Class Notes

Share your news...and catch up with friends.

Submit your class note here

We encourage all class notes to have a photo. Please upload one with your submission. From promotions and career updates with alumni friends, births, weddings and gatherings…let us know!

1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s 


 1940s

 

 1950s

 

 1960s

  • Dante Giammarco as BEN in Death of a Salesman.
    Dante Giammarco, 1968

    Dante was recently a featured performer in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman at the Milford Theater and Performing Arts Center in Pennsylvania. He is slated to be a cast member in Of Mice and Men in November. 

  • Charlie Phillips Emory & Henry Class of 1960
    Charlie Phillips, 1960

    Charlie was named the 2022 E&H Alumni Humanitarian of the Year in 2022. Read more…

  • Stafford and Tess Stephenson's wedding photo.
    Stafford Stephenson, 1969

    Stafford and Tess Stephenson celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on December 18, 2021, alongside their three daughters and their families.

    Stafford is a retired insurance agent from State Farm Insurance. He played basketball for E&H, served as the color commentator for the High Point University men’s basketball team, and is honored to be in the Smyth County Sports Hall of Fame. Click here to read a fascinating article about a twist of fate during his days working at the University of Evansville.

 

 1970s

  • Man smiling
    Bruce Chafin, 1978

    Bruce has big news! “Happily retired in March of 2022 after 46 years in corporate finance. Have relocated to Rancho Mirage, CA (Palm Springs) and am enjoying life with my spouse of seven years.”

  • Rob Goldsmith, E&H '71, CEO of People Inc.
    Rob Goldsmith, 1971

    Rob was named the E&H Alumni Humanitarian of the Year in 2021. Read more…

  • Man smiling
    Rocky Gregory, 1972

    Rocky’s book is available! One Groovy Summer: an adventure from 1968. You can find it at Book Vine Press.

  • Bob Hatch, 1975

    After fully retiring in Cincinnati, OH, Bob and his wife (Kim) and moved back to Dallas, TX in December, 2022. “Dallas was always the favorite place we lived when I was working with JPMC. Great weather, great people and state spirit, and no state income tax. What’s not love?”

  • Aleta Hicks, 1977

    Jane Hicks will publish her third collection of poetry In January 2024. The University Press of Kentucky also published her second book (Driving with the Dead) in 2014. The Safety of Small Things will be issued under the UPK imprint, Fireside Industries. This imprint is in partnership with Hindman Settlement School, a long-time affiliation and literary home for the author.

    She is retired from Sullivan County, Tennessee Schools, and holds an MEd from East Tennessee State University.

  • Randy Lowe, 1978

    Randy Lowe was named the 2022 recipient of the Harry L. Carrico Outstanding Career Service Award. The following press release was shared by the Supreme Court of Virginia.

    —–The Judicial Council of Virginia has named the Honorable C. Randall Lowe, a judge of the 28th Judicial Circuit, as the recipient of the 2022 Harry L. Carrico Outstanding Career Service Award. Judge Lowe was presented the award at the annual meeting of the Judicial Conference of Virginia on May 18, 2023.


    Awarded in honor of the longest serving chief justice and the longest serving member in the
    history of the Supreme Court of Virginia, The Harry L. Carrico Outstanding Career Service Award is presented annually by the Judicial Council of Virginia to a Virginia judge who, over an extended career, has demonstrated exceptional leadership in the administration of the courts while exhibiting the traits of integrity, courtesy, impartiality, wisdom, and humility. All
    appellate, circuit and district court judges are eligible for nomination.


    Judge Lowe has been a judge of the Washington Circuit Court since his election to the bench by the General Assembly in 2001 and served as Chief Judge of the 28th Judicial Circuit from 2003 to 2014. Judge Lowe initiated the Adult Drug Court Docket in Washington Circuit Court and presided over the docket for 11 years. Judge Lowe has served Virginia’s judiciary as a member of the Judicial Council of Virginia, a member of the Executive Committee of the Judicial Council, a Chairman of the Education Committee of the Judicial Conference of Virginia, and a member of the Judicial Education Committee of the Virginia Access to Justice Commission. Judge Lowe received his undergraduate degree from Emory & Henry, and his law degree from the University of Richmond School of Law.

    Prior to taking the bench, Judge Lowe was engaged in the general practice of law in Abingdon, Virginia, and is a past president of the Washington County Bar Association. He was an active member of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, serving on its Board of Governors, Executive Council, and as president of the Young Lawyers Section. He was a member of the Washington County Planning Commission and served as Chairman from 1996 to 2001.

