PAGE 9 PAGE 4 PAGE 1 - Berry College

CHRONICLE
BERRY
SUMMER 2001 VOL. 87, NO. 4
PAGE 1
NORMANDY
COMPLEX
REDEVELOPMENT
PAGE 4
BERRY LEGACY
THEME OF ROME
CELEBRATION
PAGE 9
ALUMNUS LEADS
INAUGURATION
DAY
PRAYER SERVICE
A PUBLICATION FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF BERRY COLLEGE

CHRONICLE
BERRY
ALAN STOREY
ABOUT THE COVER
Music performance
major Susan
Tamblyn practices piano
in the Berry College
Chapel. Susan and other
members of the Berry
community soon will
enjoy services and
special events in airconditioned
comfort
thanks to gifts from
alumni H. Dean and
Cloteal Clark Owens, the
Berry Investment Group,
and the Student
Government Association.
See page 13 for more
information about the
chapel project.
SUMMER 2001 VOLUME 87, NUMBER 4
PLANS ANNOUNCED FOR REDEVELOPMENT
OF NORMANDY COMPLEX
Nestled in the rolling hills of Berry’s
Mountain Campus, the Normandy
Buildings have a special charm.
The spire-topped structures, styled after
buildings in the French countryside, have
been an important part of Berry since
their construction in the 1930s. A newly
announced project will help ensure that
future generations can treasure the
buildings as well.
In April, Berry College and the Chickfil-A-sponsored
WinShape Foundation
announced plans to redevelop the
Normandy Buildings into a retreat facility
that will offer a meeting center and
overnight accommodations. Since their
construction, the buildings have housed
the Berry Dairy, as well as serving as a
location for faculty and staff housing.
The redevelopment plans were
announced three months after the college
decided to convert the Berry Dairy into a
more streamlined operation and combine
it with the beef and sheep operations in
one location. (For more information on
the changes to Berry’s animal science
program, see page 3.)
“Berry and the WinShape Foundation
have been partners for more than 17
years, and we are delighted that our
relationship will continue well into the
future,” said Berry President Scott Colley.
“We’re also pleased that this partnership
will ensure the protection of the
Normandy Buildings, which are an
important part of Berry’s history.”
The WinShape Foundation is making
a major gift to fund the retreat facility
project, which also includes a covered
equestrian arena at the Gunby
Equine Center and a paved
recreational path between the
college’s main and mountain
campuses. The project will
be completed in two
phases with construction
starting later this year.
The facilities will initially
be used for WinShape’s girls summer
camp program.
Chick-fil-A, Inc. Senior Vice President
Don “Bubba” Cathy, who is spearheading
the Berry project for the WinShape
Foundation, said the Normandy Buildings
would provide a top-quality retreat space.
“We envision using these buildings for
church, corporate, and marriage retreats,”
Mr. Cathy said. “The lodging space will
accommodate approximately 200
people.” The Normandy Buildings will be
available for conferences and retreats
during the academic year; during the
summer months, the facilities will house
the WinShape Camp for Girls, which was
previously housed in Berry’s Ford
Buildings.
Plans call for the total redesign of the
interior of the former dairy buildings, as
well as the reconstruction of a portion of
one building that burned in the 1950s,
according to Joe Walton (62C, 76G),
Berry’s vice president for finance. Two
buildings that were included on the original
1930s site plan for the Normandy
complex also will be constructed.
Mr. Cathy said the WinShape
Foundation is proud to be able to help
restore the Normandy Buildings. “We are
very enthusiastic about using these
existing structures and redeveloping
them,” he said. “We feel we’re practicing
good stewardship with Berry by getting
the maximum benefit from the existing
buildings and by using them on a
year-round basis.”
Dr. Colley stressed that the beauty of
the Normandy setting will not be
disturbed. “The architecture of the
buildings will not change. The major
changes will take place inside the
facilities,” he said.
Mr. Cathy added, “Our goal is to not
disturb the beauty but to enhance the
value of these buildings and their
surroundings.”
Berry students will be among those
receiving great benefit from the project’s
improvements. While the covered
equestrian arena at the Gunby Equine
Center will serve Camp WinShape in the
summer months, the college’s
intercollegiate equestrian team will
practice and compete there during the
academic year. In addition, the arena will
include a classroom and office space.
Additionally, WinShape and Berry will
jointly fund construction of a paved
walking/bike path to run parallel to the
three-mile road that connects Berry’s
Main Campus to the Mountain Campus.
Construction of the recreational path will
be done during this summer.
The Normandy redevelopment project
will be handled by Atlanta-based
adaptive architectural design firm Surber,
Barber, Choate, and Hertlein Architects,
Inc. Landscaping work will be contracted
by Roy Ashley and Associates, also
based in Atlanta.
The Chick-fil-A chain and Berry
College have a long-standing relationship
based on the shared desire to help build
character in the lives of young people. In
1984, Chick-fil-A founder and chairman
S. Truett Cathy established the WinShape
Centre program. WinShape and Berry
jointly sponsor a scholarship program for
selected young people that provides up to
four years of scholarship assistance for
those students to attend the college.
More than 730 Berry students have
benefited from the program since its
inception. ■
—DAWN TOLBERT
2

MESSAGE
PRESIDENT’S
3
WHATDOWEWANT
FROM OUR FACULTY?
Astate legislator asked a
university president how
much his professors taught.
“Nine hours” was the solemn reply.
“Well, sounds like a good day’s work to
me!” The joke lies in academic lingo.
“Nine hours of teaching” on a college
campus means teaching three courses
that meet for a total of nine times each
week. That teaching assignment makes
for a busy workday, but not in the way
the legislator supposed. At Berry, a ninehour
teaching assignment is regarded as
a plum. Most professors teach more.
What do our professors do when they
are not in the classroom? Preparing up to
a dozen class presentations; holding office
hours; grading quizzes, papers, and
examinations; supervising honors
projects, independent study projects,
student research, internships, and practice
teaching; supervising student workers;
advising student organizations; offering
optional help sessions; being available for
informal counseling; plus attending
departmental, school, and college-wide
committee meetings add up to a full
workweek. But we ask for even more.
Faculty members simultaneously must
be teachers, scholars, and active citizens
of the community. Excelling in the three
areas fills up not only a healthy workweek,
but weekends and the summer
months besides. For instance, being a
good teacher at one stage of a person’s
career does not ensure good teaching
always. Lecture notes fade quickly; this
year’s approach is likely to falter two
years from now.
The best professors also stay aware of
an ever-changing student culture and
thus continuously adapt their classroom
approaches. Knowledge about one’s
subject is constantly changing, and what
one teaches must be kept up to date.
Therefore, we ask our professors to
participate in the intellectual discourse
that occurs within academic disciplines
nationally and internationally.
Teaching at Berry should be as
informed as undergraduate teaching at
the best colleges and universities in the
country. One of the best tests of one’s
thinking is to try ideas out on others who
know the academic field. That is what the
publication of scholarly and scientific
papers is all about: taking one’s ideas to
an audience of peers. Hence, we expect
our faculty members to present papers at
conferences, to participate in workshops
and seminars, to publish articles in
scholarly journals, to contribute chapters
to books, and if appropriate, to write
books of their own.
Remaining active as a teacher-scholar
is a significant challenge. Professors at
comprehensive liberal arts colleges like
Berry do not have the same amount of
time to devote to scholarship and
research as their friends at research
universities. Although the requirements
for quantity of scholarship and research
are much less at colleges than
universities, our faculty must reach the
same standards of quality.
Few people outside academia
understand how much work goes into
creating even one piece of scholarly
writing. Even after completing a scholarly
article, professors must wait for editorial
boards to act and for editors to respond.
The process can go on for more than a
year.
Submitting scholarly work to journals
can also be nerve-wracking. Sometimes
one’s best work comes bouncing back
with a harsh letter of rejection. To persist
as a scholar requires self-confidence and,
occasionally, thick skin. Nevertheless,
excellent teaching is nourished by
continuing study, research, and reflection.
“
Faculty members
simultaneously must be
teachers, scholars, and
active citizens of the
community. Excelling in
the three areas fills up
not only a healthy
workweek, but
weekends and the
summer months
besides.
”
—DR. SCOTT COLLEY
Informed, creative teaching can also
influence the direction of a professor’s
research.
Research and teaching come together
under the heading “learning by doing.”
For instance, our new $25 million science
building was designed with studentfaculty
collaborative research in mind. We
provide as much office space to students
in the science building as we do faculty
members. Last year, Berry students
carried out 60 major independent
scientific projects, 28 of which were
presented at scientific meetings. Thirteen
students were co-authors with faculty
members of published scientific papers.
The weekend I wrote this essay, two
Berry students were presenting their work
in San Diego at the national meeting of
the American Chemical Society. Professor
Andrew Bressette was also making a
platform presentation at the same
meeting about the new Berry College
Journal of Chemistry, which collects the
best student work in that field.
Students learn by doing in all academic
fields. During the past five years, five
students have published papers in
academic journals in collaboration with
government professor John Hickman;
students in Professor Jennie Smith’s
“applying anthropology” course produced
a series of policy analysis papers detailing
the struggles Spanish speakers have in
obtaining social services in Rome. These
papers were then presented to the
appropriate heads of municipal and
county agencies. In both of my examples,
collaborative research underscores and
heightens lessons gained from textbooks.
I could write another 1,000 words just
about the good work being done
throughout the college by students who
are carrying out a variety of collaborative
research projects with faculty members.
Having shared some of the diverse
expectations we have for our faculty, I
will address what we should do for our
faculty. As a start, we should respect the
faculty commitment to working closely
with students. Faculty members would
like a standard nine-hour teaching
assignment across the college and a
student-faculty ratio that promotes close
contact with those they teach. Some
professors teach 90 students a term, more
than can easily receive the individual
attention that is the hallmark of a Berry
education.
Our faculty would also like
straightforward, accessible technology in
every classroom, not merely in some
classrooms. They want and need
additional funds to support travel to
academic conferences during the school
year and funds to support professional
travel and research during the summer
months. We have just begun a sabbatical
program, one that should be expanded.
Our faculty seeks compensation that
compares favorably to that of our peers,
good facilities that support teaching and
learning, good students, and from the
administration, both encouragement and
guidance. In truth, our report card for
supporting the faculty has many grades
of B+ and A- and only a few grades of B-
and C. We are supporting the work of the
faculty better now than ever before. But
we should not be satisfied until we get an
A in every category of faculty support.
Our educational mission compels this
ambition, and our students deserve no
less! ■
— DR. SCOTT COLLEY
PAUL O’MARA

