Class News & Notes

&News NotesCLASS

1980s

1 Piedmont Trustee Dr. Martha Kelly Cantrell ’80, EdS ’10, EdD ’12 and former suitemate Theresa Burnett Edwards ’78 proudly represent Piedmont alumni at Homecoming.

2000s

2 While dining in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, recently, President James Mellichamp found himself seated next to former Mass Communications student, Rachel Viers Dailey ’07. It’s a small world, after all.

3 Mary Grant Dunagan MA ’00 poses with eldest daughter, Leah Dunagan Hulsey MA ’06. Both Piedmont alumnae have been lauded as Teacher of the Year during their careers. Most recently, Leah received her second Teacher of the Year Award in May 2021 for her work with Long Branch Elementary in Dahlonega, Georgia.

2010s

4 Tim Suda ’10 recently received the 2021 Emerging Leader Award, presented by the Association of Leaders in Volunteer Engagement (AL!VE) for his work in the volunteer engagement field and with the American Red Cross Disaster Services Team.

5 Zachary Stein ’10, MBA ’12 and Abby White Stein ’09, MBA ’11 along with big brother, William, proudly announce the birth of Nicholas John Stein born January 2, 2021.

8 Seth George ’18 and Morgan McCalla George ’17, MBA ’18 tied the knot on November 13, 2021. Megan is now working as an Account Executive for Source Outdoor Group.

Dr. Shannon Romano ’12 has completed one year as an ORISE Research Fellow at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and will continue her work as the sole biologist in a group of three chemists. The group studies the metabolome to detect changes following exposures to environmentally relevant aquatic contaminants, such as human medication, pesticides, and metals. Her hope is to help the EPA set healthy guidelines for exposure and potential mitigation, when necessary. Shannon received her PhD from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2017 in Pharmacology and Toxicology. She completed a postdoctoral fellow position at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan (2017-2021) before joining the EPA in Athens, Georgia, in June 2021.

6 Jessie Owensby ’15 recently received the Jim Cox, Jr. Alumni Award for Mass Communications from Piedmont University.

2020s

9 Shamika Howard ’20 was recently promoted to Human Resources Managing Consultant for University Human Resources, a division of the University of Georgia System. Prior to her promotion, Shamika was one of four University of Georgia staff members to receive the 2021 Ed Wilker Memorial Egalitarian Award for her work with University Housing.

10 Sean Ogle ’20 recently graduated with a dual degree, Master of Science in Molecular Pharmacology and Master of Business, at Loyola University in Chicago.

11 Elida Lugo Cornejo MA ’22 proudly poses with her family following Commencement in May.

7 Carly Haraka ’16 and her dog, Trump, are loving life in their new home in Charlotte, North Carolina. Carly is enjoying her new job as Sales and Billing Coordinator for RA Marketing.

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BRYAN SCHROEDER

MAKES GEORGIA TREND’S MOST INFLUENTIAL LIST

Among Georgia Trend’s 100 Most Influential Georgians, a list peppered with mayors, university presidents, and CEOs, not to mention Tyler Perry, is Bryan Schroeder ’03, executive director of Giving Kitchen in Atlanta.

Schroeder said he would gladly be honored for making the best road trip playlists or knowing where to paddle and camp across Georgia, but “Most Influential Georgian” was a surprise.

“It’s my job to help shine a light on Giving Kitchen and our team, so it felt a little out of place to be in the spotlight,” Schroeder said. “This is clearly a recognition for the team at Giving Kitchen, and I’m honored to be part of that team.”

The nonprofit provides emergency financial assistance to food service workers regionally and is focused on Atlanta, Nashville, and Charlotte. Giving Kitchen received the 2019 James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year award for its work. To date it has helped more than 9,000 food service workers in crisis with more than $6 million in financial aid.

Schroeder was on the cover of Piedmont’s fall 2019 Journal with a feature about how Giving Kitchen had grown under his leadership.

