Graduates and
former students
keep in
touch with
alma mater
Class
Acts
CLASS OF 1955
Joseph H. Harkey, Vuginia Beach, Va., retired
from Virginia Wesleyan College in Norfolk and is
now a professor emeritus of English at that
college
Meredith White, Windsor, N.C., was elected
mayor of Askewville, N.C. in November 1997.
CLASS OF 1960
Roy P. Robertson, Warrenton, N.C., co-owner
of CISCO Realty Inc. entered the real estate and
insurance business after participating in the bank
ing industry for twenty years. Married, with
three grown children and three grandchildren, Ro
bertson is involved in civic clubs and church work.
CLASS OF 1963
Peggie Leonard Stroud, Havelock, N.C.,
retired after teaching math for 31 years, 26 in
North Carolina and 5 in Tennessee. She and her
husband, Cecil, enjoy time on the Neuse River.
CLASS OF 1964
Joyce Heath Hanson, Panama, is teaching
English at Balboa H.S., a department of Defense
Dependents School in the Republic of Panama.
Her husband, Dave, is also a teacher in the
DoDDS system. The couple has two children,
Rejoyce, a junior at the Univ. of New Mexico and
Heather, a junior at Balboa H.S.
CLASS OF 1967
Benjamin CHerndon, Jr., Fredericksburg, Va.,
is the director of athletics at Chancellor High
School in Spotsylvania Coimty, Va.
Gerald V Hilton, Kannapolis, N.C., who
reports he retired from the N.C, Department of
Transportation in May 1997, is currently working
for Kisinger Campo & Assoc., a consulting
engineering firm, on a NCEXDT project widening
US 17 in Edenton, N.C.
CLASS OF 1975
Cindy Purcell Skulskie, Woodbridge Va., is a
program manager with the Office of the Under
Secretary of Defense (Acquisition and Technol
ogy), Office of the Director of Acquisition Career
Management. Skulskie lives just outside the
Washington, D.C. metro area with her dog and cat
and would enjoy hearing from former professors
and classmates via e-mail at:
cskulskie@doddacm.com
CLASS OF 1977
Edwin T. Conner, Winfield, W.V, owner of
Coimer Photography, was recently certified in the
Professional Photographers of America (P.P. A.).
The current president of Ohio Valley Professional
Photographers and pjist-president of Professional
Photographers of West Virginia (both affiliates of
P.P.A.), Cormer has been nationally recognized for
his horseshow photography. He and his wife,
Beth, have two daughters, ages 10 and 5.
CLASS OF 1978
Gerald R Wright. Tiirmionsville, S.C.,
completed his B.S. degree at Winthrop University.
A physical education/health teacher in Florence
School District #4, Wright is also the head varsity
boys basketball coach, head track coach and
assistant football coach. He and his wife, Cheryl,
have two children, Jerron, 8, and Mikayla, 2.
CLASS OF 1979
Anne Barber, Lenoir City, Tn., lives in the
foothills of the mountains on a large horse farm.
She owns her own business, works on the local
newspaper staff and is involved in volunteer work
through a local mission. She has two daughters,
ages 18 and IS.
Submitted death notices of Chowan College
alumni must include the deceased’s full name—
including maiden name—date of death and place
of residence. Chowan Today will not print death
notices more than two years old.
Send notices to Kay Parker, Alumni Services,
Chowan College, P. O. Box 1848, Murfreesboro,
NC 27855.
CLASS OF 1980
Dino White, New York, N.Y., received his B.A,
in Theatre Arts/Speech from East Carolina Univer
sity and his M.A. in Broadcast Journalism from
Emerson College in Boston, Ma. He is a produc
tion assistant for 48 Hours at CBS News.
CLASS OF 1982
David Lynn Smith, Kemersville, N.C., is
president of All Year Cooling and Heating, Inc. He
and his wife, Robin, celebrated the birth of Caitlin
Marie Smith on September 30, 1997.
CLASS OF 1983
Brian Boudewyns, Martinsburg, W.V., com
pleted his education at Appalachian State Univer
sity. He is the current chief of operations for the
Veterans Canteens Service at the VA. Medical
Center in Martinsburg.
