Alumni News
Janie Shearin (seated)
observed her lOOtb
birthday on December
31 and celebrated the
occasion with her
younger sister, Minnie
James Putrell Vinson,
left, who was 90 years
old on January 3- The
birthday party was well
attended by family,
friends, and several of
her former students.
Graduate mth teaching degree,
Class of ’14, reaches century mark
“Get a good
education
and get
going in
the right
direction. ”
By KEITH HOGGARD
News Editor, Northampton County News
Family and friends of Janie Futrell Shearin
gathered at Roanoke Valley Nursing Home in
Rich square on December 31 to help celebrate
her 100th birthday.
Also attending and honored for her 90th
birthday on January 3, was Mrs, Shearin’s
younger sister, Minnie James Futrell Vinson.
Both Shearin and Vinson are originally from
the Ashley’s Grove community near Conway.
Shearin was born December 31, 1893 to the
late James Ira and Annie Pope Futrell. She was
the oldest of four sisters. Shearin’s and Vinson’s
two other sisters were the late Claive Revelle
and the late Beatrice Bridgers.
Shearin, a retired teacher, taught for 43 years
until her retirement in 1957. She taught in
Galatia, Macon in Warren County, William R.
Davie School in Roanoke Rapids, and also in
Vance County and Murfreesboro.
She received her education at Holly Grove
School and was awarded her teaching degree by
Chowan College in the Class of 1914: Several of
her former students attended her 100th birthday
party and many more sent birthday cards.
Shearin moved from the Ashley’s Grove
community to Macon after marrying the late V.
G. Shearin. Following his death in 1950 she
moved to Conway where she became a well
respected member of the community and an
active member of Conway Baptist Church.
Shearin now resides in the Roanoke Valley
Nursing Home.
Shearin said she enjoyed her career as a
teacher and said it was “very rewarding,” but she
added, “I am glad 1 did it when 1 did it.”
As to her secret of longevity, Shearin said, “I
must have done something right. I got my help
from the Lord. 1 depended on Him,”
She added, “I have always tried to do things
for my health and the things I should have done.
And I’ve had some mighty good help.”
Asked how it feels to be 100 years old,
Shearin replied, “I don’t feel too well, but I
don’t expect to at my age. It gets harder every
day to get around, but I keep trying.”
Ashed what young people ought to do,
Shearin thought for a moment and replied, “The
first thing is they should put their trust in the
Lord and be obedient. That is an important
thing.”
She added, “They should also make prepara
tions for living. Get an education and get going
in the right direction.”
Death claims Elton Parker, recipient
of1990 Distinguished Alumni Award
iJSmfi
Elton C. Parker
1921 - 1994
Elton C. Parker, 73, died at his home in
Raleigh on January 18, 1994. A native of
Murfreesboro, he had lived in Raleigh for 42
years and was a member of Hayes Barton
Baptist Church.
A graduate of Chowan in the Class of 1939,
Parker received the Distinguished Alumni Award
in 1990 in recognition of his many contributions
to his church, community and alma mater. He
was also honored for outstanding community
service by the City of Raleigh.
A former school teacher and Employment
Security Commission manager, he began his
career with an insurance company in 1952 and
retired in 1983 as Personnel and Public Rela
tions Manager of Nationwide Insurance Com
pany.
A graduate of the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill, Parker founded the
Tarheel Chapter of Toastmasters International,
and was instrumental in forming the Les
Parlantes Chapter of Toastmistresses Interna
tional and the Nationwide Secretarial Club.
He was proclaimed an official Muleskinner
of Benson and upon his retirement he was
named by Governor James B. Hunt, Jr., to the
Order of the Long Leaf Pine.
Siu'vivors include his wife, Mary Louise
Schmidt Parker; three foster children; a twin
brother. Dr. Alton W. Parker of Murfreesboro;
six grandchildren; and several nieces and
nephews.
The funeral was held at Hayes Barton
Baptist Church, with burial in Murfreesboro.
Nursing pin
replaced after
twenty years
Last summer when Mary Jo Ellis was
participating in Chowan’s annual “Office
Clean-Up Day”, little did she know that
she would help bring a lot of happiness to
a graduate in the Class of 1972.
Ellis, secretary to the Vice-President
for Academic Affairs, was cleaning a
closet in her office when she noticed a
small, dusty envelope in the back corner.
Upon examination, she found two gold
nurse’s cap pins which were presented to
graduates of Chowan’s two-year nursing
program until the curriculum was discon
tinued in a number of years ago.
Ellis put the envelope in a drawer of
her desk but gave no further thought to the
pins which are treasured by those who
received them.
Just after Christmas, 1993, Rebecca
Wall Herbstreith of Durham, telephoned
the college with a somewhat unusual
request. Her call was transferred to EUis’
office.
Ms. Herbstreith, a nursing major who
met her husband while they were both
students at Chowan, graduated in the Class
of 1972. She has continued a nursing
career and is now in the neurology
department of Duke Medical Center.
Ms. Herbstreith said she had lost her
Chowan nursing pin some years ago and
had tried “everything I know to get
another one.”
“Is there any way you can help me . ..
or do you know of the company who made
the pins so that I might contact them?” she
asked.
“Sure,” replied Mrs. Ellis, “I can help.
As a matter of fact, I have one of the pins
here in my desk!”
Of course, Ms. Herbstreith was
delighted to get another pin after so many
years and Mrs. Ellis was pleased that she
was able to help bring a small amount of
happiness to a Chowan graduate.
The other nursing pin which Ellis
found will be placed in the Antiquities
Room of Whitaker Library with other
college memorabilia for it is, indeed, a
part of Chowan’s history.
Alumni notes..
Joey and Stephanie Kissinger Mabe, Class of
1986, have announced the birth of their second
baby girl in October, 1993..
Christina Lynne Naprstek, Class of 1989, of
Portsmouth, VA, and Eric Joseph Richardson
were married November 27,1993. After a
wedding trip to New England, the couple is
residing in Suffolk.
Tommy St. Clair, Class of 1964, was recenUy
promoted to the position of key account repre
sentative for M&M/Mars Company, a firm he
has represented for 18 years. St. Clair also
recently moved into a new home on Lake
Hickory.
Joy Elizabeth Maxwell, Class of 1993, are
James R. Dailey, will be married on October 15,
at Temple Baptist Church in Newport News, VA.
James Daniel Hobbs, Class of 1991, and
Deborah Lynn Bunch, both of Suffolk, VA, will
be married April 9 at Southside Baptist Church.
Hobbs is employed by Nestle Beverage Com
pany, and she is associated with QVC Network,
Inc.
PAGE 14 - CHOWAN TODAY, Spring 1994