The Berea College Magazine honors Bereans who have passed away in this “Passages” section. If you know of a Berean who has died, please let the Alumni Association know by using the form on p. 33, calling 1.800.457.9846, or e-mailing . Please include the person’s class year or connection to Berea, and the date and place of death.

____Faculty/Staff____

George Duerson, of Berea, died Jan. 4. He was a retired Boone Tavern bookkeeper.

_______1920s________

Lula Gates Parsons, A’22, of Poca, W.Va., died Jan. 13. A retired teacher, she taught in Putnam, Mason and Jackson counties (W.Va.) She was a 22-year volunteer with Thomas Memorial Hospital, a member of Forest Rose Rebekah Lodge 143, Poca (W.Va.) Senior Citizens, Poca Library Committee, and the Poca United Methodist Church. The new Poca library was dedicated to her due to her being instrumental in founding the first library in Poca. She is survived by two sons, 19 grandchildren, 44 great-grandchildren, and seven great-great-grandchildren.
Herman Moore, Cx’26, is deceased.
Virginia Johnson Chalkas, Cx’27, of Lexington, Ky., is deceased. She was a retired teacher for Shelby County (Ky.) schools.
Mary Gray Lathram, Cx’28, of Owingsville, Ky., died Jan. 7, 2000.
Anna Stamper Russell, ’29, of Louisville, Ky., died June 19, 2001.

_______1930s________

Helen McWhorter England, ’33, of Greenville, S.C., died April 5.
Zella Washington Peed, ’34, of Oxford, N.C., is deceased. She was a retired biology teacher.
Nelle Seatz Gibson, ’37, of Todd, N.C., died Jan. 28. She was the former head of the Department of Arts and Crafts and director of Needlecraft at Berea College. She was a member of the South Fork Baptist Church. She is survived by one sister, and four brothers.
Lawrence White, Cx’32, died in February. He is survived by two sisters, and one brother.
Lyle Cary, A’39, of Maryville, Tenn., died March 15. Retired from Uniroyal with more than 40 years of service, he was a World War II veteran, a member of the Maryville Kiwanis Club, and an avid golfer. He was an elder at New Providence Presbyterian Church with over 53 years of membership and established the Lyle S. and Dorthy Ferer Cary Fund at Berea. He is survived by two sons, a daughter, four grandchildren, and one sister.

_______1940s________

Hector Lavernia, Cx’40, of Miami, Fla., is deceased. He was a retired professor from Ohio Dominican College in Columbus, Ohio.
Ernestine Estepp Moore, ’42, of Lexington, Ky., died June 26, 2001. She was a member of the Methodist faith. She is survived by her sister, Amanda Estepp Coffey, ’46, and her husband, Floyd Glenn Moore, ’42, who resides in Lexington.
Edna Wiggins Bullard, ’43, of Lumberton, N.C., died Nov. 27. She was a retired teacher/librarian for Lumberton City Schools. She is survived by her husband of 45 years, Oscar.
Richard Miley, V-12’44, of Murphysboro, Ill., died Feb. 21. A licensed professional engineer, he retired after

36 years of service with the Illinois Department of Transportation. He was a member of Elm Street Baptist Church, had been a Navy aviator, and was an avid motorcyclist. He is survived by his wife, Peggy, a daughter, three sons, and seven grandchildren.
Dewey Moore, ’44, of Cincinnati, Ohio, died Feb. 25. A teacher and physicist, he was in the service for several years and was a member of the Nazarene Church.
Clay Steinberger, ’44, of Storrs, Conn., died Feb. 7. A guidance counselor and principal, he was a lifelong Quaker and activist for peace and environmental concerns. He belonged to the Friends Meeting in Storrs and worked many years with the American Friends Service Committee, the World Federalists, Concerned Committee for Conscientious Objectors and in support of Tibetan concerns.

Carlo Hensley, Cx’45, of Middletown, Ohio, died Aug. 8, 2001.
Lorene McKinley Thompson, Cx’45, of Seaford, Del., died Oct. 12. A retired registered nurse, she was an avid letter writer, collected antique furniture and enjoyed reading mysteries. She is survived by a son, a daughter, and six grandchildren.

