’10s
Kate Barford ’13 is working for and attending Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. Kate will be working on her Ph.D. in social psychology. She began her doctoral program in September.
Zach Wampler ’13 of Greeneville, TN, recently made it into the top 200 for Project Greenlight, a documentary series on HBO, executive-produced by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. The show takes an uncensored look at the challenges facing a first-time director, and Zach beat out thousands of other candidates before missing the next cut. Zach participated in the digital competition with hopes of getting to direct his first feature film through Project Greenlight.
’30s
Polly Anne Carter Estes ’37 died on Aug. 9, 2014, at the home of her daughter, Margaret ’63, in Buffalo Grove, IL. Mrs. Estes was a retired elementary educator.
’40s
D. Oliver Burkey Jr. ’48 of Greenville, TN, passed away September 6, 2014. Mr. Burkey was a long-time supporter of his Alma Mater and served a number of years on the Council for Church Relations. He served as president of the Alumni Association from 1968-1972 and was a member of the Alumni Executive Board member for many years. He helped raise funds for Tusculum’s endowment from local area alumni and chaired the 1991 Greene County Tusculum Alumni Fund. Mr. Burkey was a retired agent for the Life Insurance Company of Georgia, serving 38 years as an agent. During most of his adult life, he had immersed himself in volunteer community service and took joy in being part of efforts to make others’ lives better. Mr. Burkey was a charter member of the Glenwood Ruritan Club, serving as its treasurer from 1959-2011. He helped with advertising and ticket sales for fundraisers and coached Little League for the team sponsored by the Ruritan Club during the 1960s and 70s. Mr. Burkey served as the chairman for the Greene County division of the local United Way Campaign for 38 years. He was responsible for raising more than $350,000 for the United Way in his lifetime, much of it personally through door-to-door visits. He invested more than 3,000 hours of volunteer time for the United Way and continued to visit hundreds of potential donors across the county until a few months before his passing. Mr. Burkey used his fundraising expertise to help raise thousands of dollars for the Orebank Volunteer Fire Department. He had served as president of the Greeneville Life Underwriters’ Association. Mr. Burkey was a member of Timber Ridge Presbyterian Church, where he had served as an elder since 1947. He was also the cemetery and building fund treasurer. He was a regular Holston Presbytery commissioner and committee member and served nine years as the Holston Presbytery-appointed board member for the Sunset Gap Community Center, which serves children and families in Greene and Cocke counties. Mr. Burkey was a veteran of World War II, serving in the Pacific theater as a liberty ship gunner. He was a charter member of the Andrew Johnson VFW Post 1990. He was a lifelong active member of the Greene County Republican Party and was the 25th District Party Chairman for decades, recruiting election poll workers for the Glenwood precinct up to the time of his passing.
Dr. Dale Self ’48 of Jefferson City, TN, passed away February 7, 2014. Mr. Self served as a medic in the U.S. Army during World War II. He graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry in 1952 and practiced dentistry in Morristown for 32 years. Basketball was a love of his, having played both at Tusculum and East Tennessee State University. In his later years, gardening became a passion.
’50s
Helen Oakley Sherwood ’50 of Mechanicsville, VA, passed away August 17, 2014. Mrs. Sherwood taught school in Maryland and also in West Germany, where her late husband Samuel, was stationed while serving in the U.S. Army. She was a founder and originator of the First Baptist Church Day Care Center, from which she later retired.
’60s
Robert Arthur Lapsley ’66 of Savannah, GA, passed away September 4, 2014. Mr. Lapsley played both baseball and basketball at Tusculum. He was a veteran, having served in the U.S. Army. In 1968, Lapsley joined Goodwill Industries of Detroit, later joining Goodwill Industries of the Coastal Empire, Inc. in Savannah in 1972. In 1979, he was appointed president and CEO, providing inspired leadership through difficult times for seventeen years until his retirement in 1997. During his tenure, the Second Chance Program was established, which provides community re-entry training for individuals with traumatic brain injuries and is the only program of its kind in Georgia outside of Atlanta. He was also instrumental in establishing a Teleride service in Savannah to greatly increase the mobility and opportunities for people with disabilities. He was a 30-year member of the Lions Club of Savannah and served as its president in 1996. He was honored by his fellow members as a Melvin Jones Fellow, the highest honor in the Lions Club.
’80s
Barbara Deming Burke ’88 of Kingsport, TN, passed away February 28, 2014, after a year-long courageous battle against several illnesses. Mrs. Burke worked was employed at Holston Defense for many years before retiring and attending college. After earning both a bachelor’s and master’s degree, Mrs. Burke began teaching at Northeast State Community College.
Eric Alfred Roline ’89 of Morristown, TN, passed away September 18, 2014, following a courageous 14-month-long battle with brain cancer. He was an engineer and had worked at TRW in Rogersville, TN. Mr. Roline was a member of Arrowhead Church, where he volunteered with the lighting/sound system. He was an avid sailor. Mr. Roline was a member of the Cherokee Lake Sailing Club for the past 18 years and had been awarded many trophies for his sailing abilities.
’90s
Vivian Lee Calloway McClendon ’94 of Spring City, TN, passed away March 5, 2014. Mrs. McClendon was retired from the TVA Watts Bar Nuclear Plant after 27 years of service. She was a member of the Reed Chapel United Methodist Church and the TVA Retirees Association.
Mr. Kenneth Robson ’94 passed away on March 7, 2014.
Mrs. Janet Evelyn Breeden Harvey ’96 of Jonesborough, TN, passed away July 29, 2014, at her home. An educator, she taught at David Crockett High School and Greeneville High School for 35 years and was a member of Jonesborough Presbyterian Church.
Michael James Butts ’98 of Warner Robins, GA, passed away September 2, 2014.
’00s
Matthew James Chakales ’03 of Knoxville, TN, passed away July 31, 2014. Mr. Chakales had a career in finance. He was passionate and highly skilled in wrestling, serving as assistant wrestling coach for Powell High School. Mr. Chakales was a member of Middlebrook Pike United Methodist Church and founded the church’s prison ministry. He also volunteered with Cornerstone Recovery and the Blount County Detention Center.
Joshua D. Olmstead ’03 of Kingston, TN, passed away September 26, 2013. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.
Faculty
Dr. Nancy Naff Boardman of Athens, TN, passed away July 28, 2014. A dedicated and accomplished educator, she served as a classroom teacher, a curriculum supervisor, a principal, a superintendent and a college professor. She taught at both Tusculum and Tennessee Wesleyan College. She was named Business and Professional Woman of the Year by the Athens Chamber of Commerce in 1988.
Dr. Douglas H. Manley of Athens, TN, formerly of Cleveland, TN, passed away on July 12, 2014. At the time of his passing, he was an associate professor of music and director of keyboard studies at Tennessee Wesleyan College. He had also taught at Tusculum and at Cleveland State Community College. Dr. Manley had also served in the music ministries of several area churches.