AROUND
CHANGES TO FRESHEN
AGRICULTURE CURRICULUM
With an eye on achieving
greater focus in the field of
animal science, Berry
College is consolidating its beef, dairy,
and sheep operations in one location.
“We are embarking on some major
changes designed to provide a better
education and more relevant work
experiences for our students,” Dr. Allen
Scott, coordinator of the department of
animal and horticultural sciences, and
Dr. Bruce Conn, dean of the School of
Mathematical and Natural Sciences,
announced in a letter sent to agriculture
supporters in January.
Among the changes announced was
the establishment of the Rollins Center
for Ruminant Research, located in the
main campus’ Rollins Center, which will
house all of Berry’s beef, dairy, and
sheep operations. The plan includes
converting the college’s dairy into a
more streamlined operation. “The
emphasis of the dairy will be moved
away from strictly production and
toward research in dairy science,” Dr.
Scott said. “To accomplish this, we will
maintain a significantly smaller herd of
our best purebred Jerseys.”
The dairy will occupy the former
sales arena of the Rollins Center, which
is being converted into a modern
milking parlor designed for teaching
and research, Dr. Scott said. The U.S.
Department of Agriculture and Natural
Resources Conservation Science has
granted permission for the relocation
and approved the site plan.
CHRONICLE
BERRY
SUMMER 2001 • VOL. 87, NO. 4
EDITOR
Dawn Tolbert
CONTRIBUTORS
Karilon Rogers
Jeff Gable
Debbie Rasure
DESIGN & PRODUCTION
Shannon Biggers (81C)
Stacy Cates
PHOTOGRAPHY
Mark Drummond
Paul O’Mara
Alan Storey
The BERRY CHRONICLE is published
by the Berry College Office of
Public Relations, P.O. Box 490279,
Mount Berry, GA 30149-0279.
Please send address changes to
Alumni Office, P.O. Box 495018,
Mount Berry, GA 30149-5018.
The relocation
project will be
completed in three
stages: moving select
cows to the new
location and selling
the remaining dairy
cows, constructing a
safe sewage runoff,
and renovating the
existing Rollins
building to include
classrooms, an
observation room,
dairy machinery,
and a milking
parlor. Plans call
for the relocation of
the dairy during the
summer.
The sale of cattle
and equipment is
expected to generate
significant revenue,
which will be used by
the department of animal and
horticultural science to develop new
and better facilities for the agricultural
sciences. “The bottom line is that our
programs in animal science will be
enhanced and possibly enlarged,” Dr.
Scott said. “All personnel of the
department are excited about the
improvements and growth that we see
on the horizon.”
The modernization of the dairy will
keep the department’s curriculum in line
with recent developments in the field of
animal science, Dr. Scott said. The new
animal science curriculum will reflect the
increasing importance of environmental
sciences in agricultural practice and the
growing need for comprehensive land
management strategies in agricultural
systems, he added.
The changes to the animal science
curriculum were the result of three
years of work by the animal science
faculty on revisions to the major. “The
results include a major that has been
strengthened in every respect and that
remains central to our curriculum in the
natural sciences,” Dr. Scott said.
A similar curricular review is under
way in the horticultural science major,
Dr. Scott said. Faculty members are
evaluating each course within the
major to suggest revisions to the
curriculum. “It seems clear that we will
increase our emphasis on plant science
within our program. Many of the
horticultural science courses now listed
in the catalog will be offered in the
future. Some courses will be dropped,
some revised in content, and others
added,” he said.
Animal science curriculum changes will place a greater emphasis on
research. The new curriculum will encourage projects like Dr. George
Gallagher’s recent study of the effectiveness of deterrents on keeping
deer out of areas where they are not wanted. The project gave
research assistants Elizabeth Garner (shown above with Dr.
Gallagher) and Jennifer Peacock the chance to learn first hand about
scientific discovery.
Dr. Scott added that he expects to
see an increased emphasis on the
science of plants, plant survival, and
plant adaptability. “Berry has a deep
commitment to the scientific
examination of the ways fields, trees,
grass, and other growing things
intersect with cities and human
habitation.”
The curricular revisions taking place
in the areas of animal science and
horticulture are part of standard
assessments conducted throughout the
School of Mathematical and Natural
Sciences, the school’s dean said. “We
regularly conduct reviews of the
curriculum in each of our areas to
ensure that we are offering the best
possible educational experience for our
students,” Dr. Conn said. “Across the
school, we are trying to put more
emphasis on research and to take
advantage of Berry’s extensive land
resources as a learning laboratory.”
Berry President Scott Colley added
that agriculture students will benefit
greatly from the improved curriculum.
“Students at Berry will have
opportunities few other college students
enjoy elsewhere: majors in animal and
horticultural science firmly lodged in
the natural sciences and coordinated
with our strong program in the
environmental sciences,” Dr. Colley
said. “The Westcott Building, which
houses the animal and horticultural
science faculty, is far from the center of
the campus, but the majors are central
to our programs in the sciences.” ■
—DAWN TOLBERT
PAUL O’MARA
CAMPUS
Support is growing
for the Centennial
production of Martha!,
a full-length,
multimedia musical
about the life of
Martha Berry. The
musical’s writer and
composer, Jim Way
(52C, FFS), right,
talked with project
director Robert Adams
(94C, FS) during a
backer’s dinner in late
April. Among those
attending was
Reginald Strickland
(51C), who has made
a $50,000 contribution
to guarantee funding
of the musical.
MARK DRUMMOND
4

CAMPUS
Karilon L. Rogers
has joined the
Berry College staff as
director of public
relations and
marketing. She will
lead efforts to increase
public awareness and
appreciation for
Berry’s distinctive
approach to
education. Mrs. Rogers
has more than 20
years of experience in
public relations and
marketing in the
health care and
higher education
environments.
5
LEGACY
TO BE THEME OF ROME’S
2002 HERITAGE HOLIDAYS
Rome and Floyd County are
planning a special celebration
for Berry’s Centennial. The
Heritage Holidays committee recently
announced the theme for its 2002
festivities will be “The Legacy of Martha
Berry.” The event will be held Oct. 17-
21, 2002.
“Heritage Holidays is a time for us to
step back and pay tribute to important
moments and important people in our
history,” said Lisa Smith, executive
director of the Greater Rome Convention
and Visitors Bureau, who is a member
of the Heritage Holidays planning
committee. “Martha Berry played such
an integral role in education in our
community that she’s an obvious
choice. We’re proud to be able to
celebrate her contributions to education,
especially as Berry marks such an
important anniversary.
“There’s a very special bond between
the college and the community. In fact,
when people think of Rome, they think
of Berry College.”
Sandra Terry, Berry’s director of
multicultural student affairs, chairs the
community relations subcommittee for the
Centennial, which suggested the Heritage
Holidays theme. “We’re excited that the
whole community wants to celebrate our
Centennial along with us.”
Traditional Heritage Holidays events
include the Chiaha Harvest Fair, a
headliner concert, free musical
performances, and a parade. Rome’s
museums and downtown businesses
also host exhibits that tie in with the
Heritage Holidays theme, Mrs.
Smith said.
“Berry College has always
been a supportive partner in
Heritage Holidays,
whether it be
allowing us to host
the opening
ceremonies at the
Oak Hill gardens
or planning
special events in
conjunction with the community
events,” she said. “It’s nice for our
committee to be able to say ‘thank
you’ in this extra special way.”
Watch for additional information
about Heritage Holidays on the Greater
Rome Convention and Visitors Bureau’s
Web site, www.romegeorgia.org,
or call (800) 444-1834. ■
GORDON CARPER RETIRES AS BERRY’S COLLEGE BOWL COACH
After more than three decades, Dr. members have claimed three
Gordon Carper is hanging up his Southeastern championships, one CBI
coach’s whistle and bidding adieu to the
College Bowl circuit. Dr. Carper, who will
remain at Berry as Dana professor of history,
retired as coach of Berry’s College Bowl
team at the end of the 2000-01 season.
College Bowl at Berry has been synonymous
with the name Gordon Carper since
the young history professor teamed up
with colleagues Stan LeHart at Valdosta
State University and Jay Clyatt of Georgia
Southwestern University to create the
Southeastern College Bowl Tournament.
“The idea to create the tournament really
started as a lark, something that just came
up in conversation one day,” according to
Dr. Carper.
That initial effort, fueled by the trio’s
enthusiasm for the game, has continued
to grow in Georgia and even helped
strengthen a nationwide revival.
Under Dr. Carper’s leadership, Berry’s
team has a strong record of excellence in
intercollegiate competition. The college’s
teams have won six Southeastern College
Bowl championships and three College
Bowl Incorporated (CBI) regional
championships since the Berry program
was founded in 1969.
This year’s team has had an exceptional
tenure, Dr. Carper said. Team
regional championship, and several
undergraduate division championships,
including one undergraduate
division national championship.
“Our teams perennially go head to
head with large research universities
that put forward teams with graduate
students. It’s a credit to Berry that our
team, composed entirely of
undergraduate players, performs so
strongly year after year,” he said.
Dr. Carper stresses that the
success of Berry’s College Bowl team is
not only a product of his leadership but
also of the efforts of generations of
players. “Berry’s record is significantly
strengthened by the loyalty and hard
work of the program’s faithful alumni
and the players.”
At the end of this year’s season,
College Bowl alumni announced their
commitment of $25,000 to name a room
in Krannert Center after Dr. Carper and
his wife, Joyce. In recent years, the team
also endowed the N. Gordon Carper
Award, which is presented to the winner
of Berry’s annual junior college bowl
tournament.
Also, one of College Bowl’s three
national organizations, the Academic
Competition Federation (ACF ),
recently recognized Dr. Carper’s
outstanding contributions to the game.
ACF established the Dr. N. Gordon
Carper Lifetime Achievement Award,
which will be given to advisers who
make lasting contributions to College
Bowl. Dr. Carper was the first recipient of
the award.
Dr. Carper’s devotion to College Bowl
will be hard to replace, but he hopes to
see Berry’s team continue its winning
tradition. He said, “I sincerely hope that
Berry College’s College Bowl program
will continue to achieve at the level of
excellence we have come to expect.” ■
AROUNDMARTHA BERRY’S
PAUL O’MARA
— DAWN TOLBERT

AROUND
TRUSTEES ELECT
TWO NEW BOARD
MEMBERS
Berry’s Board of Trustees has
elected two new members, both of
whom already had significant
connections to the college.
The new members are Dan T. Cathy,
president and chief operating officer of
Chick-fil-A, Inc., and Martha “Marti”
Berry Walstad, great-niece of college
founder Martha Berry.
Mr. Cathy attended Furman
University and earned a bachelor’s
degree from Georgia Southern College.
He completed the owner/president
management course at the Harvard
Business School.
Mr. Cathy is a member of the board
of councilors of The Carter Center and
New Hope Baptist Church. He serves on
the foundation of Gordon College, the
board of advisors for Berry’s Campbell
School of Business, the board of
advisors for Eagle Ranch, and the
board of FamilyNet, Inc. He is a
member of the International Society of
Business Fellows. He volunteers with
Junior Achievement, teaching at Tri-
Cities High School, and was elected as
the Junior Achievement of Georgia
Volunteer of the Year in 1999. He also
joined their board of directors in 1999.
Mr. Cathy lives in Atlanta with his wife,
Rhonda Palmer Cathy, and sons,
Andrew and Ross.
A Rome native, Mrs. Walstad earned
bachelor’s and master’s degrees in
education from Auburn University. She
was a teacher and assistant principal at
Lanett Junior High School in Alabama
for five years before returning to Rome
to join her family’s business, Rome
Machine and Foundry. During her sixyear
tenure with that business, her
responsibilities included serving as
national sales manager and executive
vice president. Since 1992, Mrs.
Walstad has managed personal
investments and rental properties and is
a partner in Lake Toccoa Development
Company.
She currently serves on the boards of
Greater Rome Bank and the Heart of
the Community. She is a member of the
Seven Hills Garden Club, the Daughters
of the American Revolution, and Floyd,
Polk, Chattooga Medical Alliance. In
1999, she was named an honorary
member of the Berry Alumni
Association. Mrs. Walstad lives in
Rome with her husband, Dr. Joe
Walstad, an emergency medical
physician at Redmond Regional
Medical Center. Mrs. Walstad is the
granddaughter of Thomas Berry Jr.,
Martha Berry’s brother. ■
OPENING CEREMONY HELD
FOR SCIENCE BUILDING
Grand opening ceremonies were held April 28 for Berry’s new
science building and were attended by students, faculty, staff, alumni and many
of the donors who helped make the building a reality. At top, guests marvel at the
height and grace of the 60-foot Foucault pendulum, which is suspended in the
building’s atrium. The pendulum was given in memory of Henry Chaney Berry,
Martha Berry’s nephew, by his wife, Nancy Berry, and daughter, Anita Berry Lowden.
Above left, Dr. Colley chats with alumnus Buster Wright (73C) and his wife, Janice,
major donors to the science building. Above right, guests gathered outside the
facility for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
FACULTY RECEIVE TENURE, PROMOTIONS
The Berry College Board of Trustees Dr. Karen Kurz was promoted to the
has voted to grant tenure to five rank of associate professor of elementary
faculty members and promote five.
physical education pedagogy and
Dr. Martin Cipollini, who joined the granted tenure. She joined the Berry
Berry faculty in 1995, was promoted to faculty in 1995.
the rank of associate professor of
Dr. Louis LeBlanc, professor of
biology and granted tenure.
business administration, was granted
Dr. John Davis was promoted to the tenure. He joined the Berry faculty in
rank of associate professor of music and 1998.
granted tenure. He joined the Berry
Dr. Christopher Mowry, who joined
faculty in 1995. In addition to his
the Berry faculty in 1994, was promoted
teaching duties, he serves as the
to the rank of associate professor of
college’s band director.
biology and granted tenure. ■
Dr. John Graham, who joined the
Berry faculty in 1989, was promoted to
the rank of professor.
PHOTOS BY PAUL O’MARA
CAMPUS
Berry’s 1999-2000
President’s Report
won a gold medal in the
CASE (Council for
Advancement and
Support of Education)
Circle of Excellence
national competition.
Six gold medals were
awarded in the individual
institutional relations
category, which had 191
entries from colleges and
universities across the
nation. The President’s
Report was written by
Dawn Tolbert, assistant
director of public
relations, and designed
by Shannon Walburn
Biggers (81C), director
of creative services.
6

