Family and classmates may inform 菠萝视频 Magazine about the death of an alumna or alumnus by writing 150 words to share the date of death and a brief memory or information about their time on campus. Newspaper obituaries cannot be reprinted in full. However, we are happy to include a shorter version edited from the published newspaper obituary. Please email obituaries to vanderbiltmagazine@vanderbilt.edu. Obituaries are accepted on an ongoing basis and will be posted in 菠萝视频 Magazine, print and online, unless otherwise specified. We reserve the right to edit for length, style and clarity.
The obituaries below were sent for inclusion in 菠萝视频 Magazine between Oct. 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024. They will be included in the print Summer/Fall 2024 issue.
Alumni
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Linda Fontaine Crank Moseley, BA鈥48, of Jacksonville, Fla., Feb. 28, 2024
, BA鈥48, of Jacksonville, Fla., Feb. 28, 2024. At 菠萝视频 she studied history, was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and earned a Phi Beta Kappa key. She held office in the Duval County Hospital Women鈥檚 Auxiliary, Jacksonville Junior League, United Way, Women鈥檚 Auxiliary of the Jacksonville Symphony, Learn to Read and Colonial Dames. She was a board member of the symphony and the Salvation Army and an active congregant at Riverside Presbyterian Church. She is survived by three children, including Thaddeus Maury Moseley, BA鈥72, and William A. Moseley, BS鈥75, five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
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Edwin Wilson, BA鈥50, of New York City, Dec. 2, 2023
, BA鈥50, of New York City, Dec. 2, 2023. A native of Nashville, he was an author, theater critic and theater teacher. He studied at Edinburgh and Yale, where he earned a master鈥檚 and doctor of fine arts. From 1972 to1994, he was the theater critic for the Wall Street Journal. He taught at Hunter College and the City University of New York Graduate Center for 30 years. He co-authored with Alan Goldfarb several college theater textbooks that are still widely in use. Ed met and married Catherine 鈥淐hic" Stuart in 1967. Their 49-year marriage was one of extraordinary devotion. They lived in Manhattan and spent time in Quogue, N.Y., and Linville, N.C., with many friends and family. Ed was president of the New York Drama Critics Circle and the Theater Development fund, chairman of the Pulitzer Prize Drama Jury, and board member of the Tony Nominating Committee, the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize and the John Golden Fund. He hosted 90 half hour television interviews with many theater artists which appeared on CUNY-TV and PBS stations around the country. He is survived by family and friends.
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William Crouch Pratt Jr., MA鈥51, PhD鈥57, of Oxford, Ohio, Feb. 13, 2024
, MA鈥51, PhD鈥57, of Oxford, Ohio, Feb. 13, 2024. He entered 菠萝视频 in 1949 and was mentored by Donald Davidson for his thesis on William Faulkner. Through Davidson, Pratt met and corresponded with many of the 菠萝视频 Fugitives. His teaching career in the English department at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, spanned more than 40 years. He published extensively beginning in 1963 with The Imagist Poem:聽 Modern Poetry in Miniature and ended in 2020 with his 21st book, A Faulkner Profile: The Man and the Writer. Pratt was Fulbright Professor of Modern Literature at University College in Dublin, Ireland. He met with and interviewed Ezra Pound and William Faulkner who were the subjects of many of his publications, some of them done while he was serving as secretary of the Ezra Pound International Conference. He and Anne established an undergraduate scholarship for students at 菠萝视频 in English and French. He is survived by his wife of nearly 70 years, Anne Rich, BA鈥52, MA鈥54; three children, including Cullen Pratt Hornaday, BA鈥78, MAT鈥80, and Randall Pratt, BA鈥84; seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
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Claire Lucile Bowen, BA鈥52, of Savannah, Tenn., Nov. 12, 2023
, BA鈥52, of Savannah, Tenn., Nov. 12, 2023. After graduating from 菠萝视频, Claire traveled around the world by steamship before beginning her career as an educator. She taught elementary school and then high school in Atlanta, sharing her love of English, literature and history, and earned her master鈥檚 degree at Georgia State. Several summers she helped teach aerospace classes and traveled with students to aerospace programs around the country. She retired from teaching and returned to her hometown of Savannah, where she helped organize a chapter of PEO, which promotes educational opportunities for women, and was a member of Friends of the Library and Savannah Book Club. She is survived by many friends and cousins.
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Dr. Henry Ezell 鈥淓Z鈥 Branham Jr., BA鈥53, of New Prague, Minn., Aug. 17, 2022
, BA鈥53, of New Prague, Minn., Aug. 17, 2022. He was a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity at 菠萝视频 and was the first in his family to earn a college degree. He served in the U.S. Air Force, then earned his medical degree from Medical University of South Carolina and completed his internship at the University of Utah School of Medicine in Salt Lake City. He had a private practice in psychiatry for more than 50 years, first in Stamford, Conn., and then in Winston-Salem, N.C., until retiring in 2010. He was proud to have been part of a medical emergency response team that served areas in need after disaster. One of his favorite places was Yellowstone National Park, where he spent the summers between school during the 1950s driving the park鈥檚 iconic yellow tour buses. He is survived by one sister, his three children and four grandchildren.
