Class Notes

Elspeth Jean Robertson Blakeman, born June 30, 1955, in Alexandria, Virginia, lost her battle with cancer on February 3, 2017. She graduated from Blacksburg High School in 1973, from Sullins College in 1976, and from Maryville College in 1978. In the fall of 1978, she became a candidate for the Master of Library Science degree at George Peabody College for Teachers (now part of Vanderbilt University) and received her MLS in May of 1980. While there, she met her future husband, Randolph Blakeman, who was also a candidate for MLS. On Easter Sunday, April 15, 1979, he proposed and she accepted, and they married at Christ Church (Episcopal) in Blacksburg, Virginia, on Saturday, June 14, 1980. She is preceded in death by her parents, Randall McGavock Robertson (1911-1993) and Florence Dunbar Robertson (1915-2000); aunt, Virginia Keith Robertson (1908-1999); and brother, Hugh Dunbar Robertson (1943-2005). She is survived by her husband of 36 years, Randolph Blakeman of Cleveland, Mississippi; sister, Holly Taylor Mitchell (Jim); sister-in-law, Janet Abernathy Robertson; two nephews, Andrew Robertson (Kate) and Michael Robertson (Katie); two nieces, Carrie Teal Chalmers and Sarah Chalmers Simmons (Godfrey); one great-niece, Morgan Robertson; two great-nephews, Connor Robertson and Sam Simmons; and a host of friends whose lives she touched in so many ways. Visitation was held on Wednesday, February 8, 2017, at Calvary Episcopal Church in Cleveland, Mississippi. Celebration of Life Services was on Wednesday, February 8, 2017, at Calvary Episcopal Church with the Reverend Tim Starnes and Reverend Sylvia Czarnetzky co-officiating. A memorial service will also be held at a later date at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in San Antonio. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a gift to the American Cancer Society and/or Earmarked Ovarian Cancer Society . Ray Funeral Home in Cleveland, Mississippi, is in charge of the arrangements. To view and sign the online guestbook, go to www.rayfuneralhome.net

Kathryn Faust Campbell passed away on November 15, 2018.

On October 7, 2017, Avron Bentz Cospy “Super” heard a welcoming whisper “Come on home.” A 1974 graduate of Everett High School garnered him a full athletic scholarship to Maryville College. Shortly after, he enlisted the US Army as a Private 1st Class at Fort Hood, TX. He had a playful nature. He loved nothing more than spending time with all his great nieces, nephews and younger cousins. Avron will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Avron has joined his parents, James and Fannie Conner Cospy; aunts, Betty Reid and Cynthia Conner; nephew, Brent Dickey and brother-in-law, Donald L. Williams. Left to cherish his memory: sisters, Janice C. Williams of Knoxville and Ava M. Cospy of Maryville; niece, Debrea Dickey; nephews: Daron Cospy, Trent Dickey, Mark Cospy, Kwame and Biko Tafirenyika and Jacob Dorsey; cousins: Sharon Hargrove, Gail Conner, Elder Terry Jordan and a very devoted cousin, Korey Conner and family. Special thank you to the Veterans Administration, Bethany Love and the Parkwest Hospital staff. A service with military honors was held on Oct. 17, 2017 at East TN Veterans Cemetery, 2200 Gov. John Sevier Highway.

age 58, died unexpectedly on Monday, December 8, 2014. He was 58. Born in Dover, NJ he was raised in Rockaway Borough and graduated from Morris Hills High School in 1974. He graduated from Maryville College in Tennessee in 1980, where he was named a Kodak Division 3 All-American Football Player and 3-time All-American Wrestler. Wayne remained in Tenn., and taught physical education at Webb School in Knoxville, TN, where he coached football, and began the wrestling and girls golf programs. He moved to Hampton Twp., NJ and worked for UPS for 17 years, also assisting with the wrestling team at Kittatinny High School. Later, Wayne relocated to Spring Hill, TN and started the wrestling program at Summit High School, working there for two years. He was currently an assistant football coach at Morris Knolls High School in Denville, where he was just named head coach of their wrestling team. Wayne was a great athlete, and a member of the Maryville College Athletic Hall of Fame, the Blount County (Tenn.) Wrestling Hall of Fame, and the Blount County Sports Hall of Fame. He was predeceased by his infant daughter, Jamie; his sister, Kathleen “Katie” Dunn; and his step-father, William Dunn. He is survived by his high school sweetheart and loving wife, Mary Lou of 38 years; his mother, Norma Jean Dunn of Hope; his father, Donald Ramsey of Alaska; two children: Kelli Dunn-Roberts (& Aaron) of Murfreesboro, TN, and Matthew Tyler Dunn (& Ellen) of Kingston, GA; a granddaughter Killian Roberts; three step-grandchildren: Charlotte, Mary and Isaac; two brothers: Will Dunn of Rockaway and John Dunn of Wharton; and his sister: Maureen Dunn-Graham of Virginia Beach, VA. A funeral service will be held on Monday, Dec. 15th at 3:00 PM at the United Methodist Church of the Rockaways, 1 Hoagland Ave, Rockaway. A private cremation will follow. Visiting hours will be held on Sunday, Dec. 14th from 4:15 – 8:00 PM at the Whitham-Kanapaux Funeral Home, 20 Keller Ave, Rockaway.