SPOTLIGHT
ALUMNI
MARK DRUMMOND
PROFESSOR MALCOLM MCDONALD(62C)
BIDS FAREWELL TO PHYSICS CLASSROOM
As a student at Berry, Malcolm
McDonald (62C, FS) dreamed
of becoming a rocket
scientist. However, his alma mater had
another idea.
Young Malcolm attended Berry in
the heady days of America’s space race.
Graduating only five years after the
Russians launched Sputnik, the physics
major longed for the excitement of
working with NASA. “I had my heart
set on being Mr. Space Man,” he said.
“Most of us who were physics majors
at that time had our caps set toward
doing something in the space program.”
McDonald attended graduate school
at Emory University and had already
received a job offer from the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration
when fate stepped in.
He received a letter from his former
teacher and mentor Dr. Lawrence
McAllister, head of Berry’s physics
department. “Dr. Mac wrote me while I
was down at Emory and pointed out a
very serious need here at Berry. They
were in desperate need of a physics
instructor. The times were such that it
was very difficult to find anybody to
teach physics in college because there
were so many opportunities
elsewhere.”
Dr. McDonald admits he hesitated to
accept Dr. McAllister’s request. “I just
After more than three decades in the
classroom, Dr. Malcolm McDonald
still enjoys introducing students to
the world of physics.
felt the tug of the alma mater,” Dr.
McDonald said. “The dear old mother
calls you, and you can’t really say no.
My real thinking at the time was ‘Well,
I’ll go up there until they get over the
hump. Then I’ll go back to my other
career.’ But, it just didn’t work out
that way.”
In the fall of 1964, McDonald
returned to Berry to teach physics in
the same Cook Building where he had
attended classes. “I came, and actually
I kind of liked teaching,” he said with a
grin. “There’s just something good
about being in the classroom with
college-age minds. If you’ve got
students who are really interested in
learning, it’s a rewarding encounter.”
In 1967, McDonald headed back to
school to get his doctorate. “I realized
that if I was going to do this and do it
well, I should really have more
education. I told them I wanted to go
back to school and get my Ph.D., but
they didn’t quite let me off the hook.
They, in fact, kept me under contract
during the time I went back to school.”
Dr. McDonald counts that
development among his blessings.
“During the four years I was studying
at the University of Georgia, there was
a reversal in the fortunes of people in
the field of physics. In 1971, when I
graduated, jobs weren’t easy to come
by. I had friends who were sending out
a couple of hundred resumes, just
looking anywhere for a position. I
didn’t send out any resumes because I
already had a commitment at Berry. In
the fall of 1971, I came back and have
been a steady fixture since that time.”
In the spring of 2001, Dr. McDonald
retired from Berry after a 37-year
career.
Through the years, Dr. McDonald
found that being an alumnus of the
college gave him a strong connection
with students. “I went to the same
school they’re going to now,” he said.
“We still have many of the same things
going on here that we had going on
then. For example, Mountain Day is the
same happy, joyous occasion that it
was when I was a student. I tell
students that though they may view it
(the Grand March) as kind of a corny,
quaint thing to be involved in as
sophisticated college students, if they
actually do it, they’ll find out it’s an
enjoyable experience to get out there
and just be a kid for a while and run up
and down the hill. Plus, you’re
participating in a pageant that goes
back to the earliest roots of our
institution.”
Dr. McDonald practices what he
preaches, having served as grand
marshall of the march for many years.
His understanding of the student’s
perspective carries over into the
classroom as well. “I identify with
students when professors give them a
hard assignment and they have a lot of
work they’re being asked to do. That’s
the way it was when I was a student,
and that’s how it is now. I can identify
with students when they procrastinate
a bit and when they’re not doing their
work responsibilities like they ought to.
I did some of that when I was a
student, too.”
Before the opening of Berry’s new
science center in January of this year,
Dr. McDonald’s students even studied
in the classrooms where he had
studied. “Our new building is
wonderful, but it’s like culture shock
when you come out of the Cook
Building. I miss the smell of the Cook
Building,” he adds with a nostalgic
smile. “I don’t know why — maybe it’s
after years and years of biology
experiments and chemistry experiments
— but Cook had a unique smell from
the time I was a student until the time
we came out of there. It was always the
same. You could go away for the
summer and come back, and it would
be the same. If you were blindfolded,
you’d know you were in the Cook
Building.”
Olfactory stimulation aside, Dr.
McDonald beams when talking about
the School of Mathematical and Natural
Sciences’ new home. “We used to just
be so severely cramped for room; we
were always doubling up, using labs for
classrooms. That caused all kinds of
logistical problems. Now, we have
rooms that are designed as labs, and
we have labs in those rooms. We have
other rooms to teach in.
“Plus, everything around here is so
nice and new and clean. It’s just
wonderful. Even the heating and cooling
system works well. It’s a great place.”
Sitting in his new office with a
window overlooking Hermann Hall, Dr.
McDonald adds that he feels that now
is “a good time to let some younger
people have a shot at making their
mark at Berry.” He excitedly looks
forward to joining his wife, Jean
Vaughn McDonald (63C), in retirement.
Mrs. McDonald retired two years ago
after a 25-year career teaching fourth
and fifth graders. “I’ve watched her,
and she’s stayed plenty busy. It kind of
looks like the thing to do.” ■
— DAWN TOLBERT
7

SPORTS
BERRY VIKING REPRESENTS GERMANY
IN BEACH SOCCER TOURNAMENTS
Berry freshman Eddie Loewen (right) represented
his homeland of Germany in the European and
world beach soccer championships.
February was a month of sun
and sand for Berry freshman
Eddie Loewen, as well as an
opportunity to share his faith. A
native of Eselkamp, Germany, Loewen
represented his home country in the
European and world championships of
beach soccer and utilized the
opportunity to spread his faith in God
to others.
“I feel like this is a gift that’s been
given to me, and I hope to glorify Him,”
he said before leaving for Europe. “God
has opened a lot of doors for me, and
I’m very thankful. I hope I can share the
gospel while I’m on this trip so I can
bring glory and honor to Him.”
Loewen and the German team played
in the eight-team European
Championships in the Canary Islands
and then participated in the World
Championships, which were held in
Brazil. Although his team members
were somewhat disappointed in their
finish in the world event, they were
thrilled to beat France in their first
tournament in Europe.
“That was probably the greatest
win in my sports career and one of
the greatest experiences of my life,” he
stated. “It was shown all across Europe
on television. To make it as far as we did
– that was the greatest success the
German team has ever had. I learned a
lot from my experiences.”
While beach soccer is not well known
in the United States, it is very popular in
other parts of the world. It is played on a
field of soft sand that measures about a
quarter of the size of a regulation soccer
field. Its modified rules make it
different from traditional soccer. It has
a smaller, lighter ball and smaller
goals, among other differences.
Loewen was selected for Germany’s
team by Markus Hoegner, a
professional player who also serves as
coach and player on the national team.
To prepare for the tournaments,
Loewen underwent a vigorous routine
for several months. He worked on
fundamental skill drills at Berry’s
carpet-floored Richards Memorial Gym,
performed a series of special exercises,
and worked out in the weight room.
His training increased to 13 sessions
per week in the four weeks leading up
to the tournaments. Also in preparation
for the trip, he established a personal
goal to use the trip to spread his faith in
God to others.
Upon returning from the
tournaments, Loewen said that it was
an amazing experience for him, both
athletically and spiritually. “I had
some good talks with my teammates,”
he said. “A lot of things happen at
these tournaments, and it is easy to
talk with others about your beliefs.
There are a lot of opportunities to
share your faith.” ■
NEWS
ATHLETES’ SERVICE
CLUB FEATURED
ON NAIA WEB SITE
Berry’s athletes are earning a
reputation for community service.
Last fall, Berry athletes teamed up to
help the community through the Viking
Athletes Bettering the Community (ABC)
program. They spent a day off the
practice field and in the community
helping with after-school mentoring
programs at local elementary schools,
visiting residents at retirement homes,
and playing games with children at
Rome’s Boys and Girls Club.
This spring, the National Association
of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) posted
a story about Berry’s ABC program on the
front page of its Web site. “It was nice to
see our athletes recognized for their
commitment to Berry’s motto, ‘Not to be
ministered unto, but to minister,’” said
Todd Brooks, Berry’s athletic director.
“The NAIA Web site has a lot of visitors,
and we were proud to be featured in such
a positive way.”
The NAIA story, along with local
coverage of the service day, can be seen
at www.berry.edu/athletics. Just click on
“About Athletics.” ■
ATHLETES HONORED AT END OF SEASON
Junior basketball player Duane
Tippets was the TranSouth
Conference recipient of the Emil S.
Liston Award, presented to the athlete
with the highest grade-point average
(GPA). Tippets earned the award,
presented by the National Association
of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA),
after compiling a 3.89 GPA as a
biology/pre-med major. His success in
the classroom also earned him
Academic All-American honors from
the NAIA.
Lady Viking basketball players
Brooke Bowen and Mekia Troy also
were named Academic All-Americans
by the NAIA. The juniors major in
biology and health and physical
education, respectively.
Teammate Rachel Roberts ended her
Berry basketball career by scoring more
than 500 points during the 2000-01
season, pushing her career total to
1,767 points. This mark earned her
third place on the Lady Vikings’ alltime
scoring list. Roberts is a two-time
TranSouth Conference Player of the
Junior Duane Tippetts scored a slam dunk in the classroom
earning him the TranSouth conference award for the athlete with
the highest GPA.
Week and an Honorable Mention NAIA
All-American selection.
Berry junior forward Eric Herrick was
named to the TranSouth All-Conference
Team after leading the Vikings in
scoring and rebounding. ■
8