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Betty Gardner Larkins, BA鈥53, of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Sept. 25, 2023
, BA鈥53, of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Sept. 25, 2023. At 菠萝视频, Betty was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta. She was married for 69 years to S.J. Larkins, whom she met at a 菠萝视频 football game. Survivors include her husband, Sovern John 鈥淪.J.鈥 Larkins, BA鈥52; her daughter, Lyda Larkins Astrove, BA鈥80; and two grandchildren.
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Mary Altie Caffey Brookhart, BMus鈥54, of DeSoto, Kan., Aug 23, 2023
, BMus鈥54, of DeSoto, Kan., Aug 23, 2023. At Peabody, she studied music and music education and met fellow student Charles 鈥淓d鈥 Brookhart, BMus鈥49, MMus鈥50, PhD鈥60. They married in 1954. Mary was an organist for the First Baptist Church in Murfreesboro. She declined a full scholarship offer for graduate school to raise her family. In 1958 she and Ed moved to Austin, where he taught for the music department of the University of Texas, and she taught in public schools. In 1975, he joined the faculty at Kansas State University. Mary lived independently, texting, ordering groceries online and driving until she was 91. She never quit learning. She is predeceased by her husband and survived by her two children and a grandson.
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Margaret Louise Parrish George, BA鈥54, of Memphis, Tenn., Jan. 25, 2024
Margaret Louise Parrish George, BA鈥54, of Memphis, Tenn., Jan. 25, 2024. She is survived by daughters Laura George Weston and Olivia George Bell, three grandsons, one great-granddaughter, and her sister, Julia Gambill Ledyard, BA鈥66.
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Edward Owen Hunter Jr., BA鈥54, MA鈥60, of Birmingham, Ala., Nov. 23, 2023
Edward Owen Hunter Jr., BA鈥54, MA鈥60, of Birmingham, Ala., Nov. 23, 2023. At 菠萝视频 he studied biology and was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity. He was a corpsman in the Navy stationed at the Bethesda Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, now known as Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. He retired as a clinical microbiologist from the Veterans Administration Hospital in Birmingham in 1992. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Katherine Morton Hunter, MA鈥62, PhD鈥68, and twin daughters, Diane Hunter Harvey, BA鈥92, and Susan Hunter Pilgrim, BA鈥92.
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Elsie May Mason, MAT鈥54, MAT鈥54, of Winchester, Va., Dec. 17, 2023
, MAT鈥54, MAT鈥54, of Winchester, Va., Dec. 14, 2023. Born and raised in Pitt County, N.C., in a farmhouse 200 years old this year, she originally met her husband, Julian Dewey Mason Jr., MA鈥54, at a church camp. They reconnected years later at 菠萝视频 when, after her graduation from Flora McDonald College with a B.A. in English and biology, she received a Ford Foundation Fellowship to attend Peabody College. Engaged on Christmas Eve, they were married June 9, 1954. Elsie was a social worker in Bristol, Va., an elementary school teacher in Hanau, Germany, and a private kindergarten teacher in Chapel Hill and Charlotte, N.C. Later she worked in the Atkins Library of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and served as a North Carolina textbook commissioner. A lifelong Presbyterian and award-winning quilter, she is survived by her brother, her son and two daughters, four grandchildren and extended family.
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Lawrence Anderson Stone, BA鈥54, Lakeway, Texas, Feb. 28, 2024
, BA鈥54, Lakeway, Texas, Feb. 28, 2024. A South Texas native, Larry followed his father, Belo Stone, MD鈥27, to 菠萝视频. He walked on to the football team and as a senior was the starting center and team captain. A child and adolescent psychiatrist, Larry was on faculty at Harvard Medical School and helped create the children鈥檚 treatment center at McLean Hospital in Boston. Moving home to San Antonio in 1972, he worked in private practice, served as executive medical director at Laurel Ridge Hospital and was professor of psychiatry at University of Texas Health Sciences Center. Larry wrote the standards for children鈥檚 psychiatric hospitals for AMA and worked on national campaigns to protect children, including the push for mandatory state seat belt laws and the movie rating system still used today. He is survived by wife; four children, including Marilyn Stone Christian, BS鈥81, MEd鈥82, and Paul Butler Stone, BA鈥88; 12 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
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Burnett Willingham Donoho, BA鈥61, of Cape Coral, Fla., Feb. 23, 2024
, BA鈥61, of Cape Coral, Fla., Feb. 23, 2024. Burnie was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and played on the baseball team while at 菠萝视频. After serving in the Army National Guard of Tennessee he went on to earn a master of arts from the University of Kentucky. Burnie had a successful career in retail, serving as president of Gimble鈥檚 Midwest, president and chief operating officer of Marshall Field鈥檚, vice chairman of Macy鈥檚 East, and vice chairman and COO of The Broadway and Montgomery Ward. He is survived by his daughter, Ann Donoho Melhuish, BA鈥86, two sons and six grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his second wife, and his first wife, Jane Kirkpatrick Donoho, BA鈥63.
