{"id":2346,"date":"2014-12-15T08:18:59","date_gmt":"2014-12-15T13:18:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/dev-mag\/?p=2346"},"modified":"2019-12-10T13:15:49","modified_gmt":"2019-12-10T18:15:49","slug":"in-memoriam-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/2014\/12\/15\/in-memoriam-3\/","title":{"rendered":"In Memoriam – Fall 2014"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lewis V. Johnson Sr.<\/strong>
\nLewis V. Johnson Sr. (\u201850) 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.<\/p>\n

James Ralph Etheridge Jr.<\/strong>
\nJames Ralph Etheridge Jr. (\u201886) 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.<\/p>\n

Guinelle Jones Thomas<\/strong>
\nGuinelle Jones Thomas (\u201859) 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.<\/p>\n

Grant Richmann<\/strong>
\nGrant Richmann (\u201807, \u201809) 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.<\/p>\n

Marilyn Thompson Purnell<\/strong>
\nMarilyn Thompson Purnell (\u201873) passed away on April 30 in Jacksonville, Florida, after a long struggle with Alzheimer\u2019s disease. She served in the education field for 35 years and retired as a member of the Duval County Public School Board.<\/p>\n

Jean Warnock Odom<\/strong>
\nJean Warnock Odom (\u201854, \u201872) died May 9 at Griffin House in Claxton, Georgia. She was a retired home economics teacher for the Tattnall County Public School System.<\/p>\n

Luis Fuentes<\/strong>
\nUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst Professor Emeritus Luis Fuentes (\u201853) 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.<\/p>\n

Justine S. Mann<\/strong>
\nGeorgia 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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Crystal Rahn<\/strong>
\nCrystal Rahn (\u201896) 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.<\/p>\n

Scott Lively<\/strong>
\nScott Lively (\u201807) of Atlanta, Georgia, died on May 6 at age 30. A memorial service celebrating his life was held at Johns Creek Baptist Church.<\/p>\n

Joan Prescott<\/strong>
\nLifelong Savannah resident Joan Prescott (\u201859) died in May at Spanish Oaks Retreat. She was an educator in the Chatham County School system for more than 20 years.<\/p>\n

Ouida Ingram Franklin<\/strong>
\nOuida Ingram Franklin (\u201844) 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.<\/p>\n

Jean Dickerson Pye<\/strong>
\nJean Dickerson Pye (\u201866) 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.<\/p>\n

John Hammond<\/strong>
\nThe family of John Hammond (\u201861) 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.<\/p>\n

Mike Hurst<\/strong>
\nMike Hurst (\u201871) 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.<\/p>\n

Porter Headlee<\/strong>
\nPorter Headlee (\u201812), a native of Kennesaw, Georgia, died tragically after being shot in St. Petersburg, Florida on June 1. His family remembers him as \u201ca rare gem who saw the beauty in everything.\u201d A neighbor has been charged with his death.<\/p>\n

James \u201cMike\u201d Carpenter<\/strong>
\nAttorney James \u201cMike\u201d Carpenter (\u201873) 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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Kathryn Simmons Lovett<\/strong>
\nKathryn 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.<\/p>\n

Eugene \u201cGene\u201d Crawford<\/strong>
\nEugene \u201cGene\u201d Crawford (\u201860, \u201862), 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 \u201cBo\u201d 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\u00a0Football Scholarship Fund or the \u201cMr. Crawford\u201d Pro Am Golf Tournament at Georgia Southern.<\/p>\n

Jamie Hendrix<\/strong>
\nRetired Army Col. Jamie Hendrix (\u201871) 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.<\/p>\n

Jefferson Corbitt<\/strong>
\nThe Rev. Jefferson Corbitt (\u201851) 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.<\/p>\n

Kent Murray<\/strong>
\nProfessor 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.<\/p>\n

William Jennings Tyre<\/strong>
\nWilliam Jennings Tyre (\u201850) 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.<\/p>\n

Thelva Horton Sharpe<\/strong>
\nBorn on July 10, 1911, Thelva Horton Sharpe (\u201835) 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.<\/p>\n

Ira Hozey Jr.<\/strong>
\nIra Hozey Jr. (\u201880) 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.<\/p>\n

Reba Wood Barnes<\/strong>
\nReba Wood Barnes (\u201851, \u201861, \u201862) 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\u2019s Tennis Singles and Doubles championships. She also competed in the Georgia Senior Olympics, winning first place in the 100-meter race twice.<\/p>\n

