In Memoriam – Winter 2022
1940s
Dean Dunwody Tunno (’49) of Sandy Springs, Georgia, died July 12, 2020, at age 90. During the Korean War, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and trained as a fighter pilot. He flew peacetime missions in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, then joined Delta Air Lines after completing his military service. He rose to the rank of international captain flying the big jets to Europe and retired after 34 years of service.
Peggy Worrell Murphy (’49,’77) of Savannah died June 22, 2021, in the hospital at age 91. She worked for the Chatham County Public School System for more than two decades and was one of the first two assistant principals in the Chatham County elementary schools.
John “Bob” Paddison (’48) of Savannah died at home surrounded by family Aug. 1, 2021, two days after his 98th birthday. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force during World War II and served as a pilot. He landed in Europe the day the war ended and served in Germany for 18 months aiding in the post-war recovery. He later entered the banking industry and retired as a bank vice president. In retirement, he ran a photography program for 23 years as a volunteer middle school teacher. He was active in the community, a member of many Savannah civic organizations.
1950s
Elbert Dent Newton (’56) of Brooklet, Georgia, died June 4, 2021, in hospice care after a long illness. He served in the Air National Guard for several years and later owned a Ford tractor dealership in Statesboro. In retirement, he enjoyed farming and hunting.
Edward Wise Jr. (’55) of Commerce, Georgia, died July 4, 2021. The talented carpenter and furniture builder taught industrial arts for more than 30 years.
Joan Wilcher Iddins (’57) of Doraville, Georgia, died July 13, 2021, of natural causes. She retired after a 30-year career teaching first grade in Dekalb County.
Laura Hart Mikell (’51) of Statesboro died July 21, 2021, in hospice care at age 97. She was a teacher for more than 39 years, serving 31 of those years at Stilson Elementary.
Gwendolyn Williams Olliff (’53) of Statesboro died at home Aug. 1, 2021, under hospice care. She retired from the Bulloch County Board of Education after a 29-year teaching career.
James Fields (’56) of Memphis, Tennessee, passed away Sept. 19, 2021. He served as a naval aviator during the Korean War and had a 35-year career in management at Sears.
Rev. Edward Potts (’55) of Register, Georgia, died at home in hospice care Oct. 29, 2021. He played baseball at Georgia Southern and was the starting shortstop. During his 30-year career in public education, he served as a teacher, coach and principal in schools in Evans, Glynn and Bulloch counties. He was principal of Nevils Elementary for 13 years and after retiring from the public school system he was headmaster for Robert Toombs Christian Academy and for David Emmanuel Academy.
1960s
Joseph Braxton Smith (’61) of Atlanta died at home on April 28, 2020. He was a Savannah High School All-City quarterback in 1958. After college, Smith and his business partner founded the accounting firm of Smith & Howard in Atlanta in 1971 that still thrives today.
Leroy John Delionbach (’65,’71) died unexpectedly Sept. 8, 2020, in Aiken, South Carolina. The U.S. Army and National Guard veteran found his calling teaching and advising at Aiken Technical College. He later became a constable and was an expert marksman trained in hostage negotiation.
Elaine Walden Osburn (’64,’89) died peacefully at home in Keller, Texas, on May 28, 2021, after a short illness. An educator, administrator, TV show host, realtor and most importantly wife, mother and grandmother, she was loved unconditionally by all.
Malon “Al” Allison Jones (’65) died at home in Warner Robins, Georgia, June 12, 2021. The Army Reserve veteran was a teacher, football and women’s basketball coach in Warner Robins and then Middle Georgia College in Cochran, Georgia. Later, he provided natural gas services to customers across the country.
Ronnie L. Rush (’61) of Savannah passed away July 1, 2021, at St. Joseph’s Hospital. A Georgia Southern basketball player, he was honored as the Outstanding Educator of the Year by the Letterman’s Club and was a 1991 inductee into the Greater Savannah Athletics Hall of Fame. He had a distinguished 30-year career as a teacher, coach and administrator.
