Class Notes

Harold Dean "Dadger" Mays, 85, of Fayetteville, AR passed away Tuesday, June 5, 2018 in Fayetteville. He was born March 25, 1933 in Knoxville, TN to Leonard Leon Mays and Mary Elizabeth (Craig) Mays. He was a retired choral director for South High School as well as South-Young High School in Knoxville, TN. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean Conflict as well as a member of Lonsdale United Methodist Church in Knoxville. In 1959 he began his teaching career at South High School. Until he retired from teaching in 1985, he directed one of the region's finest choral programs, directing stage productions, taking his choruses to compete in regional competitions, placing South Knoxville students in city-wide concerts, and even making a recording of their efforts. While other high school choral directors were content for their students to sing pop songs, "Mays" chose a demanding repertoire of classical and traditional music. Yet, chorus was still the most popular course at South High School. His goal for his students was "to love music, the way I do." These efforts were rewarded publicly when the City of Knoxville proclaimed July 22, 2012 as Harold D. Mays Day. He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Lowry Mays. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Paula Mays, one daughter, Tracey Mays Stehlik and husband Wayne of Fayetteville, AR, one son Keith Mays and his partner Leticia Martinez of Denver, CO, one brother, Bruce Mays and wife Betty of Knoxville, TN. He is also survived by his two greatest joys, his granddaughters, Mollie and Maggie Stehlik also of Fayetteville, AR, as well as several nieces and nephews. In addition, he leaves behind hundreds of students, including the South High School Alumni Chorus, all of whom he loved and cherished. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date in Knoxville, TN. Memorial Contributions may be made to Lonsdale United Methodist Church music department, PO Box 5565, Knoxville, TN 37928.

Colleen Crawford McCall passed away peacefully on November 27, 2023 with her beloved husband and daughters at her side after a short illness.

Colleen was born in Fayetteville, TN on July 2, 1937. She graduated from Chattanooga City High School in 1955, attended Maryville College and graduated from UT Knoxville in 1959 with a degree in Elementary Education.

Colleen began singing at the age of 12 and never stopped. Her beautiful voice reached countless ears at church worship services, prison ministries, meetings, Chattanooga Prayer Breakfasts, weddings and funerals. As a soloist, small group or choir member, Colleen sang for retirement homes, Civic Groups, Political rallies, sporting events, Glee Club, Kiwanis meetings and performed the National Anthem for the Signal Mountain 4th of July Celebration for over 40 years.

Mrs. McCall taught elementary school (2nd grade) for 30 years, retiring in 1998. She received many honors during her teaching career including Career Ladder III, WDEF Golden Apple award, PTA Life Membership, Delta Kappa Gamma Teaching Society member and was named Hamilton County Teacher of the Year in 1995.

In the community, Colleen was involved in The Chattanooga Symphony Guild, Girl Scouts of America Leader, Gideon International, Girl’s Cotillion Club, Signal Mountain Playhouse (Founding Board Member), the Garden Club of Signal Mountain (Life Member) and three bridge groups.

At church, Colleen was a member of the Signal Mountain Presbyterian Church choir beginning in 1964. At SMPC she was a also active in Night Owls, Prayer Warriors, Circle, the Worship Committee, a Sunday School Teacher, the Day School Board and the Columbarium Committee and was named 1994 Women of the Year.

Colleen met her true love, James E. McCall, while at Maryville College. They married in 1959. She was faithful and diligent in all the organizations in which she took part, and often assumed leadership positions. She loved the Lord and her family with all her heart and was devotedly proud of her husband Jim and her girls, Jennifer and Meg. She took great pleasure in teaching, singing, entertaining, walking, laughing and enjoying all of God’s gifts. Colleen drew upon her abiding faith to minister to so many. Colleen kept a positive attitude, always had a smile to share and something encouraging or humorous to say. Colleen was loved by all who were fortunate to know her and most especially her family. She will remain in our hearts forever.

She is survived by her husband of 64 years, James E. McCall; daughter Jennifer (Rob) Braun of Falmouth, KY; Meg (Phil) Howerton of Charlotte, NC; grandchildren Krista (Ryan) Dunlap, Robert (Lindsey) Braun, Philip Howerton IV and Marshall Howerton, and Great Grand Children William, Elliott and Matthew Dunlap. She is preceded in death by her parents Katherine and Walter Mitchell “Billy” Crawford and her brother Walter Mitchell Crawford III.

Robert Joseph (Joe) McNeal (1937-2023), a prominent atmospheric scientist, died July 17 at his home in Charlotte, NC. The cause of death was vascular dementia. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Jean Pulis McNeal; two children, James Robert and Emily Christine McNeal; four grandchildren: Riley, Jay, Sydney and Nathan; a sister Linda McNeal Greer, and multiple nieces, nephews and cousins.