Robyn was born on January 6, 1956 and passed away on Thursday, November 28, 2019. Robyn was a resident of Caryville, Tenn. at the time of passing. Robyn was born in LaFollette, Tenn. on January 6, 1956, and was a graduate of Maryville College with a BA in Business Administration, with honors.

Robert Michael Nick age of 66 passed peacefully December 26th, 2022, at home with his family. Born August 3, 1956, to Lee & Wanda Nick in Sacramento, CA at McClellan Air Force Base. Graduated from Everett High School 1974. He entered the ministry as a Worship Leader at Grandview Baptist Church then was called to Full-Time Ministry at First Baptist Church of Friendsville later moving to Calvary Baptist Church of Alcoa where he was Ordained as a Minister and finally served at Dotson Memorial Baptist Church as Pastor of Worship and Senior Adults. 

He is survived by his wife Mary Nick, Mother Wanda Nick Clegg, son Michael Nick & Orsolya, their daughters Avery & Isla of Bradenton, FL, son Andy Nick & wife Maggie, their daughters Elsie, Lizzie, Nora, and son Wyatt of Maryville, TN. Preceded by his sister Ann Marie Nick on March 31, 2005. 

The Rev. Dr. Thomas T. Peters passed away peacefully on July 9, 2021 surrounded by loved ones. He suffered complications from a bone marrow transplant he received in February. He was 65 years old. Rev. Peters, known simply as Tom, will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 42 years, Rev. Barbara Grace Peters; their son, Trevor Thomas (Nancy), and their daughter, Alison Grace; his brother John (Lee) Peters, of Ballwin, Missouri; his brother-in-law David (Laura) Lundell; as well as his nieces Abby (Robert) Saul and family, Carolyn (Matt) Chivetta and family, and Amy Lundell. He was preceded in death by his parents, Sue and Richard E. Peters. Tom was born on September 4, 1955 in Richmond, Indiana. He graduated from Maryville College in Maryville, Tennessee in 1978, with a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education and – just as importantly – the love of his life, Barbara. Together, they then earned Master of Divinity degrees in 1981 from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, in Louisville, Kentucky. Tom later earned a Doctor of Ministry degree in 2006 from Drew Theological Seminary in Madison, New Jersey. Tom and Barbara were first called to be Co-Pastors of Corfu United Presbyterian Church in Corfu, New York, where they served for 9 years. The connection to their first congregation was meaningful, lasting, and full of wonderful memories. They always felt like they “grew up” there as Ministers, and could never have had a better first church experience as a young clergy couple right out of seminary. They moved to Stirling, New Jersey, in 1990, when Tom received a call to become the Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Stirling. He served his congregation faithfully for 30 years, until his retirement on January 31, 2021. Tom was also very active in the Presbytery of Newton and enthusiastically enjoyed his term as Moderator of the Presbytery. Additionally, he valued his participation in the Watchung Hills Clergy Association. During his time in Stirling, his wife Barbara found her calling at Wilson Memorial Church in Watchung. She retired from Wilson Memorial, also in January 2021, and became Pastor Emerita of that congregation. It was always their dream to begin their lives as clergy together and to retire together. Tom breathed joy and life into the First Presbyterian Church of Stirling. He and Barbara moved into the manse on the church grounds with their two young children, who grew up surrounded by the love of an entire congregation. He felt passionately about social justice issues, and often his concerns about those marginalized by society found their way into his preaching. Humor was important to him as well and it warmed his heart when people laughed at a joke he made during a sermon or a story he told. Tom enjoyed woodworking, reading, exploring his love of music, playing with the family dogs – Pachie, Kenzie, Jacques and Chloe (and granddog, Jess) – and visiting the Peters Orchards in Pennsylvania, run by extended family members. He loved traveling, and would happily talk about his favorite beer from Germany (Kölsch), or his experiences in Nairobi, Kenya, where he visited his congregation’s sister church. A trip to Scotland in 2019 not only fulfilled a lifelong dream to see where the Presbyterian Church began, but became a presentation to his congregation. If he loved something, he would not hesitate to sing its praises. Literally, in the case of his lifelong dedication to raising his voice in song. He was a proud member of The Masterwork Chorus in Morristown, New Jersey, with whom he performed Handel’s Messiah at Carnegie Hall. He was also a member of the Motet Choir at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York, where he and Barbara spent many happy summer vacations with dear friends. Tom had a love for his family and friends that was unmatched. In fact, everyone he met was a potential friend, and he welcomed all into his church and his home with good conversation and an open heart. Yet when he looked at Barbara, and their children, it was clear that they owned his heart. Barbara was Tom’s great love, by him every step of the way of his adult life, and the reason his smile always looked that much brighter when she was near. He was immensely proud of Alison, who followed in her parents’ footsteps by entering the ministry, and of Trevor, for finding a different way of helping people, as a patient care technician at a local hospital. Now their hearts hold his memory, where they will never stop feeling his love. Tom’s family would like to thank all at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey/Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick, for the wonderful care he received and, especially, his primary oncologist, Dr. Vimal Patel. A Memorial Service for Tom is scheduled for 1 p.m. on July 31, 2021 at Wilson Memorial Union Church, 7 Valley Road, Watchung, New Jersey, 07069. The family respectfully asks that masks be worn. In lieu of flowers, donations in Tom’s memory may be sent to The First Presbyterian Church of Stirling (158 Central Ave., Stirling, NJ, 07980) or Corfu United Presbyterian Church (63 Allegheny Road, Corfu, NY, 14036).

