Class Notes

Mable Ruth Marshall Westbrook, age 92, of Lenoir City, passed away Sunday morning, July 24, 2016. She was the first woman to graduate from Maryville College with a degree in chemistry. Mable was state president of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs. She was First Lady of Loudon County. Mable was owner and operator of Marbrook Frames and Gallery in Lenoir City. She was preceded in death by her husband, John Albert Westbrook; son, Edwin Marshall Westbrook; and parents, Rev. Thomas Oliver Marshall and Beulah Gay Watkins Marshall. Survived by her beloved daughter-in-law, Janice Westbrook Smith and husband, Cecil (Bucky) Smith; daughter, Judye Westbrook James; sister, Carolyn Marshall Bender husband, Joe Bender; grandchildren, Laura James Higdon and husband, John Higdon, and Jenni James; great-grandchildren, Eric Higdon, Frances Higdon, Charlie Higdon, Taylor Welk, and Brooks Welk; nephew, Dr. Michael Bender and wife, Martha Bender; nieces, Lise Bender and Joanna Bender; great-nephew, Adam Bender and great-niece, Angela Bender; and children by heart, Joe Trout and Steve Gillman. The family received friends on Wednesday, July 27th at Central United Methodist Church in Lenoir City. A celebration of her life followed with Rev. Micah Nicolaus officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Central United Methodist Church Music Department, 301 Hickory Creek Road, Lenoir City, TN 37771. Click Funeral Home, Lenoir City is in charge of arrangements.

Ruth Mary Weston was born on October 17, 1953, to John and Ruth Weston in Maryville, Tennessee, and died in her home surrounded by loved ones in Greensboro, N.C. on October 24, 2017. She graduated from Maryville High School and Maryville College with a degree in music. She started to follow in her mother’s footsteps by teaching (high school music and band), but soon decided she would rather follow in her father’s footsteps in the construction business. Over the years Ruth Mary built and remodeled many homes, and she developed a following of loyal customers who appreciated the quality she put in her craft. She loved fishing. She was a trusted and caring friend. She was brilliant and generous with her time and attention. She was a beautiful person with a beautiful soul. She will be greatly missed; we are glad we had her with us. Ruth Mary is survived by her partner of 24 years, Elizabeth Chartrand of the home; her mother, Ruth Henry Weston, her brothers Johnny (Carol) and Tom-Bill (Denise) of Maryville, and her sisters Gretchen (Steve) Williams of Dallas, Georgia; and nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews whom she loved dearly. She also leaves many devoted long-time friends. Ruth Mary’s family would like to thank her doctors and Hospice and Palliative Care for their compassionate and unstinting care, allowing her to spend her last months peacefully at home. Any donations would be welcome to Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro, N.C., or to New Providence Welcome Table in Maryville, or to a charity of your choice. Memorial services will be held in Maryville on Nov. 4 at New Providence Presbyterian Church. The service will be at 1 p.m., reception to follow in the atrium. Other services will be held at a later date in Greensboro, N.C.

Helen Hair Weston passed away on December 12, 2015.

Dr. Virginia Williams Wetmore, 94, formerly of Lemoyne, PA died Saturday, November 28, 2015 at Bethany Village, Mechanicsburg, PA. Virginia was born in Fort Springs West Virginia, May 18, 1921 to Edward E Williams and Minnie Roche McGraw. She grew up and attended public school in Alderson, West Virginia. She went on to graduate from Maryville College in Tennessee in 1943. Summers were spent working at the federal woman’s prison in Alderson where she cared for Billy Holiday and John Dillinger’s girlfriend. Planning to go on to medical school, she had to wait until after WWII as only men were accepted while the war was in progress. During this time Virginia relocated to Washington, DC and spent her time working in a munitions factory; later teaching Geometry in a one room schoolhouse in West Virginia. She eventually entered Temple medical school; one of five women out of a class of one hundred. Virginia graduated from Temple medical school in 1949 and began a residency in Pediatric medicine at Harrisburg Hospital. It was there that she met her future husband, Dr. Stanley Wetmore, who was a resident in Internal medicine at Harrisburg Hospital. Stan and Virginia married in 1951 and established a local medical practice, Drs. Williams and Wetmore, in Lemoyne, PA. They always said that they “Covered a family’s Ill’s”. Virginia and Stan faithfully served the Central Pennsylvania community for 46 years, retiring from medicine in 1997. Both served as hospice volunteers for years after retirement. Another of Virginia’s hobbies during retirement was baking. She spent many hours baking cookies for deployed military members. Virginia and Stan were members of Mount Calvary Episcopal Church in Camp Hill for over 60 years. During this time Virginia participated as the first woman member of the vestry and taught Sunday school to the children of the church well into her 80s. Virginia and Stan relocated to Bethany Village in 2004 where they resided until Stan’s death in March 9, 2007 and her passing November 28, 2015. She is survived by a son, Edward and wife Ann of Mechanicsburg; daughter Margaret Chappen and husband Theodore of New Berlin, Pa; 4 grandchildren Caroline, Austin, Eleni and Jack. Memorial services were held Saturday, December 5, 2015 at Mount Calvary Episcopal Church in Camp Hill. Burial was at Mount Calvary Columbarium adjacent to the church. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Mt. Calvary Episcopal Church, 325 N. 25th Street Camp Hill, PA. 17011.