Joe was born in Knoxville, TN to Jack and Lera Louis Overholt McNeal. He grew up in East Tennessee with his two siblings, Jack (deceased 2012) and Linda, and attended tiny elementary schools, Beaumont and Kit Carson in Blount County, graduating in 1955 as valedictorian from Everett High School. The receipt of an Alcoa Foundation Scholarship, offered to children of Alcoa employees, was a defining moment in his life, offering him free tuition to a college of his choice. Following 2 years at Maryville (TN) College, Joe received a B.S. from Berkeley (1959), and a Ph.D. (1964) in chemical physics from Columbia University where he met his future wife, Jean, in chemistry classes. In summers of ’59 and ’60, he was a guest scientist at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratories doing high temperature chemistry.

Following a NSF post-doctoral fellowship at Harvard (1962-3), Joe joined Aerospace Corporation and served as Head, Atmospheric Kinetic Department. In 1978, he became the first Atmospheric Chemistry Program Director at the NSF, later moving to NASA, where he continued his interest in atmospheric chemistry and its impact on life on earth. He held memberships in Sigma Xi, Phi Lambda Upsilon, the American Geophysical Union, and the American Physical Society. He is the author/co-author of over 100 scientific journal articles.

A major component of Joe’s professional life (1979-2000) was the NASA Global Tropospheric Experiment (GTE), a program of NASA land and aircraft-based experiments over the entire globe that was dedicated to improving knowledge of global tropospheric chemistry and its implications for the biosphere, climate, and stratosphere. GTE focused on measuring and understanding the potential impacts of human activities on Earth’s climate and on the terrestrial biosphere. Included in GTE was the Upper Atmospheric Research Satellite (UARS), launched in 1991 from the Space Shuttle Discovery; it was an orbital observatory designed to study the Earth’s atmosphere, particularly the protective ozone layer. Contributing members of the research teams included scientists from NOAA (US), Brazil, China, UK, several European countries, as well as major US universities: Harvard, Georgia Tech, MIT, VA tech, etc. The mission to the Amazon in Brazil, during both wet and dry seasons over a period of years, involved more than 80 US and 80 Brazilian scientists. Another expedition involving measuring “pollutants” in “pre-industrial” China, has served as a baseline to evaluating the environmental cost of industrialization.

Following retirement in 2000, Joe continued old loves (including movies, music, following the New York Yankees and traveling) and explored new passions such as photography, ballroom dancing, and enjoying his grandchildren. He was a “hi-fi” enthusiast and early adopter of digital communication technologies. He became a Stephens Minister at National Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC. Jean and Joe shared many happy trips to Europe, Southeast Pacific, Brazil, Alaska, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

Stephen E. Mouton, 80, died peacefully Wednesday, May 2nd at his Oaknoll residence. Stephen was born December 31, 1937 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Stephen and Emma Summerfield McGhee. He was a graduate of Maryville College in Maryville, Tennessee and received his master’s degree from Syracuse University. On August 26th, 1961 Stephen married Patricia Penland. Patricia died in 2010. Stephen and his family lived in Liverpool, New York for 53 years, where he taught high school English and speech. He was especially revered by his students for serving as director for school plays throughout his career. He was an avid fan and supporter of theater arts in the community. Stephen and Patricia enjoyed time spent in Iowa City where their daughter attended the University of Iowa. Following the death of his wife, Patricia, Stephen moved to Iowa City, where he was a resident at Oaknoll Retirement Residences. Survivors include his two children, David Mouton of Liverpool, New York and his daughter, Joanna (Geoff) Mouming of Wellman; and his grandson Gerard of Liverpool, New York. He was preceded by his wife and their feline friends.

COLUMBIA – Born in Detroit, Michigan, Susan Parkinson Pearson passed away Wednesday, April 28, 2021 at Agape Hospice in Columbia. Susan is survived by Ron, her husband of 62 years; daughters, Laura and Amy; son-in-law, John Rabalais; four grandchildren; and a brother, Peter Parkinson. She worked for fourteen years at various departments of the USC School of Medicine. Family memorial services are planned this summer in Alabama and Texas. Dunbar Funeral Home, Dutch Fork Chapel, is assisting the family.

Bill Pennock ’59 is celebrating sixty ears as a minister. Ordained by Union Presbytery at the Greenback, Tennessee church in December 1963.  Bill served a variety of Congregations.  He earned his Doctor of Ministry degree from McCormick Seminary fifty years ago.  He now lives at THE LONG (Presbyterian) Community in Lancaster, PA.

