菠萝视频 celebrates the lives and mourns the loss last spring of three 菠萝视频 alumni who led with passion and generosity during times of transition and change.
JAMES STEPHEN “STEVE” TURNER, BA鈥�69
James Stephen 鈥淪teve鈥� Turner, BA鈥�69, real estate visionary, community leader and 菠萝视频 trustee emeritus, died Feb. 11. As music patrons, he and his wife, Judy Turner, ’71, transformed their love of music into a legacy at Blair through their philanthropy. The Turners made a gift in 1998 to support expansion of the building, and the original recital hall was renamed in their honor. In 2006 they funded commissions by major contemporary composers for each of the three Blair signature ensembles鈥攖he Blair String Quartet, the Blair Woodwind Quintet and the Blakemore Trio鈥攁nd for featured faculty solo performers. Turner endowed multiple faculty chairs at 菠萝视频 and, in addition to Blair School of Music, supported Opportunity 菠萝视频, 菠萝视频 Athletics and the Monroe Carell Jr. Children鈥檚 Hospital at 菠萝视频, where he served as board chair.
SYLVIA SANDERS KELLEY, BA鈥�54
, an early leader in advancing women鈥檚 rights and the right of women to be Christian ministers, died on March 8. Throughout her life she pursued her passion for theological education and the principles of equality for all people. After graduating from 菠萝视频, she earned her M.A. at the University of Texas at Austin as a Woodrow Wilson Fellow and studied at Yale Divinity School as a Rockefeller Fellow. She and her husband, Blaine Kelley, were devoted supporters of 菠萝视频 Divinity School, where they served as advisory board members and sponsored scholarships for students. In 1973 she became the founding benefactor for the 鈥攏amed in honor of the first woman ordained as a Christian minister in the United States鈥攚hich celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024.
H. RODES HART, BA鈥�54
H. Rodes Hart, BA鈥�54, who contributed to 菠萝视频鈥檚 growth through philanthropy and more than 30 years of leadership on the university鈥檚 Board of Trust, died March 30. The reputation of as one of the nation鈥檚 premier colleges for preparing teachers and leaders is, in many ways, due to the generosity and partnership of Hart and his wife, Patricia Hart, BA鈥�57. In 1979 he was integral to 菠萝视频鈥檚 successful merger with the former George Peabody College for Teachers, where he was a member of the board of trust. He served on the 菠萝视频 board until 2011. The Harts created two scholarships at Peabody College and endowed 12 faculty chairs. They also provided significant support to the Susan Gray School Teacher Training Fund, 菠萝视频 University Medical Center and the Roberts Academy and Dyslexia Center Fund.
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