ECU remembers . . .


1920s
EVELYN TURLEY JONES ’29 ’54 of Menola died May 6 at 96. She taught in North Carolina public schools for 43 years. LIZZIE GREY KNOX MAYBERRY ’29 of Huntersville (senior class photo at left) died June 18 at 102. She earned a master’s degree from Emory University and worked in Florida before her marriage.

1930s
JANICE E. MCGOWAN BARBRE ’34 of Morehead City died May 20 at 93. A Greenville native, she was an active charter member of St. James United Methodist Church. REBECCA JANE TAYLOR ELKS ’35 of Virginia Beach died July 17 at 93. She taught for many years at Bear Grass Elementary School. SUSAN EVANS HILL ’39 of Black Mountain died May 7 at 90. She lived in Atlanta until her retirement to Highland Farms in 1988, where she operated the gift shop. ADELIA MAXINE NORRIS JENKINS ’35 of Peletier died July 5 at 95. She taught five years at White Oak Elementary School and then 33 years at Swansboro Elementary School. DOROTHY M. TILLEY ’34, a resident of Brookfield Retirement Center in Lillington, formerly of Fuquay-Varina and Raleigh, died July 19 at 96. She was a supervisor with Durham Life Insurance Co. in Raleigh for more than 40 years. KATHARINE P. TRUEBLOOD ’37 of Hobbsville, Va., died at 95. She taught in the Perquimans County school system before marrying and becoming a homemaker. MARY LEE COCKRELL WEEKLEY ’33 of Chesapeake died June 8. She taught kindergarten at Baylake Pines Private School.

1940s
Bessie Fay Hunt ’43 of Wilmington, the former executive director of the YWCA of Wilmington, died June 30 at 92.  She was a plane spotter during World War II, openly supported racial and women’s equality, and was the first woman elected to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church’s vestry in Wilmington. After she retired in 1981, the main YWCA building on College Road was named for her. KATHRYN BOYD ROKITA HAMILL ’44of Jackson died June 16. She lived and worked in New York for nearly 50 years before returning to Jackson. CORA BOND MORRISON ’47 of Wilmington died Aug. 6. She retired from teaching in 1958 after teaching in Sanford and Wilson and later retired as the bookkeeper at The Georgian Room in Wilson.GERALDINE FRANCES GLOVER PEEL ’40 of Fuquay-Varina died July 3 at 91. She was an elementary school teacher in North Carolina and in Richmond, Va., for many years. HARRY STUART RIDDICK SR. ’41 of Colerain died May 25. A standout on both the baseball and basketball teams, he was a World War II veteran selected by former heavyweight boxing champion Gene Tunney, then a Naval officer, to assist in planning and implementing a Navy-wide physical fitness program. After the war, he managed Turner Equipment Co. in Gatesville and later Whedbee Equipment Co. in Ahoskie. He founded Riddick International Inc. in Ahoskie, which he operated until retirement. JAMES LEE WEST SR. ’47 of Yadkinville died June 1.

1950s
JOHN WESLEY “JOHNNY” BROWN ’55 of Conover died June 21. He retired as president of Brown Operating Co. Inc. in Hickory in 2002. DONALD KEITH BURTON ’55 of Biloxi, Miss., died June 26. He played football at ECU and after graduation entered the U.S. Air Force. A Vietnam veteran, he retired as a major after 20 years of service. JACK J. GARCIA ’58 of Greensboro died July 29. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard and worked most of his life as a salesman for Pitney Bowes. FAYE PARKER HEATH ’58 of Snow Hill died July 1. She retired from E. I. DuPont in Kinston. RACHEL STEINBECK STURZ’59 ’61 of Greenville died July 24. She taught music and art for 25 years at Greenville Christian Academy and Trinity Christian School and gave private art lessons. JOSEPH AARON WINDLEY ’50 of Pantego died Aug. 8. He was a teacher, coach, and the principal of Pantego High School.

1960s
CURTIS F. ADAMS SR. ’62 of Angier died May 16. After serving in the U.S. Army, he returned to Harnett County where he owned and operated Adams’ Farm Supply Store before pursuing farming full time. Col. WILLIAM J. “WILD BILL” BOYLE ’63 of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., died June 12 at 91. After 28 years in the Army and receiving the Distinguished Service Cross, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, and two Purple Hearts, he retired in 1967 and moved to Saratoga Springs, where he headed security services at the Saratoga Harness Track, served in city government, and was self-employed as an accountant. SEATON POE FAIRLESS JR. ’64 died July 26 in Harrisonburg, Va. He taught in Bertie County schools before becoming a full-time farmer. NATHAN T. HARDEE ’62 of Chesapeake, Va., died Aug. 9. He served the Chesapeake public schools for 47 years as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, and principal. MITZI ODEN KELLUM’61 of Hatteras died May 28. She taught at Camp Lejeune and in Naha, Okinawa. EUGENE STANLEY “BUCK” MASSEY died July 29. He retired as assistant superintendent of Edgecombe County Schools and was an Army veteran who served in Korea. DOUGLAS MURRAY O’NEAL’63 died Jan. 17. BARBARA ROSE PATRICK ‘66, formerly of Jacksonville, died Feb. 26. She was a teacher and a counselor who ended her career with the Camp LeJeune Dependent Schools. SARA N.REDMOND ’66 died July 22 in Virginia Beach. She worked 38 years with the Virginia State Health Department.