died July 13, following a brief illness. Mary grew up in Butler, MO, where she excelled in music at an early age. She attended Maryville College in Tennessee to major in music with an emphasis on organ and church music . At Maryville she met William C. Wheatley, Jr., of St. Petersburg, FL, and they were married in 1956. Mary’s music career included being organist at First Methodist Church, St. Petersburg, FL, 1959-62, Organist-Choir Director First Christian Church, Jacksonville, FL, 1978-92 where she supervised rebuilding of the pipe organ at the church’s new location in Mandarin, and Organist-Choir Director Avondale Methodist 1993-98. In the latter two positions she took great pride in her work with children’s choirs and hand bell ensembles. In addition to her music career, Mary was also an active volunteer. She helped found the Volunteer Community School in Chattanooga, TN, a preschool for inner city children. After retiring in 1998, Mary had time to devote to her interest in native plants and xeriscape gardening as well as cultivating plants to host butterflies and attract hummingbirds. She was an active member of the Florida Native Plant Society, participating in plant exchanges and giving advice to new native plant gardeners. She created a wildflower and butterfly garden in Nathan Krestul Park in Jacksonville’s Southside, and in 2003 it won first prize from the FNPS in the non-professional butterfly habitat category. She is survived by her husband Bill; their four children, Edward Wheatley and his wife Mary Mackay of Chicago, IL; Gene Wheatley and his wife Becky Hayward of Knoxville, TN; Gail Wheatley of Columbus, OH; and John Wheatley and his wife Sarah Song Wheatley of Taipei, Taiwan; sisters Roseanna Viggers and Elizabeth Melinsky; seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Gifts in Mary’s memory may be given to the Florida Native Plant Society, P.O. Box 278, Melbourne, FL 32902. In lieu of a traditional funeral, a wake will be held at a later date to celebrate Mary’s life. To receive notification of the time and place of the wake, send your email address to mwheat9584@yahoo.com .

Elizabeth H. Wheeler age 96 of Maryville passed away Thursday, March 12, 2020, at Blount Memorial Hospital. She was a member of Broadway Baptist Church for 69 years. Elizabeth taught high school in Blount County for 30 years. She was an avid hiker for over 30 years. Preceded in death by: Husband, Enoch Wheeler; Sisters, Mary Ann Hood, Maxine Conley, Ethel Kissel; Brother, Russell Helton, Jr.; Son-in-law, Harold Pitcher. Survivors include: Son & Daughter-in-law, David & Pam Wheeler; Daughters & Son-in-law, Rebecca Pitcher, Letha & Allan Hancock; Grandchildren, Ethan Wheeler, Erin Burket & husband Derek, Michael Hancock & wife Chelsea, Katie Coyle & husband Samuel, and Joseph Hancock; Six Great-Grandchildren; Sister, Josephine Edwards. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to: Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, 3736 Tuckaleechee Pike, Maryville, TN 37804 or Friends of the Smokies, 3099 Winfield Dunn Pkwy #2, Kodak, TN 37764. Family will receive friends from 2:00 until 3:00 PM, Sunday, March 15, 2020 at Smith Trinity Chapel. Funeral service will be at 3:00 PM with Rev. Tony Collins officiating. Family and friends will assemble for interment at 11:00 AM, Monday, March 16, 2020 at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Cemetery. Smith Funeral & Cremation Service, Maryville, 865-983-1000, www.SmithFuneral&Cremation.com.

passed away on August 3, 2013. She left behind Husband, Roger, sons Andrew of St. Cloud Florida and Daniel of Miramar Florida and her Father, Rev. James Marvin of Lakeland Florida. Bonny was a teacher at Miramar High School.

died at home last October 19, 2014.

