Dimensions of Early Childhood - Southern Early Childhood ...

In Memoriam
Ann Nutt
The early childhood community was privileged to know and work with Ann Nutt, the West Virginia Department of
Health and Human Resource’s Director of Early Care and Education Quality Initiatives. Early childhood professionals
across West Virginia were greatly saddened by her death on October 16, 2006, at age 52. In her obituary her family wrote, “After a fearless and
courageous battle against (breast) cancer, Ann Nutt was called home to oversee God’s children and will forever be missed by all the lives
she touched.”
Ann was an active member of the Governing Board of the West Virginia Association for Young Children (WVAYC), the Apprenticeship for Child
Development Specialist State Council (ACDS) and served as our state’s representative on the NAEYC Affiliate Council. She was an ACDS Instructor
of Instructors and assisted other states in establishing this training program, including the training of instructors in Alaska. She helped in the
creation of numerous programs for superior child care including the development of West Virginia’s Early Childhood Core Knowledge/Core
Competencies and the West Virginia Early Learning Standards Framework. Ann also assisted in creating the Charleston Area Medical Center’s
Lighthouse Child Development Center. She was a member of the state leadership team working to implement the Universal Pre-K Program.
She was responsible for the planning and implementation of the new state Infant/Toddler Training System.
During the church service celebrating Ann’s life, she was remembered by early childhood colleagues as being a personal and professional
role model. Her leadership skills, wisdom and vision will be greatly missed. She truly made a difference in the lives of many children and
families in her state.
Her husband, Charlie, and their two sons, Jonathan and Stephen, requested that donations be made in her honor to the Ann Nutt Memorial
Fund, c/o West Virginia Association for Young Children, RR3, Box 108-B, Washington, WV 26181.
More than 20 years ago, the Southern Early Childhood Association (which at that time was the Southern Association
on Children Under Six, or SACUS) was seeking to make children in the South a high priority among policy makers
across the country. Bill Clinton had just been elected President and times were looking up for early childhood education.
David Denton, a member of the staff at the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), had talked with me about
early childhood education because he was new to the world of young children and was intrigued by what the world could be if we gave more
attention to the education and health needs of our youngest citizens. After several discussions and meetings with the SACUS board and officers
and the staff at SREB, a summit was planned in Atlanta and from that meeting the first Raising America’s Youngest Citizens publication was born.
From that time on, I could always count on David as my friend and more importantly, a true friend to young children across the country
and especially the South. He was quite a physical presence with his white beard and measured tone. He was also a true student of life and what
it takes to be healthy and happy. With memories of David at other conferences and meetings about improving the lives of young children, I
sadly reflect on our loss at his death. It is not often that a man who saw the big picture also paid attention to detail and did so with much grace
and quiet compassion. We will miss David, but his mark on those of us fortunate to know and work with him will make us better advocates
and educators.
Cathy Grace
Former Director, Southern Early Childhood Association
In Memoriam
David Denton
Donation to SECA in Memory of
Dr. David Denton
by Dr. Ann Levy
Winter 2007 DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD Volume 35, Number 1 27