He seemed destined for the job. He was just three days old when his parents opened Schroeder’s New Deli in Rome, Georgia. As he grew up, Schroeder took on every position at the family’s eatery, from dishwasher to pizza cook. The restaurant is still open.

The Georgia Trend recognition, he said, is a tribute to his parents, “who worked hard raising a family.”

“They gave up a lot for my brother and me. I know this means the world to them.”

He’s also proud for his teachers, including a few from Piedmont who he said believed in him and “stuck their necks out for me when it wasn’t convenient or entirely clear that I deserved it.”

Schroeder encourages everyone who knows of food service workers in crisis to refer them to Giving Kitchen.

It’s my job to help shine a light on Giving Kitchen and our team, so it felt a little out of place to be in the spotlight. This is clearly a recognition for the team at Giving Kitchen, and I’m honored to be part of that team.

In Memory

ALUMNI

1940s

Mr. Ewell Brown Pinkston Sr.

’43 passed away on March 22, 2015, at the age of 91.

Mrs. Mary Margaret Wynn Smoot ’45 passed away on September 11, 2017, at the age of 93.

Mr. Charles Walter “Chuck”

Hendrickson (1947-1955) passed away on December 16, 2021, at the age of 90.

Mrs. Wilma Leach Webb (1947-1949) passed away on November 3, 2021, at the age of 90.

Mrs. Dorothy I. “Dot” Barrett Kelly ’48 passed away on January 21, 2018, at the age of 90.

Mr. Noble Watson Sorrow ’49

passed away on January 31 at the age of 95.

Major Sgt. James Harold Smith (1949-1952) passed away on March 22 at the age of 93.

1950s

Mr. Henry Wilson Skipper Sr.

’50 passed away on March 24, 2020, at the age of 96.

Mr. William Frederick “Bill”

Prokasy IV (1950-1951) passed away on November 4, 2019, at the age of 88.

Mrs. Courtney Elizabeth Randall Stukes ’51

passed away on March 13 at the age of 92.

Mr. George Truitt Vaughn ’51 passed away on October 21, 2015, at the age of 88. Ms. Adeline Wood ’52 passed away on March 7 at the age of 90.

Mrs. Mary Sue Ligon Hearn ’54

passed away on January 8 at the age of 88.

Mrs. Dorothy Eunice “Dot”

Woodring Painter ’54 passed away on November 1, 2021, at the age of 99.

Coach David Thomas Russi, Sr.

’56 passed away on December 11, 2021, at the age of 90.

Ms. Glenna V. Waldroup ’56 passed away on June 13, 2017, at the age of 85.

Mr. James Alfred “Jim” Abercrombie Jr.

(1958-1959) passed away on November 16, 2021, at the age of 83.

1960s

Mrs. Jewell Othella Dickerson

Arrowood ’60 passed away on January 3 at the age of 94.

Mr. Rex G. Poole ’60 passed away on January 13 at the age of 87.

Mr. Henry “Leroy” Brock ’61

passed away on February 3 at the age of 89.

Mrs. Lynda Lokey Gresham ’61

passed away on December 20, 2021, at the age of 81.

Mr. William Donald Patten Sr.

’61 passed away on October 21, 2019, at the age of 85.

Coach Kendall D. “Ken” Rice

’61 passed away on January 4 at the age of 82.

Mr. Barry Hammond Hicks, Sr.

(1961-1962) passed away on March 23 at the age of 79.

Mr. Kendall Dana “Ken” Lockerman (19621963) passed away on January 18, 2020, at the age of 75.

Mr. Daniel Parris Barrett ’66

passed away on January 6 at the age of 79.

Mrs. Lydia Jeanette Fuller

White ’68 passed away on November 11, 2019, at the age of 73.

Mr. Mark Timothy Brown

(1968-1971) passed away on March 1 at the age of 71.

Ms. Nancy Stewart Alley ’69 passed away on September 5, 2017, at the age of 76.

Mr. Fay Roger Loggins ’69

passed away on February 10 at the age of 83.

Mr. James Walker Palmer ’69 passed away on December 14, 2019, at the age of 83.

