Class Notes

finally retired after 51 years on the air in Chattanooga. Following retirement, the Scenic City Women’s Network, an organization of women striving to live out their faith in their work lives, presented Marcia with the First Annual Lydia Impact Award” as “An Extraordinary Christian Working Women”

Marcia Kling to Become Lifetime Member of Chattanooga Salvation Army Advisory Board On Monday, April 22, Marcia Kling, well-known Chattanooga TV personality, will be awarded a plaque welcoming her as a Lifetime Member of the Chattanooga Salvation Army Advisory Board. The recognition will take place at 12:00 Noon at The Salvation Army located at 1019 North Moore Road across from Brainerd High School. This high honor is only offered to those who have served over fifteen years and have displayed outstanding leadership. “Miss Marcia” began her exceptional tenure of service as an active Board Member in 1976. Marcia Kling is most beloved for 36-years of serving as The Salvation Army’s Annual Thanksgiving Meal Home-Delivery Coordinator. Working alongside her husband, David, they have ensured the preparation, packaging and delivery of hundreds of traditional Thanksgiving Dinners to the needy in our community. The Chattanooga Salvation Army Advisory Board is a group of business leaders and other outstanding citizens who share their vision and leadership in supporting The Salvation Army promise to our community of Doing the Most Good for People in Need.

continues to keep his fingers busy serving as substitute organist in various churches playing 40 Sundays in 2015!
The Paraclete Press has released his composition "Set Me as a Seal" written for the wedding of former Shenandoah University colleague, Donna Gullstrand.
In August James appeared as Peter Quince in Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream, performing for two weekends in the gardens of the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley and in November he appeared as Elgin, the butler, in Winchester Little Theatre's production of Agatha Christie's Spider's Web.
Finally, in January 2016 he performed the role of Jack Jameson in Wendy Wasserstein's play, Third, also at Winchester Little Theatre and conducted his composition "Rejoice in the Lord" written for the ordination service of SU graduate, Karen (King) Cuffie, in San Jose, CA.

James Laster continues to keep busy as a substitute organists for various churches in the area, over 40 Sundays in 2017. In October of 2016, appeared in The Cross Town Bus; played the role of Grandpa in You Can’t Take It With You at Winchester Little Theatre in May 2017,; appeared as Corin, in As You Like It for three Sundays in September in the gardens of the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, and continues to do Standardized Patient Work.

James served as an organ substitute over 40 Sundays at various churches for the year 2017. He continues to work as a Standadized Patient actor for the training of Physicians Assistants. At the request the director of the Arts Chorale of Winchester, made an arrangement of “America the Beautiful” for the ensemble to sing at a service held in April at the Korean Memorial in Winchester. He was commissioned to compose a work for organ, choir, and trumpet to celebrate the retirement of the organist of a local Methodist Church. He played the part of Sir Bernard Humphries in Winchester Little Theatre’s production of The Explorer’s Club, May 11 – 26, 2018.

Sexton to be inducted into the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame on July 26, 2016 By Dave Link of the Knoxville News Sentinel Lynn Sexton won’t forget a low point of his first year as the Farragut High School boys basketball coach. It was late in the 1961-62 season, and the Admirals had not won a game. They returned to campus after another humbling defeat on the road. “We came back, and the kids were upset,” Sexton said. “We were so bad the cheerleaders were fussing at us.” Perhaps that was the turning point. Farragut beat Karns for its only win of the season – avenging a 53-point loss earlier in the year – and finished with a 1-26 record. Sexton had started a run of 30 seasons as Farragut’s head coach, and during his career won 544 games, 18 district championships, and made three state tournament appearances. His career began in a tiny gym at the old high school and ended in the current school, where the Lynn E. Sexton Gymnasium is named for him. “We were in an old cracker box gym, and it was about 84 feet long,” Sexton said of his start. “It had permanent wooden bleachers, probably seated about 300 to 400 people. We were in that for 15 years, and then we moved to the new school. What a difference.” Sexton certainly made a difference at Farragut, and for his coaching contributions will be inducted into the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame on July 26 at the Knoxville Convention Center. It’s the latest of Sexton’s numerous inductions, including the Farragut High School Sports Hall of Fame, the Blount County Sports Hall of Fame and the Maryville College Wall of Fame. “Lynn Sexton is Farragut basketball,” said Farragut athletic director Donald Dodgen, who coached the Admirals basketball team from 1996-2010. “He built the program to where it’s been. We’ve all just tried to maintain it. He set the bar. He’s just a true gentleman’s gentleman.” Sexton, 82, was born in Friendsville in the home of his parents, Lucille and Benton, and grew up with a brother and two sisters. His athletic career had humble beginnings. “I was into sports 12 to 14 hours a day,” he said. “It might not pass for sports. I built a golf course on a pasture field we had.” Sexton attended Friendsville Academy, which began as a private school and competed athletically against Friendsville High School. Friendsville Academy only had teams in baseball and basketball. Sexton played both and graduated in 1951. After a brief stint driving a dry cleaning truck, Sexton enrolled at Maryville College. He played baseball all four years, played basketball his last two years (starting both years) and played football one year. “I was a 155-pound scat back, not too scat,” Sexton said. “I caught a touchdown at Centre College that won the ballgame. That was my moment of glory in football.” Sexton graduated Maryville College in December of 1955 and spent two years in the Army. While in the Army’s active reserve, Sexton taught one year at Mount Olive Elementary before landing a job as a dorm proctor at Maryville College. He took a job as a physical education teacher at Farragut High School and coached the baseball team before taking over as basketball coach. After that one-win season, Sexton posted consecutive 12-win seasons and Farragut basketball was on track. His first winning season was 1966-67 when the Admirals went 13-11. Sexton won co-district championships in 1971 and ’72, and in 1978 coached the Admirals to the Class AAA state semifinals where they lost to Memphis Melrose and finished 29-7. Farragut went 32-2 in 1981-82 and was eliminated by Austin-East 70-58 in the Region 2-AAA tournament at Central. The next year, the Admirals won 36 consecutive games with the lineup of 7-foot center Mike Carpenter, guards Bo Creech and Jack Williams, and forwards Bill Clements and Danny Martin. Their season ended with a 72-70 loss to Memphis East in the Class AAA state quarterfinals. “They were pretty good,” Sexton said of the 1982-83 team. “I didn’t have to do much. We had a 7-foot post. That gave people trouble.” Sexton announced his retirement after the 1990-91 season. He plays golf once or twice a week and spends much of his time with his wife, Patricia. They have four children, 12 grandchildren, and five great grandchildren. And there are many great basketball memories. “I say this with all honesty, my players won all those games,” Sexton said. “I didn’t.” Spoken like a gentleman’s gentleman. From: http://www.knoxnews.com/sports/high-school/lynn-sexton-built-farragut-basketball–339c1e38-e4da-2af6-e053-0100007f8988-381261471.html