’70s
Sidney Courtney ’72 and Claudia Strohmaier Courtney ’73 are now retired and living in Dover, DE. They have two sons, age 41 and 31, who are also living in Delaware. The Courtneys enjoyed their trip to campus for alumni weekend last year with Sidney’s classmate and roommate Paul Parren ’72. The Courtneys hope to return to campus again next year.
’90s
Cindi Gresham DeBusk ’98 was named to the Leadership Knoxville class for 2015. Cindi is the owner of GCS Group in Knoxville and is a member of the State of Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors. She is also a member of the Board of Directors for Friends of the Smokies and the Knox Heritage Board.
’00s
Claude Drexel Gatlin, Jr. ’00 is a candidate for mayor in Newport, Tenn. He is retired from AT&T.
Justin Johnson ’08 of Gloucester, VA, has been named marketing and sales coordinator for the Richmond International Raceway. He has been with the raceway since 2013, formerly serving as consumer marketing coordinator.
Dr. Angelo Volpe H’08 was recently honored by the Brooklyn College Alumni Association for lifetime achievement. This is his 55th reunion year. Dr. Volpe, Tennessee Tech University president emeritus, received a post-50th alumni lifetime achievement award. He was Tennessee Tech’s seventh president, but he was its first to have a doctoral degree. While he was president, the university completed a $21 million capital campaign and its endowment grew from $1 million to $27 million. During his tenure, the campus Fitness Center, Hyder-Burks Agricultural Pavilion, and the library – now named for Volpe and his wife, Jennette – were built. Volpe also fought to keep the Appalachian Center for Craft open for education, created two chairs of excellence and established the Women’s Center and Leona Lusk Officer Black Cultural Center. Dr. Volpe is a member of the Tusculum Board of Trustees and served as interim president in 2007.
’10s
Amber Sharp-Brown ’11 has completed her Master of Science in sports medicine at Georgia State University. She is employed as an assistant athletic trainer at Westminster Academy in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Jessica Kent ’11 is a third grade teacher at Talbott Elementary School. This is her first year teaching. She has worked the past five years as an assistant to pre-first grade and kindergarten.
Jessica Miller ’12 works with grades K-5 in special education and with exceptional children services at Jefferson Elementary School in Jefferson County. This is her first teaching position.
Marcie Stuart ’13 is a sixth grade math teacher at Jefferson Middle School in Jefferson County. This is her first full-time teaching position.
Eric Tobler ’13 of Oak Ridge, Tenn., is chief executive officer of Tobler Enterprises and is the managing partner for the CRWC partnership. Eric is a licensed general contractor and a licensed real estate agent.
Kirstie Lauren Gust ’12 and Collins Van Liew were married on October 5, 2014. Kirstie is a financial management associate at KPMG in Chicago.
Emily Shipsey ’14 and John Polny were married on September 26, 2014. Emily is a visitor services specialist at Discovery Center at Murfree Spring in Murfreesboro, TN.
’40s
Irene Bolton France ’41 of Jonesborough, TN, passed away October 7, 2014. After attending Tusculum, Mrs. France began her teaching career at Limestone Elementary School. She later taught English at Jonesborough High School and then served as librarian/media specialist there. After earning a master’s degree from East Tennessee State University, she became librarian/media specialist at University School where she served for 25 years. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma and was a past Matron of the Jonesborough Eastern Star #352. Mrs. France was also a member of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, the Washington County Retired Teachers Association, American Legion Auxiliary, Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary, the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary, the Purple Heart Auxiliary, the ETSU Retired Association and ETSU Retirees. In addition, she was a member of the Jonesborough Goodwill Circle, Garden Club and the Tuesday Club. She was a member of Central Christian Church, where she was a Sunday School teacher for many years and was active in the Dorcas Circle of the Church. Her survivors include sister and Tusculum alumna Marie Gilley ’44.