Virginia Mobley Braxton (’63,’64) died July 6, 2021, at Crisp Regional Hospital in Cordele, Georgia. A high school All-State Basketball player, she was an assistant professor of physical education at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and retired from Akin Insurance in Cordele.
JoAnn Lewallen Calhoun (’60,’90) died at her daughter’s home July 14, 2021, in Cairo, Georgia, after a short battle with cancer. She was proud to be a teacher and media specialist in several school districts across the state.
F. Taylor Noggle Jr. (’68) of Auburn, Alabama, died July 16, 2021, after a brief bout with pancreatic cancer. An Army veteran, he later joined the Alabama Department of Forensics Sciences (ADFS), where he was appointed director and went on to have a 35-year long career. In 2012, the Alabama Legislature named the laboratory of the ADFS the F. Taylor Noggle, Jr. Laboratory in his honor.
Norman Lee Stripling (’65) of Hinesville, Georgia, died July 22, 2021, in hospice care. He was assistant principal and coach at Fort Stewart (Georgia) Elementary School. Later, he served for 30 years as chief probation officer for the Atlantic Judicial Circuit.
Gregory Durrence (’69) of Sylvania, Georgia, passed away Aug. 4, 2021, at his home surrounded by family. He worked for Georgia Power and Southern Company for 25 years and was among the first reactor operators at Plant Vogtle.
Dewey Franklyn Wright (’62) of Eastman, Georgia, passed away Aug. 11, 2021 due to injuries he received from an automobile accident. He was a loving husband, proud father and grandfather.
Carol Kinard Pickens (’62) of St. Simons Island, Georgia, passed away Aug. 16, 2021. She was an educator for many years and her most prized field trip was taking her gifted students to Cumberland Island.
Gerald Ralph Mills (’67) of Portsmouth, Virginia, passed away Aug. 17, 2021. After serving in the Army, he spent the next 30-plus years working in retail management. After retirement, he pursued his true passion — golf.
Daisy Sheral Todd Crump (’69) of Vidalia, Georgia, passed away Aug. 25, 2021, at Community Hospice in Vidalia. She retired after 30 years of teaching kindergarten and first grade for the Jeff Davis County Board of Education.
Charles Howard Elmore Sr. (’61,’61) of Millen, Georgia, died Aug. 25, 2021 at home. A teacher for 30 years, after retirement he served on the Jenkins County Board of Education, Jenkins County Board of Equalization and Jenkins County Hospital Board.
James Stewart Orr (’66) of St. Simons Island, Georgia, passed away peacefully Sept. 4, 2021, after a valiant fight with cardiac and kidney disease. He was in the education field for 37 years.
Billy Terrance “Terry” Grooms (’65) of Folkston, Georgia, passed away peacefully Sept. 7, 2021, at Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. The former coach and educator retired from East Coast Concrete.
Jackie Davis (’66) died at home on St. Simons Island, Georgia, Sept. 12, 2021, from complications of dementia. A former educator, she volunteered as a hospital “pink lady” in Tallahassee, Florida, for 35 years.
Carolyn Holland Lifsey (’61) of Lancaster, South Carolina, died Oct. 5, 2021. She taught school in many locations, both in the U.S. and abroad, the last being Lancaster, where she retired.
Hugh Hagin (’69) of Statesboro died Nov. 1, 2021, at age 86. He worked for Rockwell International for several years and then at Georgia Southern in Plant Operations as an engineer until his retirement. He was a skilled worker and could fix almost anything.
1970s
Angela Lynn Alexander (’74,’74,’82) of Collins, Georgia, passed away Feb. 21, 2021, at her home. She served in education for over 32 years, primarily in special education and touched the lives of many throughout her career.
John Lanier (’72) of Warner Robins, Georgia, died June 1, 2021, following a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. A U.S. Army pilot, the decorated Vietnam War veteran ended his career as a flight instructor.
Dr. Michael Roden Leddy (’74) of Port Orange, Florida, died peacefully while surrounded by his family on June 16, 2021, following a brief battle with cancer. The decorated Army captain went on to become a physician.