NOTES
CLASS
Oak Hill and
The Martha
Berry Museum are
seeking volunteers to
help staff the museum.
Alumni volunteers are
needed to greet guests,
give tours of the
museum, and work in
the Oak Hill Gift Shop.
Anyone interested in
volunteering is asked
to call the Oak Hill
office at
(706) 291-1883 or
(800) 220-5504.
1940s
■ Catherine Carnes Beaird (48C) and
her husband, Bobby, are the proud
grandparents of four grandchildren. They are
also enjoying renovating their 1842 home.
The couple lives in Cave Spring, Ga.
■ Patricia Florence Wilcox (49H)
recently published the critically acclaimed
book, Shaped Notes: Stories of Twentieth
Century Georgia. The book was published by
Pageant Press. Patricia resides in
Binghamton, N.Y.
1950s
■ Greanel Spell Tuttle (52H) and Ben
Overstreet were married in August 2000. The
couple resides in Brunswick, Ga.
1960s
■ Ann Fite Whitaker (61C) was honored
by the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center
for her new position as the deputy director of
science. She resides in Huntsville, Ala.
■ Jean Nix Glen (68C) works for the
state of Georgia as a clinical nutritionist in
Polk County. Her husband, John, is retired
from the Georgia State Patrol. She has two
sons, Casey and Greg. She and John reside in
Cedartown, Ga.
■ Terry Rolan (68C) was elected vice
president of the American Water Works
Association. He has been a member of the
association for 28 years. He resides in
Durham, N.C.
1970s
■ Bill Kolok (70C) has been awarded a
commission by the Owensboro Museum of
Fine Arts to create a sculpture for the
Owensboro Sculpture Park in Owensboro, Ky.
He will be carving the abstract, seven-foot
sculpture from a 5,000-pound column of
limestone. Kolok’s Web site,
www.stonesculpture.org, will chronicle the
development of his sculpture.
■ Kimberley Kirnan Hawkins (76C) is a
workforce certification coordinator with Ivy
State College in Lafayette, Ind. Prior to her
new job, she taught at California State
Polytechnic University and then moved to
Lafayette, providing computer training and
consulting to industries in that area.
1980s
■ Robert “Jon” Davis (82C) earned a
master of divinity degree from Reformed
Theological Seminary in Orlando, Fla. He is a
youth officer for the Episcopal Diocese of
Central Florida, where he coordinates youth
ministry efforts for 85 Episcopal churches. He
and his wife, Beth, reside in Oviedo, Fla.
■ Anne Willams Free (83C) and her
husband, Paul, are currently working on
restoring their home built in the 1920s. The
home is located in the Druid Hills Historic
District in Atlanta. Anne owns an interior
design firm, Anne’s Home Inc., and is also
a realtor with Re/Max Metro Atlanta. She
reached her goal of Million Dollar Club in the
DeKalb Board of Realtors and also is a life
member of the Million Dollar Club.
■ William “Billy” Grant (84C) and his
company, Grant Design Collaborative, were
profiled in the January/February issue of
Communication Arts magazine, one of the
most prestigious publications for the graphic
design profession. He resides in Chatsworth,
Ga.
■ Sherry Jennings (84C, 97G) was
named Rome High School’s teacher of the
year for 2000. She teaches technical
preparatory applied problem solving and
serves as student support team coordinator.
She resides in Rome.
■ Sue M. Clark (86C) has accepted the
position of donor services manager with the
Boys and Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay Inc. She
also operates her own licensed massage
therapy business. She resides in St.
Petersburg, Fla.
■ Robin Henry (86C) and Russ
Muretisch were married March 10, 2001. The
couple resides in Roswell, Ga.
■ Karen Kelley (87C) and Wayne Carter
were married Oct. 7, 2000. Karen is an
instructional design specialist with Kaiser
Permanente. The couple lives in Snellville,
Ga.
■ Ricky Williams (87C) and his wife,
Pam, announce the birth of their second son,
Cooper Morgan, on Oct. 7, 2000. He joins his
3-year-old brother, Riley. The family resides
in Rome.
■ Susanne Reifsneider Crowe (88C)
earned her master’s degree in health
administration from the University of North
Florida and is currently pursuing her
doctorate in health services research at the
University of North Florida. She is an
administrator with the State of Florida Bureau
of Laboratories. She and her husband, Barry
Crowe (89c), reside in Orange Park, Fla.,
with their two children, Hannah, 5, and
Rachel, 11 months.
■ Charles W. Scragg III (88C) was
honored by the Kiwanis Club of Buckhead for
his work with Georgia’s economic
development. He resides in Marietta, Ga.
■ Keli A. Bevis (89C) and Frank Musil
were married Jan. 27, 2001. The couple
resides in Lawrenceville, Ga.
■ Brenda Burrows (89C) and Rhett
Butler were married July 8, 2000. They reside
in Anderson, Ind., where Brenda is a
registered nurse in outpatient chemotherapy.
■ Brian Klinkert (89C) has received his
second bachelor’s degree, this one in
accounting. He graduated summa cum laude.
He also passed the CPA exam and is working
for a CPA firm in Atlanta.
■ Haley Laurane Roberson (89C) and
Jonathan E. Lewis were married Nov. 21,
2000. Haley received her master’s degree in
education in 1996 and is employed by the
Tombstone Unified School District. The couple
resides in Sierra Vista, Ariz.
1990s
■ Julie Coone Horton (90C) and her
husband, Herb, announce their adoption of a
daughter, Sydney Elizabeth Grace, born Dec.
3, 2000. Julie teaches at Indian Creek Middle
School. The family resides in Covington, Ga.
■ Beth-Anne O’Brien Longazel (90C)
and her husband, Steven, announce the birth
of their son, Christopher Ethan, on March 6,
2001. The family resides in Powder Springs,
Ga.
■ Jenny Sexton Martin (90C) and her
husband, Travis, announce the birth of their
son, Stanton David, on Sept. 7, 2000. Jenny
is a school counselor at Lake City Middle
School. The family resides in Norris, Tenn.
■ Kelly Buice Rodgers (90C) and her
husband, Benjamin, announce the birth of
their daughter, Mary Hannah, on Aug. 4,
2000. The family resides in Walterboro, S.C.
■ Todd Brophy (91C) and his wife, Kelly,
announce the birth of their second son,
Benjamin Wayne, on Aug. 29, 2000. The
family resides in Englewood, Ohio.
■ Landis Dekle Hicks (91C) and her
husband, David, announce the birth of their
son, David Matthew, on Dec. 15, 2000. The
family resides in Alto, Ga.
■ Jeff L. Hughes (91C) and his wife,
Sabrina, announce the birth of their daughter,
Caroline Michelle. The family resides in
Loganville, Ga.
■ Richard A. Thomas (91C) and his
wife, Maria, announce their adoption of a
son, Sebastian Dover, on Sept. 7, 2000. The
family resides in Atlanta.
■ J. Carol Lott Charles (92C) and her
husband, Joe, announce the birth of their
Class years are followed by an uppercase or
lowercase letter that indicates the following
status:
H
A
C
G
h
a
c
FFS
FS
LEGEND
High School graduate
Academy graduate
College graduate
Graduate student
Last year of attendance at
High School
Last year of attendance at
Academy
Anticipated year of
graduation from Berry College
Former faculty and staff
Current faculty and staff
Send all class notes to: Alumni Office,
P.O. Box 495018, Mount Berry, GA
30149-5018
All class notes and obituaries are
subject to editing due to space limitations.
Class notes in this issue include
submissions through March 29, 2001.
Class notes were compiled by
Lori Pope (01c).
daughter, Danielle Nicole, on Nov. 5, 2000.
The family resides in Calhoun, Ga.
■ Jennifer J. Faison (92C) is the
associate producer of the television program,
“Judge Judy.” She resides in Los Angeles,
Calif.
■ Jennifer Jennings Branson (93C) and
her husband, Roger, announce the birth of
their first daughter, Katie Nicole, on Nov. 30,
2000. The family resides in Flower Mound,
Texas.
■ Debbie Savannah Condrey George
(93C) received her master of arts degree in
communications from Georgia State
University. Her thesis was titled “Under My
Thumb: Female On-Air Personalities on
Classic Rock and Rock Radio Stations.” She
resides in Norcross, Ga.
■ Melea Lenora Goode (93C) has joined
the staff of The Christian Index, Georgia’s
Baptist newspaper and the nation’s oldest
religious paper. She resides in Gainesville, Ga.
■ Sherry Miller Johnson (93C) and her
husband, Kash, announce the birth of their
daughter, Audrey Elizabeth, on Jan. 2, 2001.
The family resides in Carrollton, Ga.
■ Emily Eckels (94C) and Michael Pozo
were married Sept. 30, 2000. The couple
resides in Thomasville, Ga.
■ Kristie Elizabeth Smith Finney (95C)
and her husband, David, announce the birth
of their daughter, Lauren Elizabeth, on Aug.
10, 2000. The family resides in Jasper, Ga.
■ Melissa Carolyn Post (95C) and Yong
S. Kim were married Feb. 24, 2001.
Bridesmaids included April Michael (93C),
Cathy Meadows (94C), Kristi Cliatt Hill
(94C), Sharyn Kortz (96C), and Stacy
Lance Ruska (96C). Groomsmen included
Garrett Edmond Post III (96C). Melissa is a
biology and anatomy teacher at Brookwood
High School in Gwinnett County. The couple
resides in Lilburn, Ga.
■ Traci Jennifer Tucker Powell (95C)
recently changed jobs and is now working as
the director of sales support for Oriental
Weavers of America, the industry leader in
machine-woven area rugs. She resides in
Dalton, Ga.
■ Tad Scepaniak (95C) is the president
of MarketQuest. He resides in Alpharetta, Ga.
■ Krista L. Summerour (95C) is the
catering sales manager for the new Ritz-
Carlton in New Orleans, La.
■ Tina Brownlow Waggoner (95G) was
recently named vice president of 1st Floyd
Bank. She resides in Rockmart, Ga.
■ Katherine Lourene Ortwein Ingalsbe
(96C) is working on her master of public
administration degree at Georgia State
University. She is a project manager with the
University System of Georgia’s office of
external affairs. She resides in Powder
Springs, Ga.
■ Jon “Shane” Richardson (96C)
became a CPA in 1999 and is the certified
valuation analyst for RMS Financial Services
LLC of Rome.
9

ALUMNI
ACADEMY GRADUATE LUIS LEON
LEADS INAUGURATION PRAYER SERVICE
The Leon family has their photo made with President-elect George W. Bush following the
Inauguration Day prayer service. With Mr. Bush and Father Leon are (left to right) Mary Miller,
the rector’s foster mother; Leon’s daughters, Emilia and Sofia; and his wife, Lu Leon.
Berry Academy graduate Luis
Leon (67A) had the ear of the
president on Inauguration Day.
Father Leon, who serves as rector of
St. John’s Church in Washington, D.C.,
led an early morning prayer service to
officially begin the inaugural festivities
for President George W. Bush.
President-elect Bush chose to begin
his day with a prayer service at the
Washington landmark known as “the
Church of the Presidents,” where every
president since James Madison has
worshiped at one time or another.
“President Bush wanted to have a small
prayer service for family and friends
and not open it up to the public,”
Father Leon said.
During the prayer service, Father
Leon shared a brief message of
encouragement. When asked what he
told the president, the minister laughed
and said, “I do remember telling him
that we needed to stop the New York
Yankees!”
Father Leon relied on the model of
President Abraham Lincoln as he
sought advice to share with the
president-elect. “President Lincoln is
someone I greatly admire,” Father Leon
said. “Lincoln was very generous
toward his opponents. When the Civil
War was over, he never went after the
Southerners. And that is the kind of
generosity I thought we needed in this
country.”
Through the message, Father Leon
also encouraged the new president to
keep a proper perspective. “The other
thing about Lincoln that I was
impressed with, which I shared with
the president, was that Lincoln was
never saying that God was on our side.
He was always asking the question
‘Are we on God’s side?,’ which I think
is a more important question to ask.”
Following the ceremony, Father Leon
and his family — wife, Lu, and
daughters, Sofia, 14, and Emilia, 11 —
talked with the president-elect and his
family. “The Bush family stayed here
for about 20 minutes after the service,
so we were able to greet each other and
spend some time together,” he said.
Father Leon was impressed with the
president’s ability to recall their
Inauguration Day conversation. “As we
were talking, I told him that I was one
of the Peter Pan children, the kids who
came from Cuba in the 1960s without
their parents. He asked me some
questions and then mentioned that one
of the members of his cabinet,
Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development Mel Martinez, also was
one of the Peter Pan children. So we
talked a little more about that.
“The next day, there was a public
service at the cathedral here in
Washington, and I was invited to go.
After the service, Mel Martinez came up
and identified himself and said,
‘President Bush told me yesterday that
you were also one of the Peter Pan
children.’ I was really floored that he
would remember in the midst of all of
that to tell Mel Martinez what we had
talked about at our church. That was
very impressive to me.”
For Father Leon, taking part in the
inaugural festivities was an especially
exciting opportunity. “You’ve got to
remember, I’m an immigrant to this
country. It speaks very highly about
this nation that a person who’s
migrated to the United States can
participate in an event like that. That’s
just not a common occurrence. For me,
it was very poignant to be a part of a
presidential event — especially since I
came as an immigrant in 1961 literally
without any money.”
Throughout his ministry, Father
Leon has drawn upon his experience as
an immigrant to help others who are
relocating to this country. One of the
first assignments he had after
graduating from Virginia Theological
Seminary was to spearhead refugee
resettlement for the Diocese of
Maryland.
“The war in Vietnam had ended a
few years earlier so there were a lot of
Southeast Asian refugees, and many of
them were being resettled into this
country,” he said. “Churches of all
denominations from across the country
would sponsor a family or an
individual, and they would come into
the country. The churches would then
help them get started. My job was to
recruit churches to sponsor refugees.”
While he was working with families
from Vietnam and Cambodia, the
crackdown on Solidarity in Poland and
the Mariel boat lift in Cuba took place.
Soon, his job expanded to include work
with refugees from these nations as
well.
In his current post at St. John’s in
Washington, Father Leon continues to
place a strong emphasis on work with
immigrants. The church hosts
numerous programs to reach out to
Washington’s large immigrant
population, including offering services
in both English and Spanish. Other
primary ministries of the church focus
on housing and after-school programs
for the public schools.
Though the church’s status as “the
Church of the Presidents” draws many
high-profile events such as the
Inauguration Day prayer service, Father
Leon ministers to a very diverse
population. “We have senators and
powerful people in Washington, and,
because we’re here in LaFayette Park,
we also have homeless people as
members.”
While Father Leon enjoyed the
excitement of Inauguration Day, for
him, the essence of his ministry takes
place away from the spotlight. And
that’s just the way he likes it. ■
— DAWN TOLBERT
SPOTLIGHT
10

