2008-2009 PRESIDENT'S REPORT - Berea College

Cornelius and Skip Berry, her
nephews.
Morton Combs of Redfox, KY
died January 8, 2009. He is survived by
Dale Smith Combs, ’39, his wife.
Fairy L. Cornelius, Acad ’35,
BC ’39, of Berea, KY died June 25,
2009. She worked for the government
for 36 years in Washington, DC. She
was also in the Navy and Army for
three years overseas. She is survived by
Edna Cornelius Banks, ’54, and Sara
Cornelius Bowling, her sisters.
1940s
Florence Muelder Smith, ’41, of
Columbus, OH died April 17, 2009.
She held library positions at
Wheelwright, KY, the University of
Cincinnati Library, and the University
of Chicago Library. She is survived by
Ruth Smith, Carol Smith, and Judith
Smith-Bechtel, her daughters.
Eugene E. Day, Cx ’43, of
Huntsville, AL died July 7, 2009. He is
survived by Robert E. Day and Cheryl
D. Hoard, his children.
Frankie Mantooth Rice, Cx ’43,
of Morehead City, NC died July 24,
2009. She is survived by Theodore
Roosevelt Rice, ’41, her husband of 67
years.
Lewis Seldon Brucker, Jr., Navy
V-12 ’43-’44, of Ponte Vedra Beach,
FL died April 25, 2009. He was in
marketing with Proctor & Gamble Co.
from 1946-67 and was president of The
Lewis Brucker Co. He is survived by
Marcia Brown Brucker, his wife of 30
years, three daughters, and a stepson.
Robert Scott, Jr., Navy V-12
’43-’44, of Hampton Bays, NY died
June 11, 2009. He and George Tetzel,
his partner, owned Ada’s Attic, an
antique and collectible business for 35
years. He is survived by George Tetzel
and a sister.
Dr. Russell Delong Williamson,
Cx ’44, of Lexington, VA died July 13,
2009. He was a veterinarian, a major
in the United States Air Force
Reserves, and a farmer. He is survived
by Mary Coates Williamson, ’44, his
wife of 64 years, three sons, and two
daughters.
L. Eugene Dellinger, Cx ’45, of
Newbern, TN died June 26, 2009. He
was a World War II Army Air Corps
veteran. He was a salesman for Master
Mix Feeds in Jackson, TN and, later,
became owner of Rutherford Milling
Co. in Rutherford, TN and Farmers
Feed Mill, Inc. in Newbern. He is
survived by Yvonne Covilli Dellinger,
’45, his wife, three daughters, and a son.
Barbara Jean Meyer Lootens of
Michigan, IN died August 20, 2008.
She was an educator and is survived by
Bernard Lootens, Cx ’45, her
husband, a daughter, and a son.
John H. Porter of Columbus, NC
died June 15, 2009. He is survived by
Fern Goode Porter, ’45, his wife.
Aline Goodwin Douglas, ’46, of
Salem, VA died April 26, 2009. She
lived in many parts of the country and
served numerous Baptist churches
along with her former husband, Rev.
Mack Douglas. She was employed for
many years by the Southwestern
Virginia Training Center in Hillsville,
VA. She is survived by Claire Douglas
Beach, Don Douglas, Laura Douglas,
and Elaine Douglas, her children.
Elizabeth Lutton, Cx ’46, of
Livermore, CA died February 19, 2009.
Garrett Dixon “Dick” Bailey,
’47, of Burnsville, NC died April 10,
2009. He practiced law with Bailey and
Bailey. He is survived by Mary
Bowman Bailey, his wife of 52 years, a
son, and a daughter.
Maynard W. Presnell, ’48, of
Theodore, AL died December 11,
2008. He was a retired director of the
Food and Drug Administration
Laboratory on Dauphin Island, AL.
He is survived by Marian Van Winkle
Presnell, ’48, his wife of 60 years, and
two sons.
Cleone Lucia Sparks Petz, Acad
’49, of Sarasota, FL died September
29, 2008. She is survived by
Christopher Petz, Bruce Petz, Brad
Petz, Anne Conrade, and Maria Petz
Burkes, her children.
1950s
Jean Rae Morgan Barnes, Cx ’50,
of Berea, KY died June 24, 2009. She
was a homemaker and served as a
Berea hospital volunteer from 1990
until 2008. She received the American
Legion Post 50 Citizen of the Year
award in 1996 for outstanding
community involvement. She is
survived by Donna Hoffman and
Doris Adams, her daughters.
Peggy Talbot Gabbard, ’50, of
Louisville, KY died April 24, 2009.
She was a retired elementary school
teacher and an accomplished pianist.
She is survived by Lynne Gabbard,
Anne O’Connor, and Susan Monfort,
her daughters.
Betty C. Wesley of Lexington,
KY died January 13, 2009. She is
survived by Dr. Robert C. Wesley, ’50,
her husband.