Donald Thomson Golden Sr. (’70) of Savannah passed away July 11, 2021, at home after an extended illness. He was a longtime realtor and broker in Savannah and was named Realtor of the Year in 2012.
Nelson Mangum (’71) of Buford, Georgia, died July 19, 2021, after a battle with multiple myeloma. He served in the U.S. Air Force and had an award-winning career in the automobile industry.
Jerry Philip Blanks (’70) passed away due to complications following a stroke on Aug. 10, 2021, near his home in Jacksonville, Florida. He was an avid golfer and fisherman.
Grace Darwin Martin (’78) of Calhoun, Georgia, passed away Aug. 11, 2021, while on a trip to the Dominican Republic. Throughout her career as a licensed clinical social worker she was committed to helping others.
Wyatt Keene (’78) of Macon, Georgia, died Aug. 17, 2021. The businessman loved Braves baseball, trivia and sharing stories with anyone he met.
Mendal Szlamowicz (’70) of Schenectady, New York, died Aug. 31, 2021, at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. He was employed by the U.S. Postal Service for 38 years.
Retired Colonel James L. Merchant II (’73), of Daniel Island, South Carolina, passed away peacefully at home on Sept. 20, 2021, after a lengthy illness. The Vietnam War veteran logged over 950 hours of combat missions as a UH-1 Huey and later AH-1G Cobra pilot. He retired from the Army in 1986 and was passionate about golf.
Richard Van Atta (’78) of Warner Robins, Georgia, lost his battle with COVID-19 Sept. 22, 2021. He was a brother of Sigma Pi Fraternity and had a passion for singing, traveling, camping and playing golf.
Suzan Coleman Laircey (’74) of Statesboro died peacefully Oct. 21, 2021. The lifelong resident of Bulloch County worked alongside her husband in the family business until she retired.
Virgil Mincey Jr. (’75) of Statesboro was surrounded by family when he died Oct. 6, 2021. He served his country as a veteran of the U.S. Navy and the Naval Reserves. He became a probation and parole officer and also worked as a life and health insurance agent, credit manager and collections officer
before retirement.
William “Bill” Fraker (’70), a retired U.S. Army colonel of Chattanooga, Tennessee, passed away Nov. 7, 2021. He served tours of duty in Germany, Vietnam and a year in Iran. He was inducted twice into the U.S. Army Field Artillery OCS Hall of Fame.
Jeffrey Collins (’79) died Nov. 8, 2021, at his home in Mt. Airy, Georgia. He retired as a health inspector for the state of Georgia.
Rev. Earl Saxon (’71) of Keysville, Georgia, passed away Nov. 8, 2021. During his lifetime, he served as pastor of several churches and retired from Hebron Baptist Church in Burke County, Georgia.
1980s
Catherine Elaine Lewis (’88, ’04) of Claxton, Georgia, passed away July 31, 2021, following an extended illness. An elementary school educator, she retired from teaching after 31 years.
Isabelle “Bess” Brown Wolfes (’89) of Darien, Georgia, died at home on Aug. 4, 2021. She worked as the customer service manager of the local telephone company.
Myrtis Halstead Akins (’86) died Aug. 13, 2021, at home in Statesboro. She had a 30-year career with the University of Georgia Extension Service, frequently honored for her community service. She received the Grace Frysinger Award, the D.W. Brooks Award for Excellence (the highest honor given to University of Georgia extension agents), the Deen Day Smith Service to Mankind Award and the 1991 Woman of Achievement from the Statesboro Business & Professional Women.
Nellie Ayn Hatchell-Griffin (’83) of Savannah died Aug. 22, 2021, with her family by her side. The U.S. Army veteran had a long career in nursing.
Patricia Dawson Bartholomew (’86) of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, passed away Aug. 25, 2021. She taught in the public school system for more than 25 years.
Steven William Champion (’80,’81) of Statesboro passed away Sept. 11, 2021, at home. He was a volunteer firefighter with the Bulloch County Fire Department, Station 3.
Marian Columbus Lawson (’80) of Monticello, Georgia, died Sept. 12, 2021. As a first generation college student, she was the first black woman to graduate from Georgia Southern with a degree in building and construction and was a proud member of the First 500.