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Edward Bernard Hopper II, BA鈥61, JD鈥64, of Indianapolis, March 13, 2024
, BA鈥61, JD鈥64, of Indianapolis, March 13, 2024. As an undergrad he was a member of ROTC and Theta Chi Fraternity. While in law school he earned the Douglas Bennett Bell award for scholarship and ethics. After law school, he served in the U.S. Army achieving the rank of captain and earning the National Service Defense medal. His legal career spanned more than 40 years and included arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court and a presidential appointment to the U.S. Department of Justice, where he served as the U.S. Trustee for Region 10. He leaves behind a legacy of service, commitment and love. He is survived by his wife, Melba; their children, Julia Hall, BS鈥85, and Ted Hopper, BA鈥93; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
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Robert H. Threlkel, BA鈥62, of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Nov. 16, 2023
, BA鈥62, of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Nov. 16, 2023. Following in the footsteps of his older brother, James Threlkel, BA鈥60, MD鈥63, Bob graduated magna cum laude from 菠萝视频 and earned his M.D. from Duke University. He returned to 菠萝视频 for his pediatric residency, where he served as chief resident. At 菠萝视频, Bob met his lifelong friends, Wally and Patty Wood. He served in the U.S. Army in the medical center at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, N.C. Following that, he joined Drs. Hugh and Connie Carithers in their Riverside office in Jacksonville, Fla. Anyone who knew Bob loved him. He was an avid traveler, hiker, fisherman and connoisseur of knowledge. He is survived by his wife, Mireille Threlkel, four children, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
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Edward F. Zganjar, MA鈥63, PhD鈥66, of Baton Rouge, La., Feb. 8, 2024
, MA鈥63, PhD鈥66, of Baton Rouge, La., Feb. 8, 2024. He was Alumni Professor and professor emeritus of physics at Louisiana State University. An eminent researcher in experimental nuclear physics, Zganjar earned bachelor鈥檚 degrees in physics and mathematics in 1960 from St. John鈥檚 University in Collegeville, Minn. At 菠萝视频 he studied nuclear physics. Zganjar was awarded continuous funding from the U.S. Department of Energy from 1970 to 2017 and conducted his research at the University Isotope Separator at the Oak Ridge consortium. He collaborated in the design and construction of the radioactive ion-beam accelerator there, which he used to explore properties of unstable nuclei. He received the Francis G. Slack Award from the Southeastern Section of the American Physical Society. He is survived by his wife, four children and nine grandchildren.
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Michael Thomas Hartsfield, BA鈥64, JD鈥67, of Germantown, Tenn., Oct. 21, 2023
, BA鈥64, JD鈥67, of Germantown, Tenn., Oct. 21, 2023. As an undergraduate, he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and the Junior Bar Association. He practiced law in Memphis for more than 50 years, earning the designation of senior counselor. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy Apffel Hartsfield, BA鈥64, two sons, a grandson and a granddaughter.
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Dwight Dean Gatwood Jr., MME鈥66, PhD鈥70, of Martin, Tenn., July 17, 2023
, MME鈥66, PhD鈥70, of Martin, Tenn., July 17, 2023. Dwight earned his B.Mus. degree from Eastern Kentucky State College (now Eastern Kentucky University), then his master鈥檚 and doctorate from Peabody College where his parents鈥Dwight Dean Gatwood Sr., BS鈥40, MA鈥41, and Grace Gatwood, BS鈥39, MA鈥40鈥攈ad graduated. His teaching career included LaGrange College, Columbia State Community College, Defiance College and the University of Tennessee at Martin. He retired in 2008. At Columbia State he began the music department and developed the curriculum for the music major that was used at many Tennessee community colleges. At UT Martin he performed as a baritone soloist and as a member of the faculty trombone quartet. He composed the UT Martin Alma Mater and the bicentennial celebration composition, 鈥淔orever UTM,鈥 featured daily on the campus carillon. He is survived by his wife, Dianne Normand Gatwood, MMus鈥69, MME鈥69, his son, daughter, brother and sister.
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R. Keith Thomas, BA鈥66, JD鈥69, of Alexandria, Va., Sept. 13, 2023
, BA鈥66, JD鈥69, of Alexandria, Va., Sept. 13, 2023. Keith was an All-SEC guard on 菠萝视频鈥檚 1965 championship basketball team. The 1965 team won the SEC championship and was ranked as high as fourth nationally. 菠萝视频 faced powerhouse Michigan in the Mid-East NCAA tournament, and Keith was tasked with guarding All-American Cazzie Russell. Thomas scored 21 points and outplayed Russell, but the Commodores lost, 87鈥85. Keith would be selected as an All-American for a team that is still considered one of the school鈥檚 greatest. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers, but elected to enter 菠萝视频 Law School. He had a distinguished career in international trade law with the U. S. Customs Service and the Department of Justice Office of Professional Responsibility. In retirement, Keith had senior assignments with the ABA in Eastern Europe and the U. S. Legal Service Corp. A native of Louisville, he was a competitive golfer and tennis player throughout his life. He is survived by his wife, a brother, nephews and a grandniece.