    Judge Lowe is a recipient of a March of Dimes Outstanding Service Award and American Red Cross Special Citation for Exceptional Volunteer Service Award and is also the 2022 Recipient of the Virginia Mountain/Valley Lawyer’s Alliance, Roscoe Boler Stephenson Jr. Lifetime Service to Justice Award.

    About the Judicial Council of Virginia: The Judicial Council of Virginia is charged with thenresponsibility for making a continuous study of the organization, rules and methods of procedure and practice of the judicial system of the Commonwealth. It is also responsible for examining the work accomplished and results produced by the system and its individual offices and courts. A report of the proceedings and recommendations of the Council is made to the General Assembly and to the Supreme Court on an annual basis. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is presiding officer for the Council whose membership includes one Court of Appeals judge, six circuit court judges, one general district court judge, one juvenile and domestic relations district court judge, two attorneys qualified to practice in the Supreme
    Court, and the Chairman of the House Committee for Courts of Justice and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary or their designees. The Chief Justice and legislative
    members serve terms coincident with their terms of office, while other Council members are
    appointed by the Chief Justice and serve for four years or at the pleasure of the Chief Justice.

    Media contact: Alisa W. Padden, Office of the Executive Secretary, Supreme Court of Virginia.

  • Dr. Ken Noe E&H Class of 1979
    Dr. Ken Noe, 1979

    Ken’s book The Howling Storm is the co-winner of the Colonel Richard W. Ulbrich Memorial Book Award from the U.S. Military History Group. It is a book about how Civil War battles were affected by weather. In 2020 he was recognized for creative research. Read more…

  • Stan Williams, 1977

    Stan Williams (1977) and Sharon Echols Williams (1986) just published “Honey the Bee”, the third in their children’s book series on regional willdlife. The books can be purchased on Amazon, several local outlets or by contacting Stan and Sharon at s.williams.crafts@gmail.com

 

 1980s

  • woman smiling
    Kendall Calvert, 1982

    Completed a Master of Science at Northern State University: master’s is in Banking and Personal Finance. Graduate May 6, 2023

  • Howard Chafin, 1983

    Howard has been awarded the Garland Thayer Award by People Incorporated. The Thayer Award honors individuals who have made a significant contribution to benefit low-income people through employment with an organization. He is the Children’s Programs Representative for Feeding Southwest Virginia. Read more…

  • Sandi Fort, 1982

    Sandi works for Select Health of South Carolina: part of a larger company called AmeriHealth Caritas. Their Medicaid market includes ten states and the District of Columbia. Corporate encourages its employees to volunteer in our communities and to record volunteer hours for their review. She received an email recently informing her that she is one of the top ten volunteers (hours served) in the entire corporation for the 2022 calendar year. This includes all ten states and DC. She put in around 400 hours last year.

    Her volunteer time is spent at Seacoast Church, where she serves on the Emergency Response Team. They’re fully trained by the SC Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and they receive additional training as well – active shooter, mass casualty, CPR and Stop the Bleed, among others. She says, “It’s a good fit for me because I’m an adrenaline junkie who would rather run toward trouble than away from it. We have a great team, and it’s an honor to be a part of it.”

  • J.Sanders Henderson III, 1985

    Sanders ran for school board in the Jefferson District of Washington County in November 2021 and won his third term. He was elected to be the Chairman of the Board for 2022. He is working as a Special Assistant to Athletics Fundraising at Emory & Henry College. 

  • woman with binoculars
    Monica Hoel, 1985

    Monica Hoel has just reached 1000 service hours with the Holston Rivers chapter of Virginia Master Naturalist. Much of her service time is spent on bird conservation and education.

  • Trenda Johnson Class of 1987
    Trenda Johnson, 1987

    Trenda has worked in various positions within the Volvo Group, (Volvo Trucks, Mack trucks, Nissan Diesel, Volvo Bus, and now Volvo Penta.) She as worked on three continents (Asia, North America, and Europe). “I have worked for Volvo for 29 years, meeting and working with many great people.” She has lived In Gothenburg, Sweden for almost 20 years. “I miss the weather and mountains of Virginia but otherwise I love it here in Sweden. it is a beautiful and great country. I have enjoyed traveling around the world and enjoying new cultures. Moving to a new country when you are not young and learning to work and live in a new language is challenging and exciting.”