Carolyn let the College know that she retired in 2010, and has enjoyed traveling with her husband of 46 years. She is happy to spend time with her children and grandchildren.

David White ’14 will be attending Colorado State University in the fall to pursue a Master’s of Science in Computer Science focusing on Machine Learning.

celebrated her 95th Birthday Feb. 7th. She lives alone at home, but has family help from nearby daily. She finds joy and happiness in each day. She doesn’t take many trips outside home which are unnecessary. she has concern about many problems in our county, state, nation, and world. She treasures gift of each day.

Brooklyn White recently published her first book titled, Sunsets and Silver Linings: Caring for Parents with Parkinson’s and Lewy Body Dementia. In this book, she provides research and practical tips for caregiving from her father’s journey. She has also formed and started her own company, Engage Care Partners LLC, that provides Advanced Planning, Care Navigation and Doula Services for those aging or diagnosed with chronic conditions in the Greater Birmingham and Shelby County areas of Alabama.

David graduated with his Ph.D. in computer science from Colorado State University in May 2022. He is now an applied scientist at Amazon, doing research on machine learning and computer vision. David and his wife, Kat McNeely-White (’17), recently moved to West Sacramento, CA.

Kat completed her doctoral training at Colorado State University in May 2022, receiving a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology. She and her husband, David McNeely-White (’14), have since moved to California, where Kat has accepted a postdoctoral scholar position at University of California, Davis, where she works in the Department of Neurology, studying the neural circuitry of memory processes in patients with epilepsy undergoing sEEG surgery.

Katherine McNeely-White (’17) and David McNeely-White (’14) welcomed a son, Jasper Leigh McNeely-White, on December 5th, 2023.

has been named assistant principal at Carpenters Middle School.

Carpenters Middle School assistant principal chosen for leadership academy Courtney Whitehead, assistant principal at Carpenters Middle School, is one of 25 chosen this month for the 2017 Governor’s Academy for School Leadership. April Herron, principal of Middlesettlements Elementary, will serve as her mentor. This is the second year for the one-year fellowship program for assistant principals to cultivate and develop future school leaders. The academy is a partnership among the state, Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College and local school districts to build a pipeline of highly trained principals to improve school performance. Each assistant principal is paired with an experienced principal mentor and will attend monthly group training sessions and a weeklong summer institute at Vanderbilt. The apprentice will intern three days a month at his or her mentor’s school. Upon completion of the academy, participants will be expected to pursue placement as a school principal in their district or region. Participants were nominated by their district’s director of schools and selected through an application and interview process conducted by representatives from the Governor’s Office, the Tennessee Department of Education and Vanderbilt University.

Oneda Gail (Whitehead) White, faithful servant of her Lord Jesus Christ, was called home to her eternal reward Sunday, April 25, 2021. Oneda was born February 7, 1924 in Rosslyn, KY and grew up in Happy Valley. A graduate of Maryville College with a B.A. degree and the University of Tennessee with a Masters Degree, Oneda dedicated her career to elementary education, teaching for many years at Eagleton Elementary School. She was a long time member of Everett Hills Baptist Church where she sang in the choir and taught Sunday School. In retirement she volunteered with AARP’s Tax Aide program. She is preceded in death by her parents, David Roy Whitehead and Roxie Iowa Whitehead; infant sister, Joan; sister, Violet Whitehead Holman; brothers, D.C. Whitehead and Dwight Whitehead; grandson, Andrew Daniel Koopman; husband of 59 years, Elmer Lee White. She is survived by her brother, Stanley Whitehead of Athens, TN; sister, Freda Whitehead Lindley of Florence, KY; children, Donna Gail White Koopman (David) of Maryville, TN, Richard Lee White (Jean) of Baltimore, MD, and Randall Lynn White (Kathy) of Maryville, TN; grandchildren, Christopher Koopman of Knoxville, TN, Matthew White (April) of Maryville, TN, Travis White (Katie) of Catonsville, MD, Kelly Jackson (Nick) of Knoxville, TN and Mia White of Houston, TX. She has four great-grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. Friends may call at your convenience, Thursday, April 29, 2021 from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM at McCammon-Ammons-Click Funeral Home to sign the register. The funeral service will be held 11:30 AM, Friday, April 30th at Everett Hills Baptist Church with Rev. Doug Hayes and Dr. John Franklin officiating. The interment will be Friday, April 30th at 1:00 PM at Grandview Cemetery. The family will be present at the funeral and graveside services. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Elmer Lee White Memorial Scholarship Fund at University of Tennessee or Everett Hills Baptist Church.