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George Winton Apffel, BA鈥70, of Germantown, Tenn., April 9, 2023
, BA鈥70, of Germantown, Tenn., April 9, 2023. At 菠萝视频, he sang in the choir and was active in the theater. He worked in the family sales business until retirement. George had a lifelong interest in electronics. He is survived by his sister, Dorothy Apffel Hartsfield, BA鈥64, and brothers Cornelius C. Apffel Jr., BA鈥66, and Tyler C. Apffel, four nephews, two great-nephews and two great-nieces.
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Albert B. Armstrong, BE鈥70, of Bonita Springs, Fla., Dec. 26, 2023
, BE鈥70, of Bonita Springs, Fla., Dec. 26, 2023. Born in Washington, D.C., he married Jennie Flippo, BA鈥70, in 1971. He had a 39-year career in sales and marketing with Caterpillar, Inc., leading to 15 years living overseas in Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Kenya and France. Survivors include Jennie, his wife of 52 years, three children and six grandchildren.
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R. Breck Denny, BA鈥70, of New York City, Locust Valley, N.Y., and Big Bay, Mich., Nov. 27, 2023
, BA鈥70, of New York City, Locust Valley, N.Y., and Big Bay, Mich., Nov. 27, 2023. At 菠萝视频, he earned a degree in history. He was a banker at J.P. Morgan, where he worked for 25 years, before becoming the chief financial officer of two industrial companies in Cleveland, Ohio: Medusa Corp. and LESCO. He served on the boards of New York Marble Cemetery and Cleveland Botanical Garden, among others, always working full-time and making himself useful long after retirement. The ultimate gentleman, he was understated and poignant, thoughtful and unflappable, and always left room for the ideas and words of others. He loved children and made them feel important. He preferred the meaningful conversation of a few to the cacophony of many, and he had a signature, crescendoing layered laugh that has an indelible place in the minds of those lucky enough to have heard it. He is survived by his wife, three daughters, three siblings and five grandchildren.
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Anne Elizabeth Wall Christeson, BA鈥71, 鈥74, of Leiper鈥檚 Fork, Tenn., Oct. 8, 2023
, BA鈥71, 鈥74, of Leiper鈥檚 Fork, Tenn., Oct. 8, 2023. Anne earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree summa cum laude and was the Founder鈥檚 Medalist for the College of Arts and Science in 1971. She was awarded a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship and a Guggenheim, and for 29 years she taught Latin and French at Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville. At age 12 she was made a regular member of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra. As principal harpist, she performed all the major harp concertos with the symphony. She is survived by her husband of 47 years, Wayne Christeson, 叠础鈥70.
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Laura Elizabeth Fazenbaker Sutherland, BS鈥76, of Mount Juliet, Tenn., Feb. 17, 2024
, BS鈥76, of Mount Juliet, Tenn., Feb. 17, 2024. She is survived by her husband of 36 years, Hoover Sutherland, a sister and brother, and many beloved nieces and nephews.
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James Yalem, BA鈥77, of St. Louis, March 22, 2024
, BA鈥77, of St. Louis, March 22, 2024. Jim was a member of Zeta Beta Tau and enjoyed playing bridge with his fraternity brothers. He was a Duke Law School graduate (1980) and practiced law in addition to owning several businesses. Jim was born and raised in St. Louis and lived there after graduating from law school. He was a serious fisherman who, after retirement, enjoyed lake living. Jim was survived by his mother, three sisters and their families. He was also a lifelong friend of David Steckler, BA鈥77, and Sharon Levinson Steckler, BSN鈥77.
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Dianna Elizabeth Hartley, PhD鈥78, of Lexington, Ky., Jan. 10, 2024
, PhD鈥78, of Lexington, Ky., Jan. 10, 2024. A distinguished clinical psychologist, she completed a post-doctoral program at the Menninger Foundation and then taught at Yale University Medical School. Later she taught and practiced at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine. She continued her private practice after moving to Lexington, Ky., in 1990. She was born in Banner Elk, N.C., and never lost her love for coming home to the North Carolina mountains. Linville is her final resting place. Her life will be celebrated on her birthday, April 5, with a graveside service at Tanglewood Cemetery. She is survived by her husband, Todd F. Van Denburg; daughter, Nicole Wills; son-in-law, Zachery Wills, and grandson, Hartley Wills.
