Summer - Lee University

DR. CHARLES W. CONN,who served for twelve yearsas president of Lee College,died in a Chattanoogahospital on March 18, four days aftersuffering a heart attack. He was 88.Conn’s leadership of Lee (1970-82)came during a crucial period of transitionbetween its Bible institute originsand the liberal arts university which itwould eventually become. At the time,no other president had served as longas ten years, and thousands of alumnifrom the 1970’sremember him asa leader with apersonal andfatherly style.After hisretirement in1984, Conn andhis wife Ednamade their homeCharles Connas a youngministerin Cleveland, andremained activelyinvolved in thelife of the campus.He was Lee’s first “presidentemeritus,” a role which he played withgreat enthusiasm.Conn was born in Atlanta, Georgia,in 1920, and attended Lee in 1939when it was a small ministerial institutein Sevierville, Tennessee, calledBTS (Bible Training School). Therehe met Edna Minor, from Decatur,Alabama, who was like himself a newconvert answering a call to ministry.They married in 1941—until her deathfrom cancer in 1997—and were parentsof twelve children, all of whom alsoattended Lee.He was honored by his alma materin many ways over the years, includingthe awarding of an honorary doctorate,the naming of a new auditorium builtduring his tenure (Conn Center, 1978),receiving Lee’s Distinguished AlumnusAward (1960), and the establishment ofa “servant leadership award” bearinghis name (2004).During his presidency, Conn’s skillin managing the relationship betweenthe school and the denomination was aprimary asset to the rapidly evolvinginstitution. As a trusted leader andpreacher in the church, he persistentlypromoted his vision of a college whichwould prepare students in a wide rangeof academic disciplines without losingits commitment to ministerial trainingand Bible study.Prior to his tenure as president ofLee, Conn served as General Overseer ofthe Church of God (1966-70) and aseditor-in-chief of publications for thedenomination (1952-62). He was authorof Like A Mighty Army, the authorizedhistory of the Church of God, as well astwenty other books, and many peopleregard his writing and editorial work tobe his most significant contributions tohis denomination.▼Charles and EdnaConn as newlyweds(above) and at their50th anniversary.The Conn clan circa 1956. This was oneof Charles Conn’s favorite family photos.Current Lee University president Paul Connis in the front row, second from right.TORCH • Summer 20085