Crawford Alumni Center

President's Club member, Tennessee Tech alumnus and longtime former Tech administrator Terry Rector passed away on August 29.

A proud Cookeville native, he first came to Tech as a student, following in his uncle's footsteps and graduating in 1965 with a degree in accounting.

From there, Terry went on to a distinguished career in Tech's Business Office spanning nearly 40 years. He started off as an accountant and retired in 2005 as vice president of Business and Fiscal Affairs. His legacy was one of exceptionally sound fiscal management and a spirit of kindness and humility with all he encountered -- always rejecting formal titles and insisting that he simply be called "Terry."

Over the years, Terry gave generously to his alma mater. He was a longtime member of the President's Club and was 36 years True To Tech. Fittingly, his family name is affixed to two Tennessee Tech scholarships. The Rector-Henry Family Scholarship was established by Terry and his loving wife, Judy, in honor of their parents, Haskell and Ruby Rector and Clyde and Zana Henry. Upon Terry's retirement, his friends and family also established the Terry Rector Scholarship Endowment to recognize his enduring and remarkable career.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that friends consider a gift to the Rector-Henry Family Scholarship. Give online by designating the gift to the Rector-Henry Scholarship Endowment in the comment field or via check to the TTU Foundation at Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505 with the name of the scholarship enclosed.

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Mary Jo Denton, age 80 of Cookeville, passed away on August 15 at her home.

Born Feb. 24, 1944 in Livingston, Tenn., Mary Jo was a long time crime reporter for the Herald-Citizen newspaper.

Charles Denning published an article about Mary Jo in the Herald-Citizen titled "Mary Jo found her calling as H-C news reporter." The article does not require a subscription so anyone can read more about her life and legacy.

Mary Jo's family, friends and former colleagues plan to establish the Mary Jo Denton Memorial Scholarship for journalism students at Tech. Give to the scholarship online at tntech.edu/giving or mail a check made payable to the TTU Foundation to TTU, Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505. Indicate the name of the scholarship in the field provided online or with the check.

 

Marjorie Meadows Sumner passed away on August 13, 2024.

Marjorie grew up in Cookeville, Tenn., where her father was the first Dean of Students at Tennessee Tech University. After Dr. Meadows' untimely death in 1953, Marjorie's mother earned a degree from Tech and became the librarian at Tech Campus School.

Marjorie met her husband Ernest at Tech and shortly after graduation, they married on Dec. 20, 1954. While Ernest served in the U.S. Army, they lived in New Jersey, Texas and Georgia.

Like her father and mother, Marjorie was an educator at heart. She taught biology at Tucker High School for more than two decades where she enjoyed taking students to Europe during summer breaks. She insisted the family host exchange students studying at Georgia Tech.

After she retired from teaching, Marjorie joined her cousin in operating a travel agency that allowed Marjorie and Ernest to travel all over the world.

In lieu of flowers, gifts can be made to the TTU Foundation in memory of Marjorie Meadows Sumner, designated for the Dr. and Mrs. John L. Meadows Scholarship Endowment. Mail checks to TTU, Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505 or give online at tntech.edu/giving. Be sure to indicate the name of the scholarship in the field provided.

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Ira "Khushi" Ganguly Mookherjee, aged 81, passed away on August 8, 2024 in Seattle. Born in Kolkata (Calcutta), India, on Oct. 7, 1942, Ira was a devoted housewife who took immense pleasure in cooking and singing, often filling her home with the aromas of delicious food and the sound of music.

Ira and her husband Harsha moved from India to the United States in 1967. After Harsha completed his doctoral studies at Mississippi State University, they then moved to Cookeville, Tenn., in 1970 where Harsha joined the faculty at Tennessee Tech University.

Ira and Harsha were very active in Tech's International Host Family Program since its inception in 1970. They also established the Mookherjee Sociology Award, along with their daughter, Paramita, a Tech alumna.

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LTC William Jasper Carden III, U.S. Army Retired, passed away on July 27.

A graveside service was held on Aug. 4 with military honors provided by the United States Army Honor Guard.

LTC Carden was born Sept. 30, 1948 in Chattanooga, Tenn. He was raised in Columbia and was a graduate of Columbia Military Academy. He graduated from Tennessee Tech in 1971 with a degree in business management. He was a longtime member of the Tennessee Tech ROTC Alumni Association.

LTC Caren fought a heroic battle with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig's disease). He was diagnosed in January 2018. He and his wife Jackie were featured in a 2019 article titled "Couple shares ALS story to raise awareness." In the article, they said they hoped to raise awareness and help others fighting the debilitating disease.

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Jim Rose passed away on June 25 at his residence in Cookeville.

Jim's early years were spent in Oak Ridge, Tenn. Jim's academic journey led him to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville where he earned both a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and a master's degree in nuclear engineering.

Jim's professional life was a testament to his love of education and his commitment to nurturing the minds of future generations. For more than four decades, he was a pillar of the Tennessee Tech University community, where he began teaching basic engineering and later ascended to the role of vice president of Admissions. His influence on the lives of countless students is a legacy that will endure for years to come.

Beyond his professional achievements, Jim was deeply involved in various associations that reflected his diverse interests. He was a proud member of the Cookeville Noonday Rotary, the Order of the Engineer, and a faithful member of the Cookeville First United Methodist Church. his engagement in these organizations was not merely a pastime but a meaningful extension of his service to the community.

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Jesse Galvez Filoteo passed away on July 4 at the age of 25.

He was born July 19, 1998 in Crossville, Tenn.

An innate creator and avid outdoorsman, Jesse found a love for hiking and nature through his upbringing in Scouts. His passion for art flourished under the guidance of his teachers in middle school and high school.

Besides traditional illustration media, his artistic proficiencies extended in sculpture, bookbinding, music and even creative writing. Jesse made waves his senior year of high school with "Do it for Mom," a poem about the urgent need for action regarding climate change. He graduated magna cum laude from Tennessee Tech in 2021 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design, minoring in English. He went on to work as a graphic designer for two and a half years before leaving the comfort of a design studio to reconnect with nature and find joy in the great outdoors with the Appalachian Conservation Corps.

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Bobby Young, 83, of Adolphus, Ky., passed away on June 27.

The Adolphus, Ky., native was a 1960 graduate of ACHS where he played basketball and was inducted in the AC S-HS Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015.

He later graduated in 1964 from Tennessee Tech University and was inducted into the TTU Sports Hall of Fame in 2017. Bobby was honored to have played in the NCAA tournament in 1963.

He worked for 25 years in road asphalt paving and was the co-owner of Microsurface Paving Company.

He was a member of the Scottsville Baptist Church, Gideon's International and Scottsville Rotary Club and served as Allen County Judge Executive from 2007-2010.

He was the son of the late Marlin Frank Young and Lillie Mae Dalton Young. He is survived by his wife, Denise Young, two sons and four grandchildren.

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Harold Freeman, 81, passed away on June 22 following a long illness.

Harold was born in 1943 in Nashville, Tenn., the son of the late Rev. Ralph Lexie Freeman and Edith Carlock Freeman. He attended Tennessee Tech, majoring in math and physics. He was also the editor of the student newspaper, The Oracle. Following graduation, he joined the Peace Corps and served two years in Eritrea, which at the time was part of Ethiopia.

Upon his return to the United States, he taught journalism for a year at Tech before being drafted into the U.S. Army. He served on tour of duty in Vietnam in 1970.

Harold was married in 1972 while working in journalism in Nashville. He accompanied his wife, Linda Holbrook Freeman, to Saudi Arabia for a temporary assignment in 1975. Upon returning to the U.S., he accepted a position as a reporter at the morning newspaper in Augusta, Ga., and later retired from The Courier-Journal. He worked as a copy editor for more than 30 years and assisted in the coverage of many impactful stories, including the paper's Pulitzer-prize winning reporting of the 1988 Carrollton bus crash.

Harold traveled extensively and enjoyed meeting people in other countries. One of his favorite trips included climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. Another special trip was his return to Ethiopia for the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps. He enjoyed reading and volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity, St. Matthews Area Ministries and Kentucky Refugee Ministries. He was also involved in activities of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and was a frequent volunteer at St. Matthews United Methodist Church, where he was a longtime member. He and his wife often hosted foreign visitors for the World Affairs Council Louisville. He received special recognition for many of these activities.

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Davis Watts passed away on June 18.

Davis graduated from Jackson County High School in 1964 and received a degree in agriculture from Tennessee Tech in 1969. His first job after college was as a United States Department of agriculture food processing plant inspector in Columbus, Ohio, and West Tennessee.

In 1973, Davis returned to Cookeville and began his banking career at First National Bank. He has filled many different jobs at the bank and has been a part of many changes in the banking industry. He graduated from the Vanderbilt Banking school in 1975 and the Louisiana State University Banking School in 1982. He retired in November 2017 from First Tennessee Bank as a Senior Vice President after receiving numerous trips and awards.

A dedicated supporter of Tennessee Tech, Davis was an Alpha Gamma Sigma National ag Fraternity member and served as National President. In 2016, he received the Outstanding Alumnus Award from the College of Agriculture & Human Ecology. He also served on the College of Business Advisory Board and the Athletic Foundation.

Memorial contributions may be made to the James Davis and Lou Ann Boyd Watts Scholarship at Tennessee Tech, Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505. Make checks made payable to the TTU Foundation or give online. Indicate the name of the scholarship in the field provided.

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Thomas Lee Moran, 89, of St. Louis, Missouri, passed away on April 28, 2024. He was born on July 26, 1934, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, to the late John and Rose Moran.

Tom proudly served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. After his military service, he pursued higher education at Tennessee Tech, graduating in 1958 with a degree in Physics. He served as Tech’s very first alumni director from 1965 to 1968 and was honored in 2021 as the Grand Marshal of the Homecoming parade.

Throughout his lifetime, Tom had a diverse career path, working as a sales engineer, fire inspector, funeral director and notary. His dedication and versatility were evident in every role he undertook. Tom was conferred the honorary title of Kentucky Colonel in 1975.

Tom was a passionate musician, serving as a marching band leader in high school and college, showcasing his musical talents on the French horn and piano.

He is survived by his loving spouse, Barbara S. Moran, his children Farrell R. Clancy, Maddie Moran, Jimmy Moran and Tim Moran, as well as his granddaughter Sophie R. Clancy. Thomas was preceded in death by his son Kelly Moran.

Tom's legacy is defined by his warm and welcoming nature, effortlessly connecting with everyone he encountered, coupled with his perpetually youthful outlook on life.

A service honoring Tom will be held on Sunday, May 19, at 3 p.m. at Bopp Chapel, located at 10610 Manchester Road, Kirkwood, MO 63122. Following the service, a one-hour reception will take place to celebrate his life.

Bopp Chapel in Kirkwood, Missouri, is assisting the family with the funeral arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in honor of Tom to the Crawford Alumni Center at Tennessee Tech.

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James “Jim” Horace Geer, 84 years old, passed away peacefully on Wednesday May 22, 2024, at home in Parkland, Florida where he lived with the love of his life and wife of 62 years, Kathleen “Kathy” (Huffman) Geer.

Jim was born in Sparta, Tennessee on August 20, 1939, and was raised there in a loving home with his parents and beloved dog Buddy, graduating from White County High School on April 26, 1957.  Jim was always very proud of an early job he had in Sparta running a Tastee-Freeze together with a close friend.

He attended Tennessee Technological University (formerly Tennessee Polytechnic Institute) in Cookeville, Tennessee, graduating in June of 1961 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with a major in Finance.  He was very involved in class government and was student body president at the time of his graduation.  It was during his time at Tennessee Tech that he met Kathy whom he later married on May 26, 1962.

Jim received his commission in November 1961 in the U.S. Army through Tennessee Tech’s ROTC program and, following graduation, served as a 2nd Lieutenant.

He worked for a short time at the Commerce Union Bank in Nashville, Tennessee until the Army assigned him to Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, North Carolina.  During his time at Fort Bragg, he met several FBI agents who suggested he consider a career with the FBI, which he ultimately did, and it was there he found his passion.

Jim joined the FBI in May 1964 and attended several months of training in Quantico, Virginia after which he was given his first assignment as a Special Agent in Springfield, Illinois.  He was transferred to the San Francisco division in 1965 to attend the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California where he learned Serbo-Croation which he continued to be able to speak all his life.  Upon completion of his language training, he was transferred to the Washington, DC Field Office in July 1966.  In Washington he held various roles including in 1972 when he was placed on “loan” to the House Appropriations Committee and spent approximately 2 years reviewing various military appropriations. In February of 1978 he was transferred to the Dallas, Texas office as Assistant Agent in Charge until September 1979 when he was transferred back to Washington as a Section Chief in the Intelligence Division.  

In 1982 Jim was appointed Assistant Director of the FBI’s Laboratory Division and served in that role until August 1985 when he took the position of Assistant Director of Foreign Counterintelligence.  In this role Jim was responsible for the executive management of all FBI counterintelligence programs and operations and in charge of the FBI’s efforts to “identify and neutralize the threat posed by foreign intelligence services and their agents in the United States and by nations, groups and individuals which constitute the sources of international terrorism.”  He served in this position until his retirement from the FBI on November 30, 1989.

Jim joined the DuPont Company in December 1989 as Director of Corporate Security for the company’s worldwide operations and held that position until his retirement on December 31, 2000.  He was responsible for the security of DuPont’s physical locations around the world and for security issues relating to the nearly 100,000 DuPont employees around the world at that time.

On May 5, 1986, the mayor of his hometown of Sparta, Tennessee proclaimed Jim “A Most Illustrious Citizen of Sparta Tennessee” and “Jimmy Geer Day” was celebrated at his alma mater, White County High School, during which time Jim spoke and answered questions from the students.

He also received in 1986 the Louis Johnson Outstanding Alumni Award from the College of Business Administration Foundation at Tennessee Tech which honors special achievements an alumnus has accomplished in his/her profession or for participation in civic, cultural, educational, political, or other activities worthwhile to society.

