ALUMNI NEWS
Since 06-15-2008
50’s
Gene and Sue Lyons Robinson (class of 1958) observed their 50th wedding anniversary on June 21, 2008. They celebrated with a week on North Captiva Island, FL, with their two sons and their wives and their four grandchildren. The Robinsons were married at Nacoochee Baptist Church in Nacoochee Valley.
70’s
Danny Caudell (class of 1978) is Southeastern Regional Safety and Environmental Manager for Cobb-Vantress, Inc., the world’s oldest poultry breeding company and a global leader in broiler breeding. He lives with his family in Gainesville, GA.
Rev. Barry Thompson (class of 1972) and his wife, Kay, began service in July at Eastside Baptist Church in Marietta, where Barry is Senior Associate Pastor for Education and Administration.
Jennifer King (attended 1977) is principal of Jack P. Nix Primary School in Cleveland.
Angela Stovall Post (attended 1977-1978) has recently been named Assistant Vice President and Manager of the Helen Branch of United Community Bank. An 18-year employee of the bank, Angela has two children and is very active in civic projects in White County.
Dr. Cathryn Van Brackle (attended 1978-1980) is a licensed clinical psychologist with PsychCare Services, Inc., in Winter Springs, FL. Cathy, who lives in Daytona Beach, came by the TMC campus on July 11, 2008, for a visit.
80’s
Don Howell, Jr. (class of 1984) is Manager of Network Operations and Support for the Gwinnett County Public Schools with an office in Suwanee, GA. He and his wife Tracy and their three children live near Cleveland, GA.
Scott Mewborne (class of 1987) is an officer in the United States Air Force. He graduated in early August from Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama, receiving a Master of Military Operational Arts and Sciences degree. He and his family are moving to Belgium, where he has been assigned as personnel chief at the NATO headquarters in Brussels.
90’s
Steve Bartlett (class of 1993) is in his second year as Assistant Principal of White County Ninth Grade Academy. He also serves as the head wrestling coach at White County High School.
Sebastian Muah (class of 1994) was recently appointed to work in the cabinet of Her Excellency Madamme Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, president of Liberia and the first female president of any African nation. Sebastian is Principal Deputy Minister of Planning and Economic Affairs for Policy. In his role as the second in leadership in the ministry, he will lead in the formulation and review of policies aimed at alleviating poverty in Liberia, where 48% of the 3.5 million population live on less than one dollar a day. Sebastian is enrolled in the graduate school of Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh in its distance learning program and is completing his graduate work online while living and working in Liberia.
Chad Robbins (class of 1994) and his wife, Christie, operate a ministry in which they go to areas where they are needed and pitch in to help—construction work on buildings, flood cleanup, sending care packages to American soldiers in Iraq, supporting children in Mexico–anything they feel God leading them to do. It is truly amazing what they are able to accomplish on a very small budget. Contact e-mail address is chad@mtn2sea.com.
Dena Burnett (class of 1999) was married to Aaron Hayes on April 19, 2008, in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Aaron is a graphic designer for a newspaper, and Dena works for Edward Jones Company and is also a massage therapist. The couple has recently purchased a house in Decatur and adopted a puppy.
2000’s
Davis W. King, Jr. (class of 2000) was elected to the Board of the Georgia Health Care Association at the group’s annual convention June 15-20 at Amelia Island, FL. He is Chief Executive Officer of King Enterprises and Associates, Inc., in Albany. King Enterprises oversees the operation of 702 long-term care beds throughout southwest Georgia.
Dr. Joshua D. Kinsey (class of 2001) was recently honored by the Georgia Pharmacy Association as the Georgia Retail Pharmacist of the Year. The Georgia Pharmacy Association is a nationally recognized and respected organization with more than 2,000 members. Kinsey also was elected to serve as the vice chairman of the Academy of Employee Pharmacists for the next two years and then will assume the chairmanship of the Academy’s Board of Directors. He was chosen for this prestigious award based on his involvement with the Georgia Pharmacy Association, his volunteer work in his community, and his dedication to his patients and the profession of pharmacy. He is one of the youngest pharmacists to receive the honor in the history of the award.
He is a 2005 honor graduate of Mercer University’s College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and is currently employed as the pharmacist in charge of the Ingles Pharmacy in his hometown of Cleveland, GA.
William Threadgill (class of 2004) is in his first year as band teacher at White County Middle School. William received his Associate in Music degree from Truett-McConnell and his Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from the University of Georgia. He is married to the former Amanda Hearington (TMC class of 2007).
Camilo Ochoa (class of 2006) and his wife announce the birth of a daughter, Zoe Belen Ochoa, on May 15, 2008. The Ochoas formally presented Zoe to their church during the Sunday service on June 1, 2008. The Ochoas live in Argentina in South America.
Lynn Westmoreland (class of 2008) is employed as a fifth grade teacher at Mossy Creek Elementary School, White County’s brand-new elementary school which opened in August 2008. Lynn was one of the first class of candidates to graduate from Truett-McConnell with bachelor’s degrees in early childhood education in May 2008.
In Memoriam
Charles D. Black (attended 1947), aged 82, one of the charter students when Truett-McConnell opened its doors in September 1947, passed away on September 3, 2008, following a brief battle with cancer. He was founder and owner of Charles Black Construction Company, a large company that does commercial construction—office buildings, public schools, college buildings, hospitals, and the like. He was a veteran of World War II and attended TMC as a veteran, being a charter member of the Veterans’ Club at TMC. He refereed TMC’s home basketball games for the first few years that the college had a team and was paid $5 for each game he refereed. He and his wife, Dot, were loyal basketball fans. He is survived by his wife, Dot; a son Bud and his wife Margie (both TMC alums); and a daughter, Lynda Lunsford. Two other sons, Monte and Chris, preceded him in death. Surviving him also are one sister, three brothers, eight grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.
Rev. Willis Melvin (Mel) Sheppard (class of 1960) of Avondale Estates, aged 71, passed away on January 23, 2008, from a massive heart attack. Mel had worked for 46 years with Pan Am Testament League in distribution of Bibles and Christian literature. The morning of his death, he called the office and said that he had summoned a taxi to take him to the doctor. As he was walking through his yard to get in the taxi, he collapsed and died. He is survived by a brother and two sisters. Judging from the number of inquiries the Alumni Office received regarding his death, he was a beloved TMC student.
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