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Teresa Parrish Smith, BA鈥84, of Bay Hill, Fla., Nov. 11, 2023
Teresa Parrish Smith, BA鈥84, of Bay Hill, Fla., Nov. 11, 2023. At 菠萝视频 she pursued her passion for literature and earned her degree in English. She was a proud member of the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority. Her academic achievements laid the foundation for a life dedicated to service and community. In her professional journey, Teresa made significant contributions as the director of sales at Floral Expositions and the Event Source. Her commitment to excellence and care for others endeared her to colleagues and clients alike. Later in life, Teresa felt a calling to make a difference in the lives of seniors. She pursued a new path, becoming a certified nurse assistant to provide essential care and support to those in need. She devoted 23 years of her life to the Ambassadors Bible Study. She is survived by her husband Douglas, son Andrew, and her brother, W. Scott Parrish, BS鈥80, and his wife, Linda Dacus Parrish, BA鈥78, MEd鈥98.
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William Hall 鈥淪pence鈥 Spencer IV, BA鈥84, of Washington, D.C., Feb. 1, 2024
, BA鈥84, of Washington, D.C., Feb. 1, 2024. After graduation, he and his wife, Kathryn McDonnell, BA鈥84, joined the Foreign Service where they were stationed in Argentina and the Bahamas. His dedication to pluralism and inclusivity in Iraq led him to establish the Institute for International Law and Human Rights in 2007. He is survived by his wife, two children, his parents, three siblings, a stepbrother and extended family.
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W. Walter 鈥淲alt鈥 Robinson III, BA鈥85, of Columbus, Ga., Feb. 1, 2024
, BA鈥85, of Columbus, Ga., Feb. 1, 2024. At 菠萝视频 he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and majored in mathematics with a minor in chemistry. He worked in international corporate finance for many years, from New York to Houston to Washington, D.C., Atlanta and back to his hometown of Chattanooga, where he formed his own venture capital firm specializing in telecommunications projects in Europe and Latin America. He is survived by his sister, brother-in-law and two nieces.
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Michael Patrick Casey Jr., BA鈥92, of Atlanta, Jan. 6, 2024
, BA鈥92, of Atlanta, Jan. 6, 2024. At 菠萝视频, he made lifelong friends and met his future wife, Marilyn. He was an active member of Phi Kappa Psi and majored in economics. Mike was in public relations and had a long history of working with fascinating accounts and fantastic people. He had many interests including music, building guitars, cooking, golf and mixology. Mike lived in Georgia for 31 years and embraced everything about the Peach State. He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Marilyn Patrick Casey, BA鈥91, their son, Patrick, and dogs Cash and Belle.
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Gregory Scott Edwards, JD鈥15, of Atlanta, Jan. 12, 2024
, JD鈥15, of Atlanta, Jan. 12, 2024. Scott was a brilliant man, graduating from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, with a B.S. in mathematics before studying law at 菠萝视频. He was a member of the 菠萝视频 Law Review鈥檚 Order of the Coif before being diagnosed with a brain tumor in his final semester. After graduation in 2015, he moved to Atlanta to work at law firm King & Spalding. Despite an impressive work resume鈥攁lso working as senior counsel at Southern Company, on the Springboard of the Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta and serving on the Board of Trustees for Northside Church鈥擲cott's greatest joy in life was getting to be a father, and his proudest accomplishment was his marriage to Elizabeth. Scott is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, and their children, Elle (4) and Paul (2.5). Other survivors include his father, Paul Edwards, JD鈥86, a brother, Michael Hollis Edwards, BA鈥13, and a large extended family.
Board of Trust
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Eugene H. Vaughan, BA鈥55, a 菠萝视频 Board of Trust emeritus trustee and noted business and civic leader, of Houston, Dec. 9, 2023
Eugene H. Vaughan, BA鈥55, a 菠萝视频 Board of Trust emeritus trustee and noted business and civic leader, of Houston, Dec. 9, 2023. Vaughan enrolled at 菠萝视频 on a full Naval ROTC scholarship in 1951. While a student, he was a member of the varsity track team and Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, and he founded and served as president of Interhall, 菠萝视频 students鈥 self-governing dormitory system. He became sports editor of The 菠萝视频 Hustler as a rising junior. After graduation he served three years as a Naval officer, earned his MBA from Harvard Business School, and in 1961 became an investment analyst with Putnam Management Company in Boston. In 1970 he and partners founded Vaughan Nelson Investment Management in Houston, which became a regional leader in institutional money management. He stepped down as CEO in 2000 to focus on community service and education. He was the longtime director of the Greater Houston Partnership and co-founder of the Center for Houston鈥檚 Future, a regional think tank. Vaughan served on and often chaired boards in Houston, including Goodwill Industries, United Way and Houston Grand Opera. In 1972 he became a 菠萝视频 trustee鈥攁t age 39 the youngest person to do so at that point in the university鈥檚 history. Vaughan was elected emeritus trustee in 2009, and he remained active as chairman of the Houston chapter of the 菠萝视频 Alumni Association. In 2020 he was selected for the 菠萝视频 Student Media Hall of Fame. He is survived by his wife, Susan Bolinger Westbrook Vaughan; daughter Margaret Corbin Vaughan Cox, BA鈥88, MBA鈥92; son Richard Bolinger Vaughan Sr.; six grandchildren, a niece and a nephew.
