Ahmrni Happenings
‘80- “Harold L. Williams has been
named acting athletic director at Saint Paul’s
College in Lawrenceville, Va. Williams is
also president of the CIA A Track and Field
Coaches Association.
‘80- -Francis John Fitzgerald is image
specialist and manages all of Scitex Systems
for People weekly magazine in New York.
Besides doing People, the imaging depart
ment does an Australian version of the
magazine called “Who Weekly.”
‘81- -Arminda L. Ranson and Vassili
Panayiotou were married June 15 in Nicosia,
Cyprus. Arminda is administrative assistant
at Omni Life Insurance in Nicosia. They will
live in Nicosia.
‘82- -John Sours married Deborah Cole
May 16. He is manager at Sours and Associ
ates, Inc., in Hampton, Va.
‘84- -Addison Restein has a son, Joseph
Addison Restein, bom November 10, 1991.
‘84- -Robert L. McKinney III married
Chrisanna Trollinger in September.
McKinney is self-employed with McKinney
Enterprises, Inc.
‘84- -Ray Charles Spencer and Traci Lee
Edwards were married June 27. Spencer is
employed by Crane Research and Engineer
ing in Hampton, Va. The couple will be
living in Hampton.
‘86- -Melvin Earl Campbell married
Barbara Jean Capers May 9. He is employed
by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol
in Columbus County.
‘86- -Dr. Karen Lynn Hanell married
Stewart Tosto May 16. Karen received her
doctorate in pharmacy from the School of
Pharmacy at Campbell University in Buies
Creek. She is a clinical pharmacist at Cherry
Point Marine Corps Air Station.
‘86- -Danny Lee Acree and Angela
Wade were married August 15. He is
employed at Champion International and
they live in Roanoke Rapids.
‘86- -David Michael Mariniak and
Deena Renee Covington were married
February 29. David is a branch manager at
ITT Financial Services, located in Hampton,
Va., where they will live.
‘86- -Mary Lynne Epps and Charles
Milton Hayes were married July 31. She is
employed by Surry Furniture Co., Inc. and
lives in Surry, Va.
‘87- -Robert Allen Anderson and
Jennifer Marie Purdie were married Septem
ber 19. Robert is employed by Progress
Printing Company. The couple will live in
Lynchburg, Va.
‘87- -Gregory Hill Granger married Lisa
Newton August 15. Gregory is a paralegal at
Jones, Blechman, Woltz and Kelly in
Newport News. The couple will reside in
Williamsburg.
‘87- -Tracy Lynn Whitley and Walter
Mack Sykes Jr. were married July 11. Tracy
works with her husband in his insurance
office. They reside in Lasker, N.C.
‘89- -Dena Kay Cutchins married Nelson
Gilbert Steele III May 9. She is employed at
Schewel Furniture Company in Franklin,
Va.
‘89- -Jennifer R. Stephens recently
received a bachelor’s degree in commerce
from the Mclntire School of Commerce at
the University of Virginia.
‘90- -Celeste Keller is patient accounts
representative in GoldenCare at Riverside
Regional Medical Center in Newport News,
Va.
‘90- -Frances Elizabeth Brooks and
Axon Darren Sholar were married October
3. The couple will be residing in Montana.
‘90- -Sheri Leigh Thorpe and Loren
Heath Tomlin were married May 16. Sheri is
employed at American General Finance. The
couple will reside in Waverly, Va.
‘91- -Stacey Rae Curry and Randall
Wade Mooneyham were married August 22.
Stacey is employed by American Safety
Razor Company. The couple will reside in
Staunton, Va.
r
The Distinguished Alumni for 1992 were announced at Chowan’s
Homecoming in November. Richard L. ThompsMi, class of 1961 and
Carlyle R. Wimbish Jr., class of 1958, are this year's recipiants.
Thompson, a native of Warren County, received his A.A. from
Chowan in 1961 and continued his education at Elon College and the
University of North Carolina at Charlotte. In 1979, he received his
doctorate of educational administration from the University of North
Carolina at Greensboro.
Dedicated to education, Thompson accepted his first teaching
position in 1964 as teacher and coach at Concord High School. Since
those early years, Thompson has climbed the professional ladder of
education in a steady, distinguished pace.
Throughout his career he has held positions as assistant jaincipal,
instructor, assistant to the dean, superintendent of Lexington City
Schools and superintendent of Tupelo Public Schools in Mississippi.
In 1990, Thompson became state superintendent of education for
the State of Mississippi. Two years later he accepted the position of
director of the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teach
ing, located in Cullowhee, North Carolina. The center has grown to be
nationally recognized for its work in education.
Thompson has also served as Adjunct Professor at UNC-Greens-
boro and as a certified consultant to the Southern Association of
Colleges and Schools. Involved in professional educational organiza
tions in Mississippi and North Carolina, he has been in educational
work on a nation^ level as well.
He has served as presenter, representative, director, and delegate
to these organizations and has, in recent years, served as a member of
the Commission on Cdleges of the Southern Association of Colleges
and Schools, the state board of Rehabilitation Services in Mississippi,
Mississippi Children’s Trust Fxmd Advisory Council, Mississippi
Economic Council and the Govemor’s CommissicM on Workforce
Excellence. He has also been the publisher ctf several articles concern
ing educatioa
Outside education, he is involved in civic, church and community
activities such as Habitat for Humanity, Junior Achievement, Boy
Scouts Ol America, The United Way, and Rotary International.
He is the father of two daughters, Tara Elizabeth and Whitney
Diane.
Carlyle R. Wimbish from Portsmouth, Virginia received his A.A.
from Chowan in the late 50’s before moving on to Virginia Polytech
nic Institute where he received his B.S. degree.
His professional life can be described as rich in diversity and
entrepreneurial in spirit. In 34 years since leaving Chowan, he has held
numerous positions involved in education. They range from public to
private and from elementary to higher education.
Wimbish was the first director of alumni affairs at his ahna mater.
From Chowan, he became head master at Patrick Henry Academy in
Virginia.
In 1971, Wimbish left work in education to
pursue business at Halifax Wholesale, Inc. of
South Boston. A wholesale grocery business
with sales in exccss of two million dollars
annually. Wimbish served as president and
general manager there. He opened a paint supply
store while working at Halifax Wholesale and
worked in real estate and insurance as well.
When Wimbish left Halifax Wholesale in
1986. he took his years of business and education
experience and invested them into the college
environment. Currently, he is director of the
small business center at Piedmont Community
College in Roxboro. His job involves providing
technical and managerial assistance to small
business owners and prospective owners.
Wimbish currenUy serves on the Alumni
Association’s Board of Directors, offering
prudent advice to the Alumni Association and
the office for which he fu-st served at Chowan.
He has been married to the former Jo
Weatherford of South Boston, Virginia for 31
years. They have two sons, Carlyle R. Wimbish
III and Robert E. Wimbish.
The 1992 Distinguished Alumni are pictured
here with some of their family members.
TOP—Richard L. Thompson, left, with
daughter Tara and brother, Ed Thompson
with Ed's wife. Ruby.
BOTTOM-Carlyle R. Wimbish, with wife, Jo and
their sons, Carlyle R. Wimbish III and Robert E,
Wimbish.
Winter 1992-Chowan Today-PAGE 11