “Tommy” Blitch Jr. (‘56) died on Sept. 7 at age 82, under hospice care in his hometown of Statesboro. The retired Sea Island banker and former city council member also served on the University Foundation Board.
James “Jim” Orr
James “Jim” Orr, a retired associate dean of students for Georgia Southern, died on Sept. 26 at East Georgia Regional Medical Center in Statesboro. During his tenure, he was the Greek advisor. Orr was a member of the Brooklet Kiwanis Club and served as mayor pro tem for the City of Brooklet from 2010 to 2013.
Eleanor Jones James
Retired Georgia Southern English professor Eleanor Jones James passed away on Sept. 26 at age 81, under the care of Ogeechee Area Hospice. She is remembered as an avid dancer, seamstress, gardener, bridge player, and for designing house plans in her spare time.
Alec Dorsey
Alec Dorsey (‘66) of Abbeville, Georgia, lost his battle with prostate cancer on Sept. 23 at Houston Medical Center. The former mayor of Abbeville and retired Chief Magistrate of Wilcox County also served as president of Dorsey Chevrolet, Dorsey Bank and the Dorsey Oil Company.
Scott Hoag
Scott Hoag (‘03) died at his home in Savannah, Georgia, under hospice care. He was 39.
Lisa Driggers Eason
Lisa Driggers Eason (‘95, ‘98) of Claxton, Georgia, died Sept. 28 at Ogeechee Area Hospice in Statesboro, Georgia. For 20 years she served as the assistant principal of Claxton High School.
Larry English
Larry English (‘66) died Sept. 26 at University Hospital in Augusta, Georgia, at age 71. He retired from International Paper as a machine tender.
Jeffrey Lee Bennett
Jeffrey Lee Bennett (‘83) of Snellville, Georgia, passed away on Sept. 26.
I. David Harris
I. David Harris (‘55 ‘56) of Kennesaw, Georgia, died Sept. 16 at age 82. The retired physical education professor taught at Kennesaw State University for 30 years.
Gerald Jones
Retired professor and director emeritus of Engineering Studies Gerald Jones was killed in a car accident on Oct. 7 near Statesboro. Although he retired in 2007, Jones continued to teach part-time.
Caleb Hazzard
Caleb Hazzard died in a motorcycle accident on April 23. He was just 21. At the time of his death, Hazzard was a Construction Management major and worked at Custom Aviation, Inc. in Savannah. A graduate of South Effingham High School, he was granted an alumni status brick acknowledging his academic success in 2014.