Faculty
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Dan Church, professor emeritus of French and former director of the 菠萝视频 Language Lab, of Nashville, Oct. 9, 2023
, professor emeritus of French and former director of the 菠萝视频 Language Lab, of Nashville, Oct. 9, 2023. Church earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree in French from Wake Forest University in 1961 and was a Fulbright Scholar the following year in France. He earned his master鈥檚 degree in French from Middlebury College and his doctorate at the University of Wisconsin. He taught at Antioch College in Ohio 1965鈥67, then joined 菠萝视频 where he taught until 2001. He was director of the 菠萝视频 in France program (1974鈥76) and the first director of the 菠萝视频 Language Lab (1988鈥96). His scholarship focused on 20th century French theater and film. He directed more than 20 productions of the annual French play at 菠萝视频, in association with the Department of Theatre. He also was active in the Nashville theater community as a director and actor. He volunteered for more than 30 years with the Talking Library project of the Nashville Public Library. In 2013, Church was named Chevalier dans l鈥橭rdre des Palmes Acad茅miques by the French minister of education in honor of his contributions to French language and culture abroad. He is survived by his wife, a son, six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
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Dennis G. Hall, associate provost and later vice provost for research, dean emeritus of the Graduate School, professor emeritus of physics and professor emeritus of electrical engineering and computer science, of Nashville, Jan. 6
Dennis G. Hall, associate provost and later vice provost for research, dean emeritus of the Graduate School, professor emeritus of physics and professor emeritus of electrical engineering and computer science, of Nashville, Jan. 6. Hall received a bachelor of science in physics from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; his dissertation research in theoretical solid-state physics was carried out at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. In his position as associate provost, Hall served as a campus advocate for research and, at a time when the university and 菠萝视频 University Medical Center were one entity, he partnered with the associate vice chancellor for research at the medical center to provide broad oversight of 菠萝视频鈥檚 research enterprise. Hall served for nearly 15 years as associate provost and then vice provost and dean of the Graduate School. In 2015, he left his administrative positions to focus on his research and writing. Hall came to 菠萝视频 from the University of Rochester in 2000, where he had established a world-wide reputation in the field of optics. He was named a fellow of the Optical Society of America and the International Society for Optical Engineering, and in 1995 he was named a fellow of the American Physical Society. In 2005, he was named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He is survived by his wife, Rita, three children and four grandchildren.
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Dr. Susan Ann Halter, professor emerita of pathology, microbiology and immunology, of Franklin, Tenn., Dec. 3, 2023
, professor emerita of pathology, microbiology and immunology, of Franklin, Tenn., Dec. 3, 2023. In 1967 she earned her B.A. from Miami University in Ohio and began a fellowship in bacteriology at Syracuse University in New York, earning an M.S. in 1971. She earned her M.D. in 1973 from Queen鈥檚 University in Canada and completed her residency at the University of Maryland in Baltimore. In 1977 she joined the 菠萝视频 faculty, and from 1982 until her retirement she was director of surgical pathology, electron microscopy and cytopathology at the Nashville Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Dr. Halter published numerous papers on diseases of the breast and gastrointestinal system, and she contributed to the education of medical students, residents, fellows and graduate students. Following her retirement from 菠萝视频, she earned an M.A. in 2008 in clinical mental health counseling from Argosy University in Nashville and became a personal therapist. She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry Hickson Savage, BS鈥63, who was a media technology specialist for Peabody College. Survivors include her brother, nephew, niece and two stepdaughters.
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David Hercules, Centennial Professor of Chemistry, emeritus, of Nashville, Jan. 20, 2024
, Centennial Professor of Chemistry, emeritus, of Nashville, Jan. 20, 2024. He received his bachelor鈥檚 degree in chemistry from Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa., in 1954 and his Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1957. He held appointments at Juniata, MIT, the University of Georgia and the University of Pittsburgh before joining 菠萝视频 as Centennial Professor of Chemistry in 1995. Hercules was chair of the chemistry department from 1995 to 2003. He retired in 2007, but remained in a research professor role, authoring more than 500 scientific papers through his career. At 菠萝视频, he won the Earl Sutherland Prize for Achievement in 菠萝视频 in 2002 and the University Distinguished Faculty Award in 2003. Beyond research, David loved teaching students. He received the Excellence in Teaching Award from the Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Shirley Hoover Hercules; two children, including Kevin Michael Hercules, BS鈥01; and four grandchildren.