For his service in the FBI Jim received both the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal on December 4, 1990, and the Distinguished Service Award of the FBI Executive Service.  The CIA director noted as part of the award presentation that Jim’s career with the FBI would have “overreaching importance to U.S. national security for years to come.”

Jim was a loving husband, devoted father, and proud grandfather and great grandfather.  He was known by all for his southern charm, sense of humor, and kindness.  He was a highly respected leader in the international intelligence community and a mentor to many.  

Jim is survived by his wife Kathleen Geer, three children: James H. Geer Jr., Kelly M. Geer, and Jeffrey Geer; three children-in-law: Sheri Geer, Michael Horton, and Renee Maurer; six grandchildren: Matthew Geer, Kelsey Daiber, Joshua Geer; Danielle California, Alex Horton-Geer; and Samuel Geer; one granddaughter-in-law: Fabiola Geer; and two great grandchildren: Ezra Daiber and Grace Geer.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents Mr. Horace Greeley Geer and Mrs. Velma Clyde (Bain) Geer and grandson-in-law Alexander Daiber.

He will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and all those that had the privilege of knowing him.

A service will be held on June 8, 2024, at 10 am at North Creek Presbyterian Church, 4601 NW 71st St, Coconut Creek, FL 33073.

Memorial gifts may be directed to Former Agents of the FBI Foundation or Tennessee Tech:

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President's Club member Thomas Henry Neal, Jr. passed away on June 1.

He was born in 1931 in Gallatin, Tenn. He attended Howard School and Gallatin High School. Tom graduated from Tennessee Tech and later obtained an MBA from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. After fulfilling his commitment to the U.S. Army, he was honorably discharged as a Captain while stationed in Ft. Huachuca, Ariz.

HIs work in textile and shoe manufacturing took his family many places over the years, including various towns in Wisconsin, Kansas, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Pennsylvania. He and his wife Betty retired to their small farm in Castalian Springs and later moved to Gallatin.

Tom and Betty were active in their community. Most recently, Tom served on the Sumner County Highway Commission, the Board of the Friends of the Gallatin Public Library, the Board of the Gallatin Economic Development Agency, the Tennessee Tech College of Business Advisory Board, the Volunteer State Community College Foundation Board of Trustees and various church committees. In 2018, Tom and Betty received the Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Philanthropy for their work in making lasting contributions to Tennessee's colleges and universities.

If you wish to make a gift in Tom's memory, consider the Tom and Betty Neal Scholarship at Tennessee Tech. Mail checks made payable to the TTU Foundation to TTU, PO Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505 or give online. Be sure to indicate the name of the scholarship.

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Tennessee Tech alumnus, former faculty member and current doctoral student Bobby Adams passed away on May 9.

Bobby has been a fixture on Tech's campus for 15 years. He first came to the university in 2009 as a freshman by way of Sullivan South High School in his native Kingsport, Tenn., where he played in the marching band.

Once he became a Golden Eagle, Bobby fully immersed himself in our university community. He served as SGA president, was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, was a College of Engineering student ambassador, and even took home top honors among his fellow chemical engineering students at the 2012 Research and Creative Inquiry Day. Bobby also earned a master's degree in chemical engineering from Tech in 2019 and was working toward the completion of a Ph.D.

Bobby also spent years on the other side of the classroom -- giving a new generation of students the opportunity to see his knowledge, wit and kindness up close. He first worked as a graduate assistant and later served for three years in full-time instructor and lecturer roles.

Outside of the university, Bobby could be found playing frisbee golf, enjoying the outdoors, or working at local dining spots, including Spankies and Fire & Vine where he was always a customer favorite.

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Dr. William Paul Bonner passed away on April 20 at the age of 92.

Dr. Bonner graduated from Bowden High School in Bowden, Georgia, in 1948 and earned his bachelor's degree in chemistry in 1951 from the University of Georgia. He met his future wife, Marjorie Rice, while stationed at Fort McClellon Army Base in Aniston, Alabama, and they married in 1956. After working for several years, Dr. Bonner was accepted to the University of Florida where he earned a master's in 1965 and a Ph.D. in 1967 in civil engineering. He eventually moved his family to Cookeville where he taught graduate chemistry and other courses in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Tennessee Tech University and became professor and department chairperson. He enjoyed mentoring and teaching his students.

In addition to his academic contributions, Dr. Bonner operated a small cattle farm with the same diligence and care he devoted to all his endeavors and was evidence of the simple pleasures he valued in life.

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John "Jackie" Borden, Jr. passed away on April 19. Jackie was a longtime friend of Tennessee Tech.

He was the third-generation owner of Borden Jewelry and Gifts in Cookeville, a business started by his grandfather, Melvin H. Borden, in 1889.

A proud U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Jackie embodied the Corps' value of honor, courage and commitment throughout his life.

Jackie's commitment to his community was unwavering. As a charter member of the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce and a past president of the Tennessee Jewelers Association, he worked tirelessly to support local businesses and foster economic growth. He was also a member of the American Legion as well as a former member of the Kiwanis Club and the Cookeville Jaycees.

He was a longstanding member of the Jefferson Avenue Church of Christ. In addition to his devotion to faith and family, Jackie had a passion for sports, serving as a TSSAA football official for more than 50 years.

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Steve Pearson passed away on April 4.

He graduated from Sewanee Military Academy in 1968 and went on to obtain a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Tennessee Tech in 1972. He remained an active alumnus with both schools.

He joined Sverdrup Technology, Inc., in 1973 following an active-duty assignment in the U.S. Army. He served in progressive management and engineering assignments in Tullahoma and around the world including Detroit, Michigan; Seoul, Korea; Livermore, California; and Canberra, Australia. From 1999 to 2001 Steve served as the project manager for the Department of Energy's $2.5 billion National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. In prior years, he served as project manager for the DaimlerChrysler $3 billion Technology Center in Auburn Hills, Michigan. At different times he had engineering projects for technical facilities in the automotive and aerospace industries at home and abroad. Steve retired after serving as general manager at Arnold Engineering Development Center.

He married the love of his life, Rose, and they spent their lives restoring and improving their historic home on Georgia Crossing Road.

Steve previously served on the Advisory Council for Engineering and was a 2005 College of Engineering of Distinction award recipient.

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Dr. Bettye Kash passed away on March 17.

Dr. Kash was an adjunct professor of speech and theatre and a distinguished former full-time faculty member of the university.

Dr. Kash's impact on Tech's campus spans more than half a century. She first came to Tech on a graduate assistantship, teaching speech and English while she worked on her master's degree, which she completed in 1973.

In 1981, Dr. Kash received a full-time faculty appointment. In addition to her duties in the classroom, she directed and produced performances of the Tech Players and served our students on the university's speech and debate team.

Beyond her service to Tech, Dr. Kash was a music educator at several local K-12 schools. She was passionate about bringing the arts to area schools and nurturing a love of music among the children of the Upper Cumberland.

A gifted singer, Dr. Kash could often be heard performing folk music with her husband, Dr. Graham Kash. The two met through a meeting of the Tennessee Folklore Society at Tech.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to the future Kash Speech and Theatre Endowment at Tech by giving online at tntech.edu/giving or by mailing a check made payable to the TTU Foundation to TTU, Campus Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505. Indicate the endowment in the field provided online or in the check's memo line.

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Professor Emeritus Dr. Thomas Furtsch passed away on March 8.

A native of Virginia, Dr. Furtsch came to Cookeville in 1971 after studying chemistry at the University of Michigan and the University of Texas at Austin.

For 40 years, he was a larger-than-life figure in Tech's chemistry department, mentoring and investing in students until his retirement in 2011.

During his years at Tech, Dr. Furtsch received many accolades, including the 1977-1978 Outstanding Faculty Award for teaching, and the 1991-1991 Outstanding Faculty Award for professional service.

Even after his retirement, Dr. Furtsch stayed connected with the university in many ways, including his generous donation that allowed University Archives to purchase a new slide scanner to digitize their collection.

Never one to slow down, Dr. Furtsch embarked on a new adventure after stepping down from the classroom as the owner of Father Tom's Pub, a local favorite dining spot.

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Larry Click passed away on March 4.

in 1971, he joined the Tennessee Tech faculty as an associate professor of agricultural engineering where he served in varying capacities including serving as the department chair from 1976 until the fall of 1980 when he stepped down to focus on what he enjoyed most: advising and teaching students. He loved challenging his students to bring out their best. His students often commented that he was tough but fair. He continued teaching full time until 2004 when he retired. Later in his career he also served as an adjunct faculty member in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department.

He was honored with numerous teaching awards at the department, university and regional/national levels. In 1986, he received the Delta Tau Alpha National Outstanding Teacher/Advisor Award. In 1981, he was given the NACTA Teacher Fellow and Regional Outstanding Teacher Award. And in 2002, he was honored with the NACTA John Deere Award for the Southern Region. He also received numerous awards from students including the 1983 School of Agriculture Students' Choice Award and the 1987-88, 1989-90, 1993-94 and 1997-98 School of Agriculture Student-Selected Outstanding Faculty Award.

Memorial donations may be made to the Larry S. Click Endowed Agriculture Scholarship by giving online at tntech.edu/giving or by mailing a check made payable to the TTU Foundation to TTU, Campus Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505. Indicate the name of the scholarship in the field provided online or in the check's memo line.

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President's Club member Billy Gene Gaw passed away at the age of 90.

He graduated from Tennessee Tech in 1956 with a bachelor's degree in education and married his high school sweetheart, Letha Jane Sells, the same day. They were married 68 years.

Mr. Gaw began his teaching career at Hilham Elementary in 1956 at 21 years old. At that time, he was the youngest to serve as principal right out of college. He also served as basketball coach.

In 1960, he left Hilham Elementary and was placed at Livingston Academy, where he served as a teacher and a counselor.

In 1967, he took a job at Tennessee Tech in Admissions and Records as an admissions counselor. Later, he became assistant director of Admissions and Records. While working at Tech, Mr. Gaw received his master's in education, guidance and counseling. After 37 years of service to Tech, Mr. Gaw retired.

He also served as SFG 1 in the Cookeville National Guard, retiring after 33 years of service.

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Professor of Physics Ray Kozub passed away on Feb. 23.

He was in his 47th year of teaching at Tennessee Tech, having joined the faculty in 1977.

A first-generation college student, Dr. Kozub had a deep appreciation for the value of education that colored his many years of teaching and research. His research at Tech was funded continuously by the U.S. Department of Energy for more than 40 years and he published an estimated 160 journal articles on nuclear physics during that time.

Dr. Kozub won the 1993 Caplenor Faculty Research Award, Tech's highest faculty honor, and went on to earn the Research and Creative Activity Award in 2012. For his leadership and expertise, he was named a past chair of the Physics Department at Tech -- a role he proudly held for a decade.

Dr. Kozub generously established a scholarship in his wife Sandra's memory, which the Physics Department has awarded annually. Please consider a gift to the Sandra K. Kozub Memorial Scholarship by giving online at tntech.edu/giving or by mailing a check made payable to the TTU Foundation to TTU, Campus Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505. Indicate the name of the scholarship in the field provided online or in the check's memo line.

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Associate Professor Emerita Carolyn Whitaker, a charter member of Tech's School of Nursing faculty, passed away on Feb. 9.

Ms. Whitaker spent her early years studying at Tennessee Tech -- then Tennessee Polytechnic Institute -- before going on to study at St. Thomas School of Nursing and ultimately earning her B.S.N. and M.S.N. from Vanderbilt University.

A trailblazer in every way, she opened the first nurse practitioner-run medical clinic in Red Boiling Springs back in 1972 and served as Director of Nursing for St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville.

In 1980, when Tech's School of Nursing was ready to open its doors, she was there -- one of just five members of the inaugural nursing school faculty who would lay the groundwork for the decades of impact, growth and success that the School of Nursing would soon see.

When she retired and was granted emeriti status in 2005 after more than two decades of teaching and inspiring the next generation of health care professionals on Tech's campus, her impact was far from over. Ms. Whitaker went on to serve as a county commissioner in her native Macon County and served on multiple boards, including the Macon County Educational Foundation.

The Carolyn V. Whitaker Scholarship for Advanced Practice Nursing (graduate students) will be established at Tech to memorialize her enduring contributions to the university. To make a gift toward the scholarship endowment, visit tntech.edu/giving or mail a check made payable to the TTU Foundation to TTU, Campus Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505. Indicate the name of the scholarship in the field provided online or in the check's memo line.

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Barbara Baier passed away on Jan. 26, 2024.

Barbara dedicated many years of service as an administrative assistant, where her love for students and commitment to their care shone brightly. She worked with great pride at the University of Kentucky and Auburn University before her tenure at Tennessee Tech University's alumni office. Her passion for nurturing young minds was evident in every interaction, creating a legacy of warmth and guidance that many will remember.

Barbara is survived by her husband of 26 years, Dr. James Beier, assistant professor of agriculture at Tennessee Tech.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Agricultural Engineering Technology Innovation Center at Tennessee Tech. Mail checks, made payable to the TTU Foundation, to TTU, Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505 or online at www.tntech.edu/giving. Indicate the area you wish to support in the check's memo line or in the field provided online. 

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Tennessee Tech Football Hall of Famer Thomas Squires passed away on Jan. 26.

A 2020 inductee into the Tennessee Tech Sports Hall of Fame, Squires was a leader, friend and tremendous player for the Golden Eagles. He leaves a tremendous legacy, serving as an inspiration for Golden Eagle Football players to follow as to how to succeed on the field and become leaders in life. Squires was 59.

He only saw action for two seasons in the Tech purple and gold, but there's no question the Merritt, N.C., native made an impact.

Before the books were closed on the 1987 campaign, Squires collected two All-America nods -- one from The Football News and another from "Leonard's Super Squad," from radio personality Leonard Postostes.

At the end of his Tech career, his 248 career tackles ranked eight, but the mark has since been surpassed.

Following the 1988 NFL Draft, Squires signed on as an undrafted free agent with the New Orleans Saints.