NOTES
CLASS
Remember your
reunion! The
following classes will
hold reunions during
Mountain Day 2001
(Oct. 6):
1976A
1976C
1981A
1981C
1986C
1991C
1996C
If you have not heard
about your reunion,
call the Berry Alumni
Office at (800) 782-
0130.
DON’T BE LEFT OUT
We need your help!
In the past few weeks, all Berry
alumni should have received
information telling you about our
upcoming new alumni directory and
asking for your input. If you haven’t
already done so, please return your
questionnaire today. Doing so will
ensure that your personal
information will be accurate in the
Centennial edition of our directory.
Within two or three months, the
verification phase of the directory
project will begin. All alumni should
expect a phone call from Bernard C.
Harris Publishing Company Inc., the
official publisher of our directory.
Please give the representative who
calls you a few moments of your
time to verify your listing.
Also, please let the Harris
representative know if you’d like to
order a copy of the Berry Alumni
Directory. This will be the only
opportunity you’ll have to order the
book.
Scheduled for release in January
2002, the Berry Alumni Directory will
include information on more than
19,000 of our alumni. Don’t miss the
opportunity to be a part of it!
■ Renee Spurlock McMillan (97C) and
Jason McMillan (98C) announce the birth of
their first daughter, Gillian Anne, on Feb. 7,
2001.
■ Angela Leigh Sundstrom (97C)
announces the birth of her son, Alexander,
on March 17, 2000. The family resides in
Chatsworth, Ga.
■ Crissie Welch (97C) is a training
coordinator at Arthur Andersen in Atlanta,
where she resides.
■ Melissa Whitton (97C) is employed as
a systems analyst with ING Americas.
■ Heather Renee Hicks (98C) is
attending law school at the University of
Georgia. She resides in Athens, Ga.
■ Matt Keedy (98C) accepted a
motorsports management position with
Trakus, Inc. He resides in Boston, Mass.
■ Maria McCoy (98C) began Peace Corps
training in Guatemala on Jan. 23, 2001. Her
program is called appropriate technology. She
will complete her training in April 2003.
■ Clark Thomas (98C) completed his
master’s degree in public administration at
Georgia State University and is employed at
FundraisingINSO.com as director of charter
relations. He resides in Decatur, Ga.
■ Rebecca Urech (98C) and Marc
Grindstaff (96C) were married in October
2000. Rebecca received her master’s degree
in education with a concentration in school
counseling and guidance from the University
of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She is an
elementary school counselor in Marietta, Ga.
Marc is pursuing his master’s degree in
history with a concentration in historic
preservation. The couple resides in Marietta,
Ga.
■ Lisa Michele Vaughn (98C) received
her master’s degree in education leadership
from the University of Georgia (UGA) and
has been accepted as a doctoral student at
UGA. She is currently in her third year
teaching family and consumer sciences at
Commerce High School. She resides in
Commerce, Ga.
■ Allison Marie Brown (99C) and
James Richard Hattaway Jr. (99C) were
married recently and moved to Auburn, Ala.
■ Wendi Frawley (99C) and Mark Van
Leuven (94C) were married recently and
reside in Rome.
■ Juliana Alexandra Osvald (99C) and
Scott Breithaupt (91C, 96G, FS) were
married Feb. 3, 2001, at Frost Chapel. The
couple resides in Rome.
■ Amy Beth Talbott (99C) and Walter
Rucks Winkeljohn were married Dec. 16,
2000. Amy is teaching fourth grade in Cobb
County. The couple resides in Chamblee, Ga.
■ Julie Yamamoto (99C) is employed as
an account executive for Austin Kelley
Advertising in Atlanta. She and Kristen Hill
(00C) are sharing an apartment in Atlanta.
2000
■ Johnnie Faye Bartlett (00C) and Alan
Richardson were married Jan. 2, 2001.
Bridesmaids included Erin Nadolski (01c)
and Aura Lee Durham (01c). The couple
resides in Lafayette, Ga.
■ Laura Kathleen Blosser (00C) and
Phillip R. Wood were married Dec. 23, 2000.
The couple resides in Kingston, Ga.
■ Kristen Nicole Creecy (00C) and
Travis Fulton Ramsey (00C) were married
at Frost Chapel on July 1, 2000. Kristen is
employed at Henry County Department of
Family and Children’s Services. Travis is
attending Atlanta Bible College. The couple
resides in Morrow, Ga.
■ Jennifer Pike (00C) and Jason
Whitecliffe (97C) were married March 3,
2001, in the Berry College Chapel. Jennifer
works for Matrix Resources, an information
technology company. Jason is in sales for
Commercial Landscaping Company. The
couple resides in Woodstock, Ga.
■ Matthew Smith (00C) has been
appointed to the position of personnel director
at the Spirit Drum and Bugle Corps. He
resides in Newnan, Ga.
■ Justin Wyatt (00C) is employed by the
International Mission Board as a music
teacher and resident advisor at the Taejon
Christian International School in Teajon,
South Korea.
DEATHS
Berry College extends sincere condolences
to family and friends of the following alumni.
We regret space does not permit listing names
of survivors who are not Berry alumni or
immediate family members.
1910s
■ Nell Thomas Easterling (19H) of
Anniston, Ala., died Jan. 24, 2001. She was
a homemaker.
1920s
■ Agnes Hamrick Gottshall (25H) of
Boyertown, Pa., died in December 2000. She
is survived by her son, Bruce Gottshall.
■ Ava C. King (26H) of Concord, Ga.,
died Feb. 21, 2001. She is survived by her
son, Charles L. King (56H); sister, Dorothy
Curry Knight (34H, 38C); and
granddaughter, Lynne King Strickland.
■ Thelma Hester Whiddon (27H) of
Ashburn, Ga., died Oct. 16, 2000. She was a
retired teacher, a graduate of Teacher’s
College, and an active member of Harmony
Baptist Church. She is survived by her
daughter, Velda Roberta Whiddon; six
grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and
three great-great-grandchildren.
■ Clyde Reynolds Rodgers (28H, 32C)
of Daytona Beach, Fla., died last winter.
1930s
■ Wallace Edward Moody (32C) of
Atlanta died Jan. 14, 2001. He was retired
from John Deere as a traffic and claims
manager. He was a member of the first
graduating class of Berry College, a Boy Scout
director of Troop 81, and a member of First
Baptist Church of Cliftondale. Survivors
include his son, the Rev. Thomas E. Moody;
three grandchildren; and two greatgrandchildren.
■ Addie Faye Ashmore Strickland
(33c) of Lafayette, Ga., died Aug. 31, 1999.
She was a retired piano teacher. She is
survived by her husband, James Strickland
Sr.; daughter, Barbara Parrish; son, George
Strickland (67C); and many grandchildren
and great-grandchildren.
■ William F. Purcell (34c) of New Bern,
N.C., died Jan. 10, 2000.
■ Eugene Jason “Gene” Cain (36H) of
Lafayette, Ala., died Dec. 26, 1998. He is
survived by his wife, Pearl Cain.
■ Emmitt “Jack” Couch (36C) of
Lindale, Ga., died Jan. 7, 2001. He was the
first electrician for Berry College as well as for
Watts Bar Dam and Rome City Schools. He
was a member and lifetime deacon of the
First Baptist Church of Rome and a member
of the Berry Alumni Association and the
Carpenters for Christ. Survivors include his
wife of 63 years, Frances Rooks Couch
(39c); two sons, Emmitt O’Neal Couch Jr. and
Tom Couch; two granddaughters; and four
sisters.
■ Selma Hall Ferguson (36C) of Destin,
Fla., and Jefferson, N.C., died Jan. 18, 2001.
She had taught school for 32 years, primarily
in Glynn County, Ga. She was a member of
Village Baptist Church and attended Jefferson
United Methodist Church when she was in
North Carolina. Survivors include her
husband, Wayne B. “Smokey Joe”
Ferguson (36C); daughters, Becky
Christopher (61C) and Mildred Hacke
(64C); stepsons, Marvin Ferguson and David
Ferguson; stepdaughter, Corothy Sims; and
many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
■ Hubert C. Irvin (36C) of Adrian, Ga.,
died Jan. 12, 2001.
■ Gladys L. Thompson (36C) of
Fairburn, Ga., died Feb. 16, 2001. She was a
retired teacher. Survivors include her
brothers, Joe Thompson and Cicero
Thompson; and her sisters, Martha
Thompson Weaver (44c) and Helen
Standifer Thompson (40c).
■ Jaynelle Wooddall Baker (37C) of
Athens, Ga., died April 5, 1999.
■ Dorothy Allen Williams (37C) of
Savannah, Ga., died in November 1999.
■ Lonnie M. Barrow (38C) of Tampa,
Fla., died Dec. 23, 2000. He was a lieutenant
commander in the Navy. He and his wife,
Zelma, were avid travelers, having visited
each state in the United States and been
around the world twice. He was a devout
Mason and had retired from naval service in
1962 and civilian employment in 1977.
Survivors include his wife, Zelma Derry
Barrow.
■ Malcolm E. Lam (38H) of Lexington,
S.C., died March 20, 1999.
■ Ruby Stevens Hopkins (39C) of San
Antonio, Texas, died March 17, 2001. She is
survived by her husband, Rear Admiral
Lewis A. Hopkins (39C).
1940s
■ Ray S. Stephens (40C) of Warner
Robins, Ga., died Jan. 9, 2001. He was a
World War II Army veteran who served in the
southwest Pacific theater. He worked in civil
service for 30 years, retiring as the county
supervisor with the Georgia Department of
Agriculture and from Madison Truck &
Tractor. He was an active member of
11