Samuel J. Whitehead passed away on November 27, 2021.

Carleen S. Whitehead, age 99 of Maryville, passed away Saturday, November 18, 2023, at Blount Transitional Care. She was an active member of East Maryville Baptist Church. Carleen was a graduate of Everett High School. She went on to graduate from Maryville College with a degree in education. She taught school at Grandview Elementary and in her younger years, she enjoyed mission work in the Appalachia area. Carleen married Rev. Clyde F. Whitehead in 1953. They pastored churches in East Tennessee and throughout North Carolina. She was a dedicated volunteer and loved her work at Chilhowee Baptist Center from age 75 to 97. Carleen was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who will be deeply missed by family and friends. Preceded in death by her husband, Rev. Clyde F. Whitehead; parents, Thomas R. and Lucille T. Stephens; son and daughter-in-law, Philip and Susan Whitehead; daughter, Rebecca Lynn Harmon; daughter and son-in-law, Mary and David Parsons; 7 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren; sister, Christine Newberry of Snellville, GA.

The Reverend Alan Walter Whitelock, age 76, died November 19, 2010 at his home in Port Isabel, Texas after a prolonged battle with Multiple Myeloma. He was born in Philadelphia, PA, grew up in Delanco, NJ, attended Maryville College, TN, was a graduate of Wheaton College, IL, and of Princeton Seminary, NJ. He pastured churches in Elmer, NJ, Baltimore, MD, and Castle Rock, CO. He retired to Port Isabel, TX where he joined the First United Methodist Church. He continued his service there as a Sunday School and Vacation Bible School teacher and as a spiritual resource to its members.He is survived by Patricia, his wife of 26 years, son Paul Whitelock and his wife Mary Lou of Aurora, CO, daughter Julia Brown and her husband Dennis and their two sons Matthew and Connor of Marriottsville, MD, stepdaughter Lani Halloran and her husband Larry and their three children, Sarah, Patrick, and Joshua, of Tucson, Arizona. A memorial service, officiated by the Rev. Sue Huntsman, was held on Sunday, November 21, 2010. Memorial donations may be made to First United Methodist Church, 101 W. Adams, P.O. Box 1074, Port Isabel, TX, 78578.

Marjie was born on November 25, 1948 in Biddeford, Maine to Tom and Marjorie (Sherwell) White. She graduated from Maryville College in 1970. On December 22, 1970, she and Lucas Venning Whitney were married in Greenville, SC. They raised three children, Lucas, Sarah, and Anna. Marjie enjoyed heirloom sewing and taught lessons and made and sold items in LaGrange, GA for five years. She also loved children and served 18 years as a teacher at St. Mark’s Episcopal Kindergarten in LaGrange, GA. Marjie was a member of the Altar Guild at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, as well as a part of the Eucharistic Visitors, Meals on Wheels, and Clothing Center ministries. Marjie’s family was her world. She enjoyed spending time with them for all occasions, particularly holidays and annual beach and ski trips, and she loved taking family photos and snapshots of precious memories. Marjie was preceded in death by her parents, Tom and Marjorie White. She is survived by her husband Lucas, her son Lucas and his wife Lorri Whitney and their two children–Luke and Lilly–all of Signal Mountain, TN; her daughter Sarah and her husband Jeremiah Wojnarowski and their three children–Savannah, Gabriel, and Elijah–all of Burns, TN; and her daughter Anna and her husband Izz Noland and their son, Imran, all of Birmingham, AL; her brother Tom and sister Sally, and twelve nieces and nephews. She was also beloved by her friends and caregivers Jean Sivell and Leola Broughton and the Wellstar/West Georgia Healthcare Home Hospice team. A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 PM January 4, 2020 at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in LaGrange, GA. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, LaGrange, GA, or Wellstar Community Hospice.