After his effort to play professionally, Squires returned to campus and earned his bachelor's degree in health and physical education in 1990. 

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Lem L. McSpadden, Jr. passed away on Jan. 2.

A graduate of McMinn County High School, Lem's thirst for knowledge and commitment to education led him to Tennessee Tech University where he graduated in the class of 1971. It was at Tech that Lem met the love of his life, Donna. Lem remained a proud and active alumnus, contributing as a longtime donor to the university that held a special place in his heart.

Lem's professional life was marked by a successful 30-year career as an engineer with Fleetguard/Cummins Filtration, where he excelled in various roles until his retirement in 2001. His dedication to his work did not end there; Lem became the post-retirement owner of Integrity Inspection and EnviroTenn where he continued to garner generous professional recognitions.

An active supporter of Tennessee Tech, Lem's generosity and involvement extended well beyond his professional life. He was a man of strong faith, actively participating in the Scott Avenue Baptist Church community.

Memorial contributions are requested to be made to the McSpadden-McNew Manufacturing and Industrial Technology Scholarship Endowment. Make checks payable to the TTU Foundation and mail to TTU, Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505. Or give online at tntech.edu/giving. Indicate the name of the scholarship on the check or in the field provided online.

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Dr. Sammy "Sam" Kenneth Winfree passed away on Dec. 22.

Professor Emeritus Winfree, or "Doc" as he was affectionately known to his students, was a beloved professor of animal science in Tennessee Tech's School of Agriculture for nearly 30 years. He joined the Tech campus in 1980 and continued to teach and inspire Golden Eagles for more than a generation until his retirement in 2008.

A lifetime learner, Professor Emeritus Winfree held two Ph.Ds -- one in food science and another in animal science. He bravely served his country in the U.S. Army, earning both a Bronze Star and Purple Heart. He also served for eight years on the Putnam County School Board.

Professor Emeritus Winfree's expertise and leadership in animal science came naturally. He was a farmer who loved tending to his cattle and sheep and, prior to his service at Tech, led the Tennessee 4-H meat science project in the late 1970s.

Beyond the classroom, he was an avid motorcyclist, traveling the open roads with the same vigor as he approached all aspects of life. Music was a refuge and joy for him, playing as a talented musician whenever the opportunity arose. Sam's love for the land manifested in his work as a farmer, where he found solace and purpose tending to his beef cattle and sheep. His faith played a central role in his life, and he was a faithful member of the Church of Christ.

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Dr. Ray Jordan passed away on Dec. 11, 2023.

Professor Emeritus Jordan was a dedicated biology professor and beloved member of the Golden Eagle community who served students for more than 40 years. He was not only a longtime faculty member, but also a proud Tech alumnus -- earning his undergraduate degree in curriculum and instruction in 1956. He went on to receive a master's degree in zoology from the University of Arkansas.

Throughout his many years on campus, Professor Emeritus Jordan taught courses in herpetology, ornithology and comparative anatomy, among others. With his passion for reptiles and amphibians, he helped establish Tech's "snake labs" and even volunteered his time at annual Nature Fest events in the Cookeville area.

For his dedication to his students, Professor Emeritus Jordan was awarded Tech's 1984 Outstanding Faculty Award for Teaching and the 1987 Outstanding Faculty Award for Professional Service. Additionally, he received the Tennessee Education Association's 1997 Distinguished Higher Education Classroom Teacher Award.

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Joyce Annette Oakley, affectionately known as "J.J.," passed away on Nov. 30.

She was born in Middlesboro, Kentucky, and graduated from West Virginia University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1972. After many years of teaching nursing, J.J. returned to Tennessee and received her Master of Nursing in 1980 as well as a law degree from the University of Tennessee in 1985. J.J. married the late Millard Oakley in 1986 and relocated to their current home in Overton County.

J.J. truly believed in the mission of higher education and the importance a student's college experience can have on their overall success. J.J. and Millard were known for their legacy and passion for education and philanthropy. J.J. was the president of Oakley First National Foundation which provides scholarships to students in need, a member of the American Nursing Association, the Tennessee Bar Association, the Board of Trustees at Livingston Regional Hospital and recently the newest Board of Trust for Cumberland University.

Three Tennessee Tech buildings and departments bear the Oakley name: the Millard Oakley STEM Center, Oakley Hall and J.J. Oakley Health Services.

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Colonel Tom Hamilton, USAF Retired, passed away on Nov. 24.

Tom previously served as associate vice president of University Development at Tennessee Tech.

He was born on Dec. 14, 1941, in Mossy Bottom, Kentucky. After graduating from Oceana High School in Oceana, West Virginia in 1960, Tom entered the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. After graduating in 1965, he embarked on a heroic military career as an F-4C Phantom fighter pilot, earning Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross and flying 138 combat missions in Vietnam. His distinguished combat service is recognized in the Plaza of Heroes at the USAF Academy SE Asia Memorial. Tom retired from the U.S. Air Force with the rank of Colonel in 1991 after more than 26 years of service.

Tom married Linda Cook and they had two daughters and two grandchildren.

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He was a native of Putnam County and graduate of Baxter Seminary. He graduated from Tennessee Tech in 1951 and received his MBA from Samford University in 1988.

Paul retired after 34 years from BellSouth in 1994 as president of Bell Public Communications. During his time with Bell, he served in several Southeastern cities and in various capacities. He subsequently worked five years for Nextlink in Nashville as vice president and general manager. Paul was also a graduate of Clean Water University and helped install clean water systems in Nicaragua in areas where sanitation and clean water were lacking. In 2007, he became co-owner of Bizphones in Huntsville, Ala., where he was named president of Valley Business Solutions, now the official name of the company.

He was active in the community and First United Methodist Church of Murfreesboro. He was a longtime Tennessee Tech President's Club member and College of Business Advisory Board member and established the Paul L. Scarlett Family Endowed Scholarship at Tech.

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Lieutenant General Bruce R. Harris (U.S. Army, Retired), former Commanding General of Fort Gordon, Georgia, died on Oct. 26, 2023. He was 89 years old.

Born and raised in Indiana, he graduated from the New Castle public school system then went on to Tennessee Tech on a basketball scholarship while also joining ROTC. He was an exceptional basketball player in college and was drafted by the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons (later the Detroit Pistons of the NBA) but was committed to the Army. He graduated with a degree in business administration and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Army in July 1956. While attending Tech he met and married Claudia who would become his wife of more than 65 years.

He was honored with being a distinguished graduate of New Castle High School and is a member of Tennessee Tech's ROTC and Athletic Hall of Fame. He also received the Tennessee Tech Alumni Association's Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1983.

In addition to his degree from Tech, he also had a master's degree from Auburn University and was a graduate of the Air Force War College. He retired in 1989 after more than 33 years of active duty service.

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Email from Tennessee Tech President Phil Oldham to Faculty and Staff: 

It is with a heavy heart I share the news of the passing of our colleague, friend, and alumna Michelle Huddleston, associate director of residential life and service learning at Tech.

Michelle's connection to our campus spans 20 years, dating back to when she first arrived as a college freshman in 2003.  As a student, Michelle immersed herself in all that Tech had to offer. She took part in National Honor Society, volunteered at Window on the World and was vice president of the Criminal Justice and Sociology Club. For her accomplishments, character and tireless service to others, Michelle earned the Tennessee Higher Education Commission's Herold Love Outstanding Community Service Award as well as Tech's Mookherjee Sociology Senior Award Endowment, among others.  Fortunately, that would not be the end of Michelle's contributions to our community. Michelle worked at Tech in various capacities since 2010, including as coordinator for the service learning center and later as assistant director of service learning and community engagement, culminating in her most recent position with residential life and service learning.

A hallmark of Michelle's service to Tech will always be her leadership overseeing the university food pantry, including during the aftermath of the March 2020 tornadoes and the COVID-19 pandemic.

When Tech students began needing to isolate due to positive COVID-19 diagnoses, Michelle teamed up with Residential Life, Health Services and Chartwells to make sure no one on our campus went without meals while in quarantine. She helped build a system to ensure students had meals and snacks for their dorm rooms or off-campus apartments, calling the program "Meals on Wings."

Later, Michelle went on to help facilitate the placement of "Butterfly Blessing Boxes" in the community, which allows passers-by to take items they need for themselves or pay it forward by leaving canned goods or other pantry items behind. Fittingly, Michelle was a 2021 recipient of Tech's Wings of Kindness award and was presented with an honorary key to the city by former Cookeville Mayor Ricky Shelton.

Funeral services for Michelle will be at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 26 at the Cookeville Chapel of Hooper Huddleston and Horner Funeral Home. The family will receive friends this Tuesday (tomorrow) from 4 to 8 p.m., Wednesday from 3 to 8 p.m., and Thursday from 10 a.m. until the service time. Additional details can be found here.

Those wishing to make a contribution to Tech's food pantry in Michelle's memory can do so at this link. Please select "food pantry" as the gift designation and follow the prompt for giving in someone's memory. 
 
Please join me in keeping Michelle's husband, Ray, who works here at Tech in our facilities department, as well as their children and all who loved and knew Michelle close in our hearts during this difficult time. 

 

Dr. LeBron Bell, 82 of Cookeville, Tenn., passed away on Sept. 15, 2023.

He was born in 1941 in Chattanooga, Tenn. During his high school years, Bell discovered that he had a natural ability for "shooting hoops," and his success in the sport earned him scholarships that launched his collegiate career. He led the nation in scoring one season during his collegiate playing days. Bell continued to play well into his adult years including competing in and winning the Senior Olympics in 2003 at the age of 62.

He earned his bachelor's degree from Tennessee Wesleyan College, and his master's and doctorate degrees from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville in the School of Exercise Science, Physical Education & Wellness.

In 1971, Bell and his family moved to Cookeville where he joined the faculty at Tennessee Tech University's School of Exercise Science, Physical Education & Wellness, where he served as a professor and coach. Bell continued to teach and coach for 46 years, finally hanging up his academic robes for the last time in 2019.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests gifts be made to the Dr. LeBron Bell Scholarship Endowment by mailing a check to Tennessee Tech, Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505 or online at tntech.edu/giving. Indicate that the check or online gift is for the Dr. LeBron Bell Scholarship Endowment.

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President's Club member Harold Jackson passed away on Sept. 11, 2023.

He was born on March 15, 1940, in Putnam County.

Harold's professional life was marked by dedicated service. He served as a helicopter pilot in the U.S Army with the 101st Airborne and the Tennessee National Guard, demonstrating courage and commitment to his country. Following his military service, Harold worked for the U.S. Postal Service, eventually becoming the postmaster in Byrdstown, Tenn. In his later years, he found success as a real estate developer, contributing significantly to the growth and development of his beloved Cookeville.

He was deeply involved in his community. He was a member of the Al Menah Shrine Temple in Nashville, the Cookeville Masonic Lodge #266 FA&M and the Cookeville Rotary Club. Harold's civic-mindedness extended to local politics, where he served terms as council member, vice mayor and mayor for the City of Cookeville. He was a passionate advocate for senior citizens, serving on the board for the Cookeville Senior activity Center, and championing issues that directly impacted seniors. 

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President's Club member Peggy Lou Apple Mackie passed away on Sept. 11, 2023.

She was born on Dec. 6, 1937, in Jackson County, Tenn.

Throughout her life, Peggy was a dedicated homemaker who took great joy in caring for her family. She was a member of Jefferson Avenue Church of Christ, where she served faithfully and found great comfort and community.

Peggy had a passion for gardening, reading and sewing, hobbies that brought her great joy and satisfaction. She was an exceptional cook, often preparing meals for her family that were filled with love and care. Her influence in the kitchen was profound, inspiring her daughters to embrace the art of cooking and carry on her legacy.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Melinda Mackie Anderson, director of Tennessee Tech's School of Human Ecology, and the Apple and Mackie families. 

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Rose Leigh Bilbrey Vines passed away on August 21.

Rose Leigh was born in Cookeville on July 7, 1945. After graduated from Tennessee Tech and the School of Medical Technology at St. Thomas Hospital, Rose Leigh worked as a med-tech for 11 years before earning her Ph.D. in anatomy from the University of Kentucky. From there, she relocated to Sacramento, Calif., and embarked on an illustrious 38-year career in higher education at California State University, and later at California Northstate University.

Rose Leigh returned to Cookeville in 2017 to be near family in retirement.

In addition to being a lifelong member of Cookeville First United Methodist Church, she enjoyed membership in numerous professional organizations and was active in the local chapter of PEO.

In lieu of flowers, the family believes Rose Leigh would prefer donations to the university, scholarship or charity of your choice.

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Judy Dianne Cantrell of Cookeville, Tennessee, passed away on July 20, 2023.

She was born on August 3, 1945 in Sparta, Tennessee.

As a mother, sister, aunt and friend, she exhibited strength, wisdom, patience and grace. In her community, Judy showed intelligence, drive and insight. As a woman well ahead of her time, she helped establish Cantrell Financial Services.

Her most precious and cherished role was that of "Grammie" to her two grandchildren with whom she shared her heart.

A celebration of life was held on August 3, 2023 -- Judy's birthday.

Our thoughts are with Judy's husband of 55 years, Jerry Cantrell, and the entire Cantrell family. Jerry and Judy are longtime members of the Tennessee Tech President's Club, Tech's prestigious giving society.

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Gerald (Jerry) R. Harvey passed away on June 17, 2023, and is survived by his wife, Elke. They were married in Colorado Springs, Col., and recently celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary. He is also survived by their sons, David and Steven, and six grandchildren. He is predeceased by his parents, Roy and Ida Harvey, and his siblings, Douglas, Johnny, Donald, Kenneth and Beatrice.