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
President: Tim Howard, 82C
Immediate Past President:
Martha Wyatt Bowen, 55H, 59C
Vice Presidents: Ed England, 57C; Larry O.
Posey, 54H; Reginald Strickland, 51C; Larry
Eidson, 57c; David Elswick, 90C
Parliamentarian: Virginia R. Webb, 44c
Historian: Ouida Word Dickey, 50C
Secretary: Kathy Gann, 91C
Chapter Presidents: Brenda Thompson, 88C,
African American; Ray R. Smitherman, 95C,
Ag Alumni; Tracy Lewis, 88C, Cartersville, Ga.;
Jesse Jones, 49H, Carpet Capital (Dalton,
Ga.); Sue Day, 48C, Columbia, S.C.;
Robert L. Huff, 51C, Columbus, Ga.;
Luci Hill Bell, 60C, East Tennessee (Knoxville);
Earl DeVane, 45C, Macon, Ga.;
Ann Fite Whitaker, 61C, North Alabama
(Huntsville); Bill Roseen, 78C, Northeast
Atlanta; W. Rufus Massey, Jr., 75C,
Northwest Atlanta; David T. Sanford, 64C,
and Inez Quinn Byrd, 44c, Pensacola, Fla.;
Joel A. Rackley, 58H, 62C, Richmond, Va.;
Genyth Travis, 96C, and Barbara Hill, 93C,
Rome, Ga.; Greanel Spell Overstreet, 52H,
Southeast Georgia (Brunswick); William L.
Grant, 38H, Southern California; Jeffrey Horn,
87C, Washington, D.C. Area
Director of Alumni Affairs:
Wendy Davis, 87C
Coordinator of Alumni Activities:
Renee Spurlock McMillan, 97C
Coordinator of Reunion and
Annual Giving:
Jennifer Tucker, 93C, 00G
Administrative Assistant:
Jane McDonald, 78C
Lawrence Drive Baptist Church, the National
Association of Retired Federal Employees,
and the Golden K Kiwanis. Survivors include
his sons, William G. Whatley and Cliff
Stephens; daughter, Frances Keene; three
brothers; two sisters; seven grandchildren;
and four great-grandchildren.
■ Fielding Elbert Bird (41C) of
Edgewater, Fla., died Feb. 19, 2001. He was
a U.S. Army Air Corps veteran of World War
II and was active in the Port Orange Elks
Lodge and Shrine Club of New Smyrna
Beach, Fla. He is survived by his wife, Ruth
Bird; daughter, Maureen Aaron; two
grandchildren; and three step-grandchildren.
■ Mary Bryant Pool (41C) of Winder,
Ga., died Jan. 7, 2001.
■ Albert C. “Bo” Collier (42H) of
Jonesboro, Ga., died in December 1998. He
was a Navy veteran of World War II and was
personnel director for Clayton County
government until his retirement in 1988. He
was a member of Forest Park Kiwanis Club,
American Cancer Society, American Red
Cross, and Boy Scouts of America. He was a
deacon in the First Baptist Church of Forest
Park. He is survived by his wife, Gwen
Collier; son, Al Collier; daughter, Denise
Bowen; and four grandchildren.
■ Homer Thomas Hall (42c) of
Montezuma, Ga., died Aug. 31, 1998. He
was a Navy veteran of World War II, having
served as chief warrant officer in the Pacific
area. He was actively involved in the Cedar
Valley Baptist Church. He was the owner and
operator of Dixie Foods Shop, Tom Hall
Motors, and Reliable Hardware. He also was
a farmer. Survivors include his wife, Frances
Roberts Hall; daughters, Sara Scott, Susan
Allen, and Tommie Lee Kitchens; and many
grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
■ Hazel Burgess Malone (42C) of
Athens, Ga., died July 5, 1999.
■ Clarence Neely (42H, 46c) of Lilburn,
Ga., died Nov. 14, 2000. He was preceded in
death by his wife, Doris Thompson Neely
(47c), whom he met while attending Berry.
He is survived by his daughter, Adrien Neely.
■ The Rev. Isaac “Ike” C. Davis (43C)
of Woodbury, Ga., died Dec. 31, 2000. He
was assistant commandant and dean of
Georgia Military Academy from 1944 to
1952 and administrator of the Georgia
Baptist Children’s Home from 1952 to 1967.
He joined the State Department of Human
Resources, where he worked from 1967 to
1987. He was then ordained a Baptist
minister and served as pastor at Molena
Baptist Church until his retirement. Survivors
include his wife, Mary Morgan Davis; two
daughters, Gail Hammock and Pamela
McCarty; two stepdaughters, Myra Alexander
and Jody Yates; stepson, Pete Melton; 11
grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
■ Janie Buckner Ray (43H) of Sumter,
S.C., died Oct. 20, 2000.
■ Alvin Hill Salmon Jr. (43H) of Rome
died in March 2001. He is survived by three
children, Stephen H. Salmon (69C), Gail
Moore, and Von Alford.
■ Mack H. Guest Jr. (44c) of Bogart, Ga.,
died Feb. 21, 2001. He served in the U.S.
Army 387th Field Artillery Battalion during
World War II and was employed by the
Georgia Farm Bureau and the American Farm
Bureau. He was a member of the Athens First
United Methodist Church and founder of
Central High School Booster Club and Men’s
Club at Huntcliff Summit in Atlanta.
Survivors include his daughter, June Guest
Cornett; sons, Mack H. Guest III, Judson J.
Guest, and David J. Guest; and 10
grandchildren.
■ Alice Jones Hull (44H) of McKeesport,
Pa., recently passed away.
■ Faye Lewis Dickey (45C) of Kelso,
Tenn., died Jan. 30, 2001. Survivors include
her daughter, Jane Dickey Wilcox (74C),
and sister-in-law, Ouida Word Dickey (50C,
FS).
■ Thomas A. Burch (46C) of Clemson,
S.C., died May 13, 2000. He was a U.S.
Navy veteran of World War II, a retired
agricultural economist, and an avid tea
grower who shipped tea plants all over the
world. He was a member of the First Baptist
Church of Clemson and actively involved in
the Shangrila Seekers Camping Club.
Survivors include his wife, Billie Murphy
Burch; sons, Jeffery Thomas Burch and
Phillip Augustus Burch; daughter, Carla B.
Crago; two sisters; and two grandchildren.
1950s
■ Robert Lamar Kitchens (50c) of
Sylvania, Ga., died Feb. 13, 2001. He was an
Army Signal Corp veteran of World War II
and served in the Battle of the Bulge and the
Normandy Invasion. He was a member of the
United Methodist Church of Sylvania and
was a retired member of Pops Coffee Club.
Survivors include his wife, Rosemary
Bazemore Kitchens; sons, Lovett V. Kitchens
and Jewitt S. Kitchens; seven grandchildren;
and five great-grandchildren.
■ Mary Ann Hester Gaines (51C) of
Elberton, Ga., died Dec. 13, 2000. She was a
retired home economics teacher, homemaker,
and a member of Coldwater United Methodist
Church. Survivors include her husband,
Claude Ralph Gaines Jr; three daughters, Joy
A. Gaines, Carol G. Maxwell, and Lori
Cronan; four brothers, Thomas J. Hester
(42C), Moody Hester, Morgan Hester, and
Willis Hester (57C); and four sisters, Omie
Burgess, Macie Hendricks (48C), Wilma
Davis (56C), and Bettie McClain (63C).
■ Walter Lee Noles (51C) of Aragon,
Ga., died Jan. 17, 2001.
■ Donald “Ray” Glosson (53c) of
Kennesaw, Ga., died Dec. 15, 2000. He was
the president of Concord Realty and involved
in the Allatoona Yacht Club and the Pine Tree
Country Club. He was previously named Cobb
County Chamber “Young Man of the Year.”
Survivors include his wife, Janet Glosson;
daughters, Amanda Glosson, Sherry
Hamrick, and Amy Weatherby; son, Donald
Ray Glosson Jr.; five sisters, including
Roslyn Faulkenberry (58c); nine
grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
■ Mary Jo Wood Smith (53c) of Toccoa,
Ga., died Dec. 29, 2000. She was a former
CLASS
teacher and co-owner of Smith’s Pharmacy,
now Stewart’s Discount Drugs, in Toccoa, Ga.
She was active in the First United Methodist
Church of Toccoa, as well as many civic
activities. Survivors include her husband,
Charles Smith; sons, Greg Smith and Mark
Smith; two grandsons; four brothers; and two
sisters.
■ Annie Laura Cook Stanley (53C) of
Dalton, Ga., died Dec. 25, 2000. She was a
first grade teacher in Dekalb County and
Whitfield County for 31 years. She was a
member of Center Point Baptist Church. Her
special interests were gardening, sewing, and
crafts. She is survived by two sons, Rodney
Stanley and Jeff Stanley; seven
grandchildren; two brothers; and three
sisters, Fornadia Cook (48C), Betty Sue
Cook (48C), and Marguerite Cook
Bowman (54c).
■ Gurvis C. Caves (54H) of Ambrose,
Ga., died Jan. 20, 2001. He was a carpenter
and was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving
in the Korean Conflict. He attended the New
Hope Baptist Church. Survivors include his
wife, Peggy Soar Caves; stepdaughters,
Sharon Retzler and Vivian McAlister; sister,
Wanda Caves Harper; brother, Tom Caves;
three grandchildren; and many other family
members.
■ J. Roger Hilley (55C) of Willow
Springs, Mo., died Feb. 10, 2001. During the
Reagan administration, he was appointed
associate director of storage and
transportation in the office of civilian
radioactive waste management in the
Department of Energy, a position he held
until 1987. He then became a consultant of
the nuclear energy industry, government
contractors, and the U.S. government. He is
survived by his wife, Melanie Hilley; son, Jim
Hilley; daughter, Sandy Turkowsky; and four
grandchildren.
■ Robert F. Yarnell Jr. (57H) of
Chattanooga, Tenn., died June 29, 2000. He
was employed as a private investigator and
was a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He is
survived by his wife, Mary Rose Yarnell; son,
Greg Yarnell; sister, Carolyn Firestone; and
two grandchildren.
1960s
■ Robert “Skippy” Spencer (62H) of
Smyrna, Ga., died Nov. 23, 2000. He is
survived by his wife, Joyce Spencer.
1970s
■ George Hilton Clark (76C) of
Blackshear, Ga., died Jan. 25, 2001. He was
a business teacher in Brantley County, had
served on the state advisory board for Future
Business Leaders of America, and was district
director in the Professional Association of
Georgia Educators. He is survived by his
wife, Ann Bunn Clark; daughters, Elizabeth
and Ashley Clark; sons, Rob Clark and Jess
Duke; parents, Percy and Beth Clark; brother,
Paul Clark (88G); sister, Cindy Clark
Gullett (78c); three grandchildren; and
many other family members.
Faculty/Staff
■ Elizabeth “Betty” Bowen (FFS) of
Rome died Jan. 7, 2001. She was formerly
employed at the Berry College Memorial
Library. She is survived by her husband of 46
years, Raymond Bowen (46H, 50C); two
daughters, Carol Hatch and Leigh Kosater; a
son, Perry Bowen; and five grandchildren.
■ Louise S. Chandler (FFS) of Rome
died Jan. 8, 2001. She was a former Berry
College Health Services head nurse and an
active member of the Fifth Avenue Baptist
Church. Survivors include her husband, C.S.
Chandler; daughter, Susan Inglis; two sons,
Stan Chandler and Scott Chandler; one sister;
two brothers; and five grandchildren.
NOTES
PHOTOS SOUGHT
Do you have
photos of the
Mountain Campus
from the 1920s, 30s,
or 40s? If so, Ben
Elkin, director of
Berry’s physical plant,
needs your help. To
help with future
restoration projects,
Mr. Elkin is seeking
photos of the original
Mountain Campus.
Please send copies of
photos to:
Ben Elkin
Berry College Physical
Plant
P.O. Box 490339
Mount Berry, GA
30149
12

MEMORIES
CENTENNIAL
WORTH THE EFFORT
I
played
ALUMNI VOICE MEMORIES
OF DAYS AT BERRY
In 1993, the Berry women’s soccer team suffered a heart-breaking
defeat in the regional tournament, a loss that could easily have cost
them a trip to the nationals. Join team member Rose Peek Bernard (94C)
as she recounts the story of her senior season in “Worth the Effort.”
Also, Berry Academy grad Mark Thompson (76A) shares a story
from his final year at Berry. His “Inheriting a Legacy” reflects an
encounter with Berry history that has helped shape his life.
Enjoy these Berry memories, but you should know that we’re
running out of submissions. Don’t worry if you’ve sent one in that
hasn’t appeared yet; we have it. But won’t the rest of you help keep
the Centennial stories alive by submitting your favorite Berry
memory?
Jot down a note or send an e-mail. E-mail submissions may be
sent to publicrelations@berry.edu. Letters should be mailed to:
Centennial Memories
Berry College Public Relations
P.O. Box 490279
Mount Berry, GA 30149
Send along photos, too, if you’d like, but please remember we
won’t be able to return them.
We look forward to hearing from you!
— DAWN TOLBERT
soccer all four years, which brings me to my
fondest memory:
A half hour before midnight, our coach, Becky, told
us to meet her outside Morton-Lemley for soccer
practice. I will never forget this rainy November practice.
About a week before, we were competing in the regional
tournament to qualify for the national tournament. The
national tournament was to be a shoe-in because we
had been ranked number one all year long. However, an
unfortunate loss in the regional tournament to a low
ranked team sunk our hearts and killed our hopes of
ever competing in the nationals that year. It was a tough
blow; it was my senior year.
A week and many prayers later, we found ourselves
at Becky Burleigh’s house awaiting a phone call that
would tell us whether we were chosen as the wild card
team to compete at 1993 nationals. An opening in the
tournament returned our chances for participating in
nationals. Nervous on the inside and appearing calm,
we awaited the call. For about three or four hours, we
tried to busy ourselves with board games and
homework. The phone rang close to 11 p.m.; the house
hushed. We eavesdropped as Becky spoke to the caller,
guessing from the tone of her voice whether we were
chosen or not. Minutes seemed like days. Then she
hung up and said, “Meet me out in front of Morton
Lemley, dressed for practice.” We’ve never celebrated
over a practice as we had that night. A week later, we
were national champs!
— ROSE PEEK BERNARD (94C)
Rose Bernard writes for Theotokos, a Catholic
newsletter for the Alleluia Catholic Fellowship in
Augusta, Ga. In the summer months, she gives private
soccer lessons and runs youth soccer clinics. Mrs.
Bernard lives in Augusta with her husband, David, and
three daughters, Nora, 2, Gemma, 2, and Erin, 1.
INHERITING A LEGACY
A
s
I was reading the past Berry Chronicle, I read the
article asking for Berry memories. Reading that
inspired me to go find my 25-year-old yearbook and let
my mind wander back to what I believe were several of
the more growth-filled and enjoyable years of my life.
I was reading a caption under a photo of myself and a
female classmate “cavorting” in the halls of Hamrick
Hall, and I had to stop and think about that name. A
vivid memory returned to me.
A group of fellow senior boys and I were eating lunch
in the dining room one day when Dean Bill Thornton sat
down at our table. I don’t know about anyone else, but
this being a first, and being the boy I was, this instantly
filled me with dread. Instead of reaming us out for
something (as I had fully expected), he informed us that
Grady Hamrick, a contemporary of Miss Martha and the
namesake of Hamrick Hall, had passed away. It was Mr.
Hamrick’s request that his pallbearers be comprised of
male senior dorm students, and Mr. Thornton asked me
if I would serve in that role. I humbly accepted.
I remember very well his funeral. Between the time of
being asked to serve and the day of the funeral, I had
availed myself of the opportunity to gain a greater
understanding of what Mr. Hamrick had meant to Berry.
I was honored to be one of his pallbearers, and I did my
best to honor his contribution to the school.
The service was one filled with praise and fond
memories. His burial on the grounds of Berry College in
close proximity to Miss Martha was a sobering
experience for this 17-year-old boy who thought he
knew everything.
The following spring when I graduated, I remember
thinking about Mr. Hamrick as I was walking up to get
my diploma. A man I had never met had taught me a
great lesson about the value of tradition, hard work, and
commitment to principles. It’s a lesson which still serves
me today.
— MARK THOMPSON (76A)
Mark Thompson is a substance abuse counselor at
First Step of Sarasota, Inc., in Sarasota, Fla. He entered
the U.S. Navy in 1979 and served for seven years. Mr.
Thompson earned a bachelor’s degree in religious
education from Eckerd College and is enrolled at Nova
Southeastern University, where he is pursuing a
master’s degree in mental health counseling. He is
married to Kimie Thompson and has two children,
Brandon, 16, and Brittany, 14, and two stepchildren,
Nevin, 16, and Kenan, 14.
13