Francis Tierney, ’45, of Brewster, N.Y., died Nov. 16. He is survived by his wife, Lenore.
Doris Neal Booth, Cx’47, of Bristol, Tenn., died Oct. 8. She was a retired teacher.
Alta Whitt O’Brien, ’47, of Alpha, Ohio, died Mar. 12. Her daughter, Mimi O’Brien, and son-in-law, Phillip Roof, ’88, live in Bahama, N.C.
Joseph Bush, ’48, of Richmond, Va., died Dec. 5. The vice president of Joseph Bush and Sons, he donated a British coin collection to Berea in memory of Winston Churchill. He is survived by his wife, Jean Coghill Bush, ’53, a daughter, and a son.
John S. Combs, ‘49, of Englewood, Ohio, died May 28, 2000. He retired from International Harvester in 1982 after 35 years as a national fleet account executive. He was active in his community, volunteering for many years with Boy Scouts of America, receiving the “Silver Beaver Award” in 1978, the District Award of Merit in 1972, the Indian Guides “Jo Friday Award” in 1970 and the Northmont Rotary “Rotarian of the Year Award” in 1980. He volunteered with Good Samaritan Hospital and Samaritan North Health Center, reciving the “5000 Hour Award” in 1994. He was a member of the Englewood Masonic Lodge #743 for 48 years and a member of the
Happy Corner Church of the Brethren. He is survived by his wife, Rilda Cox Combs, Cx’46, a daughter, a son, two sisters, two brothers, and four grandchildren.

_______1950s________

Leon Leslie Durham, ’50, of Thornton, Colo., is deceased. He was a manager with The Quaker Oats Company.
George “Jack” Buchanan, ’51, of Lexington, Ky., died March 19. A retired school administrator and teacher, he taught vocational agriculture in Scott and Franklin Counties and served as headmaster of Hazel Green Academy. He was a Korean War veteran, served as president of the State Agriculture Teachers Association and as a regional vice-president of the National Vo-Ag Teachers Association for the states of Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, and Kentucky. He served the Department of Agriculture as director of the newly established Division of Shows and Fairs. He was a member of Hazel Green Christian Church, Bluegrass Retired Vo-Ag Teachers Association and charter member of the Golden Kiwanis Club. He is survived by his wife, Evelyn Hammons Buchanan, ’51 ; a daughter, Beverly Buchanan, ’80; two sons, David Buchanan, ’77 and Lindsey Buchanan, Cx’81; a sister; a brother, Roger Buchanan, ’54; and a granddaughter.
Truman Denham, A’51, of Mt. Clemens, Mich., died Jan. 7.
Hilda Seay Wilkins, ’51, of Asheville, N.C., is deceased. She was an English teacher. She is survived by her sister, Florence Seay Robinson, ’43, a niece, Dr. Judith McLaughlin, ’66, and a nephew Allen J. McLaughlin, ’69.

Edward Dyer, Cx’52, of Perry Park, Ky., died Aug. 25, 2001.
Robert Elswick, A ’42, ’53, of Lexington, Ky., died July 7, 1999. He was a World War II veteran, spent some time in the Navy, and was a district representative for Pittsburgh Plate and Glass. He was a former assistant to the alumni secretary at Berea and was instrumental in raising funds for the Alumni Building. He is survived by his wife, Rowena Griffith Elswick, A’42, Cx’46.
Frances Renalds Pauli, ’55, of Port Charlotte, Fla., died Jan. 24. A registered nurse, she was a member of the Nurses for Christ of Lakeland, Fla., past secretary of Charlotte County Republican Party, led many Bible study groups and was a member of Community Life Center Full Gospel Ministries Assembly of God. She is survived by her husband, Lawrence, two sons, a daughter, nine grand-children and four great-grandchildren.
Lelia Christine Buster, ’57, of Eadsville, Ky., died March 13. She was a life-long resident of Wayne County, Ky., where she taught school for 35 years.

_______1960s________

Dr. Willard Weatherholtz, ’63, of Moorefield, W.Va., died Feb. 21. A toxicologist, he received his Ph.D. in toxicology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and was a member of the Lutheran Church. He is survived by his wife, Gertrude Mullins Weatherholtz, ’63.
Ulysses Reneau, ’67, of Albany, Ky., died Nov. 23. A retired vocational agriculture teacher, he taught at Clinton County (Ky.) High School for the past 24 years. He is survived by his wife, Judy Groce Reneau, ’67.
Dixie Rolen, ’67, of Knoxville, Tenn. is deceased. She was a nursing supervisor at Park West Hospital in Knoxville. She is survived by her sister, Nancylynn Rolen Brown, ’67.

Dr. Roland Goode, '46, of Rapidan, Va, died April 7. A Berea College Trustee, he practiced dentistry in Annandale, Virginia from 1951-85. He was a member of the Fairfax County, Virginia State, and American Dental Associations. Dr. Goode was a charter member and served as president of the Old Dominion Study Club, was an organizer and early president of the Fairfax County Dental Society, and was a member of the Flying Dentists. He had served as president of the Kiwanis Club and served on several boards at his local Annandale First Baptist Church. He organized and served as director of the B.W. Corporation which was involved with commercial land acquisition and zoning, building and operation of motels, and provided land for many units of housing. He was among the original stockholders of a commercial bank, which when it sold after 20 years, was the largest bank holding company in Virginia. He established Goode Investments, Inc. a family owned business. He was a member of Berea's Founders' Club, served as co-chair in the successful $70 million fund-raising effort, "The Berea Vision." A tree will be planted on the Berea College campus in his memory.