  • Lisa Jordan, Emory & Henry Class of 1984
    Lisa Jordan, 1984

    Lisa was selected as the E&H Distinguished Alumna of the Year in 2021. Read more…

  • Bunny Medeiros E&H Class of 1980
    Bunny Medeiros,

    A second edition of her book, FRIENDLIEST TOWN ON THE TRAIL, is available at The E&H Bookstore. It has all the essential history of the town and its trails with updates on the many changes in recent years that continue to keep Damascus a great destination for locals and tourists. A memoir published in 2019, WALKING TO WIJIJI, is also available at Amazon. Both books are also available locally at the Arts Depot & Holston Mountain Artisans in Abingdon.

    After graduation with a BA in Sociology, Bunny briefly worked with with the Area Agency on Aging then moved to Gainesville, FL where she worked as a psychiatric nurse in a private Hospital and a prison. She then attended Florida School of Massage before returning to Southwest Virginia and opening a massage practice.

  • Thomas Osborne, 1982

    Received from the Dept. of Magistrate Services of the Supreme Court of Virginia an award for 25 Years of Loyal, Outstanding and Dedicated Service as a Magistrate for the Commonwealth of Virginia, on December 6, 2022.

  • William Perritt, 1985

    William married Kim Henderson August 6, 2021, in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. Kim is a native of Western Colorado and manages retail operations for the Cortez Cultural Center. They share a home in Dolores, Colorado, overlooking the lake. William says they enjoy camping, hiking, and boating around the “stunning Four Corners area.” At home they “cook together and spend many evenings on the porch watching the sunset and the star-dappled night skies.”

    William is employed with Fastmarkets RISI as a writer and editor, analyzing pulpwood, saw timber, and wood biomass markets. “I have held the job through its many gyrations over the past 27 years.”

  • Rev. Phyllis Spiegel E&H Class of 1988
    Rev. Phyllis Spiegel, 1988

    On April 30, 2022, Phyllis was named Bishop of Utah for the Episcopal Church. Read more…

  • Sharon Williams, 1986

    Stan Williams (1977) and Sharon Echols Williams (1986) just published “Honey the Bee”, the third in their children’s book series on regional willdlife. The books can be purchased on Amazon, several local outlets or by contacting Stan and Sharon at s.williams.crafts@gmail.com

  • Mike Young E&H Class of 1986 2022 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year
    Mike Young, 1986

    Mike Young was selected as the E&H Distinguished Alumnus of the Year in 2022. Read more…

 

 1990s

  • Harold Craw, E&H Class of 1999
    Harold Craw, 1999

    Harold was named the 2020 E&H Distinguished Alumnus of the Year by the E&H Alumni Association. Read more…

  • Joanna Harader, 1997

    Joanna has written a book of Advent devotions that will be published in 2022. It is called Expecting Emmanuel: Eight Women Who Prepared the Way. Find more information about it here.

    Joanna serves as pastor of Peace Mennonite Church in Lawrence, KS.

  • Cyndi Jennings E&H Class of 1991 2022 Fred Selfe Service to Emory & Henry Honoree
    Cyndi Jennings, 1991

    Cyndi was selected for the 2022 E&H Distinctive Service to Emory & Henry Award. Read more…

  • woman smiling
    Allison Mays, 1995

    Allison is the Director of the Virginia Tech Southwest Center. Read more…

  • Will Mullins, E&H Class of 1992
    Will Mullins, 1992

    Will’s scripts The Manor and Fantasy Clash were both Honorable Mention winners in the long running Screenplay Festival script competition. His fantasy script The Madness of Winter was a Bronze Award winner at the LA Sci Fi & Horror Festival. Other scripts advanced in various competitions, including Scriptation Showcase, International Comedy Film Festival, the Screenwriting Master Contest, Lit Scares, So Cal Film Awards, and Culver City Film Festival.

  • Kaylin Render E&H Class of 1994
    Kaylin Render, 1994

    The YWCA of Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee has recognized Kaylin Render as one of their 2022 honorees – recognizing women who nurture, empower, and transform. Kaylin is an Assistant District Attorney for Sullivan County, TN, entering her 16th year with the Office of the District Attorney General for the 2nd Judicial District of Sullivan County, TN. She was also just tapped to be the Division Head in Division I of the Criminal Courts for Sullivan County. She prosecutes all the felony domestic violence cases ranging all the way from domestic assaults to first degree murder cases. She also works very closely with the BranchKaylin and daughter Izzy.House which is the Family Justice Center for Sullivan County. They are a one-stop multi-service provider for domestic violence victims. They awarded her the 2021 Victim Services Excellence Award. She adds, “My sweet daughter, Izzy, has grown up in this office which has been like a family to me.”

