Learn the latest about your fellow alumni

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

’80s

Bruce Lay ’89 has been named executive director of school leadership for the Oak Ridge School System. Lay previously served in the system as the principal of Robertsville Middle School. A native of Louisville, Ky., Lay has been in education for 33 years. He taught for 11 years prior to becoming a principal in 1993. Prior to joining the Oak Ridge system, Lay was an administrator in the Anderson County School system.

 

’90s

Marlyss Corriher ’97 is in her first year as a first-grade teacher at Crestline Elementary School in Mountain Brook, AL. A native Alabamian, Corriher has 22 years of teaching experience and was named Teacher of the Year for 2014-15 at her former school, Yates Primary in Cleveland, TN.

 

’00s

Calvin Decker ’00 is now serving as assistant principal and athletic director of Morristown-Hamblen High School West. He has 27 years of education experience, with 18 years in the classroom and nine years as an assistant or head principal. He has previously served as assistant principal and athletic director at Morristown-Hamblen High School East.

 

Susanne (Chesney) and Craig Pritchett ’03 ’03 are both in new positions at Brevard High School in Brevard, NC. Susanne is teaching physical education and health at the school while Craig is teaching weight training and serving in his first year as head football coach. Both had taught at Ridgeland High School in Rossville, GA, prior to moving to Brevard. Craig taught graphic design and served as assistant football coach at Ridgeland while Susanne taught business and marketing. She will begin her study to obtain her specialist degree in January. In addition to his degree in graphic design from Tusculum, Craig has earned a master’s degree in kinesiology from Georgia Southern. He was inducted in the Tusculum College Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.

 

Lauralie Rubel ’04 has been named state president of WellCare Health Plans, Inc. in Iowa. In her new position, she will serve Iowa Medicaid, the Iowa Health and Wellness plan, and the Healthy and Well Kid in Iowa programs. She will also lead WellCare’s efforts to care for Iowans who participate in the state’s seven home- and community-based services waiver programs. Most recently, she served as WellCare’s vice president of market development. Since joining WellCare in 2005 as director of provider relations, she had held leadership roles of increasing responsibility, including serving as the vice president of provider strategy, vice president of market initiatives for the launch of the company’s Medicaid business in Kentucky, chief operating officer for Atlanta and north Georgia, and vice president of training. She has also held leadership roles at UHS-Pruitt Corporation, Humana and Covenant Health.

 

Matt DeMartini ’06 has been named head soccer coach for the Hackettstown High School boys soccer team in Hackettstown, NJ. DeMartini has served as assistant at Warren County High School for the past two years. Matt has played professionally in Poland and the U.S.

Emory Cain ’08 has been chosen as the new girls basketball coach at Pigeon Forge High School. He previously has coached boys and girls basketball at both the high School and middle school levels in Seymour.

 

’10s

Danielle Armstrong ’12 is featured writer in Boarder Crossing, an annual literary and arts journal, published by the Lake Superior State University Creative Writing Program. Her piece is titled, “Elliot Goodacre Survives the Flood.”

 

Justin Reed ’13 has been nominated for Sundress’s “Best of the Net” anthology with his poem, “The Forgetting Episodes.” He is a master of fine arts candidate in poetry at Washington University in St. Louis. His poetry appears in Anti-Rattle, and Connotation Press, and is forthcoming in Nepantla: A Journal Dedicated to Queer Poets of Color. YesYes Books will release his first chapbook, A History of Flamboyance, in 2015.

 

 

 

 

’40s

Mary Mae Kyker ’48 of Telford, TN, passed away September 12, 2015. A career educator, her first position took her to Baileyton High School as a teacher of English and Spanish and as the librarian from 1948-57. She then taught English and Spanish and served as librarian at Washington College Academy from 1957-71, where she also served as assistant to the dean of girls. In 1971, she became librarian at David Crockett High School and served there until her retirement in 1987. Recognized for her accomplishments in education, Miss Kyker was listed in the World’s Who’s Who of Women, 1973; Personalities of the South, 1975-76; and Who’s Who of American Women, 1975-76. She was a member of Telford Grace Brethren Church, where she served as Sunday School teacher for youth and adult classes over the year and in Vacation Bible School. Miss Kyker served as a deaconess of the church and as the librarian. She loved reading and tracing genealogy.