Jerry was born in Livingston, Tenn. on April 18, 1937, and graduated from Livingston Academy in 1956. He attended Tennessee Tech University where he participated in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps. In 1960, he received his bachelor's degree and was commissioned as an officer in the United States Army. His service with the U.S. Army's Medical Services Corps included duty assignments in Korea, Vietnam and Germany. While in the U.S. Army, he earned a master's degree from Ball State University. He retired from the U.S. Army in 1980, and later worked at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Following his retirement from the federal government in 1994, he enjoyed collecting coins and pocket watches, gardening, fishing and traveling. Jerry will be deeply missed by his family and friends.

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Dr. Charles E. Hickman, also known as "Doc," passed away on June 16, 2023, at the age of 89.

Dr. Hickman received three degrees in electrical engineering, including a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee. He taught electrical engineering and conducted research at Auburn University for six years, followed by sixteen years in the research and environmental affairs department at Southern Company Services in Birmingham.

He was the interim dean and director of the Center for Electric Power at Tennessee Tech University. He also served as an adjunct professor for the computer and electrical engineering department at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. During his career, he developed and presented workshops related to noise and vibration control and consulted with companies to reduce noise and vibration to reduce acoustics.

in lieu of flowers, the family wishes for donations to be made to the Charles E. Hickman Engineering Endowment at Tennessee Tech. Mail checks made out to the TTU Foundation to TTU, Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505 or give online at tntech.edu/giving. Be sure to indicate that your gift is for the Charles Hickman Engineering Endowment.

Dr. Hugh Harrison Mills III, professor emeritus in the Department of Earth Sciences, passed away this spring following an illustrious career of more than 30 years on Tech's campus.

A lifelong learner, Dr. Mills earned his bachelor's degree from Duke University in 1963, followed by a master's degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He received his Ph.D. in geology from the University of Washington in 1975.

Dr. Mills came to Tech in 1978 after having already lived a rich and fascinating life that included courageous service in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He remained on Tech's faculty until his retirement in 2011 -- teaching, leading and inspiring geology students on Tech's campus for more than a generation.

In those years, Dr. Mills published more than 70 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. He was the leading authority on Appalachian geomorphology, but his research also included areas such as glaciers in the Pacific Northwest and the aftermath of the Mount St. Helens eruption.

Outside of the classroom, Dr. Mills got an up-close look at the earth he had long studied by becoming an avid climber, along with his children. His summits included Mount Kilimanjaro and Denali.

Image: Dr. Mills climbing Mt. Ranier, 1973. Photo by John Morris.

Monika Bowman passed away on Sunday, May 14, 2023, at Cookeville Regional Medical Center.

Monika graduated from Young High School in Knoxville before earning a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from the University of Tennessee. She later completed her education with a Master of Science degree in guidance and counseling from Tennessee Tech.

Monika dedicated 36 years of her life to helping others through her work at Cookeville Regional Medical Center, where she served as the social services coordinator. Throughout her career, she served several committees and teams which further enhanced the medical center's service. Monika served on the Ethics Committee, which focused on ensuring that the highest standards of ethical conduct were upheld. Her passion for helping others extended beyond her professional life, as she also served on various community organizations including most recently serving on the board of the Upper Cumberland Broadcast Council.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Monika and Henry Bowman Tennessee Tech Women's Basketball Scholarship Endowment online or by mailing a check to TTU, Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505. Be sure to indicate it's for the Monika and Henry Bowman WBB Scholarship Endowment.

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Dr. Edmond Pierce Ryan passed away on April 11 after an extended illness.

Dr. Ryan was a graduate of the University of Florida, the University of Tennessee and the University of New Mexico Albuquerque where he received his doctorate. Dr. Ryan was a Vietnam War veteran, where he served as a Captain. He returned to teach at The Citadel Military College in South Carolina and later relocated to Tennessee Tech where he taught engineering for 38 years.

Dr. Ryan loved teaching and was always available to his students. He relayed his Vietnam War experience to his classes, as this was where he received the practical experiences of building bridges and roads and blowing them up to test the designs. Always modest, he gave the credit of his success to his men.

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Sammy Carlton Pyle passed away on Jan. 12, 2023, at the age of 70.

He was born on Aug. 21, 1952, in Madison, TN. Very early in his school years, he knew he wanted to be a geologist.

His studies took him to Tennessee Tech, and he turned that into a 50-year career in the oil and gas industry. That career path took him to New Orleans, LA, and eventually to Lafayette, LA, for 45 years. He met his wife, Lorene, at Tech, and they were married for 49 years.

Sammy served 30 years in student ministry at various churches in Lafayette, LA. He taught Sunday school all of those years, including 8th grade boys, junior and senior high school coed classes and finally college student ministry.

He and Lorene loved working together on food drives, mission trips, prison ministries and a long-running high school prayer breakfast every Friday morning.

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Harriet Sue (Hooper) Hall passed away Oct. 24, 2022, at Cookeville Regional Medical Center. She was 79. She was born Oct. 29, 1942, in Cookeville to the late Edward "Ed" H. and Frances Jacobs Hooper.

She attended Cookeville Central High and earned a bachelor's degree from Tennessee Tech University. She was married Aug. 22, 1964, to Phil Hall. Harriet Sue began her 30-year career as a teacher at the former Dry Valley School, moving to Northeast Elementary at the opening of the school where she taught kindergarten for many years until her retirement.

Harriet Sue lived a very active and social life, involving herself in many organizations. She was an Alpha Delta Pi sorority alum and a member of the Tech Women's Club for many years. She was also a member of the Eagle Society in Tennessee Tech's President's Club.

While teaching and in retirement, she was active in both the Putnam County, Tennessee Education Associations and ADK, an International Honorary Organization for Women Educators. In addition, she remained connected to her former colleagues as a member of the Northeast retired teachers group. Also, she was a founding member of the Junior Women's Club and a member of Town & Gown. Harriet Sue loved the community and cherished the many deep relationships and friendships formed from her involvement. She was a member of Jefferson Ave Church of Christ.

She bravely faced health issues in her retirement years, surviving cancer on two occasions and enduring a Parkinson's disease diagnosis. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a sister, Helen Ann Hooper Ward and brother-in-law, Harry H. Ward. She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Phil Hall; sons Philip (LeeAnn) Hall and Rex Hall; grandson Ryan Hall; and by nephews Harry H. (Samantha) Ward, Jr. and Andrew (Beth) Hooper Ward of Nashville.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Edward H. Hooper Business Scholarship Fund at Tennessee Tech online or by mailing a check to TTU, Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505. Indicate the name of the scholarship in the online form or on the check. Make checks payable to the TTU Foundation.

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Bro. Hardy "Jack" Evans was born in Hamilton, OH, on Aug. 20, 1947, and was raised in Gallatin, TN. He graduated from Gallatin High School and attended Tennessee Tech where he was drafted by the U.S. Army. He served two years active duty including a year on the ground in Vietnam in 1969. He returned to Tech to finish his degree in business administration where he met his wife of 49 years, Dianne Taylor.

Jack was a true entrepreneur, having studied engineering and business while working in insurance, surveying and real estate. It was not long before he felt the call to ministry. He attended New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary where he received his Master of Divinity. After seminary, Bro. Jack was called to pastor his first church, Sloam Baptist Church in Meadville, MS. He served there for 10 years.

In 1991, the Evans family was called to serve at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Greenbrier where Bro. Jack served as pastor. In 2000, Bro. Jack was asked to serve as the chaplain for the Greenbrier Fire Department to assist families in need on emergency calls and provide support to members of the department. It was not long before he saw how great the need was for volunteers, and he served as a volunteer firefighter. He completed his firefighter I and emergency medical responder certifications to be a first responder. He was promoted to captain and continued in the chaplain role for 20 years.

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Dr. John Burnham, a professor emeritus who served Tennessee Tech's College of Business for nearly 25 years, passed away on March 13, 2023, at the age of 91.

Born in Kentucky, Dr. Burnham moved to Manhattan at a young age and went on to attend the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. He saw the world as a cadet and as Second Mate on Texaco oil tankers before working at the U.S. Maritime Commission and even serving as part of the early Apollo program at Cape Kennedy.

A lifelong learner, Dr. Burnham earned his M.S. in mechanical engineering from George Washington University, an MBA from Florida State University and a Ph.D. in business from the University of Texas at Austin.

Dr. Burnham's work as an educator took him as far away as Venezuela before he made his home in Tennessee and became a fixture on Tech's campus for more than two decades, teaching in the College of Business's Department of Decision Sciences and Management.

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Dr. Joe M. Floyd, a professor emeritus who led and mentored Tech students for more than a generation in the College of Engineering, passed away on March 12, 2023, at the age of 90.

Dr. Floyd first came to Tech as an assistant professor of industrial technology (now known as manufacturing and engineering technology) in 1966 and remained at Tech until his retirement in 1995 -- developing new courses and techniques, setting high expectations for his students and himself and constantly working to improve the program.

A native of Oklahoma, Dr. Floyd received a B.S. in industrial arts education from East Central State College and went on to earn a master's degree from Oklahoma State University. He also held a doctorate in industrial technology from Texas A&M University.

Before serving Tech students in the classroom, Dr. Floyd notably served his country in battle, earning a purple heart for wounds sustained in the Korean War. He also taught in the public school system in his hometown of Ada, Oklahoma, and in Bryan, Texas.

Once at Tech, Dr. Floyd earned prestige as a leader in his field. He was a charter member of the National Association of Industrial Technology, Epsilon Pi Tau (EPT) and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. Dr. Floyd was also active in the local chapter of EPT.

For nearly 30 years, Tech has awarded the Joe M. Floyd Scholarship in Dr. Floyd's honor.

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Sherrel Bandaria passed away on Feb. 22, 2023, in Homer Glen, Illinois.

She graduated from Tennessee Tech in 1960 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education.

She is survived by her husband John Bandaria, her daughters Mina and Alison, her sons-in-law John and Jay, her grandchildren Katy, Meghan and Adrian, and her sister, Doris Howell.

Visitation was held on Friday, March 10, 2023.

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Carolyn Worthy Thomas of Arvada, Colorado, passed away on Feb. 14, 2023, at the age of 89.

Carolyn was born in Cairo, Georgia. She was a 1972 Tennessee Tech Master of Arts graduate in education guidance and counseling. She had a long career as a librarian and School District Supervisor with the Putnam County School System. She was also an adjunct instructor at Tech, teaching both guidance and counseling and library science.

The Thomas family has close ties with Cookeville. Carolyn's husband, Dr. John D. Thomas, began teaching guidance and counseling at Tech until 1968 and continued until his retirement, at which time then-President Dr. Angelo Volpe conferred upon him the title of Professor Emeritus. John and Carolyn's three sons -- John D. Thomas, Jr. , Curtis Thomas and Leonard Thomas, are Tennessee Tech graduates as well.

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Dinesh Shankaranarayana, age 61, passed away on Feb. 16, 2023.

Dinesh was born in India and immigrated to the United States in the 1980s. He had a successful career as an engineer in the field of industrial engineering, working for multinational corporations in Bay Area, California, and Austin, Texas, for many years. In recent years, he and his wife decided to settle in Memphis, where they first met while in college.

Dinesh had a great passion for photography, especially taking portraits. He loved different genres of music and had a great collection. He was a great foodie and relished healthy vegetarian diets. Dinesh also had an adventurous streak in him and loved riding his motor bike and running marathons.

Dinesh and his wife, Bhavna Vyas, are members of the Tennessee Tech President's Club and the donors of the Late Dayalal Lalji Vyas and Saraswati Dayalal Vyas Scholarship at Tech, which they established in memory and honor of Bhavna's parents.

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Col (Ret.) Robert Harold Buck, 93, of Cookeville died on Febr. 22, 2023.

Col. Buck received his B.S. degree in agriculture from Tennessee Tech University in 1950. His esteemed military career spanned 37 years. Col. Buck enlisted in the Tennessee Army National Guard in 1950. He served in several staff positions early in his career and later served as Squadron Commander, 3D Squadron and 278th Armored Calvary Squadron in Cookeville for several years. Prior to his retirement in 1988, he served as Commandant for Tennessee Military Academy in Smyrna, Tennessee.

He was a lifetime member of the First United Methodist Church and a member of the Backsliders Sunday School Class for many years. He was a member of the Al Menah Shriners, Cookeville Masonic Bodies and the Lions Club.

Memorial donations may be made to the Robert and Jewell Buck Scholarship Endowment at Tennessee Tech. You can give online (select "other" and type in the name of the scholarship) or by mailing a check to TTU, Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505. Make the check payable to the TTU Foundation and include the name of the scholarship.

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Rob Austin, a long-time Tennessee Tech supporter and friend of the Athletics program, passed away on Jan. 8. He was 85.

Austin attended Florida State and later graduated from Southern Miss with degrees in geology and geography. Following graduation, he became the chief geologist at the New Jersey Zinc Mine in Carthage, Tennessee. After his father passed, he oversaw his family's business as a natural gas and oil lease broker.

Austin also developed a love of photography. He opened Austin's 1-Hour Photo and ran the business for many years. He developed a long relationship with Tech Athletics, providing pictures for use by the Tech Sports Information office -- including Hall of Fame photos, action photos and other pictures for coaches to use. For years, he traveled with the Sports Information staff on road trips and took photos of events.

Austin also served as a volunteer coach with Bobby Nichols and the Tech golf teams, filling in when Nichols was unavailable to travel. With Nichols and Jim Ragland, Austin was one of the three people instrumental in establishing the Golden Eagle Scramble as a fundraiser. He was a longtime member of Tech's President's Club.

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Dr. Larry Eugene Peach, Professor Emeritus at Tennessee Tech University, passed away suddenly on Feb. 20, 2023.

Larry was born Sept. 18, 1939, in Humboldt, Tennessee.

Larry received his bachelor's degree in education from Lambuth College, his master's from Memphis State University and his doctorate from University of Tennessee Knoxville. His career, from teacher, to superintendent, to administrator has been one of servitude. Using the tools of higher education to "pass forward" his love of educating and helping others, he will forever be recognized for his dedication and hard work to help advance others. He will continue to foster growth in others through the Larry and Allene Peach Endowed Scholarship in Early Childhood Education at Tennessee Tech University, where he taught, garnered his deanship and eventually his well-deserved title of Professor Emeritus in retirement.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Larry and Allene Peach Endowed Scholarship in Early Childhood Education. Make checks out to the TTU Foundation and mail to Tennessee Tech, Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505 or give online at tntech.edu/giving. Indicate that your gift is for the Larry and Allene Peach Scholarship.