Marjorie Pitman Varnadoe (’80,’91,’97) of St. Simons, Georgia, died unexpectedly Sept. 25, 2021. Majorie and her husband Don were identified as two of the victims killed when an Amtrak train derailed in rural Montana. She was a retired teacher and administrator from the Glynn County Public School System.
Jesse Allen Kicklighter (’82,’83,’85,’04) of Colquitt, Georgia, died Oct. 16, 2021, after a long illness. The U.S. Air Force veteran retired as superintendent of Miller County Schools and formerly held positions with Burke County Schools and Jefferson County Schools.
1990s
DaNell Coopman Moore (’94) of Pooler, Georgia, died June 14, 2021.She was an experienced nurse and spent the majority of her career teaching future nurses throughout southeast Georgia, including Armstrong State and Georgia Southern.
David Bryan Sisk (’97) of Rome, Georgia, died on June 30, 2021, after a lengthy illness. Every day was an adventure with him and you could expect a million laughs.
Doris Cooper (’94,’07) passed away on Aug. 1, 2021, at her home in Statesboro. Her career was with the health department of Statesboro. She was an epidemiologist/nurse, retiring after 30-plus years.
Dawana Griner Gibbs (’91,’95) of Brunswick, Georgia, died Sept. 7, 2021. A mentor to many, she was an associate professor of nursing at College of Coastal Georgia, where she was the recipient of the Albert Crews Service Award, the Advisor of the Year Award and the Outstanding Faculty Member in Service Learning Award.
M. Carol Lockwood Dean (’97) died Sept. 8, 2021, at East Georgia Regional Medical Center in Statesboro, Georgia. She was a member of the Beta Sigma Phi sorority, and a prize-winning needle artist who crocheted caps for missionaries to give to babies in Africa.
Michael Thomas Newell (’94) of Statesboro passed away Sept. 8, 2021. The Savannah native was a teacher for many years, and in retirement worked as a substitute teacher for the Bulloch County School System.
Deborah Louise Wallace (’92), of Statesboro passed away Sept. 17, 2021, at East Georgia Regional Medical Center after a brief illness. Being a nurse brought her a sense of fulfillment and was one of her greatest accomplishments.
Richard Todd West (’92) of Edison, Georgia, passed away on Sept. 27, 2021, from injuries he received in an automobile accident. He was an educator and coach for Pataula Charter Academy in Edison and an Air Force Veteran.
Lisa Adams (’97) of Pembroke, Georgia, died Oct. 10, 2021, at East Georgia Medical Center in Statesboro. She was a special education teacher for more than 25 years.
2000s
Catherine “Cat” Hartman (’11) of Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, passed away suddenly on June 26, 2021. She first was a conservation horticulturist in Atlanta and later, becoming a nurse. At the time of her death, she was a traveling nurse in York, Pennsylvania.
Jaelin Rashad Hakim (’21) of Marietta, Georgia, passed away June 27, 2021. A skilled athlete and self-taught barber, he had just started his career as a mechanical quality engineer in Sandy Springs, Georgia.
Bonnie Leonard White (’11) of Statesboro passed away Aug. 3, 2021. She touched the lives of many people and worked in intermodal transportation.
Torrence Burgess (’01) of Savannah died Aug. 5, 2021, after a short illness. He was a dedicated teacher at Andrea B. Williams Elementary School.
Jimmy Mitchell Akridge (’19) of Statesboro passed away Aug. 17, 2021, at his home following a brief illness. He had many accomplishments as an accountant in Statesboro.
Penny Gary (’04,’09) of Statesboro passed away Aug. 29, 2021, at East Georgia Regional Medical Center. She was employed by the Bulloch County Board of Education as a teacher for 17 years.
Tiffany Ann Medlin Moss (’02,’04,’11) of Mt. Airy, Georgia, passed away suddenly on Sept. 1, 2021. The early childhood educator was a Headstart/Pre-K teacher.