 

’50s

Richard Sherwood “Dick” King ’51 of Russellville, TN, passed away Thursday, July 2, 2015. A talented athlete, Mr. King played football, basketball and tennis at Tusculum. After graduating from Tusculum and with help of his former coach, Petie Siler, he started the Golden Gloves Boxing program in Morristown, TN. A successful boxer himself, he coached the Morristown team for almost 30 years. His survivors include his wife and Tusculum alumna Betty McAmis King ’50.

 

The Rev. Howard Wallis “Wally” Dobson ’53 passed away on September 3, 2015. Rev. Dobson was retired from the U.S. Air Force as a chaplain. He served in the Air Force for 20 years, attaining the rank of lieutenant colonel. In retirement, Rev. Dobson was active in the community as long as his health permitted, having been a substitute teacher in the city and county schools systems, a therapist and case manager with the mental health center, a sales agent with Coldwell Banker Associated Realty Group and pastor of Mount Pleasant Cumberland Presbyterian Church at Cross Anchor. He also served as interim pastor of Ryder Presbyterian Church near Bluff City for four years. Rev. Dobson served for a year as commander of the American Legion Post No.64 and  was a member of the board of directors of Greene County Habitat for Humanity, serving as chairman of that organization’s site selection, church relations and construction committees. Rev. Dobson was also a member of the Greeneville Noon Exchange Club and served on the board, and was also a member of the Andrew Johnson Amateur Radio Club. He retired in June 2001 as chaplain of the Greeneville unit of the Civil Air Patrol, having served since 1995 in that role. Among his passions, in addition to preaching and teaching the Bible, were motorcycles, cars and automotive mechanics in general, flying airplanes and teaching instrument flying, amateur radio and the Bible Fellowship Net, of which he was a devoted member for many years, gardening and canning tomatoes and pickles; and all team sports: playing, coaching, and “spectating.”

 

’70s

George Patrick Ryan ’75 of Woodbridge Township, NJ, passed away on September 7, 2015, after a long illness. A veteran, Mr. Ryan had served in the U.S. Navy. He owned and operated the George P. Ryan, CPA Accounting Firm in Woodbridge. He was a communicant of St. James Roman Catholic Church in Woodbridge, a member of the Historical Society of Woodbridge and a Boy Scout troop leader. He was also a lifelong supporter and fan of the Woodbridge High School football program. After graduating from Tusculum, Ryan continued to remain involved with his Alma Mater including promoting the College to high school students in the area. He volunteered at college fairs in the area representing Tusculum. Mr. Ryan was recognized for his contributions to his Alma Mater at Homecoming 2014 when he was selected to receive the Pioneer Award, the highest honor given by the Alumni Association. His daughter Ciara is currently a Tusculum student.

 

John A. Keasling ’75 of Morristown, TN, passed away September 16, 2015.  He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy. Mr. Keasling worked in the radiology department of Takoma Medical Associates and was later a part-time teacher at the Adventist School in Morristown. He was an active member of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Morristown.

 

’80s

Janie Ruth McCamey Larkin ’86 of Midway, TN, passed on September 21, 2015. Mrs. Larkin was retired from Phillips Consumer Electronics as an accountant. She attended St. Joseph Free Will Baptist Church, where she served as treasurer. Mrs. Larkin had served on the Board of Directors and as treasurer of the Opportunity House. She was known for her loving heart and willingness to help anyone. Her survivors include husband and Tusculum alumnus Billy Larkin ’67.

 

’90s

Steve Hatmaker ’98 of Clinton, TN, passed away on July 17, 2015. Mr. Hatmaker joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1983 and later retired as a gunnery sergeant. He then returned to Clinton and earned his bachelor’s degree from Tusculum. Mr. Hatmaker then embarked on his second career, this one in law enforcement. He served with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.