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Clarice W. Cummins Hargrove, `50 music education, passed away on Jan. 19, 2023, after a brief stay in the hospital.

She was buried at Pine Hill cemetery on the Cummins family land near Cummins Falls, and a celebration of life occurred at the Belmont church in Nashville, where she lived with her daughter.

She was in the very first class to graduate with a music degree from Tennessee Tech. Clarice left instructions for her 50-year tennessee Tech Golden Grad medallion to be displayed with her awards from the W.O. Smith Nashville Community Music School (Teacher of the Year, a "Smitty" Award for long and distinguished volunteer service, and a nomination for a Mary Katherine Strobel Award).

Her piano teaching career spanned 70 years. She studied with former first lady Joan Derryberry during her time at Tech and graduated in the class one year ahead of James Wattenbarger (former Tech professor and chair of the music department).

Photo top left: Clarice Cummings Hargrove (far right) with two cousins at Tennessee Tech graduation in 1950.

Ottis Phillips, age 71 of Cookeville, passed away suddenly on February 7, 2023 at his home.

He was born July 19, 1951 in Cookeville. Ottis graduated from Putnam County Senior High School in 1969 before enrolling at Tennessee Tech University in the fall of that year. As a walk-on player, Ottis earned an athletic scholarship and was a four-year letterman for the Golden Eagle football team. He received his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in 1974 and his MBA in 1978.

Ottis was passionate about his alma mater and his community, serving on the Cavalier Foundation supporting Cookeville High School, the Hall of Fame Committee for TTU Athletics, the TTU Foundation Board of Directors, and he was a past chairman of the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce. He served as the first chair of the TSSAA Steering Committee, which brought the BlueCross/BlueShield Bowl to Cookeville in 2008. In 2022, Ottis was inducted into the TTU Sports Hall of Fame. In 2013, he was named the Tennessee Tech Athletics Outstanding Alumnus of the Year and in 2018, he was honored with the Outstanding Philanthropy Award from Tennessee Tech's Alumni Association.

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to the Tennessee Tech Football Operations Center online (www.tntech.edu/foc) or by mailing a check to TTU, Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505. Please make the check out to the TTU Foundation and indicate that it is for the Football Operations Center. To learn more about Ottis's passion for the Center and Tech Athletics, read the TTU Sports Information's tribute. 

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Subramaniam Deivanayagam, or "Dr. Deivy" as he was more commonly known, has passed. For nearly three decades, Dr. Deivy served Tech, working as a faculty member, chair of Industrial Engineering, and as associate dean for Graduate Studies and Research in Engineering.

He personally had a passion for supporting graduate students. He and his wife, Ratna, established an endowment in honor of his grandfather to aid graduate students in engineering. He was awarded the Brown-Henderson Award for outstanding performance in teaching and research in 2001.

He also served as president of the Tamil Nadu Foundation, which is devoted to promoting educational, social and charitable projects for the welfare of the people of Tamil Nadu.

Sara Elizabeth Gotcher, 64, passed away on Jan. 30, 2023.

She was a native Clarksvillian, a 1976 graduate from Clarksville High School, a 1981 graduate of the Department of Speech, Communication and Theatre at Austin Peay.

She earned her MFA at the University of Florida and her Ph.D. in theatre at LSU. She earned her Actor's Equity card and worked in professional theatre in the southeast before returning to Austin Peay to teach. She retired from APSU after 25 years of teaching. She loved the performing arts. She directed and acted in numerous productions at APSU and the Roxy. She brought laughter and tears to thousands of audience members.

Sara's husband, Mike Gotcher, is Dean of the College of Interdisciplinary Studies at Tennessee Tech.

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Dr. Richard K. Fletcher, Jr., professor emeritus, passed away on Feb. 3. He influenced hundreds of teachers through his service to Tennessee Tech's College of Education & Human Sciences.

His leadership roles at Tech included being co-director of the Educational Conference for area teachers, Director of the College of Education & Human Sciences Learning Resources Center and Director of the Upper Cumberland Regional Science and Engineering Fair. A math and chemistry major in college, he earned a doctorate in science education and taught survey courses in the physical sciences, science education, mathematics education, environmental education, computer education, and educational research and statistical methods.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the following funds at Tennessee Tech: R.K. and Marcia Fletcher Scholarship Endowment, Marvin Tidwell Science/Engineering Fair, Education Technology Fund. To make a gift, visit tntech.edu/giving, select "other" and type in the name of the fund you wish to support. If you prefer to mail a check, send it to Tennessee Tech, Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505. Make the check out to the TTU Foundation and indicate which area you wish to support.

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Del "Warren" Huddleston, 67, of Crossville, Tennessee, passed away on Dec. 7, 2022.

Warren started his career as a golf professional at Druid Hills in Fairfield Glade in 1973 after completing a successful collegiate golf career for his beloved Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles. Anyone who knew Warren knows that he remained an avid supporter of all things Tennessee Tech for his entire life, attending many Tech sporting events.

Warren worked in the Golf Department at Fairfield Glade from 1973 until his retirement in 2014. Across his career, he served as Director of Golf and Head Professional at Druid Hills, Dorchester and Stonehenge. His golfing career was capped by being awarded the Distinguished Career Award in 2018, the highest honor bestowed on a PGA Professional in the State of Tennessee.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Warren Huddleston Scholarship Fund. Individuals wishing to donate can mail checks to the TTU Foundation, Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505 (write Warren Huddleston Scholarship in the memo line of the check or in an accompanying note), or gifts can be made online at tntech.edu/giving.

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James. G. "Jim" White, `67 finance, passed away on Nov. 1, 2022.

Jim graduated from Tennessee Tech University in 1967 with a degree in finance and received his Juris Doctor Degree at the University of Tennessee. Outside of the traditional classroom, Jim learned invaluable lessons through his involvement with the Boy Scouts, achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. He was also recipient of the Long Rifle Award, the Silver Beaver Award and was a James F. West Fellow. Later, he gave back to the organization and its youth by serving as vice president of the Middle Tennessee Council of Boy Scouts as an active fundraiser.

Jim was a retired Captain in the United States Navy and served in Vietnam. During his naval career, he commanded seven naval reserve units in Alabama and Louisiana. Jim also gave nearly 30 years to public service as Assistant District Attorney General. He was a member of the Tennessee Bar Association and past president of the Lawrence County Bar Association.

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Hugh Hix Stubblefield passed away on Nov. 9 at the age of 90.

Professor Stubblefield was an English Department faculty member for 37 years who retired in 1999. He taught journalism and advised student publications, including the Oracle newspaper and the Eagle Yearbook. He was named to the honor roll of advisors by the National Council of College Publication Advisors for his work with student publications.

Former student Laura Clemons represented hundreds of Tech journalism graduates when she described him as an "unassuming, seemingly unflappable gentleman who formed the foundation of my career in journalism. Described as 'tough' by many former students who use the word as a compliment, he worked long nights with the student newspaper staff and stood by students as they grew from the experience."

There will be a celebration of life for Professor Stubblefield on Dec. 17, from 9:30-11 a.m., at Friendship United Methodist Church in Cookeville (5454 S Jefferson Ave). Service will follow at 11 a.m.

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Stephen Scott passed away on Oct. 25, 2022.

Stephen was born in Greenville, PA, and graduated from Reynolds High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from Thiel College and master's and doctorate degrees from Kent State University.

He was formerly a researcher at Oak Ridge National Lab and more recently a professor of computer science at Tennessee Tech.

He enjoyed many various outdoor activities throughout his lifetime, especially taking people walleye fishing on Lake Erie and trout fishing in Tennessee. He was a member of St. Therese Church in Clinton, TN, and enjoyed studying the Bible.

He is remembered for his deep love and loyalty for his family, his amazing ability to analyze situations, his invaluable advice to colleagues and students and his incredible breadth of knowledge about so many things.

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Benjamin W. Kniffin passed away on Oct. 21, 2022.

Ben was born on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25, 1954. He graduated from Concord High School in 1972 and from Tennessee Tech in 1982 with a degree in agriculture.

He was a locksmith and his family says he could do or fix absolutely everything.

Ben's wife, Brenda, said Ben didn't want an obituary, but she had to acknowledge her hero, her voice of reason, a super intelligent man, the love of her life and the father of her children.

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Eston Evans passed away on Oct. 28, 2022.

He was a 1958 graduate of Palmyra High School. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1958-1961, at Langley AFB, VA, and Karamursel, Turkey, specializing in communications and cryptography.

Eston earned a bachelor's degree in German in 1958 from Lebanon (PA) Valley College, a master's degree in German from Penn State University in 1975, and his Ph.D. in Germanic language from the University of Texas in 1975. He also studied abroad at American Scandinavian Society/Thord-Gray and participated in Fulbright Travel at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

His career as a professor began at Penn State from 1968-1977. In 1977, he moved to Cookeville where he served at Tennessee Tech University as a professor of German, World Cultures and Business, director of the ESL Institute and interim Foreign Language Department chair until his retirement in 2008.

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Joe Anderson Williams, born June 3, 1931, passed away on August 2, 2022, in Tullahoma, Tennessee.

Williams was born and raised in Tullahoma. He received a bachelor's degree in business management from Tennessee Tech in 1953 and a juris doctorate from Nashville School of Law in 1976.

When he graduated from Tech, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Signal Corps. He served two years on active duty from 1954-56 and left the service as a first lieutenant. He returned to Tullahoma where he worked for more than 37 years with ARO, Inc., which changed its corporate identity to Sverdrup Technology, Inc. 13 years before Williams retired in 1993 as Corporate Counsel and Director of Human Resources. He also privately practiced law on a part-time basis.

Williams was involved in many civic endeavors including the Board of Directors of the AEDC Federal Credit Union, of which he was chairman from 1975-78, the Board of Directors of the Tullahoma Industrial Board, of which he was chairman from 1982-85, and the Board of Directors of the South Jackson Civic Association, of which he was president from 1993-94. After he retired from Sverdrup, he provided pro bono work legal services to several local churches and charitable organizations.

Williams was a Tower Society member of Tennessee Tech's President's Club. 

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Leslie Everett Winningham, age 81, passed away on June 18.

He hitchhiked from Byrdstown, Tennessee, to Swannanoa, North Carolina, to attend college at Warren Wilson College and graduated with an associate's degree in forestry in 1961 while lettering in both basketball and baseball. He went on to further his education at Tennessee Tech where he earned a bachelor's degree in health and physical education in 1964 and a master's degree in curriculum and instruction in 1967.

Winningham became the youngest-ever elected school superintendent when he was elected as Pickett County's superintendent in 1968. From coaching countless high school basketball players, to classroom teaching, assistant principal and principal positions, his goal was to help every student reach their potential and succeed. Under his leadership as principal, Scott High School was named a Governor's Great School of Tennessee in 1987.

In 1984, Winningham was elected to the Tennessee Legislature to represent the 38th district. Over a prestigious 26-year career in the legislature, he represented counties including Clay, Jackson, Macon, Pickett, Scott and part of Anderson.

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Dr. Paul G. Stephenson passed away on June 6 at the age of 89.

Dr. Stephenson devoted decades of his life to the university, serving as the first chairperson of Tennessee Tech's Political Science Department from 1964 until his retirement in 1998. He was also a veteran of the United States Air Force.

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to the Paul G. Stephenson Scholarship Endowment at Tennessee Tech. (Visit tntech.edu/giving and type in the name of the scholarship in the field provided, or mail a check to Tennessee Tech, Box 1915, Cookeville, TN. Checks should be made out to the TTU Foundation and include Paul G. Stephenson Scholarship Endowment in the memo line.)

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LTG Thurmand Donell Rodgers peacefully passed away in his sleep Thursday, June 9, 2022 at the home he shared with his wife of 33 years, June Scobee Rodgers.

LTG Rodgers earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering at Tennessee Tech and was commissioned into United States Army to serve in the Army Signal Corps in 1957. Later in his career, he earned a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Northern Colorado.

As a three-star general, LTG Rodgers commanded at every level in the Army from platoon through company, battalion, brigade, post, to a major Army command. His awards and decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, two awards of the Army Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, several Vietnam awards and the French Order of National Merité. He was also awarded the Joint Staff and the Army General Staff Identification Badges.

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General Carl W. Stiner passed away on June 2.

General Stiner graduated from Tennessee Polytechnic Institute (now Tennessee Tech) in 1958 with a degree in agricultural science. He was also commissioned in the infantry. 

During his 35-year career in the U.S. Army, General Stiner commanded the U.S. Military's preeminent contingency strike force, including the Joint Special Operations Command, the 82nd Airborne Division, the XVIII Airborne Corps and the U.S. Special Operations Command. As Commanding General of XVIII Airborne Corps, he was designated Commander, Joint Task Force South, and served as the Operational Commander of all forces employed on Operation JUST CAUSE in Panama in December 1989. In June 1990, he was promoted to the rank of General and became the second Commander in Chief of the U.S. Special Operations Command. In this role, he was responsible for the readiness of all Special Operations Forces of the Army, Navy and Air Force, both active duty and reserve, during Operation Desert Storm. General Stiner retired in May 1993 and moved back to his hometown of LoFollette, Tennessee, where he and his wife Sue remained dedicated members of the community.

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Ronald Mezime, 40, of Baxter, Tennessee, passed away on Thursday, May 5, 2022.

Ronald worked at Tennessee Tech for 16 years and was the assistant director of Residential Life and co-advisor for the Residence Hall Association.

He was loved by Tech staff and students, and his Residential Life colleagues say there will forever be a hole in the heart of Res Life. They described him as a beautiful soul, an amazing colleague and a wonderful mentor with an amazing smile and kind demeanor.