Karl \u201cVan\u201d Zeigler<\/strong>
\nKarl \u201cVan\u201d Zeigler (\u201875) passed away July 8 in a Mansfield, Texas, hospital. The 60 year old was buried in Sardis, Georgia, where he grew up.<\/p>\n

Benny \u201cBo\u201d Tew<\/strong>
\nU.S. Navy veteran Benny \u201cBo\u201d Tew (\u201874) 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.<\/p>\n

Emerson Turner Jr.<\/strong>
\nEmerson Turner Jr. (\u201877) 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.<\/p>\n

James Fields<\/strong>
\nJames Fields (\u201868) died at his home in Georgia on July 26. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War.<\/p>\n

Kenneth Crumpler<\/strong>
\nKenneth Crumpler (\u201871) of Zebulon, North Carolina, was surrounded by loved ones when he passed away on July 25.<\/p>\n

William \u201cBuck\u201d Maxwell<\/strong>
\nWilliam \u201cBuck\u201d Maxwell (\u201887) 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.<\/p>\n

Jim Hagin<\/strong>
\nJim Hagin (\u201880) of Weatherford, Texas, died Aug. 19 following a brief illness. The Bulloch County native was an avid cutting horse trainer.<\/p>\n

Lowell Bouma<\/strong>
\nLowell Bouma, a retired chair of Georgia Southern\u2019s Foreign Languages Department, died of heart complications on Aug. 20 in Grandville, Michigan. He was an active volunteer with Statesboro\u2019s Habitat for Humanity.<\/p>\n

Mary Minton<\/strong>
\nRetired educator Mary Minton (\u201868) 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.<\/p>\n

Deanne Hildebrandt<\/strong>
\nDeanne Hildebrandt (\u201877) 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.<\/p>\n

Lorraine Gilpin<\/strong>
\nGeorgia Southern Professor Lorraine Gilpin (\u201896, \u201898, \u201802) passed away at Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah on Aug. 30. The dedicated teacher, scholar, wife and mother earned her bachelor\u2019s, master\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Estelle \u201cEsty\u201d Davis Butler<\/strong>
\nEstelle \u201cEsty\u201d Davis Butler (\u201865) 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.<\/p>\n

Shermaine Lee<\/strong>
\nShermaine Lee (\u201897, \u201802), 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.<\/p>\n

Ronald \u201cEd\u201d Rush<\/strong>
\nRonald \u201cEd\u201d Rush (\u201849), 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.<\/p>\n

Rob Bironas<\/strong>
\nRob Bironas, a member of the Eagles\u2019 2000 national championship team and former Tennessee Titans kicker, died in a single car accident on Sept. 20.\u00a0 The 36-year-old was the Titans\u2019 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.<\/p>\n

Thomas \u201cTommy\u201d Blitch Jr.<\/strong>
\nThomas \u201cTommy\u201d Blitch Jr. (\u201856) 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.<\/p>\n

James \u201cJim\u201d Orr<\/strong>
\nJames \u201cJim\u201d 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.<\/p>\n

Eleanor Jones James<\/strong>
\nRetired 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.<\/p>\n

Alec Dorsey<\/strong>
\nAlec Dorsey (\u201866) 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.<\/p>\n

Scott Hoag<\/strong>
\nScott Hoag (\u201803) died at his home in Savannah, Georgia, under hospice care. He was 39.<\/p>\n

Lisa Driggers Eason<\/strong>
\nLisa Driggers Eason (\u201895, \u201898) 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.<\/p>\n

Larry English<\/strong>
\nLarry English (\u201866) died Sept. 26 at University Hospital in Augusta, Georgia, at age 71. He retired from International Paper as a machine tender.<\/p>\n

Jeffrey Lee Bennett<\/strong>
\nJeffrey Lee Bennett (\u201883) of Snellville, Georgia, passed away on Sept. 26.<\/p>\n

I. David Harris<\/strong>
\nI. David Harris (\u201855 \u201856) of Kennesaw, Georgia, died Sept. 16 at age 82. The retired physical education professor taught at Kennesaw State University for 30 years.<\/p>\n

Gerald Jones<\/strong>
\nRetired 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.<\/p>\n

Caleb Hazzard<\/strong>
\nCaleb 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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Celebrating the Lives of Eagle Alumni<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":9937,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,61],"tags":[46],"class_list":["post-2346","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","category-memoriam","tag-fall-2014"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2346","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2346"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2346\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9937"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2346"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2346"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2346"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}