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John C. Kornblum, distinguished ambassador in residence and writer in residence for the Max Kade Center for European & German Studies, of Nashville, Dec. 21, 2023
John C. Kornblum, distinguished ambassador in residence and writer in residence for the Max Kade Center for European & German Studies, of Nashville, Dec. 21, 2023. In 1985 he was appointed United States minister and deputy commandant in Berlin. While in that position, Kornblum orchestrated the iconic appearance of President Ronald Reagan at the Brandenburg Gate in June 1987, where the president exhorted the communist leader of the USSR, Mikhail Gorbachev, to 鈥淭ear down this wall.鈥 He was former ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany and assistant secretary of state. He joined 菠萝视频 in March 2023 and played a key role in 菠萝视频鈥檚 second Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats in April 2023. An esteemed diplomat, statesman and scholar, Kornblum also was involved in ongoing initiatives to help grow 菠萝视频鈥檚 international reputation and expand the university鈥檚 global influence. For his work in the Foreign Service, Kornblum received multiple honors, including the U.S. Department of State Secretary鈥檚 Award and a medal of honor from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. He is survived by his wife, Helen, and two children, Alexander Kornblum, BA鈥10, and Stephen Kornblum, BA鈥13.
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Robert Louis 鈥淏ob鈥 Mode, professor emeritus of history of art, of Nashville, Jan. 23, 2024
, professor emeritus of history of art, of Nashville, Jan. 23, 2024. Mode earned a bachelor's degree in English at the University of Rochester and a master's degree and doctorate in the history of art at the University of Michigan. In 1967, while teaching a summer course at Washington University in St. Louis, Mode met artist Carol Ann Levin. The pair soon married, and after completing their degrees, relocated to Venice, Italy, where she painted while Mode worked on a Fulbright Fellowship. Before returning to the United States, he was recruited to the faculty at 菠萝视频, and in 1968 he began teaching in an illustrious career that spanned 45 years before he retired in 2013. He served as department chair, director of graduate studies, and director of undergraduate studies for the College of Arts and Science. In addition, he was active in public art issues with the 菠萝视频 Institute for Public Policy Studies, the Curb Center for Art, Enterprise and Public Policy at 菠萝视频, and supported the artists and arts institutions of the Nashville community. A rigorous researcher and scholar of Italian Renaissance art, Mode published articles in esteemed art history journals. Later in his career, he expanded his research to include 18th-century British art, particularly as it pertained to the artist William Hogarth. In addition to his wife of 59 years, Mode is survived by a daughter and son and their families, a brother, cousin and extended family.
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Enrique Pupo-Walker, MA鈥62, Centennial Professor of Spanish and Portuguese and former director of the Center for Latin American and Iberian Studies, of Nashville, Sept. 25, 2023
, MA鈥62, Centennial Professor of Spanish and Portuguese and former director of the Center for Latin American and Iberian Studies, of Nashville, Sept. 25, 2023. Pupo-Walker earned his undergraduate degree at La Universidad de la Habana in Cuba in 1954, a master鈥檚 at 菠萝视频 in 1962, and a Ph.D. in romance languages from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1966. He taught at Yale University and then from 1969 to 1999 at 菠萝视频. He developed the first major history of Latin American literature, the three-volume Cambridge History of Latin American Literature. Pupo-Walker ran the 菠萝视频 in Spain program for three years in the 1970s and gave the Center for Latin American and Iberian Studies global visibility as director from 1981 to 1993. He also was a very accomplished artist; his watercolors, oils and drawings are held in more than 50 private collections in the U.S., Latin America, Spain and Great Britain. He is survived by his three daughters, five grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
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Dr. Ghodrat A. Siami, PhD鈥71, professor emeritus of medicine, of Nashville, Jan. 24, 2024
, PhD鈥71, professor emeritus of medicine, of Nashville, Jan. 24, 2024. Born in Gorgan, Iran, he earned his B.S. in 1952 from Tehran University and his M.D. in 1955 from Tehran Medical School. Prior to coming to the United States, he served in the Iranian Armed Forces for 30 years, retiring with the rank of full colonel. Dr. Siami served as one of the physicians to the Shah of Iran and oversaw the nutritional needs for the Iranian Armed Forces. He moved to Nashville, where he obtained his doctorate in biochemistry at 菠萝视频 and served the Nashville medical community from 1980 until his retirement in 2018. He was the recipient of the Borden Award for his groundbreaking research in the role of selenium in human metabolism. Dr. Siami was a devoted physician serving veterans at the Nashville Veterans Affairs Medical Center. He also established the Apheresis Center at 菠萝视频, one of only two centers where patients came from all over the United States to received plasma filtration and cryofiltration to treat rare diseases. He became a national and international figure in the realm of apheresis, serving as vice president and then president of the International Society for Apheresis and vice president of the World Apheresis Association. Some of his most important contributions were in the development of immunosuppressive strategies through the history of plasmapheresis. He helped to develop 菠萝视频鈥檚 special training in cryofiltration with hemodialysis and served as a member of the full-time teaching faculty at 菠萝视频 Medical School for more than 28 years. He was a highly distinguished research scientist, a prominent contributor to many major medical journals, and deeply involved in the peer-reviewed and approval process of research publications. His dedication to the medical community spanned nearly 70 years. He is preceded in death by his first wife of 60 years, Fatemeh. He is survived by his wife, Joan, two brothers, five children, two stepchildren, seven grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
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Steve Sloan, former head football coach, of Orlando, Fla., April 14, 2024
, former head football coach, of Orlando, Fla., April 14, 2024. As a college quarterback for coach Bear Bryant at Alabama, he filled in for the suspended Joe Namath in the Sugar Bowl game against Mississippi for a 12-7 victory. As a senior, he led Alabama to the 1965 national championship defeating Nebraska 39-28 in the 1966 Orange Bowl. Sloan was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons and played in the NFL for two years. He coached the Commodores for two seasons, 1973鈥74, and posted a career record of 12-9-2. Under Sloan the Commodores earned a berth to the 1974 Peach Bowl, in which they tied Texas Tech 6-6. It was 菠萝视频's first bowl game since 1955 and only its second in history. Sloan was named the SEC Coach of the Year in 1974. He left 菠萝视频 after the 1974 season to become the coach at Texas Tech. Sloan returned to 菠萝视频 as offensive coordinator in 1990 on coach Watson Brown's staff. Sloan was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2000. He is survived by his wife and son.