Ronald was the youth pastor for Gordonsville Church of the Nazarene and the assistant soccer coach for White County High School. He also loved Florida State Football.

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Richard J. Papes, 81, passed away on Saturday, May 7, 2022.

Richard graduated from Tennessee Tech in 1963 with a degree in mechanical engineering. He was a member of the Golden Eagle men's basketball team. It was at Tech that he met and married his wife of 58 years, Marion Ann Papes. The two had four children and four grandchildren. Richard retired from General Electric Aviation in Evendale, Ohio. 

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Tennessee Tech President Phil Oldham shared the following message with faculty, staff and students on Thursday, April 21, 2022:

It is with great sadness I share with you the passing of one of Tech's most enthusiastic and generous supporters, Millard Vaughn Oakley.

Oakley was a former member of the Tennessee General Assembly and board member of First National Bank of Tennessee, which he co-founded. After practicing law for several years, he served in the Tennessee General Assembly for four terms, as the commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance from 1975 to 1979, and as general counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on Small Business (1971-1973).

Oakley also previously owned WLIV, a radio station in Livingston, Tennessee. He served on the Tennessee Board of Regents from 2006-2012 and was most recently a founding member of the first Tennessee Tech Board of Trustees, serving from 2017-2018.

A great supporter of his community, Oakley was also passionate about education and philanthropy. He was honored with the Tennessee Board of Regents' Award for Excellence in Philanthropy in 2011. In 2015, he donated Hartsaw Cove Farm -- one of Tennessee's Pioneer Century Farms -- to Tennessee Tech.

In recognition of this gift, the home building of the College of Agriculture & Human Ecology was named Oakley Hall. In 2010, Tennessee Tech opened the Millard Oakley Center for the Teaching and Learning of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Additional contributions to the university include J. J. Oakley Health Services inside Bell Hall and, just announced in 2021, the new J. J. Oakley Innovation Center and Residence Hall that is slated for construction soon.

Oakley attended Tennessee Tech and graduated from Cumberland University School of Law. In spring 2021, Oakley was recognized at the commencement ceremonies and awarded an honorary doctorate of agriculture.

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By Laura Clemons

Michael E. “Birdie” Birdwell wasn’t done yet.

When he passed away Sunday night, March 20, Tennessee Tech and Cookeville lost their best storyteller and historian -- a man with a questing mind and catholic tastes, a man who could bring history to people and leave them wanting more. You have to work hard, he would say, to make history boring.

Born March 8, 1957, Birdie grew up working on farms. His first passion was art, followed by reading; his father told Birdie and his sisters that if they had time to watch TV, they had time to read a book. Their father, Birdie said, brought them up to be hard workers and to make a mark.

His Tech lineage dates back to 1915, when his great-grandfather, master mason for Scott and Smoot bricklayers, helped construct the first buildings on campus. He earned two degrees at Tennessee Tech and went on to finish a Ph.D. at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in 1996, coming home to Cookeville as an adjunct faculty member at Tech before accepting a tenure-track position in 2000.

Birdie's breadth of knowledge was astonishing, he had enough energy for 10, he loved collecting stories and was as happy to hear them as to tell them. He could be impatient, abrupt, outspoken. Ask him a question, and you had to be prepared to sit awhile. Ask for information about any particular topic, and he would hand you a stack of paper. He was irreverent, witty. His lectures and presentations were animated and unabashedly opinionated.

People outside of Tech and Cookeville began paying closer attention as he began publishing his research on WWI hero Sgt. Alvin C. York of nearby Fentress County. He curated the York papers, serving as archivist since 1997. That work opened the door to research on another American icon, Harry Warner of Warner Bros. Studio, which produced the 1941 Gary Cooper biopic Sgt. York. Its archives held invaluable information about his principal topic, York, and led to his first published book, Celluloid Soldiers: Warner Bros. Campaign Against Nazism in 1999, with a German edition released the next year.

Alongside History Prof. Calvin Dickinson and English Prof. Homer Kemp, Birdie co-edited the 2002 Hillsboro Press book Historic Architecture of the Upper Cumberland. With Dickinson, he edited and contributed to Rural Life and Culture, published by the University of Kentucky Press in 2004, as well as People of the Upper Cumberland, a 2015 University of Tennessee Press release which won the Tennessee Library Association's Best History Book of the Year award.

As a cultural historian, Birdie emphasized the importance of public history. He co-directed a $941,000 project for high school history teachers. He worked on nearly 30 documentaries and historical series, including Everybody's Welcome: John's Place with WCTE-TV. In 2016, he won Tech's highest academic honor, the Caplenor Award.

He presented at 100 conferences, wrote more than 30 articles and chapters -- all told, in his 26 years as a member of the Tennessee Tech faculty, he produced well over 250 scholarly and popular works. Between 2016 and 2019, he chaired the Tennessee State Review Board for the National Register of Historic Places, the Tennessee Preservation Trust, and the Tennessee Great War Commission. At the time of his death, he had five books in the works.

The man just did not know how to sit still.

Next to history and literature, Birdie's greatest passion was the stage. He took part in productions at Tennessee Tech's Backdoor Playhouse beginning in the 1970s. He was interim director of the Tech Players during the 1986-87 season; over the years, he directed 20 productions there and at the Cookeville Performing Arts Center.

But of all his work, nothing stirred him like injustice. Birdie was in first grade when Darwin School, the only local school for African American students, burned. As part of the first integrated class in Cookeville, he was furious and horrified by incidents of overt prejudice. When the owner of Cookeville's treasured African American tavern, Mary Alice McClellan, asked him to write a National Register nomination for her establishment, he said yes, focusing on the tavern's role in race relations, and the two received a standing ovation from the review board when it approved the nomination in 2011. He said the greatest honor of his life was participating in a symposium on film and media at Yad Vashem, the International Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem; he was the only American presenter.

For the past 16 years, cancer was his foe, and he approached that very intimate cause with as much determination as he had shown his scholarly achievements and cultural accomplishments. His drive and ambitions were relentless ... he just couldn't realize them all in the scant 65 years he had. He was never completely satisfied, never convinced he lived up to his father's dictum to make a mark.

There will never be another Birdie, but thanks to Birdie, there are thousands of students across the globe who are inspired by him and aspire to goals as worthy. He once described Sgt. York "as a fascinating, complex character who didn't think what he did was extraordinary." He could have been describing himself. 

Grady Pascal Williams, 87, of Signal Mountain, Tennessee, passed away on Monday, March 21, 2022.

He was born in Sequatchie Valley where he grew up on a farm. He graduated from Bledsoe County High School in 1953 and went on to Tennessee Tech University where he graduated with a degree in accounting with honors.

He started his career in Chattanooga at the accounting firm of Hazlett, Lewis, and Bieter.  He loved being a CPA and spent over 47 years with HLB.  While working with HLB, he took a two-year leave for military service as a U.S. Army Paratrooper Infantry Officer and was honorably discharged as a Captain.  Grady officially “retired” from being a CPA when he was 80, but spent many hours at home helping friends and family with their taxes up to the day of his passing.

He had a passion for serving and became involved in many civic and philanthropic organizations over the last 50 years including Chairman of the United Way Campaign, the United Way Board, President of the Rotary Club of Chattanooga, and the Advisory Board for Tennessee Tech University where a scholarship fund is established in his name. Grady never turned down an opportunity to get involved and to help others with his time and resources.

Later in his career he became one of the organizers of Capital Mark Bank in Chattanooga and served on its Board of Directors.  One of his last accomplishments was co-chairing the fundraising for the Erlanger Children Hospital expansion in 2018.

Grady loved being active and spent hours working in the yard on weekends, usually with begrudging help from his sons.  He loved playing tennis for many years in the backyard on Signal Mountain with his Saturday morning buddies.  He loved vacations with the family and spending time at the lake and never found a seafood platter that he did not like. 

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Sheila Ann Sullivan Green, age 72, passed away Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, at her home in Knoxville. Prior to coming to TTU, she taught at the Baptist Hospital School of Nursing, Memphis, TN and received two Master’s degrees prior to completing her PhD in Nursing at the University of Tennessee, Health Sciences Center, Memphis, TN.  

Dr. Sheila Green taught in the TTU School of Nursing  from 1996 to 2004 and served as both the Director (2004-2005) and Dean (2005-2010). After choosing to step down in 2010, she taught until her retirement in 2011 but continued to teach for several years in the TN eCampus MSN program. During her career as a faculty member and administrator, Dr. Green led the School through multiple accreditations and, as a member of the Nursing Curriculum Committee of the six TBR universities, collaborated with other state leaders to develop the TN eCampus (formerly RODP) Master of Science in Nursing consortium (2003-2004). A conscientious and detailed-oriented administrator, she visited numerous colleges of nursing and researched the latest structure needs for a new building layout—eventually leading to what is now Bell Hall. Once it was finished, she played a key role in the transition into the new building. Notably, at its completion, enrollment doubled as the school transitioned from annual upper division admissions to admission twice per year.
 
In 1996, with the exception of the Dean at the time, Dr. Green was the only faculty member in the School with a doctorate. She initiated and led the School on its journey to “grow your own” doctoral-prepared faculty. She encouraged, mentored, and supported faculty in their pursuit of a doctoral education. In addition, her clinical expertise in mental health was an asset to the community as she was one of the first Clinical Nurse Specialists in Adult Psychiatric and Mental Health to have a private practice in Cookeville. 
 
As Dean/Director, she maintained high standards for the school. For example, she kept abreast of current best practices in nursing and led the faculty in endorsing an NCLEX benchmark of 95 percent. The school has maintained that standard to this date, posting an NCLEX average above 95 percent since 2008. 
 
After retirement, Dr. Green continued to serve as an adjunct in the MSN program until 2019 when her health became compromised. She taught almost every semester including summers in the Scholarly Synthesis Course in which students complete a scholarly state of the science paper (course is in lieu of a thesis). 
 
As evidenced by faculty quality, alumni excellence, and high caliber of the student body, Dr. Green made a significant impact on the School as both a faculty member and leader. 
 
She is survived by her mother, Frances (Darrell) Penick; daughters, DeeAnn Green (Eric) Climer and Sarah Green (Lendale) Smith; five grandchildren, Grace Haynes, Lucas Haynes, Mathew Climer, Logan Climer and Andrew Climer. She was preceded in death by her father, T.L. Sullivan; husbands, Arthur Donald Green and Robert Francia; and a brother, Keith Sullivan.

A private Celebration of Life is planned to be at a future date.

The Sheila Green Professor Emeritus of Nursing Scholarship has been established to honor her memory. Gifts may be made by mailing a check to University Advancement, Tennessee Tech University, Campus Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505. Gifts may be online at www.tntech.edu/giving. Please indicate that this is for the Shelia Green Nursing Scholarship fund.

Ben Thomas Bilbrey of Glendale, Arizona, passed away on November 12, 2021.

Ben grew up on his family's farm in Overton County and attended Rickman High School. He graduated from Tennessee Tech in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture. After college, he was drafted into the U.S. Army for the war in Vietnam. He received the bronze star, purple hearts and numerous other medals but always said they meant nothing to him compared to the men he served with and lost.

Ben worked in the tire industry in Nashville and Phoenix and loved to fish as often as possible. Ben was a country boy, a son, a brother, a father, a grandfather, a friend and a veteran who left an indelible mark on many of the people he knew and loved.

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William "Bill" Andrew Freeman, age 68, passed away on February 19, 2022.

He was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and graduated from Litton High School in 1971. He later graduated from Tennessee Tech in 1975 with a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering. At Tech, he was a member of the Theta Tau Fraternity.

Bill went on to earn a Masters of Science in electrical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in 1976. He then moved to Austin and joined IBM. While working at IBM, he received a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin in 1982.

Bill was a member of the IBM softball team and a local sports fan. He had many hobbies ranging from photography, star-gazing and camping. He was an avid DIY-er and could often be found tinkering with an electronics project around the house.

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Dr. John Wallace Harris passed away on Feb. 1, 2022.

Dr. Harris taught and mentored hundreds of students over his 49 years at Tech and spent his career serving others.

After receiving his bachelor's degree at Western Illinois University and his master's and doctorate from Indiana University, he moved to Cookeville in 1968. He was a professor of biology for 45 years and then served in the College of Interdisciplinary Studies for four years. He served for many years as the director of Tech's Honors Program and was awarded the Tennessee Academy of Science and Distinguished Service Award.

His community service included active membership in Toastmasters International and the Lions Club. While he was a 1991 Fullbright Scholar, he loved being known as a Chicago Cubs fan even more.

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Rebecca Violet, a current Tennessee Tech student and an administrative associate for the Department of Curriculum & Instruction, passed away on Feb. 2. Rebecca had worked in Curriculum & Instruction since 2013 and was pursuing a degree in exercise science.

Her colleagues say she was always a kind, welcoming face in Matthews-Daniel Hall.

"Faculty and students knew her well for her smile, contagious laugh and sweet disposition," said Jeremy Wendt, chair of the Department of Curriculum & Instruction and professor of Educational Technology. "Her attention to the needs of the students was always her first priority, regardless if they were education majors or not. She was also a lifelong learner and was recently working toward completing a degree in exercise science."

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Dustin Pegram, a current music major at Tennessee Tech, passed away on Feb. 4.

Dustin had a special love for the music of Bach. He was a gifted musician, excellent performer and a voracious student of jazz and improvisation. He was a member of the jazz ensemble, Troubadours and Trouveres. He was also a history buff.

Dustin was the grandson of the late Dr. Wayne Pegram, a 1959 Tech graduate who served on Tech's faculty for 35 years as Director of Bands and Director of the Music Education program.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Tennessee Tech Jazz Program. Checks should be mailed to Tennessee Tech University, Campus Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505, or gifts can be made online at tntech.edu/giving. Please note the Jazz Program on the check or in the space provided on the online giving form.