Reverend Robert D. Smith, formerly of Schoharie, NY, passed away on Friday, April 26, 2019, in Elmira, after a courageous 17-year battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Robert was born in Germantown, MD, to the late Ray and Glenna (DuVall) Smith. He met his wife, Julia, while attending Maryville College in Tennessee. Knowing he had been called to be a Presbyterian minister, Robert continued on to the Western Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh. After graduating from seminary, he began his early ministry by living the gospel as a community organizer in the inner cities of Detroit, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. In 1970, Robert and his family moved to Schoharie, where he began his 17-year ministry as pastor of the Schoharie Presbyterian Church larger parish which was composed of Carlisle, Esperance, Breakabeen, and North Blenheim churches. During this same time period in Schoharie, Robert, even with all of his familial and religious responsibilities, created time to appreciate the simple, quiet beauty of life. One of his life’s many projects was to hand-build a beautiful stone house modeled after those he saw while participating in an ecumenical work camp in Denmark. In many ways, this embodied his persistence and dedication to long term goals. Just as Robert carefully selected sedimentary rocks and stones from creek beds and fields to form the foundation of his house, he immersed himself in numerous settings to lay the groundwork for being a minister. Just as he admired the beauty and the challenges of the rocks in their earthly journeys, Robert applied thoughtfulness when he ministered to the sick, homeless, and poor, as a pastor. After choosing the stones for his house, Robert methodically, boldly, and enthusiastically constructed a house with breathtaking features–a spiral staircase, and graceful, measured leaded glass windows. This deliberate, authentic attitude translated to the 17 years that he oversaw the Schoharie parishes. His open-mindedness and resourcefulness during construction mirrored his admirable ability to foster long term growth in congregations and communities, highlighting their strengths and beauty. Indeed, the finished product, a “stone house on the hill,” worthy of its Danish inspiration, served as a noble tribute to Robert’s most important values in life: service and love. Simply, Robert strived to exemplify the principled life that Jesus–a carpenter himself, no less–called upon us to live as children of God. At the conclusion of his time in Schoharie, Robert spent one year in Scotland participating in a pulpit exchange before living in the “stone house on the hill.” Several years later, Robert returned to his calling, which was his passion for revitalizing urban congregations, such as the ones at the Schenectady State Street Presbyterian Church and the Vale Community. In addition, he enjoyed serving the congregation at Christ Church of the Hills in Rotterdam. Later, he was given the honorary title of Pastor Emeritus of the Schoharie United Presbyterian Church. In addition to his parents, Robert was preceded in death by Julia, his beloved wife of 55 years; son, Stephen; and sister, Gay Fetrow. He is survived by his children: David (Donna) of Limington, ME; Mark of Goodland, FL; Jonathan of Cobleskill, NY; Amy (Peter) Finnerty of Elmira; his daughters-in-law, Susanne (Marcy, NY) and Denise (Cobleskill, NY); his sister, Patricia Watkins of Frederick, MD; his grandchildren, Hayden and Harrison (Stephen), Emma (David), Zackary and Alexander (Jonathan), Andrew, Patrick, and Alisaundre (Amy); along with many cousins, nieces, and nephews. A memorial service for Robert will be held on Saturday, May 11th at 1pm, at the Schoharie United Presbyterian Church. Please join his family in celebrating his life. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Schoharie United Presbyterian Church or Schenectady State Street Presbyterian Church. Robert’s tribute wall may be signed at www.olthof.com.

Robert (Bob) Ellsworth Stevens, 85, of Evanston, IL died peacefully  with his son & wife by his side on Thursday February 9, 2023, in new Smyrna Beach Florida after a short stay at the hospital.

Bob was born on November 6,1937, to Lilliam & OE (Steve) Stevens in Baltimore, MD and grew up in the northern suburb of Towson with his younger sister Lynnie.  He graduated from Towson HS in 1955 & after a year t Baltimore City College transferred to Maryville College in Maryville, Tennessee.  After completing his degree, he worked for Young Life in youth ministry and later attended Columbia Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia.  While on Young Life staff, he met and married Jane Haught in 1962 and together they ad two children, Cathy (1966) and Rob (1968).

In 1978, he was ordained to the Episcopal priesthood in Atlanta.  Shortly thereafter he started working at St Stephen’s Episcopal church in Lakeland, Florida.  He helped that church grow into a parish and became their first rector.  In 1987, he served as rector of Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Orlando, Florida until his retirement in 1998.

For Bob, family was everything and our underpinning of support.  He was loving, honest and fiercely cared about the world and those around him.  He was an avid reader and a crazy sports fan.  He loved the Atlanta Braves and became a huge fan of the Northwestern Women’s Lacrosse team.  (National Champs for 3 years in a row) There were many nights of rare steak, good wine and lively conversation shared with family and dear friends.  He most cherished the time he spent with his grandchildren.  He lived a full and happy life and will be missed.

He is survived by his wife of 60+ years, jane, sister Lynnie, son Rob (Jennifer), daughter Cathy (Rick), and 4 wonderful grandchildren, Hannah & Jack Stevens and Steve & Lillian Gustafson, and many extended family.

Barbara and four classmates from the class of 1959 gathered in Kansas City for lunch on April 29. Her husband, Joe, Barb Mueller, Joann Wyman and Barabara had a good time reminiscing about our college years. Joe and Barbara plan to return for the class 60th reunion in October and to celebrate the college’s 200th year.

Barbara “Davis” Tropansky ’59 and I celebrated our 60th wedding anniversary on August 20, 2020. Not being able to travel because of the virus, we celebrated by going out to dinner in a nice restaurant.