GIVING
BERRY COMMUNITY TO FEEL IMPACT
OF GIFT FROM ALUMNI, STUDENT GROUPS
Soon, Berry alumni will be able to
only reminisce about sweltering
through college chapel services.
And, they’ll have H. Dean Owens
(57C), Cloteal Clark Owens (57C),
students in the Berry Investment Group
(BIG), and the Student Government
Association to thank for their
newfound comfort.
The Owens have made a gift pledge
of $180,000 over six years, which will
be combined with a $10,000 cash gift
from BIG to fund the installation of a
new heating and cooling system in the
Berry College Chapel. Berry’s Student
Government Association also has been
working to raise funds for the project.
The air conditioning system is
designed to preserve the aesthetics of
the chapel, according to Joe Walton
(62C, 76G), Berry’s vice president for
finance. The hot- and chilled-water
system will have remote outdoor
equipment. Plans call for the
installation of the condenser unit by
the edge of the woods behind the
chapel, which will allow for quiet
operation. Variable speed fans inside
the chapel will be designed to operate
quietly as well, Mr. Walton said.
Rome-based North Georgia
Equipment Company will install the
system. As this issue of the Chronicle
goes to press, the new system is
expected to be in operation by the first
weekend in June, Mr. Walton said.
The Owens’ gift will have a
significant impact on the campus
community, said Berry President Scott
Colley. “Our chapel is at the center of
campus, and in many ways it is the
center of campus. It is our community
church as well as a convocation hall.
The new air conditioning will enable us
to comfortably use the chapel 12
months a year.”
The Owens made the gift because
the Berry College Chapel has a special
place in their hearts. Mr. Owens earned
his bachelor of arts degree in business
administration and Mrs. Owens earned
her bachelor of science degree in home
economics in the days when students
were required to attend weekly chapel
services. “For many years, this
beautiful chapel has been the focus of
spiritual life on campus,” he said. “It is
very special to many because of its
influence on their lives. Hopefully with
air conditioning, the chapel can expand
its ministry.”
Also strengthening Mrs. Owens’
commitment to the project is her desire
to see the chapel and the message it
communicates preserved. “To ensure its
mission for the future, the chapel’s
beauty and identity must be maintained
so that it sends a message of strength,
integrity, and character,” she said.
“Martha Berry insisted that students be
given the opportunity to grow
spiritually while attending Berry. She
felt so strongly about this that she made
it a part of Berry’s charter. Berry must
never forget this heritage.”
The gift from BIG and the fundraising
effort established by Berry’s
Student Government Association
indicate that many Berry students agree
with the Owens. BIG members voted in
2000 to donate a part of the profits BIG
had gained on its investment funds to
the chapel air conditioning project.
A recent bequest from the estate of
Willis N. and Nora C. Pirkle has established
a permanent endowment fund
with the income designated for the
maintenance of the Berry College
Chapel, Mr. Walton said. Arriving at
Berry in 1942, Mr. Pirkle served as head
of Berry’s chemistry department. Mrs.
Pirkle worked at the college store. “The
endowment should provide approximately
$25,000 annually, allowing us to
better maintain the chapel and its systems,”
Mr. Walton said. ■
— DEBBIE RASURE
1950 COLLEGE CLASS DONATES PORTRAIT
OF PRESIDENT EMERITUS JOHN BERTRAND
The Berry College Class of 1950
presented a portrait of Dr. John R.
Bertrand, Berry’s fifth president, to the
college on April 30. The portrait, painted
by Rome artist Diana Smithson, now
hangs in the foyer of Memorial Library.
The portrait was unveiled by Dr. Ouida
Word Dickey (50C, FS) and John D. Earle
(50C) and is the end of the class’ yearlong
Bertrand Project, their 50th
anniversary gift to the college. At the
dedication, Berry President Scott
Colley announced that the road
leading from the traffic circle past
the Ford Buildings is being renamed
Bertrand Way.
At left, Dr. Dickey and Tom
Bertrand, son of John and
Annabel Bertrand, pose for a
picture in front of the newly
dedicated portrait. Following the portrait presentation, guests attended a
luncheon on the lawn at Oak Hill. There, Berry friends like Joyce Morris
(right), who served as Dr. Bertrand’s secretary for two decades, talked with
the president emeritus by cell phone. Dr. Bertrand is Berry’s longest serving
president, having led the college for more than 23 years. He and Mrs.
Bertrand now live in Brevard, N.C. ■
ALAN STOREY
NEWS
T
he Centennial
Student Essay
Contest will offer Berry
students the chance to
reflect on how Martha
Berry’s vision can be
carried over into the
college’s next century.
The contest, planned
by Berry’s Centennial
Committee, carries
generous prizes thanks
to Berry College Board
of Visitors member
W. Edmund Laird (64C).
The first-prize winner
will receive a $5,000
cash award, with
second-, third-, and
fourth-place finishers
receiving $2,500,
$1,500, and $500.
ALAN STOREY
14

MEMORIAL AND HONOR GIFTS
Berry College welcomes gifts in memory or honor of individuals. If you wish to
make a memorial or honor gift to Berry, simply denote the person to be memorialized
or honored on the check or in an accompanying letter. Berry expresses gratitude for
the following gifts specifically designated as memorials and tributes. The persons
honored are listed in capital letters; the donors in capital and lowercase.
GIFTS
MEMORY GIFTS
January 1 - March 26, 2001
MRS. GRACE W. ACREE
Dr. Lawrence A. Baines
Dr. and Mrs. Wade A. Carpenter
Dr. Kristen Ann Diliberto
Dr. Gerald D. Jennings
Dr. Jacqueline Macy McDowell
MR. GORDON ANDERSON
Mr. James Noble Finley
DR. LEO ANGLIN
Dr. Steven H. Bell
Dr. Mary Elizabeth Outlaw
MRS. BETTY BOWEN
Mrs. Ruth A. Ash
707th AAA Gun Battalion
Mr. and Mrs. Dan U. Biggers
Mr. and Mrs. John H. Bowen
Mr. and Mrs. A. Milton
Chambers
Ms. Susan A. Chambers
Dr. Ouida W. Dickey
ALAN STOREY
Mrs. Ralph E. Farmer
Dr. and Mrs. Robert L. Geisel
Mrs. Carol Hatch
Drs. William and Sara Hoyt
Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher Hughes Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. William J. Knorre
Mrs. Christine M. Nolan
Mr. Wiley C. Owen
Mrs. Evelyn Hoge Pendley
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Tarpley
Mr. and Mrs. Harry M. Taylor
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Walden
MR. WYATT BRADFORD
Mr. Tom D. Raulerson
MISS KATIE BROOKSHIRE
Mr. John L. Brock
Ms. Julie Bumpus
Mrs. Linda S. Corbin
Ms. Gretchen R. Faulkner
Mr. and Mrs. Ric D. Mason
Ms. Genyth L. Travis
MRS. LOUISE PAUL BROWN
Mr. W. Carl Paul
MRS. SANDRA FAISON
CARLE
Mrs. Linda V. Shaw
Mrs. Ora Mae Faison Vaughan
CLASS OF 1956H
Mr. William Ralph Bannister
Mr. Wendell M. Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Glynn Tindall
Mr. Billy Gene Wedincamp
MR. GEORGE H. CLARK
Mr. and Mrs. K. D. Austin
Mr. and Mrs. Billy Baker
Ms. Beth C. Barr
Mr. and Mrs. Roy A. Boone Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. John E. Brown
Ms. Doris J. Brumfield
Ms. Angela Bryan
Mr. and Mrs. R. A. Burton
Ms. Laura A. Carson
Mr. and Mrs. Leo J. Doriguzzi
Mr. and Mrs. George W. Farr
Mr. and Mrs. Chris Fenzau
Mr. Jeff Fenzau
Mr. and Mrs. David W. Givens
Mr. and Mrs. Roane Hathorn
Helmer Directional Drilling
Mr. and Mrs. James J. Herron
Mr. and Mrs. Perry Holder
Mr. John J. Howerton
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Huffer
Mr. and Mrs. Gerald W. Jenkins
Mr. and Mrs. James E. Keaton
Mr. James M. Legates
Mr. and Mrs. James M. Legates Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Gary N. McDaniel
Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. McGehee
Ms. Barbara C. McMullen
Ms. Laura L. Mueller
Mr. and Mrs. Hugh M. Peters
Mr. and Mrs. Wayne W. Pullen
Ms. Pamela M. Robertson
Mr. and Mrs. John T. Rougeou
Mr. and Mrs. A. Glenn Rowell
Mr. Mark A. Salitan
Mr. and Mrs. Willard Scheidler
MARTINDALE AWARD ESTABLISHED TO RECOGNIZE EXCELLENCE
Larry and Susan Byrd Martindale (73C), left, pose with Martindale Award of
Distinction recipient Dr. Bruce Conn and Berry President Scott Colley. The couple
established the Martindale Award of Distinction to recognize extraordinary
achievement by Berry faculty and staff members.
Extraordinary achievement by
Berry faculty and staff members
is now being recognized annually
with the Martindale Award of
Distinction, a new honor made
possible through the generosity of
Susan Byrd Martindale (73C) and her
husband, Larry. Mr. and Mrs.
Martindale have created an
endowment for the award, which they
hope will not only salute faculty and
staff members for their commitment to
Berry and its students but challenge
them to take their roles as educators
and mentors to the next level.
“Larry and I would like to thank
each of you, the faculty and the staff,
for taking the vision of an amazing
turn-of-the-century woman into the
turn of another century,” Mrs.
Martindale stated at Berry College’s
45th annual Faculty and Staff
Appreciation Dinner, where the award
was presented for the first time to one
faculty member and one staff member.
“That mission – not only to educate
but to unite the head, the heart and
hands – is as valid today as it was
100 years ago. It seems like only
yesterday I first passed through those
gates of opportunity. Tonight I want to
thank the people and the school that,
for four precious years, expanded my
mind, opened my heart, and prepared
my hands for life’s tasks.”
“We applaud the vital role that you
play in the future of each student who
passes through Berry’s Gate of
Opportunity,” she concluded. “Don’t
ever underestimate the impact that
you make on their lives.”
Winners of the 2000-01 Martindale
Awards of Distinction are Dr. Bruce
Conn, dean, School of Mathematical
and Natural Sciences, and Scott
Breithaupt, director of constituent
relations, each of whom received a
check for $2,500.
According to Bettyann O’Neill, vice
president for institutional
advancement, who presented the
awards, Dr. Conn was recognized for
his visionary role in planning the new
science center and making it a reality,
as well as for his passion for student
preparation.
“He has helped put Berry students
on the forefront of advanced study
and careers in math and science,” Ms.
O’Neill stated, adding that Dr. Conn
has dedicated his life to helping others
make the most of their potential.
Mr. Breithaupt was described as a
quiet, powerful change agent who
selflessly devotes himself to Berry
every day. Ms. O’Neill cited his work
with The Martha Berry Museum, as
well as his role in raising special
events to new heights.
“His attention to detail, creativity,
warm nature, and impeccable
execution make all his contributions
special events,” she stated.
Dr. Scott Colley, Berry College
president, applauded both the award
and its first winners. “Susan and
Larry Martindale have created an
award that not only thanks the
winners for their excellence but
encourages outstanding performance
by others,” he stated. “When we
celebrate Martindale Award winners
like Dr. Conn and Mr. Breithaupt, we
also celebrate the idea of excellence in
all of the tasks we perform at Berry
College.” ■
— KARILON ROGERS
Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Schmidt
Mr. and Mrs. Alfred R. Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Spall
Ms. Joyce Ann Thurston
Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Van Zee
Mrs. John A. Watts
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Weber
Woodland Country Club
Mr. and Mrs. D. A. Yarborough
Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Yarian
MR. W. ODIS CLOUD
Mrs. Marion Cloud Hill
MR. EMMITT O. “JACK”
COUCH
Mr. and Mrs. A. Milton
Chambers
Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Martin
McElyea
Mrs. Evelyn Hoge Pendley
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Walton
MR. ISAAC C. DAVIS
Mr. Earl Williams
MR. PHILIP DAVIS
Ms. Wendy Davis
MRS. FAYE LEWIS DICKEY
Mr. and Mrs. A. Milton
Chambers
Mrs. Anne Cook Neal
Mr. Glenn C. Wallace
Mrs. Edna Earle Whatley
DR. GARLAND DICKEY
Dr. and Mrs. Norman
Thompson Holloman
Mrs. Evelyn Hoge Pendley
MRS. LILLIE PATTON
DORTON
Mrs. Yvonne Linker Hall
MRS. JESSIE “RUTH” SMITH
DOSS
Mr. James Noble Finley
MR. AND MRS. JULIUS M.
ELROD, SR.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Carter
MR. JOHN R. FAISON
Mrs. Ora Mae Faison Vaughan
MR. RALPH E. FARMER
Mr. and Mrs. Otis Edward
England
Dr. and Mrs. Norman
Thompson Holloman
MRS. SELMA HALL
FERGUSON
Ashe County UDC
Mr. and Mrs. Alton H.
Christopher
Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Ferguson
Mrs. M. LuRene Perry Dages
Omer
Mr. W. Carl Paul
Mr. Michael A. Sutton
Mrs. Mary Ferguson Trull
Mr. Bill Walters
Mr. Bower Walters
Miss Polly Walters
MRS. LEARY BELL DOSS
FINLEY
Mr. James Noble Finley
Mrs. Emily Craig Hutto
MRS. LORENE FINLEY
Mr. James Noble Finley
MS. PEGGY FLOUNDERS
Mr. and Mrs. William Fron
15