Barbara Janet Arnett Brown,
Fd ’52, of Somerset, KY died June 24,
2008. She was the director of
Salyersville National Bank since 1999
and was retired from the Magoffin
County School System in the Adult
Literacy Program as assistant director.
She is survived by Marcia J. Tucker,
Maureen J. Gallagher, Michael J.
Brown, and James S.A. Brown, her
children.
Donald F. Wagoner, ’52, of
Sandy Hook, KY died June 28, 2009.
He was a retired schoolteacher and
construction contractor. He is survived
by Madge Wagoner, his wife of 51
years, and three sons.
Elvis Robert Thompson, MD,
’54, of Pikeville, KY died May 10,
2009. He authored some of the first
nationally published research on non-
Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He was a
tireless advocate for the Pike County
Health Department, member of the
Board of the Pikeville Methodist
Hospital (now Pikeville Medical
Center), and served as the hospital’s
chief of staff. He is survived by Paula
B. Thompson, his wife of 20 years, two
sons, and three daughters.
Ruth Elizabeth Stansberry
Clark, Cx ’55, of Beavercreek, OH
died December 4, 2007. She is
survived by Ralph M. Clark, her
husband, and two daughters.
Robert “Bob” F. Hulver, ’55, of
Baker, WV died March 8, 2009. He
was a farmer and worked for Southern
States from 1959-91 as a salesman,
manager, and field representative until
2008. He served in the U.S. Army. He
is survived by Shelby J. Tharp Hulver,
his wife, and three sons.
James D. King, Cx ’55, of
Cocoa, FL died February 1, 2009. He
was a retired engineer for Honeywell.
He is survived by Shirley, his wife, and
a daughter.
Georgia Walker Williams, Cx ’56,
of Medway, OH died August 5, 2008.
She loved music and was a
homemaker. She is survived by Bob
Williams, ’49, her husband of 53
years, two sons, and a daughter.
Earl E. Lawson, ’59, of
Southport, CT died June 9, 2009. He
was employed for many years at
General Electric Co. and GTE at
upper management. He is survived by
Jean, his wife, two daughters, and a
son.
Cleo M. Williams, ’59, of
Yosemite, KY died May 31, 2009. He
was a retired engineer of Bridgestone
Firestone Rubber Co. He is survived
by Maudine Bastin Williams, ’52, his
wife, and four children.
1960s
Mary Jones Chadwell, ’61, of
Cave City, KY died May 21, 2009. She
was a registered nurse for 47 years. She
is survived by Jack Chadwell, her
husband, and a son.
Leonard Neubert, ’63, of West
Chester, OH died April 18, 2009. He is
survived by Donna E. Hill Neubert, his
wife, a son, and two daughters.
Arveda Bea Ratliff Catron, ’64,
of Florence, KY died April 29, 2008.
She was a retired administrative
assistant from the Dress Company in
Ohio. She is survived by Mark Stephen
Catron and Stephanie Michelle
Knipper, her children.
Robert “Bob” Givens of
Shoreline, WA, died January 20, 2009.
He was retired from the Boeing
Company. He was the widower of
Carol Mays Givens, ’64. He is
survived by Sylvia Givens, his
daughter.
1970s
Sandra “Sandi” Snider Knotts,
’70, of Wheeling, WV died June 17,
2009. She taught high school from
1998 to 2001 and was a business
teacher at West Virginia Business
College. She is survived by Terry
Andrew Knotts, her husband.
Leroy Marvin Penick, ’70, of
Wayne, WV died October 3, 2008. He
was employed at St. Mary’s Medical
Center respiratory care department for
35 years. He is survived by Jennifer
Penick, his wife, and two sons.
Fayetta Deel Phillips, ’71, of
Hurley, VA died May 7, 2009. She was
an elementary schoolteacher for the
Buchanan County School System for
34 years. She is survived by Earl
Daniel Phillips, her husband of 38
years, and a son.
Keith Wallace, Cx ’77, died in
May 2007.
Amelia “Meme” Lee Rogers
Machen, Cx ’78, of Houston, TX died
May 10, 2009. Her passion was serving
as a missionary, aiding in the needs of
others. She was an employee of Ross
Dress for Less. She is survived by Joel
Machen, her husband of 34 years, two
sons, and two daughters.
Dr. Greg Mullins, ’79, of Las
Cruces, NM died July 18, 2009. He
was department head for the plant and
environmental sciences department at
New Mexico State University. A
departmental scholarship honoring
him was established at the university
in 2009 before his death. He is
survived by Iris Clay Mullins, ’78, his
wife, a son, and a daughter.
1980s
E. Thomas Begley, Cx ’87, of
Richmond, KY died October 10, 2008.
He was a jewelry maker and a member
of the Kentucky Guild of Artists and
Craftsmen. He was also a veteran of
the U.S. Navy. He is survived by Joyce
Cunningham Begley, ’71, his wife of
36 years.
42
BEREA COLLEGE MAGAZINE : FALL 2009