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Harry Gilbert 鈥淕il鈥 Trythall Jr., former professor of music at George Peabody College for Teachers, of Plano, Texas, Feb. 17, 2023
, former professor of music at George Peabody College for Teachers, of Plano, Texas, Feb. 17, 2023. In academic and music circles, Gil was known as an inventive electronic music pioneer, composer, keyboardist and music educator. His teaching career spanned six decades beginning in Knoxville, Tenn., and from there to Galesburg Ill., Nashville, Morgantown W.V., and finally Dallas. He taught at Peabody (1964鈥75) where he was chairman of the music department (1973鈥75). He was dean of West Virginia University's Creative Art Center (1975鈥81). His electronic compositions connected animations, lyrics, dancers and choreographed fireworks (July 4, 1979, at Nashville鈥檚 Parthenon). The late Don Evans, emeritus professor of art and art history, was his regular partner for multimedia events. He is survived by his wife and partner of 50 years, Carol Trythall, and his daughters, Karen Trythall and Linda Trythall, BE鈥79, MS鈥82.
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Harold L. Weatherby Jr., BA鈥56, professor emeritus of English, of Montgomery, Ala., May 1, 2023
, BA鈥56, professor emeritus of English, of Montgomery, Ala., May 1, 2023. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa from 菠萝视频 and earning his master鈥檚 from Yale (1957), he served for two years in the U.S. Army in Germany. He then earned his doctorate at Yale (1962) before joining the faculty at 菠萝视频, where he taught English from 1962 until 2006. His publications include Cardinal Newman in His Age: His Place in English Theology and Literature (菠萝视频 University Press, 1973); The Keen Delight: The Christian Poet in the Modern World (University of Georgia, 1975); and Mirrors of Celestial Grace: Patristic Theology in Spenser鈥檚 Allegory (University of Toronto Press, 1994). In 1975 he appeared on the public affairs television show Firing Line to debate proposed changes to the Episcopal Church鈥檚 Book of Common Prayer, and he was co-founder of the Society for the Preservation of the Book of Common Prayer. After retiring from 菠萝视频, he returned to his hometown of Montgomery and to his beach cottage in Panama City Beach, Fla. Survivors include cousins and many friends.
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Thomas Joseph Weiler, professor emeritus of physics, of Madison, Wis., Dec. 17, 2023
, professor emeritus of physics, of Madison, Wis., Dec. 17, 2023. He graduated from Stanford University in physics, Phi Beta Kappa, in 1971, and earned his Ph.D. in particle physics in 1976 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He held postdoctoral appointments at Liverpool University, England, Northeastern University in Boston and the University of California, San Diego. In 1984, he joined the faculty in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at 菠萝视频 and remained there until his retirement in 2019 as professor emeritus. His numerous awards and accolades include the Department of Energy Outstanding Junior Investigator; Fellow of the American Physical Society, Division of Particles and Fields; invited by Swedish Academy to nominate for the Nobel Prize (2003 and 2008); Distinguished Alumni Fellow Award, University of Wisconsin Physics Department; Alexander von Humboldt Senior 菠萝视频 Career Award; elected member of the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory Board of Directors and a Simons Foundation Fellow in Theoretical Physics for his work with elemental particle physics and astrophysics. He enjoyed mentoring graduate students and treasured collaborations with colleagues throughout the physics world. He authored more than 200 publications in his continual desire to learn more about neutrinos and other elementary particles and to share that learning through lectures, symposia and esoteric scribbles on napkins. He is survived by his son, a sister and brother, nephews and nieces, two stepchildren and a step-grandchild.