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Tracy Monroe Luna passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021, at the age of 48 after a 17 month battle with pancreatic cancer. He first attended college at Tennessee Tech University where he played with the internationally-known Tennessee Tech Tuba Ensemble (TTTE), directed by Mr. Winston Morris. He then returned to Tech to complete his masters. 

Tech's School of Music will host a free concert to celebrate the life and music of Tracy M. Luna on Saturday, Feb. 19. For those able to join in person, please enjoy a casual reception starting at 6 p.m. and a concert at 7 p.m. in Wattenbarger Auditorium in Bryan Fine Arts Building. The concert will also be livestreamed here and will will highlight groups that were particularly important to Tracy. 

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Dr. H. Bruce Throckmorton, passed away on Wednesday, January 5, 2022.

Dr. Throckmorton was a kind, sincere, and giving person who loved his family, friends, and community.  Having served College of Business students and the university for 47 years, Dr. Throckmorton was passionate about teaching, especially in areas related to macroeconomics, money and banking, and financial institutions.  He was a huge Golden Eagles fan, and his service to our community was exemplary and included leadership roles in the Cookeville Kiwanis Club.  Dr. Throckmorton’s generosity extended to his college, and many have enjoyed teaching and learning in the Virginia and Bruce Throckmorton classroom. 

Cindy Mathis, `12 business management, passed away on January 2, 2022. 

Cindy was a Tech graduate and an employee who served more than 30 years, always eager to help faculty, students and staff. She most recently was a financial associate in the School of Agriculture. Cindy’s close colleagues described her as a confidante who was caring, giving, creative, and crafty, plus a technology wiz who could solve problems. 

The college team of Tawnya, Lisa and Cindy, known fondly as TLC, took pride in saying everyone who came to them needing help got TLC. “The TLC team is now missing a huge piece,” but going forward we will always cherish and remember our "C.”

Cindy chose cremation, and a Memorial Service may be held at a later date. 

We are deeply saddened and pray for her daughter, Jessica Morgan in Athletics, the rest of her family and co-workers.    

Dr. Harvey Neufeldt passed away on December 28, 2021, at the age of 85.

After receiving his Ph.D. in history from Michigan State University, Harvey and his family moved to Cookeville, where he was a professor in the College of Education & Human Sciences at Tennessee Tech for almost 40 years.

Harvey was always an avid researcher and co-authored many books which not only delved into subjects that helped shape his life but also those that were deeply important to him such as educational equity, his Mennonite heritage and Tennessee Tech's institutional history. In honor of Tech's 75th anniversary in 1991, Harvey co-authored The Search for Identify: A History of Tennessee Technological University, 1915-1985 (Neufeldt & Dickinson, 1991).

In lieu of flowers, the family invites friends of Harvey to make a contribution in his memory to the Neufeldt Electrical Engineering Scholarship or the Phi Delta Kappa Neufeldt Scholarship Endowment at Tennessee Tech.

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Vickie Leann Madewell Rector passed away on December 10, 2021. 

A two time graduate of Tennessee Tech's College of Education & Human Sciences, she taught school for almost three decades at Jere Whitson Elementary, touching the lives of "her kids" and helping make them better individuals.

She never knew a stranger, choosing instead to enjoy a lengthy conversation with everyone she met. She loved any animal, domesticated or not. Her friends, both at work and outside of it, were a constant source of enjoyment and inspiration. Above all else, she loved her family deeply, spending her time making forever memories with them.

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Dennis Robert Cebe, locally known as "T", was born in Louisville, Kentucky on January 3, 1939 to Raymond J and Virginia Gorman Cebe. On October 6th, 2021, at age 82, T succumbed to complications from COVID. He left behind in Reno, Nevada, his wife Marilynn, son Geoff Bueschen and granddaughter Joslynn and back East, his first wife Linda George and their children Laurie and Michael George along with numerous cousins etc. T's love for sports began in Louisville, known there as Denny, where he played quarterback for DuPont Manual High School. Graduating from there in 1957 he continued his athletics at Tennessee Technological University, the source of his nickname "T". The nickname came from the letterman's jacket and baseball cap he often wore when he first arrived west. T's love of all things sports and dogs, most particularly UNR Wolfpack, SF 49ers, SF Giants, golf and fishing and any one of many spoiled dogs, gave him lots to talk and brag about. The ultimate salesman with the gift of gab he will be greatly missed. In the spring, he will join his friend Bill Pair in Shasta Lake, their favorite fishing spot.

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Charles "Charlie" Hawkins graduated from the College of Business in 1953, having studied industrial management. He enjoyed a very successful sales career with IBM and later moved to Chattanooga, where he worked at Provident Insurance as vice president of human resources. The move back to Chattanooga provided more time for him to engage with the College of Business and TN Tech Athletics. Charlie was a long-time member of the College of Business Board of Trustees/Advisory Board, serving several times as president. Charlie's financial support for the College of Business established a scholarship endowment, funded an iCube internship, and renovated a classroom and the 2nd floor Peachtree Avenue entrance for Johnson Hall.    

However, Charlie was best known for his love of eagles.  His house was full of eagles he had collected from all over the world. Over the years, Charlie made numerous campus visits, often bringing eagles from his private collection as gifts for university faculty and staff. Charlie was fond of saying, "there are two types of people at TN Tech, those with an eagle and those without an eagle." 
 
Shortly after the death of his beloved wife Norma, he assisted the university with the acquisition of the eagle now residing at Walton House. TN Tech Athletics unveiled and dedicated an eagle in Tucker Stadium during one of his last campus visits.   The bronze eagle, commissioned by Charlie, is a replica of the eagle which sits atop Derryberry Hall. 

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Larry Duncan McClanahan, age 83, passed away on Friday, August 27, 2021.

He was born on July 30, 1938, to the late, Ernest McClanahan and Anne McClanahan Hodges. He was a graduate of Gallatin High and graduated from Tennessee Tech University with his master’s degree in civil engineering.

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Stephen Ely Tabachnick, Ph.D. passed away on Saturday, October 9, 2021, at the age of 77. Professor Tabachnick served as chair of the Tennessee Tech English Department from 1985-1990 and was also a member of the Tennessee Philological Association. After his time at Tech, he went on to teach at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Memphis. During his time at the University of Memphis, he served as English department chair for eight years and professor of English until his retirement in 2020 (due to a diagnosis of ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease). 

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Richard Preston Savage passed away September 29, 2021 at the age of 91.  He served 30 years on the faculty of Tennessee Tech in the Mathematics Department until his retirement in 1992. 

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Eternally youthful in attitude, infinitely curious about many things, and gracious to a fault, Dr. William Calvin Dickinson died peacefully at his home on Aug. 30, almost four months to the day after his wife Charlene shuffled off this mortal coil. The two of them lived life to the fullest; they loved to travel and to entertain.  

Born on March 30, 1938, and raised in Atlanta, Texas, Calvin graduated with his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Baylor and completed his doctorate at UNC Chapel Hill. He began his academic career as a scholar of English History and published his first book (based on his dissertation) on the career of Sidney Godolphin, the first Lord of the Treasury — and arguably the first Prime Minister of England — in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He initially taught at Chowan College before moving to Cookeville in 1973.

At Tech Calvin earned a reputation as a beloved lecturer, gifted scholar and mentor to his students. He earned the Outstanding Teaching Award among many other honors. Researching English history at Tech proved more difficult as the years passed and Calvin turned his attention to local history. Together with Homer Kemp of the English Department, they created the Upper Cumberland Institute to conduct research into the history and culture of the plateau region of Kentucky and Tennessee. The Institute provided resources for continued research and offered students the opportunity to work on a variety of projects, including architectural surveys of the region, interpretive material for state parks and local museums, and much more. Dickinson and Kemp worked together to add materials to enrich the TTU Archives. They produced a book based on the architectural surveys for the Tennessee Historical Commission entitled "Upper Cumberland Historic Architecture."

As a scholar, Calvin published dozens of articles and books. In addition to his biography of Godolphin, Calvin wrote the history of Cumberland and Morgan counties in Tennessee. He and Dr. Larry Whiteaker published two anthologies devoted to Tennessee history, a volume on the Upper Cumberland entitled "Lend an Ear: Heritage of the Tennessee Upper Cumberland" and a book about the Civil War correspondence of Cornelius Tenure. Dickinson, Whiteaker and Dr. Kent Dollar published two books dedicated to the Civil War in Kentucky and Tennessee. With Eloise Hitchcock, Calvin published two book-length bibliographies; one devoted to the history of Tennessee and the other concerning the War of Spanish Succession. He worked with Jennie Ivey on two volumes of Tennessee history targeted at high school students and developed pedagogical tools to accompany them. Dickinson and Dr. Michael Birdwell edited two anthologies about the Upper Cumberland region (and had plans to write two more books on the region before his unexpected passing). Both of those books included scholarship by former students.

One of Calvin’s last books was an investigation of the Walton Road, one of the oldest east-west thoroughfares in Tennessee. His interest in public history led Gov. Phil Bredesen to appoint Calvin to the Tennessee Historical Commission where he lent his expertise to statewide historic appreciation and preservation.  

Dr. Dickinson was dedicated to the Cookeville community and supported local arts, the Bryan Symphony Orchestra, WCTE-TV, and was a founding member of the Friends of White Plains. He believed in community service and was an exemplar Rotarian, past president of that organization and a multiple Paul Harris Fellow. A faithful member of the Cookeville United Methodist Church, he enjoyed singing in the choir.    

Calvin had a tremendous sense of humor and an infectious hearty laugh. He liked trekking through the Upper Cumberland “in search of history.” On numerous occasions he remarked, “Hey fellas, I wonder where this road goes.” More than once the roads were dead ends, but that did not matter. It was the company of friends and sense of adventure that amused him. Travel on my friend.

by Michael Birdwell
Originally published in the Herald-Citizen

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Curtiss Eugene Jolley passed away on Aug. 20, 2021 in Concord, Massachusetts. Curtiss was born on Nov. 29, 1929, in Spring City, Tennessee. He graduated from Spring City High School in 1949. While working for the Coca Cola Bottling Company of Rockwood, Tennessee, his National Guard unit was activated and he joined the U.S. Army, serving from September 1950 until his honorable discharge as a first lieutenant in August 1956. He completed The Infantry School in Fort Benning, Georgia, in December 1952 and married Katy Lou Womack of Spring City the same month. Following his Army Service, Curtiss attended Tennessee Tech University and graduated in 1957 with a degree in electrical engineering, becoming the first in his family to attend a university. He joined Du Pont de Nemours, Inc. after graduation and worked his entire career for Du Pont, working in Parkersburg, WV; Wilmington, Delaware; and in Massachusetts until his retirement in 1992.

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What do Placido Domingo, the Vienna Boys' Choir, Brenda Lee and the London Symphony Orchestra have in common? Well, it's none other than Tennessee Tech University music education alumnus Don Jackson.

Jackson studied conducting at TTU under James Wattenbarger and upon graduation became Hendersonville Junior High School's band director for 10 years. He then took a position with Iliad, a Nashville recording and music production studio. That opened the door to a job that extended to 2003, when Iliad moved to New York City. During his tenure at Iliad, Jackson conducted 48 major orchestral albums, all recorded in London with world-class orchestras: the London Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

His Platinum album credits (sales of 1 million or more) include Victoria's Secret - Classics By Request (Volumes 1-5), Nutcracker Highlights, and Hallmark Christmas (Volumes 1 and 2). Volume 2 included recordings with Placido Domingo and the Vienna Boys' Choir. Jackson's Hallmark Christmas album with Tony Bennett released in 2003 was Bennett's first holiday album recorded in 35 years.

As of 2003, only 13 true classical albums had sold more than 1 million units. Jackson conducted 8 of those albums.

He has recorded or performed with a variety of pop, country and other artists over his career. Among them are Garth Brooks, Randy Travis, Brenda Lee, Chubby Checker, Fats Domino, B.B. King, Jimmy Ruffin, Kenny Rogers, the Four Tops, The Temptations, Mary Wilson, Al Hirt, Bob Hope, pan-flutist Zamfir, Dolly Parton and Tony Bennett.

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James Slayden Love passed away July 22, 2021 at the age of 96. He attended TPI from 1947-1949.

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Jeffrey Lee Ray, `86 mechanical engineering and `89 M.S., passed away on July 26, 2021.

Jeff grew up outside of Nashville, Tennessee, and earned a Journeyman Industrial Electrician license while working at R.R. Donnelley & Sons in Gallatin, Tennessee. He then earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in mechanical engineering at Tennessee Tech University, and completed his doctorate in mechanical engineering at Vanderbilt University. He served as Dean of Engineering at Western Carolina University since 2014. Throughout his 28-year academic career, he served in many roles with the ABET and ASEE organizations and was an ASEE Fellow.

Joe Fanning shared this loving tribute about his wife Gerry Tucker Fanning, `62 human ecology, who passed away on Jan. 20, 2021:

Gerry and I were married July 7, 1962, immediately after graduation. We had dated 7 years prior to that. We enjoyed a beautiful and wonderful happy marriage for 58 ½ years. She was able to attend her 50-year class reunion a few years ago. She treasured her time at Tech. She was a poor country girl whose family wasn’t really financially able to send her. There were many stories like that back then. Gerry had a work scholarship, and Gladys Crawford was her supervisor. She was very active in the Wesley Foundation and intramural women’s basketball. She was a devout Christian and taught Sunday School and was a church pianist for most of her adult life. She was also a middle school science and health teacher until we became parents. Then she became a full-time mother, housewife and volunteer. She was a devoted golfer and served on the board of directors of Riverbend Country Club in Shelbyville, Tennessee, including two terms as president. She directed the RBCC Ladies Invitational for 21 years. This year they renamed it the “Gerry Fanning Memorial Golf Tournament,” which was played May 13.

Two of the accomplishments Gerry was proud of were serving as president to the Tennessee Methodist Women’s Organization for two terms and giving the commencement address at Martin Methodist College. Of course her greatest accomplishment, according to her, was being a good wife to me and mother to two wonderful sons, Wesley and Bret.