MRS. SANDRA GRESHAM
FROST
Mr. W. Leon Frost
MS. LIL GERALDSON
Mrs. Evelyn Hoge Pendley
DR. JORGE GONZALEZ
The Rev. and Mrs. Timothy W.
Hobbs
MRS. AGNES H. GOTTSHALL
Mr. John K. Hamrick
MR. ARCHIE GREEN
Mr. and Mrs. A. Milton
Chambers
Mr. W. Carl Paul
DR. LARRY GREEN
Mr. and Mrs. A. Milton
Chambers
Mrs. Melanie Moore Green
Dr. J. Marshall Jenkins
Mrs. Deborah Richardson Teal
MR. JOSEPH J. HILLMAN
Mr. Noel Lawrence Hillman
MR. AND MRS. HERMAN
HOGE
Mrs. Evelyn Hoge Pendley
MRS. EVELYN HOLLIDAY
Mr. W. Carl Paul
Mr. Earl Williams
MRS. BECKY MUSSER
HOSEA
Dr. J. Marshall Jenkins
Mr. and Mrs. Peter M. Musser
MR. HUBERT C. IRVIN
Mr. W. Carl Paul
MR. LINTON JOHNSON
Mrs. L. Hilda McKinney Carter
MRS. ANN KEITH
Mr. and Mrs. Bret Foster
DR. MAURICE KING
Mrs. Audrey Wood Crew
MR. MICHAEL KRUPA
Mrs. Elizabeth Nesbitt Krupa
MR. FRED H. LOVEDAY
Mr. and Mrs. Frank B. Murphy
MRS. EVELYN HALL
MARSHALL
Mr. W. Carl Paul
MRS. GAIL H. MARTIN
Mrs. Evelyn Hoge Pendley
MRS. ABBIE CLARK
McELWAIN
Mr. Bernard McElwain
MR. CHRISTOPHER WAYNE
OATES
Mrs. Katherine Cauthen
Francisco
MR. SHANE O’NEILL
Dr. Ouida W. Dickey
Mr. W. Carl Paul
Mr. Earl Williams
MR. JAMES L. PAUL
Dr. Horace D. Brown
Mr. W. Carl Paul
DR. WALTER O. PENDLEY
Mrs. Evelyn Hoge Pendley
MR. WILLIS PIRKLE
Mr. H. Wayne Stevenson
MRS. MERLE FREELAND
RAY
Dr. and Mrs. L. Doyle Mathis
MR. DAVID RIGGS
Mr. David L. Long
MR. THOMAS E. RIVERS
Mr. W. Carl Paul
MISS RUTH SCHWAB
Miss Virginia C. Schwab
DR. GLORIA SHATTO
Mrs. Sandra Ayers
Mr. James Noble Finley
Miss Melanie D. Prater
MS. DAISY STRICKLAND
SNARE
Mr. M. Reubin Strickland
MRS. ANNIE L. COOK
STANLEY
Ms. Marguerite Cook Bowman
Miss Betty Sue Cook
Miss Fornadia W. Cook
Mr. William A. Cook
MRS. MARY HALL
STEPHENS
Mrs. Sara Hall Payne
MR. RAY S. STEPHENS
Mr. Earl Williams
DR. ARTHUR STRICKLAND
Mrs. Carey Hill Strickland
Mr. M. Reubin Strickland
DR. BARNEY STRICKLAND
Mr. M. Reubin Strickland
MRS. ZEPHYR FREELAND
STRICKLAND
Dr. and Mrs. L. Doyle Mathis
Mr. M. Reubin Strickland
MR. CLARENCE N. WALKER
Mr. and Mrs. Frank B. Murphy
MR. JOHN C. WARR
Mrs. Helen Howell Warr
MR. LEONARD WELDON
Mr. W. Carl Paul
MR. JASON H. WHITSON
Mrs. Loyce Daniel Whitson
MR. WALLACE KNOX
WILKINSON
Mrs. Evelyn Hoge Pendley
MR. CRAIG ALLYN
WOFFORD
Mrs. Elaine S. Foster
MS. WENDY ALDEN
WYNSTDIK
Mr. and Mrs. Peter G. Dodd
Mrs. Catherine M. Temple
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony C.
Winkler
HONOR GIFTS
January 1 - March 26, 2001
MRS. FRANCES DENNY
BARNETT
Mr. and Mrs. Bertram H.
Barnett
Mr. Bart Arnold Cox
MR. RAYMOND BOWEN
Mrs. Ralph E. Farmer
MR. AND MRS. TODD
BROOKS
Mr. Bret Foster
DR. HORACE BROWN
Mr. W. Carl Paul
MR. A. MILTON CHAMBERS
Mrs. Peggie Hicks Ellington
MR. GENE CLARK
Mr. James Noble Finley
MR. AND MRS. LARRY
EIDSON
Mr. and Mrs. Otis Edward
England
MR. B. LEON ELDER
Dr. and Mrs. David R. Burnette
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry W. Cutright
Mr. and Mrs. Eddie W. Elder
Ms. Winona B. Herbik
Ms. Carol J. Lewis
Mrs. Bernice Blythe Sadler
Mrs. Betty Meeks Thackrey
MR. JOE A. ELDER
Ms. Shirley Isenhour
MR. AND MRS. J. MITCHELL
ELROD
Mr. and Mrs. Otis Edward
England
MRS. RALPH E. FARMER
Mr. Bart Arnold Cox
MR. W. POLK FINLEY
Mr. James Noble Finley
MRS. FAYE H. FRON
Mr. James Noble Finley
MR. JULIAN GARRISON
Mr. W. Carl Paul
Mr. Earl Williams
MR. TIM HOWARD
Mr. and Mrs. Otis Edward
England
DR. WILLIAM R. HOYT
Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Hoyt
Duncan
Ms. Nancy Thames Lippard
Dr. John W. McDowell
DRS. WILLIAM R. AND
SARA LIPPARD HOYT
Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Hoyt
Duncan
MR. AND MRS. JOHN R.
LIPSCOMB
Mr. and Mrs. William L. Grant
MR. CLIFFORD MARTIN
Mr. W. Carl Paul
MRS. KATHRYN ELROD
MASON
Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Carter
MRS. JANE McDONALD
Mr. Timothy R. Howard
Make plans now to attend
Saturday, Oct. 6
Festivities include:
• Alumni Golf Tournament
• 5-K Fun Run and Walk
• Mountain Day Picnic
• The Grand March
Watch your mail this summer for
a full schedule of the weekend’s events,
call the alumni office at (800) 782-0130,
or e-mail alumni@berry.edu.
DR. KATHY McKEE
Ms. Joy Rachelle Nicholson
DR. BARBARA N. MIXON
Dr. Robert J. Catanzano
MRS. ELENA MOORE
Mrs. Melanie Moore Green
THE REV. KENNETH W.
OATES
Mrs. Katherine Cauthen
Francisco
MRS. LURENE PERRY
DAGES OMER
Mr. W. Carl Paul
MR. AND MRS. H. DEAN
OWENS
Mr. and Mrs. Otis Edward
England
MR. W. CARL PAUL
Mrs. Melanie Moore Green
Ms. Jeanne L. McKown
MRS. EVELYN HOGE
PENDLEY
Mrs. Melanie Moore Green
Mr. Tom D. Raulerson
MRS. SALLY KEOWN RIGGS
Mr. David L. Long
Mr. and Mrs. Owen L. Riley
MRS. WELDON ROGERS
Mr. W. Carl Paul
MS. FRANCES SAUS
Mr. W. Carl Paul
MR. CHARLES F. SEGER, JR.
Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Martin
McElyea
MS. CAROLYN SMITH
Mrs. Ralph E. Farmer
MRS. ELAINE SPEARMAN
Mr. W. Carl Paul
MISS VIRGINIA WEBB
Mr. and Mrs. Otis Edward
England
DR. BOBBY E. WILDER
Dr. Robert J. Catanzano
MR. EARL WILLIAMS
Mrs. Melanie Moore Green
Mr. W. Carl Paul
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Williams
16

CLASS NOTES SUBMISSION FORM
DON’T FORGET TO WRITE!!
If you would like to add your news to the Class Notes section of either our Alumni
Connection Web site or an upcoming issue of the Berry Chronicle, please place a check
in the appropriate box below. If you check neither, we will simply use your information
to update your records in our office.
❑ Alumni Connection Web site ❑ Berry Chronicle
NAME: ________________________________________________________________________
(Please include maiden name if married.)
ADDRESS: _____________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
PHONE NUMBER: ( ________ ) ________________________________
E-MAIL ADDRESS: _____________________________________________________________
Berry College
Berry Chronicle
P.O. Box 495018
Mount Berry, GA 30149-5018
Address Service Requested
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
ROME, GA 30161
PERMIT NO. 2
CLASS YEAR: ________________________________
❑ High School/Academy ❑ College
MY NEWS IS: __________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
(Attach additional pages if necessary.)
You can either mail this form to the Alumni Office or
submit your news through our Web site: www.berry.edu/alumni
Berry College Alumni Office • P.O. Box 495018 • Mount Berry, GA 30149-5018
1-800-782-0130 • alumni@berry.edu
Parents: Help keep your Berry College graduate well informed! Forward the Chronicle to
your son or daughter, but first send the correct address or corrected mailing label for
your Berry grad to Alumni Office, Berry College, P.O. Box 495018, Mount Berry, GA
30149-5018.