1970s
NANCY “NAN” BUNDY BARBER ’75 of Greenville died Aug. 7.She worked at Wachovia Bank for a number of years and retired in 1998 from the Walter B. Jones Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment Center in Greenville. KAREN SAULS BRYAN ’76 of Cary died June 3. She worked with special-needs children. FRED HARRISON CLAYTON ’70 died June 24. He owned the restaurant, Harrison’s, in Haw River. BILLIE COLLIE ’71 of Greensboro died June 26. He worked at and later managed Stamey’s BBQ Restaurant for 36 years. JULIA TAYLOR HYMAN ’79 of Morehead City died July 4. She was an instructor and curriculum coordinator of the Carteret Community College practical nursing program for 15 years and fought a battle to overcome paralysis after sustaining spinal cord injuries in a bicycle accident in 2004. LEONARD WAYNE JONES ’76 of Morehead City died Aug. 7. His private accounting practice, Leonard W. Jones CPA, was located in Morehead City. SETH THOMAS “TOMMY” MODLIN ’73 of Williamston died May 28. He was the office manager for U.S. Grading Service. CHARLES WAYNE TEDDER SR. ’71 of Elizabethtown died June 9. A 30-year educator for Bladen County schools, he was principal at Hickory Grove Elementary School, Tar Heel High School, and East Bladen High School.

1980s
TAMERYN HARROLD BENFIELD ’82 of Winston-Salem died July 28. She was an active community volunteer. MELVILLE H. DORSEY JR. ’88 died July 29. JOHNNIE MELVIN ELLIS JR. ’80 of Carrboro died Aug. 2. He worked for UNC Healthcare System. GLORIA MACAS HASSELBACH ’86, formerly of Goldsboro, died July 27. She was an artist from a very early age and taught calligraphy at Wayne Community College and other community colleges. GARY L. MCINTYRE’85 of Cary diedJune 4. He was employed by Sharpe Business Systems in Morrisville. MALEESA JOAN ROUSE ’86 of Seven Springs died Aug. 2. She taught at Lucama Elementary School in Wilson County and was Teacher of the Year twice.

1990s
REBECCA GRAY’98 died May 3. She was an advocate for the abused, exploited, and neglected elderly at the Department of Social Services in New Hanover County and as a social worker in Craven County.

2000s
EDGAR L. BLACKLEYdied June 30. A resident of Granville County, he was a rising senior and the son of Edgar L. “Lennie” Blackley ’78 and LauraDean Blackley ’82. Chris Raynor ’01 of Williamston was killed in an auto accident Sept. 12 while driving to church for his wedding. The accident occurred less than four hours before the ceremony at Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. The priest delivered the sad news to the families and friends gathered for the ceremony. Raynor, who worked at a construction company in Raleigh, was heading to breakfast with two of his groomsmen when their vehicle was hit by a car that ran a red light.

FACULTY AND STAFF

Dr. Lucy Wright, a former associate dean of student living who taught in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literature from 1969 to 1975 and who later retired from the Department of Student Life, died Sept. 29. She mothered the international students of ECU, and later she and her husband woud stay with them when traveling abroad. Her death came just months after that of her husband, DR. JAMES “JIM” WRIGHT, who died May 13. He taught in the English department from 1969 to 1999, serving on the Student Services and Scholarships committees, an activity he said he loved because it involved recognizing students and giving away money. He was a brilliant linguist and jazz pianist and was known for his wit and practical jokes.

DR. ROBERT BAXTER GANTT of Charlotte died on May 30. He was an assistant football coach under Clarence Stasavich from 1962–70 and also coached wrestling for four years. Later he taught in the Department of Health and Physical Education, retiring as department chair in 1993.

DR. FRANKLIN D. JONES of Greenville died July 15. Since 1993 he was chief of the Division of Neurosurgery in the Department of Surgery and clinical professor at the Brody School of Medicine. A graduate of UNC Chapel Hill’s medical school, he came to Greenville in 1985 as a clinical associate professor and on staff at Eastern Neurosurgical and Spine Associates.

VIRGINIA VIOLA LINN of Martinsville, Ill., died Aug. 4 at 91. She was a member of the voice faculty in the School of Music from 1966 to 1984 and retired as an associate professor emerita of music. Her professional appearances included a Phillips Gallery recital and solo roles with numerous symphony orchestras.

ANDREA L. HARRELL of Grimesland died April 30. She was assistant vice chancellor for administration in the Division of Research and Graduate Studies. She is survived by her husband of 41 years, Dr. George Harrell, retired associate vice chancellor for facilities services.

JOYCE CARPENTER CALLOWAY of Charlotte died June 12. She was a founding member of the Summer Theater.

VERTA BLACK MANNING of Charlotte died June 30. She worked for ECU Student Health for 30 years.