Winifred “Win” Mitchell ’43 of Carbondale, IL, passed away October 10, 2014. A native of Hudson, NY, she graduated from Columbia University with a degree in nursing after attending Tusculum. In 1945, she enlisted in the Army Nurse Corps as a second lieutenant and was assigned to Tilton General Hospital at Fort Dix and the English General Hospital in Atlantic City, NJ, where she worked with amputees. She was then assigned to the hospital ship Aleda E. Lutz and made four trans-Atlantic voyages to pick up ambulatory soldiers from England and France for transport to Charleston, SC. As the war ended in Europe, her ship was transferred to the Pacific Theatre. It was being outfitted in Hawaii when Japan surrendered. She married Gilbert Mitchell in 1945 and after their discharges from the Army, they settled in West Frankfort and then in Carbondale. Mrs. Mitchell spent the rest or her nursing career at Holden Hospital and Doctor’s Hospital. She taught practical nursing and nurse’s aides at Southern Illinois University and Herrin High School, retiring in 1985. Mrs. Mitchell was a member and former deacon at First Presbyterian Church in Carbondale. She was also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and served as the Regent in 2008. She also served as a volunteer guardian and worked for Meals on Wheels.
June Barrett Mittman ’45 of Wilmington, NC, passed away September 26, 2014. A native of New Jersey, she returned to her home state after graduating from Tusculum and met her future husband, the late Edward Mittman. Mrs. Mittman was a woman ahead of her time, balancing duties as a housewife with substitute teaching and later a position as youth director for the American Red Cross. In later life, she volunteered at various organizations including churches, thrift stores and at the Cap May (NJ) Welcome Center. For many years, she walked three miles a day and continued exercising until shortly before her death. She will be remembered for her outgoing personality, humor and wonderful pianist skills. She began playing piano professionally at age 10 and continued doing so at social events her entire life. She played various kinds of music but loved music from the 1940s best. She generally played by ear, easily playing anything she heard and transposing chords. She also played theater organ.
Dr. Kenneth J. Chapman ’49 of Columbus, OH, passed away on August 3, 2014. Dr. Chapman was a veteran, having served in the medical corps in the U.S. Navy in the Philippines. He was an OB-GYN in the Columbus area for 31 years, serving on the staff of Riverside Methodist Hospital.
’50s
Marilou Neas Humphreys ’57 passed away September 28, 2014, after a difficult journey with Alzheimer’s disease at her daughter’s home in Orlando, FL., where she and her husband had lived for the past three years. A native of the St. James area of Greene County, TN, Mrs. Humphreys taught at Doak and Chuckey-Doak schools until her family moved to Orlando in 1960s. She continued her teaching career there until retiring to take care of her parents. After her parents passed away, she and her husband retired, moving back to Greene County to the family farm. She and her husband returned to Florida after she needed more care due to her illness. She enjoyed gardening, and she and her husband enjoying traveling the country. Mrs. Humphreys was an active member of St. James Lutheran Church, where she helped with Sunday school and Appalachian Helping Hands.
’60s
Annette Clark Gernhardt ’64 of Chesapeake, VA, passed away on September 12, 2014. She was a retired technical editor, writer and publications specialist for Northrop Grumman.
’90s
Jeffery Louis Ginsberg ’95 of Knoxville, TN, passed away unexpectedly October 18, 2014. Mr. Ginsberg was a former business owner, city councilman and president of the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce. He most recently was vice president of human resources for LeGacy Resource Corp. Mr. Ginsberg also served as president of the Tennessee Valley Human Resources Association, was a member of the Tennessee State Human Resource Association Council and was past president of the Oak Ridge Human Resource Association. He had been recently awarded the ESGR Ombudsman of the Year for his work with the Army National Guard and Reserve. One of his greatest joys was playing guitar in the Boys Night Out Band for more than 30 years.
Ruth Ellen Waller Williams ’96 of Piney Flats, TN, passed away unexpectedly on January 30, 2014. Mrs. Williams was a teacher at Sullivan East High School until the fall of 2013. She was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church.