CLASS OF 1988
William (Bill) E Ranson HI, Breckenridge,
Co. Known to his friends as “Bones,” Ranson is
currently traveling the globe competing on the Ex
treme Skiing Tour. When not competing, he teaches
skiing at the Breckeiuidge Ski Resort and assists
with the SuiTunit County Ambulance Service.
Ranson notes a career highlight of competing in the
U.S. Extreme Skiing Championship Finals.
CLASS OF 1989
Martha S. Sodergren, Portsmouth, Va., is
employed as a dental hygienist by Dr. J. W.
Schonfeld, D.D.S. and recently combined profes
sional training with vacation in Gatlingburg/Pigeon
Forge. Sodergren is a deacon at Churchland Baptist
Church and the mission friends’ consultant for
Portsmouth Baptist Association.
CLASS OF 1991
Greg Rollins, Riverview, FI., completed his
education at James Madison University with a
major in human communications. He currently
serves as the communications coordinator for
Capital One Financial Corporation in Tampa.
CLASS OF 1997
Sheila Fitzpatrick, Virginia Beach, Va., is
employed as a preschool teacher with the YMCA.
CLASS OF 1939
Alton W. Parker ‘39, Murfreesboro, N.C., died
March 10, 1997. A native of Murfreesboro, Parker
graduated from Chowan with an associate of arts
degree and went on to complete his education at the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and
Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Teim-
essee. He practiced optometry in Murfreesboro
from 1949 to 1985.
Credited by Dr.
Bruce Whitaker, past
president of Chowan,
as “a man you could
coimt on to get the
job done,” Parker
was awarded the
Distinguished Alurtmi
Award in 1982. He
served Chowan as a
former president of
the Hertford County
Chapter of the
Chowan Alimrni
Association, as a
class chair and as a
member of the Alumni Board.
Parker’s family also had other ties to Chowan.
His mother. Brownie Gertrude Parker, graduated
from the college in 1901 and his twin brother, Elton,
graduated in 1939. Both preceded him in death.
Active in the community, Parker was a life long
member of Murfreesboro Baptist Church where he
served numerous terms as a deacon and was a
member of the choir for 60 years. He was also a
member of the Albemarle Regional Library Board of
Directors for 43 years.
He is survived by his wife, Jeanne Riddle
Parker, who taught in Chowan’s Department of
English from 1960 to 1963, and sons, Alton Parker
Jr. of Raleigh and Mark Parker of Wake Forest.
Dr Mon W. Parker
CLASS OF 1937
ElUi Maxine Hudgins Hall ’37, Virginia Beach,
Va., died December 18, 1997. Bom in Norfolk, she
was a lifetime member of Central Baptist Church,
Norfolk. Hall completed her baccalaureate degree at
Elon College. Survivors include her husband, Wil
liam N. Hall, a daughter, granddaughter and grand-
son. (The l^rginian-Pilot)
Loueen White Bryant Leonard, 59, of Mur
freesboro, died December 23, 1997. Leonard began
her employment with
Chowan Feb. 4, 1991 as
resident director. She
was later named area
coordinator of women’s
campus.
She is survived by her
daughter and son-in-law,
Alison and Perry Amette;
son Robert; granddaughter
Amanda Amette; and
sisters, Parker Kline,
Rose Mooneyham, Billye
Bryant and Jo Ward.
A memorial service was held in Chowan’s Marks
Hall Auditorium January 13, 1998.
Loueen Leonard
Fax: 919.398.3204 — or — e-mail: news@micah.chowan.edu
ENTER THIS IN CLASS ACTS!
Your fellow alumni are interested in your accomplishments including continuing education, job
change, promotion or retirement; community and volunteer activities; marriage or addition to
your family; or any other news you would like to share. (Parents: If your son or daughter has
moved, please help Chowan keep in touch by forwarding the new address to us.) Send to:
Office of News Services, Chowan College, PO Box 1848, Murfreesboro, NC 27855.
Full Name
Class Year
Preferred Name_
Address
Maiden Name_
City
Today’s Date_
S.S.#
Home Phone _
Employer
Spouse Name_
News:
Business Phone
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If Chowan alum, Class year_
Page 4 — CHOWAN TODAY, Winter 1997-98