 

 2000s

  • Mark Arrington, 2002

    Mark and Laura introduced a new baby girl to their family. Helen “Ellie” Virginia Arrington was born in 2021.

  • Tommy Britt E&H Class of 2002
    Tommy Britt, 2002

    Tommy works at George Mason University, and attended Ohio University for graduate school. He has been promoted to Full Professor at George Mason University. 

  • Dr. Eric Coley, E&H Class of 2004.
    Dr. Eric Coley, 2004

    Eric was named the 2022 E&H Outstanding Faculty Member by the E&H Alumni Association. Read more…

  • Chaplain Ryan Davenport, 2008

    Ryan moved to San Antonio in April 202,2 and is an Air Force Chaplain for Basic Military Training at Lackland Air Force Base

  • Dr. Will Gibbons E&H Class of 2003
    Will Gibbons, 2003

    Will was recently appointed Dean of the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. Crane is one of the oldest and most prestigious music programs in the US, and trains approximately half of all music teachers in New York state.

  • Kishanna Caesar Heyward, Emory & Henry Class of 2008.
    Kishanna Heyward, 2008

    Kishanna was selected as the 2021 E&H Young Alumna of the Year. Read more…

  • Lori Bruce Hutton, Class of
    Lori Hutton, 2008

    Lori is serving as the assistant principal at Marion Senior High School. She recently was awarded the Smyth County School Board award for “Mover of Mountains.” They just started a reward system for cafeteria staff, bus drivers, and any staff member “who has good attendance, makes a difference in students’ lives every day, goes above and beyond the call of duty, has good staff relations, good job performance, and is a difference maker.” The Board voted on 13 nominations.

  • Dr. Monica Jacobe E&H Class of 2001
    Dr. Monica Jacobe, 2001

    Dr. Monica F. Jacobe joined the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania as Director of Advising for the Undergraduate Division in August 2022. Her team supports all Wharton undergraduates with degree, academic, and career planning from pre-matriculation to graduation.

  • Bobbie Frentz Larkins, E&H Class of '03
    Bobbie Larkin, 2003

    Bobbie was named for the 2020 Distinctive Service to Emory & Henry Award by the E&H Alumni Association. Read more…

  • Matt Long, 2003

    Matt has been promoted to an equity named partner at the law firm of Bowen Ten Long & Bal, PC in Richmond, Virginia, with eight lawyers and two offices - one in Henrico, Virginia and the other in Hanover, Virginia. The firm is focusing on Family Law, Personal Injury, Estate Planning, and General Civil Litigation.

  • Peter Oakman and Ben Davis in Newport Beach, CA
    Peter Oakman, 2005

    Ben Davis (’03) and Peter Oakman recently enjoyed a lovely lunch in Newport Beach California. Not pictured is Chris Miller (class of ’05).

  • Israel O'Quinn E&H Class of 2022
    Israel O’Quinn, 2002

    In May of 2022, Israel was named by the Virginia Chamber of Commerce as the Legislator of the Year.

  • D.W. Saur E&H Class of 2005
    D.W. Saur, 2005

    D.W.’s fourth book titled Just Friends was released in December 2021. His YA Fantasy novel Dark Days finished the 2021 award season with its sixth award coming from the American Fiction Awards in the Epic/High Fantasy category. Learn more at his website: https://dwsaur.com/

  • Kris Sheets, E&H Class of '02
    Kris Sheets, 2002

    Kris was named the 2020 E&H Alumni Humanitarian of the Year. Read more…

  • Monica Shew, 2007

    Monica and Daniel Shew won the Historic Preservation Award for Solar Hill, from the City of Bristol. Monica is a double alum of Emory & Henry, finishing a master’s in community and organizational leadership in 2011. She has recently left a long career in banking to work full-time for their property business, which encompasses 17 units in downtown Bristol. Their focus is to restore vacant houses and homes headed for the wrecking ball. All their houses were built before 1925 and have been made back into beautiful updated homes for tenants in hopes of creating a better community through restoration and maintenance.

    After living in a large 1904 Edwardian home on Solar Hill, the couple managed to get the King House at the top of the hill. It is said to be the oldest and most historically significant structure in Bristol City. They plan to live there with their four year old son, once the interior is complete.

