Summer/Fall 2010 - University of the Cumberlands

one daughter, Hallie Ingle, Corbin, and
four grandchildren.
James Wright, ’63, 71, from Richwood,
Ohio, passed away December 30, 2009, at
Riverside Methodist Hospital. He held a
master’s degree in education from Xavier
University and furthered his education
at Bowling Green State University and
Wright State University. A member of Mt.
Carmel #303 F&AM, Valley of Columbus
AASR, Aladdin Shrine, the Honorable
Order of Kentucky Colonels, Buckeye
Association of School Administrators,
Ohio and Union County Retired Teacher
Association and the OSU Rebounders
Club, he is survived by his wife of 40 years
Mary Linda Surber Wright, and his sister,
Lora Mae Groves, Detroit, Mich.
Alvis Mitchell Privett, ’64, from Revelo,
passed away October 19, 2009.
Clell Willard Metcalf,’ 64, age 66, of
Harlan, Kentucky, passed away December
20, 2006.
Kenneth Mack Washam, ’65, passed away
October 5, 2009.
Fred Cox, ’65, 91, passed away February
9, 2010, at Central Baptist Hospital in
Lexington. He is survived by his wife of 70
years, Martha Shelton Cox; two daughters,
Freda Simpson and Brenda Greer; four
grandchildren, six great grandchildren; two
step great grandchildren, one sister, two
brothers and several nieces and nephews.
Genive Keith Phillips, ’65, age 71, of
Monticello, passed away January 24, 2010,
after a short illness with cancer. She is
ALUMNI NEWS
survived by her husband, Samuel Phillips;
two daughters, Stephanie Jones and Claudia
Pope and three granddaughters, Jessica and
Emily Jones and Lindsey Pope.
Betty Jo Miracle Bryant, ’66, 64, from
Middlesboro, Tenn., passed away March 20,
2010, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Knoxville,
Tenn. A retired school teacher with the
Middlesboro School system, she is survived
by her sister Linda Charles Bray of Frakes;
niece, Kathy Bray Partin; great nephew,
Charles Victor Charlie Partin of Frakes;
special friend, Gerald Cool of Harrogate,
Tenn.; family friend, Jerry Halcomb and
several aunts and uncles.
Vera Arvin, ’67, from Baltimore, Md., is
deceased.
Eddie Archer ’72
ALUMNI ARTS SPOTLIGHT
Eddie Archer, ’72, is from Jellico, Tenn., and the history of his
hometown has always intrigued him. However, it was not until
he retired from his teaching career that he had the opportunity
to combine that interest with his love of words to create his first
book, The Day the Earth Shook.
In 1906, there were two Jellicos—Tennessee and Kentucky, until
September 21, when a railroad car filled with dynamite exploded at the railroad station
on the Kentucky side, resulting in nine deaths, more than 200 injuries and homelessness for at
least 500 residents. When a newspaper story about the 100th anniversary of the event brought
it to Archer’s attention, he decided to write a book about the event and its
catastrophic effect on the community.
Photo Submitted
Archer, who went on to earn his master’s degree at University of Tennesee,
has been a teacher at Boston in Whitley County, Ky.; at Newcomb High School
near Jellico and he retired as an English teacher at Jellico Elementary School.
“Kids love to write,” says Archer. “I enjoyed the challenge of teaching them
good writing.” He retired to spend more time on his own writing, and
has been working on a sequel to The Day the Earth Shook. He continues
to seek personal stories from diaries, letters and the families of those who
experienced the event and its aftermath. He has also begun another project,
which focuses on other regional, life-changing events and the lives of
influential individuals who have had a profound effect on the area that he
and his wife Vickie Nayles Archer, ’85, call home.
32 CumberlandToday Summer 2010