Atiya Nuri Harris (’21) of Hephzibah, Georgia, passed away at Augusta University on Sept. 9, 2021, following a fatal car accident. She was a runway fashion model.
Michael Scott Howard (’09) of Blackshear, Georgia, passed away Sept. 10, 2021, following an extended illness. He was employed as a probation officer with the State of Georgia.
Federico “Rico” Alberto Foster (’14) of Savannah, a high school band director at Savannah Arts Academy and instructor for Savannah Music Festival Jazz Academy, died Sept. 14, 2021. He was named Savannah’s WTOC television’s Top Teacher in 2019 and was adored by students and parents alike for his ability to instill a love of music in children.
Angel Huff Alston (’02), of Statesboro passed away peacefully on Sept. 28, 2021, at East Georgia Regional Medical Center after a brief illness. She was employed by a Statesboro auto dealer.
EAGLE NATION
Jeff McClanahan of Atlanta passed away July 1, 2021. The member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity at Georgia Southern is remembered by his many college friends. Last February, he informed friends that he had been diagnosed with ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease and died about four months after the diagnosis.
Patricia Ann Finn Saseen of Savannah died July 11, 2021, after a long fight with Parkinson’s disease. Her primary professional experience was with the University System of Georgia where she served as director of the Foreign Language and Culture Center, the Coastal Georgia Center and as a regional development specialist, helping to fund and frame the University Honors Program. She retired from Georgia Southern University in 2004. Active in the Savannah community, she served as president of Coastal Georgia, chaired three terms for Chatham County Hospital Authority, president for three terms for Parent & Child Development Services, president of Chatham Commerce Club and was a member of many
other organizations.
Professor Emeritus Tom Paul of Statesboro died at home Aug. 29, 2021. The U.S. Army veteran served in an artillery unit during the Korean War. The physical education professor and head emeritus of the Department of Sport Science and Physical Education retired in 1991. In retirement, he enjoyed wood-turning and carving.
Professor Emerita Mary Hazeldine of Statesboro died peacefully Sept. 8, 2021, after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. She joined the faculty at Georgia Southern in 1995 as a professor and head of the Department of Marketing. From 2000–2006, she served as professor of marketing for the Department of Management and Marketing. She served four years as the associate dean of the College of Business Administration and when she retired in 2015, she was a professor of marketing for the Department of Marketing and Logistics. She created the Giacomo Family Memorial Scholarship through the Georgia Southern University Foundation to honor her mother.
Professor Camille Françoise Rogers (’06) of Statesboro died Sept. 25, 2021, after a long battle with ovarian cancer. A military brat, she graduated from Frankfurt American High School in Frankfurt, Germany, then joined the U.S. Air Force and served her country while earning her undergraduate degree. During her 27 years as a professor at Georgia Southern, she found a passion for her work and teaching and dedicated herself to furthering her department, the university and the lives of her students. The associate professor of information systems was a True Blue Georgia Southern football fan and attended every Georgia Southern football game she could, even while undergoing surgery and treatment for her cancer.
Professor Emeritus John Humma of Statesboro died Nov. 2, 2021, ending a 13-year battle with Parkinson’s and Lewy body disease. He was a professor of literature at Georgia Southern from 1969 until 2006. He was a recipient of both the University’s Excellence in Research Award and the Ruffin Cup, which recognizes the highest achievement in teaching, scholarship and service in the College of Arts and Humanities. He also taught in the Bell Honors Program from its beginning in 1982 until he retired. He also served as the director of graduate studies in the literature program where he mentored graduate students and was their thesis advisor. He also established the Cinema Arts Series in 1983, which provided weekly screenings of films by international artists as well as unconventional American films.
Professor Emeritus Arvard O. Vogel of Statesboro passed away Dec. 5, 2021. During his military service in the U.S. Air Force, he worked as a pressman printing propaganda and military warfare tactic manuals. He served assignments in Korea and in England. He joined the faculty at Georgia Southern University in 1967 to teach graphic arts. He developed and organized the printing management program and authored five books and 143 articles for major publications. The die-hard Eagle fan retired as Professor Emeritus of Graphic Arts Technology and Printing Management.