    The Historic Preservation Award Committee for the city of Bristol, Virginia invites nominations for the Historic Preservation Award. The purpose of this award program is to recognize and honor property owners and developers who engage in preservation projects within the city’s five historic districts: Euclid Avenue, Solar Hill, Virginia Hill, Bristol Downtown Commercial, and Bristol Warehouse Historic Districts. Properties within Bristol, Virginia city limits, but outside these historic districts, are eligible for a Citywide Historic Preservation Award.

  • Josh Stamper, E&H Class of 2007
    Josh Stamper, 2007

    Josh was selected as the 2020 E&H Young Alumnus of the Year by the E&H Alumni Association. Read more…

  • man and woman smiling
    Erin Street, 2006

    Erin recently got married to Daniel S. Street, and they’ve completed construction and moved into their new home.

    She worked for 11 years in the legal field in both private law and for the Virginia Employment Commission. She also worked for 3 years as a veterinary technician, and has recently chosen to retire early.

 

 2010s

  • Rev. Richard Aylor, 2011

    Richard has moved to Evergreen, Colorado to be the Pastor at Church of the Hills Presbyterian.

  • Alison Brooks, 2016

    Alison has had a career change, and is starting her second year as a police officer in Greeneville, TN.

  • Stephen and Jessica Curtis Callahan E&H Class of 2011 Emory & Henry 2022 Young Alumni of the Year
    Jessica Callahan, 2011

    Jessica and Stephen Callahan were chosen as the 2022 E&H Young Alumni of the Year. Read more…

  • Stephen and Jessica Curtis Callahan E&H Class of 2011 Emory & Henry 2022 Young Alumni of the Year
    Stephen Callahan, 2011

    Jessica and Stephen Callahan were chosen as the 2022 E&H Young Alumni of the Year. Read more…

  • Haleigh Conley, 2016

    Haleigh has finished her PhD in Comparative Biomedical Sciences from North Carolina State University. She is a postdoctoral research associate at Duke University in the Department of Surgery.

  • Andrew Downard, 2014

    Andrew as been promoted to Supervisor of Remittance Processing at Navy Federal Credit Union.

    He is pursuing an MBA degree at Mount Saint Mary’s.

  • Amanda Hiner, 2015

    Amanda graduated with her Masters in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from George Mason University and is now working toward a PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology at the University of Connecticut.

    She completed research with a classmate at George Mason focused on number of hours worked and its possible impact on employee well-being. She plans to focus on employee well-being, sexual harassment, and discrimination in the workplace throughout her graduate career and beyond.

    “I have moved to Connecticut with my fiancé and cat and we are looking forward to this new adventure!”

  • Josh Justice, 2011

    Josh is now serving as the Director of Student Affairs and Academic Excellence for the Kentucky College of Optometry at the University of Pikeville in Pikeville, KY.

    He oversese the student affairs program and works with professional students working on their degrees in Optometry.

  • Jade Ritterbush, 2017

    Jade is an Export Document Examiner for the USDA. She’s living in Sacramento.

  • Man with daughter on his shoulders
    Michael Shipley, 2013

    The Shipley family moved to Hawaii in March 2023 where Michael will be serving as a Company Commander within the 25th Infantry Division on Schofield Barracks. Heecently finished service as a Platoon Leader and Executive Officer with the 75th Ranger Regiment in Fort Benning, GA.

  • Matthew Wilkinson, 2013

    Matthew is the Planning & Codes Liaison for the Metropolitan Council of Nashville & Davidson County.

  • Jenna Lottman ('16) and Jonathan Wygal ('18)
    Jenna Wygal, 2016

    Jenna is currently getting a Master of Science in Information and Library Science through the University at Buffalo. She is working as a Senior Library Assistant in Rochester, NY, and will be promoted to Collection Development Librarian in the Spring of 2022. She married Jonathan Wygal (E&H Class of 2018) in the summer of 2020. “We just adopted an Irish Setter named Murphy to round out the family.”

 

 2020s

  • Ty Smith E&H Class of 2022
    Ty Smith, 2022

    In August of 2022, Ty will begin attending East Tennessee State University, obtaining an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Higher Education concentration. While earning his Master’s degree, he will be employed through ETSU’s Center for Academic Achievement as a Graduate Assistant - serving as an advisor to undergraduate supplemental instructors and tutors.

  • Kara Stafford, 2020

    Kara is head women’s basketball coach at Sullivan East High School. Read more…