July 7 will be a sad day for me as we celebrate our 59th wedding anniversary (her from heaven). Then on July 19th, she will celebrate her heavenly 81st birthday.

She died on a Wednesday and was buried on Friday. Both boys live on our farm. On Sunday, when we returned from church, in a tree almost equal distance from our three houses there was a huge bald eagle sitting in a tree. We had never seen him before and haven’t seen him since. Some said that was Gerry, now our guardian angel, watching over us.

PERRY, Frankie “Fran” Womack, age 81, of Winchester, passed away on Wednesday, May 12, 2021, at Alive Hospice in Murfreesboro. She was born on Sept. 25, 1939, in McMinnville, to the late Frank Lester Womack and Ora Belle Huntley Womack. She attended Tennessee Tech, Peabody College and graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. For many years she was one of the best loved fourth grade teachers at Clark Memorial School. Fran was an avid reader, Franklin County Library Board member and a member of the Southern Tennessee Ladies Society. She loved her several bridge and book clubs and also enjoyed restoring and collecting antiques. She was an active member of Christ the King Anglican Church in Decherd. She is survived by her husband, Richard Truman Perry of Winchester; daughter, Margaret Michelle Perry (Bob) Hamilton of New Albany, Indiana; sons, Richard Bradley (Sue Anne Heins) Perry of Brentwood and Frank David (Sharon) Perry of Murfreesboro; grandchildren, William Paul Hamilton, Elizabeth Huntley Hamilton Farmer, Olivia Fran Perry, Richard Owen Perry, Leah Michelle Perry, Mary Margaret Guzik, Anne Thomas Guzik and Sarah Marie Heins Guzik. Visitation was held on Friday, May 14, 2021, from 5-8 pm at Moore-Cortner Funeral Home in Winchester. Funeral services were conducted on Saturday, May 15, 2021, at 10:30 a.m. at Christ the King Anglican Church with Father Bill Midgett officiating. Interment was in the Franklin Memorial Gardens in Winchester. Serving as pallbearers were: Steve Arnold, John Heins, Chad Morgan, Matt Carter, Joe Gipson, Robert Gipson, John Morris and Troy Cash. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to Christ the King Anglican Church Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 296, Winchester, TN 37398.

HANNAH TOM (TOMMYE) ROBNETT SCHOOLFIELD  ’78 BS special education passed away on February 11, 2018.  After earning her degree, she served in Bledsoe County Schools (1980-1994) then later substituted at Taft Youth Center, a state school for juvenile offenders until her retirement. Tommye also served on the executive board of Green Valley Developmental Center in Greenville, Tennessee.

Tommye’s teaching career was more than a job to her. Having a servant’s heart, she was seldom happier than when she was serving others. Besides helping the mentally disabled at various institutions, she found several local individuals not being served anywhere else and undertook to visit and see to their well-being. This included among others a family of disabled children who lived in the Nine Mile community in Bledsoe County and even a former high school classmate of one of her children. She discovered that this former classmate was disabled and wheel chair bound, and lived within walking distance of her home. She paid him regular visits, sometimes bringing  him pie or a cake. 

For Tommye, her work was its own reward. Seeing others being helped in some way was satisfying to her, but  occasionally like all teachers, she saw signs that their work was actually life-changing. She often spoke of the time she and her husband James, “Jimmie” were shopping in Chattanooga, when she heard a familiar voice say, “Hello Miss Tommye”. They were delightfully surprised to learn the voice was from one of Tommye’s former students/inmates from Taft Youth Center. He thanked her for being his teacher and wanted her to know he was living a new life away from crime. What could be more encouraging than to learn that your efforts had changed the life of a student much less the life of a convicted criminal? 

Other members of Tommye’s family with degrees from TTU include, two sisters (Elizabeth ‘51 history; Sue ’54 elementary education, ’73 MA elementary education), and two children (Rob ’77 BS music education; John ’81 BS chemical engineering, MA environmental engineering). Together Tommye and Jimmie had five children, seven grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren.

Pictured: Hannah Tom Schoolfield (left) with her husband of 70 years, James

Mary Etta Roaden, of Nashville, TN, passed away, Wednesday, April 21, 2021. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her. Her positive outlook on life, loving nature, and quick smile will always be a cherished memory.

 

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Lifting up generations: The legacy of Dr. Leo McGee
By Laura Clemons
Originally published in the Herald-Citizen on April 2, 2021 

It is no exaggeration to say that well before he retired from Tennessee Tech in 2007, Dr. Leo McGee had become the most distinguished and beloved administrator on campus. His wit was legendary. His grace and diplomacy taught by example; there are countless students, faculty and staff who are the beneficiaries of his mentoring.

Dr. McGee would tell you that he, too, was the beneficiary of mentors who taught him how to excel in an academic setting throughout his 30 years at the university. But he would never have made it that far if not for his family, who taught him how to navigate an environment rarely favorable to African Americans.

The son of Robert and Willie B. McGee, Leo was one of 10 children in a household reliant on low-income jobs in Crossett, a small rural town in Arkansas. Alongside his mother, he worked in the homes and yards of white people throughout his childhood. For a time, he worked in the cotton fields as well to make enough money to buy school clothes; he has said that his greatest ambition then was to out-chop even the most experienced men and women. 

As a child and as a young man, Leo was the target of racism, facing the indignities of both personal prejudices and Jim Crow, the institutionalized form of racism prevalent in the South. He marched for racial equality in downtown Little Rock in 1962, joining thousands of other young people across the country demanding social and economic justice. There were times he feared for his life. 

But what hurt more deeply than incidents aimed at him personally were the times, as a child, that he witnessed injustices suffered by his grandfather, Dan Lowe, the son of enslaved workers on an Arkansas plantation. Dan Lowe managed to survive by his wits, because he'd learned to gauge situations accurately, how to "read the tea leaves," as his grandson would say, when facing potential danger and escape, if not unscathed, then at least with his life.

Leo McGee often said that his success was due almost entirely to that lesson. 

In 1959, McGee enrolled at Philander Smith College in Little Rock, where he met the love of his life, Gloria, now also a retired Tennessee Tech faculty member. They moved north after graduation to Chicago, and from there, east for graduate studies at Ohio State, where Leo earned master's and doctoral degrees. He met a young administrator there, Arliss Roaden, who would influence the McGees' lives in ways they could only imagine. When Dr. Roaden left Ohio State for the presidency at Tennessee Tech, he kept after McGee to join him in Cookeville, and McGee -- now Dr. McGee -- finally said yes, heading back south, first to Tennessee State University from 1973 to 1977, then to Tennessee Tech. 

Dr. McGee joined the Tennessee Tech faculty as assistant dean of extended services and associate professor of education. In 1986, he was promoted to assistant vice president for academic affairs, and then associate vice president, serving two years as interim vice president -- the rank second only to the president. Of all his professional achievements, he valued most the respect he felt from the faculty. Year after year, as faculty evaluated administrators, Dr. McGee's scores stayed at or near the top.

No one worked harder or put in longer hours. He understood the absolute necessity of trying harder than the next guy if he wanted to excel. 

"Most people can’t imagine what kind of mental gymnastics one has to go through in order to succeed in a situation where you’re very much the minority," he said. "How do you continue to grow professionally in an environment like that and coming from a meager background as we did? We simply never, never ever thought of giving up. I just never gave up. A person who didn’t have a newspaper or book in his home. Father couldn’t read. That I would be associate vice president emeritus and associate professor of education, published author ... who would have thunk it."

He also understood that regardless of professional satisfaction, nothing will hold you up and give you a stronger foundation than family. He said that the single most important achievement of his life was being able to maintain a strong sense of family in a challenging environment.

"I had to understand what it took to make me happy," he said. "It’s not the money, it’s about how successful I can be in the job and whether or not my family is going to be okay."

Dr. McGee appreciated the value of asking for and offering help. Over the years, he helped steer the careers of his beloved daughters, Jennifer and Cassandra, and countless others in big ways and small -- knowing that while it's not possible to be sure of the impact, it's always worth the effort. In the past 10 years, he stayed in touch with a small group of young faculty and staff on campus in whom he saw potential. If he was ever boastful, it was about the men and women who "made good," who he was able to help professionally and personally -- knowing that because he had overcome, others could as well, with the right kind of support.

"The key to success," he said, "is getting as many mentors as you can, and that comes from being able to get along with people, from being collegial. Those who think they can do it by themselves are probably not going to survive very long. You've got to have help from other people. I learned that from my grandfather teaching me how to negotiate situations during Jim Crow, that you can't stand alone."

During his career, Dr. McGee published five scholarly books and, the closer he got to retirement, began to write and publish more personal essays and books. One of those was about the lessons learned from his grandfather Dan Lowe, who he called "Papa."

"Papa had lots of stories and wisdom to pass on," Leo wrote. "He made me feel like a complete person, a dearly loved person, a person who was being coached and admonished at the same time about the dangers that lurked around the corner for a young Negro man in the South -- the habitat of that wicked beast, Jim Crow. Dan Lowe has been my hero for all these years. Heroes in our lives are individuals that stand high above the masses simply because of who they are. They have the unique ability to inspire us to pursue mountainous goals. I was fortunate enough to be at the side of my hero for many years."

Men and women throughout this community and much farther afield have said precisely the same thing about Dr. Leo McGee. 

Dr. Carl A Ventrice, Sr. passed away on Sunday morning, December 27, 2020, at the age of 90. He had served as a faculty member at Tennessee Tech for over 45 years, retiring from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in 2011.

He was born on August 7, 1930 in York, Pennsylvania. During his high school years, he had trained as a machinist, but soon realized after graduating from high school that it would be difficult to find a job in that field with so many men returning from service from World War II. Therefore, he decided to join the Navy in 1948 because he felt that this would give him a great opportunity to explore the world and learn a new profession. Since WWII had just ended, he believed that the chance of seeing any armed conflict would be low. He was trained as an electrician and the first ship he served on was the USS Chehalis, a tanker ship that supplied air fields in the Pacific theater. While off-loading aviation fuel in Samoa in 1949, his ship exploded, resulting in the loss of six of his fellow seamen. His next ship was a rocket vessel. While stationed in Japan, the Korean War broke out, and he ended up seeing service in the defense of the Pusan Perimeter, the Inchon Invasion, and the evacuation of the Chosin Reservoir. He was then assigned to a troop transport ship and was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1952. 

Following his Navy service, he was hired as an electrician in his hometown of York, Pennsylvania. Shortly after he was hired, the GI Bill was extended to Korean War veterans. Although he had a well-paid secure job, he decided to attend college and was the first Korean War veteran to apply for the GI bill in York county. He started his undergraduate studies in electrical engineering at Pennsylvania State University in 1952. He obtained a B.S. degree in electrical engineering in 1956 and then went on to graduate school in physics at Penn State. The research for his M.S. degree was in the area of electromagnetic wave scattering from the Earth’s ionosphere. His research for his Ph.D. was in nuclear physics. Just after he started his Ph.D. research, the lab director informed all of the students that there would be cuts in the number of positions being funded due to a reduction in federal funding because President Eisenhower had decided to put a bigger emphasis on applied research over basic research.  Shortly after this, Sputnik was launched (October 1957), and the federal government made an abrupt change in funding priorities for research, prioritizing basic research over applied research. As a result of this, the nuclear physics lab at Penn State had more funding than they knew how to spend. Therefore, he no longer had to worry about his funding during the rest of his tenure as a graduate student. While studying at Penn State, he met his future wife, Marie Busck. The two were married on January 25, 1960. 

As he was finishing his graduate studies, he began searching for a job. His dream job was to be a researcher at General Electric’s research center in Schenectady, New York, which was one of the top corporate research laboratories in the world at that time.  He landed an interview with them but did not hear back from them by the time that he graduated with his Ph.D. in December 1962.  Since his wife Marie was pregnant with their second child, he decided to accept a job offer from Analytic Services, which is a defense contractor in Washington, DC. About two weeks after starting this job, he got a job offer from GE, but since he had already started the job at Analytic Services, he declined the offer. Although the work at Analytic Services was interesting, it was not possible to publish his research since it was classified. In addition, he had developed a passion for teaching while he was a graduate student at Penn State.  While attending an American Physical Society meeting in 1964, he was recruited for a faculty position in the Physics Department at Tennessee Tech, which was known as Tennessee Polytechnic Institute at that time.  He started as a faculty member at Tech in the fall of 1964. During this time, his wife Marie studied to earn her B.S. degree in engineering science and mechanics. Although he enjoyed teaching in the Physics Department, the university did not have any Ph.D. programs at that time. Therefore, his research opportunities were limited at Tech. In 1966, he accepted a position as a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at Auburn University. While at Auburn, his wife obtained an M.S. degree in mechanical engineering. In 1968, Tennessee Tech obtained approval from the State of Tennessee for a Ph.D. program in Engineering. Dr. Wallace Prescott, who was the Dean of Faculties at Tech at that time (and later became provost, and then president of Tech), contacted Dr. Ventrice to let him know of the new Ph.D. program and convinced him to return back to Tech. Dr. Ventrice returned to Cookeville in the summer of 1968 to become a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering. Shortly after returning to Tech, his wife Marie began her Ph.D. studies in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. She graduated with the first Ph.D. degree awarded at Tennessee Tech in 1974 and then began as a faculty member in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. She eventually became the Associate Dean of Engineering.

Dr. Ventrice had a very productive career at Tech, teaching electrical engineering and physics students and doing research in the areas of plasma science, laser technology, and electromagnetic field propagation and scattering. He was honored with Tennessee Tech’s Outstanding Faculty Award in Teaching and the Brown-Henderson Outstanding Engineering Faculty Award. During his tenure at Tech, he directed the research of over 30 graduate students.  At the age of 81, he decided to officially retire from Tennessee Tech because of he no longer had the stamina to teach a full load of classes.  He then continued to teach one class per semester as a service to the university until he had to stop teaching in 2013 because of failing health. He passed away on December 27, 2020.  He was preceded in death by his wife, who died from cancer in 2003.