Ryan, Kathleen Anne born December 11, 1942 Died October 29, 2019. Daughter of the late John J. and Loretto (nee Murray) Ryan; sister of Patricia A. and the late Margaret Anne Ryan; dear cousin and friend. A Child of the Sacred Heart and a Child of Mary, Kathy attended Villa Duchesne for 13 years and was in the Class of 1960. She attended Purdue University for 1 year. She graduated from Maryville College of the Sacred heart in 1964 and received her Masters in French and English from St. Louis University. She loved to sing and was a gifted soloist in school and in the choir at Immacolata Parish. She sang in the Young Hearts Glee Club at Brentmoor Retirement Community. Kathy loved volunteering for Birthright for many years and volunteered in many other parish groups at Immacolata.She was a loving and kind sister, cousin, and friend and a great neighbor to many people for many years. Services: There will be a brief visitation on Saturday, November 9, 2019 from 9:30am until time of Mass at 10:30am at The Church of the Immacolata 8900 Clayton Rd., St. Louis, MO 63117. Memorial contributions in Kathleen’s name may be made to Birthright or to the St. Vincent DePaul Society c/o Immacolata Parish. Condolences may be offered through www.kriegshausermortuary.com.

Joseph Sidney “Joe” Savary II, of Sarasota unexpectedly passed away of heart failure on August 3, 2020. He was 65. Joe was born in Gainesville, Florida. He lived in Inverness and Ft. Myers with his family prior to them settling in Sarasota. Joe graduated from Sarasota High School where he was a stand-out punter and place kicker on the Sarasota High School football team. Following high school, he attended the University of Florida and was a member of the Delta Tau Delta Fraternity. Joe transferred to Maryville College in Maryville, TN where he continued his football career and graduated with a business degree. Subsequently, he earned his Master of Science at Georgia Southern College. During his career, he worked at NCR in Dayton, OH and Savannah, GA, Georgia Southern College in Statesboro, GA, and in the hotel industry in Daytona Beach, FL. Joe loved sports and fitness. He was a great all-around athlete enjoying football, golf and softball. He was a devoted University of Florida Gators’ fan and enjoyed discussing Gator stats and highlights from almost any game, recent or past. He was a caring uncle to his nieces and nephews whom he loved dearly. Joe was always up for a swim with them, playing board games, taking them to Build a Bear – where his nieces always talked him into opening his wallet just a bit wider – and teaching them to drive. He reached out to them and offered many encouraging words as they navigated through high school and college. Joe was known for his clever puns and quick wit and was a master at trivia. He was an avid reader and enjoyed sharing his latest books with others. Joe will be missed very much and was loved by many. Joe is survived by his mother, Mary Tarr Savary, his brother, Johnson Sidney “John” Savary, Jr. (Sara), his sisters, Mary Beth Savary Taylor (Bob), Laura Savary Rees (Brett) and his nieces and nephews, Emily Savary Mullan (Chris), Russell Savary, Lilly Savary, Hayley Gordon, Kate Taylor, Lauren Taylor, Matt Taylor (Teri), Jordon Taylor Miller (Chris), Jack Rees, Sydney Rees and Alyson Rees. Joe is also survived by four grand nephews, James Mullan, Max Mullan, Preston Miller and Landon Taylor. He was predeceased by his father, Johnson Sidney “Buddy” Savary. Due to COVID-19, a memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Savary and Stem Baseball Scholarship at the University of Florida Foundation, 1938 W. University Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32603 or the Pines of Sarasota Foundation, 1501 N. Orange Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34236. Toale Brothers Funeral Homes is handling arrangements. Condolences may be made at www.toalebrothers.com.