In Memory

1970s

Ms. Meredith Brown Brice ’73 passed away on February 23 at the age of 72.

Coach Phillip Wayne “Phil”

Hall ’73 passed away on December 26, 2019, at the age of 71.

Mr. William Wayne Short ’75

passed away on August 12, 2021, at the age of 80.

1980s

Mrs. Elizabeth Diane Hill Stover ’89 passed away on March 30 at the age of 68.

1990s

Mr. Dennis Keith Clark ’91

passed away on January 16 at the age of 74.

Mrs. Edie Phyllis Schroeder Bolton ’98 passed away on January 18 at the age of 72.

Mrs. Susan Jones Bowlin M ’98

passed away on November 10, 2021, at the age of 69.

2000s

Mrs. Elisa Maritza Brown M

’01, EdS ’03 passed away on March 7 at the age of 63.

Mrs. Donna Lisa Turpin Dills M ’01 passed away on August 1, 2015, at the age of 52.

Mrs. Anita Jane Crane Sherby

M ’05 passed away on April 3, 2020, at the age of 72.

Ms. Regan Hightower M ’06

passed away on June 19, 2020, at the age of 45.

Mrs. Lisa Thurmond Wall ’08

passed away on January 20 at the age of 51.

Mrs. Cheryl Johnson Payne

EdS ’09 passed away on June 30, 2021, at the age of 64.

OTHER ALUMNI

Mr. William Patrick “Pat” Eidt Jr. passed away on December 19, 2021, at the age of 43.

Ms. Callen Anne Phillips

passed away on February 13 at the age of 26.

Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Masters

Poole passed away on April 7 at the age of 81.

Ms. Jenifer Lynn “Jenni” Walls

passed away on April 3 at the age of 56.

Mrs. Louise King Williams passed away on November 18, 2015, at the age of 71.

FRIENDS

Mrs. Grace McGahee Brown

passed away on September 15, 2017, at the age of 71. Mr. Earl “Ray” Floyd passed away on March 15, 2020.

Dr. Manuel Alberto de Friexas Gonzalez

(former faculty) passed away on February 2 at the age of 85.

Dr. Paul E. Greene (former faculty) passed away on November 21, 2021, at the age of 74.

Dr. James Pickett “Jim” Jones

Jr. passed away on June 20, 2020, at the age of 89.

Dr. Thomas Dale “Tom” Miles (former faculty) passed away on February 1 at the age of 82.

Ms. Judi Mize passed away on January 13 at the age of 73.

Mrs. Marilyn Jordan Motz passed away on March 24 at the age of 81.

Ms. Sarah Manning Pope

passed away on July 8, 2021, at the age of 88.

Dr. Hatler Hilton Smith

(former faculty) passed away on November 21, 2021, at the age of 87.

Judge Robert Bryan Struble,

Sr. (trustee emeritus) passed away on February 18 at the age of 90.

Leave your legacy on Piedmont's campus!

Piedmont is planning to build a fountain surrounded by raised gardens on the quad at the center of the Demorest campus. The new gathering space has been designed to both inspire current students and honor Piedmont alumni. To purchase a brick that will be used in the construction of the project, visit alumni.piedmont.edu/g/tribute-pavers. Bricks can be inscribed with a message of your choice!

Brick Paver Examples

The pavers, made of colored brick, are available in Standard 4” x 8” (with 3 lines of copy), or Double 8” x 8” (with up to 6 lines of copy) size. Each line of copy may contain up to 20 characters (including spaces).

SCAN THE QR CODE TO ORDER YOURS TODAY!

For questions or additional information contact Mark Elam, assistant vice president of development and alumni relations at melam@piedmont.edu or 706-894-4214.

PO Box 10 Demorest GA 30535

BECOME A YONAHIAN!

Members of the Yonahian Society provide an annual financial gift of $1,000 or more. These individuals believe in the power of a Piedmont University education and are committed to helping this institution grow and continue to serve students for generations to come. Piedmont University is deeply thankful for the Yonahians’ generous support, year after year. We would love to have you join us!