I began a new position as the Director of the Residential Student Experience at Florida State University on April 3rd. In this role I have oversight over the campus residential population of more than 6,700 residents on the main campus at FSU in Tallahassee. My position oversees the University Housing staff responsible for assignments and occupancy, residence hall staffing and administration, and all academic and programmatic initiatives that take place within the residence halls. The search that brought me to Florida State was a national search conducted by the Spelman and Johnson Group.

Ben recently began his term as President of the Southeast Association of Housing Officers (SEAHO). He will serve as President of the 10-state region of College and University Housing and Residence Life professionals from March 2024 until March 2025. Ben began his Presidency at the end of the 2024 SEAHO annual conference in Charleston where he was able to connect with form Assistant Dean of Campus Life, Michelle Safewright and current Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, Aja Rodriguez.

Harold Wicklund, retired Lieutenant Colonel, USAF, of Waco, died at his home on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Colonel Wicklund was buried at Waco Memorial Park next to his wife. Born in Garner, Mass., Harold was one of ten children. After receiving a Bachelor of Science in Business and a teaching certificate from Eastern Kentucky University, Class of ’40, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps on May 31, 1941, as an Aviation Cadet. Harold completed his Primary Flight Training at Corsicana, Texas. He was transferred to Navigation School at Albany, Ga., where he graduated on April 1, 1942, and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant. On April 2, 1942, he married Dorothy Armstrong of Bradenton, Fla., a graduate of Maryville College, Maryville, Tenn. Harold joined HALPRO, the code name for the very first American bomber unit designated for duty in the Middle East, on April 3, 1942, in Fort Myers, Fla., and was assigned to the crew of Ed Cave and V. Ziesel as navigator. On June 11, 1942, during the first bombing raid over the Ploesti, Hungary oil fields, his plane was forced to land in Turkey where he was interned for eight weeks (Life magazine, Sept 1942). He escaped making it back to the 376th Bombardment Group, 513th Squadron, in Libya. Harold continued flying low-level raids on Ploesti and became the lead navigator for Operation Tidal Wave in August 1943. Career assignments include four years at the University of Florida, Gainesville, as an AFROTC instructor. He served with the Air Rescue Service in England, four years at the Pentagon, was Squadron Commander for Radar Intercept Squadron at James Connally AFB in Waco, Cadet Training Officer at Headquarters, Civil Air Patrol, Ellington Field, Pasadena, Texas, as Base Executive Officer, Naha Air Base on Okinawa, and Executive Officer at the Electronic Systems Command, Hanscom Field, Bedford, Mass. Col. Harold was invited twice to the White House under the Kennedy Administration for his work with the Foreign Cadet Exchange Program. He was a decorated World War II veteran, earning a Silver Star Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, and two Purple Hearts. After serving nearly 27 years in the United States Air Force, Harold retired on Jan. 1, 1968, from Hanscom Field, Bedford, Mass. Along with his wife, Dorothy, and the youngest child of their four children, they returned to their home in Waco, where they remained as active participants in the community. He served as Deacon, Elder, teacher, and devoted member of Central Presbyterian Church for 44 years. With his wife, Dorothy, Harold was a life-time member of the Berean Sunday School class. The Wicklunds were beloved by their neighbors who affectionately called Harold the “Colonel.” He enjoyed teaching golf to his two sons, two sons-in-law, and grandchildren in his backyard. Harold was preceded in death by his wife of 66 years, Dorothy, on July 28, 2008; and all of his siblings. Survivors include daughters, Linda Beavers and husband, Alex, of Bradenton, Fla., and Judy Crochet and husband, Ren, of Austin; sons, David Wicklund and wife, Ruby, of Holmes Beach, Fla., and John Wicklund and wife, Krissy, of Waco; 13 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; two step-sons; and six step-grandchildren.