50s
Joseph B. Tyson T’50, D’53 co-edited Acts and Christian Beginnings: The Acts Seminar Report (Polebridge Press, 2013). A retired professor from Southern Methodist University, he was inducted into the David Friedrich Strauss Society, an honor bestowed by the Westar Institute, sponsor of the Jesus Seminar and the Acts Seminar. He resides in Dallas, Texas.
60s
O. Richard “Dick” Bowyer D’60, D’68 received the Lifetime Achievement award from the national Federation of State Medical Boards at the annual meeting in Denver, Colo., in recognition of his leadership and contributions to the West Virginia Board of Medicine over a span of three decades. He was campus minister for the Wesley Foundation at Fairmont State University, with over 43 years of service, where he was awarded the Doctor of Humane Letters. He is also a past president of the Duke Divinity School Alumni Association. He and his wife, Faith, are retired in Fairmont, W.V.
Robert E. Leverenz D’62 has written That’s What They Are In For: A Pastoral Memoir of a Privileged Profession (Wipf and Stock, 2014). He is retired in Portland, Ore.
Harold Brown D’65 and Arlene Johnson were married on May 20, 2014, in Olympia, Wash.
70s
Happy James Lawrence D’70, residing in Asheville, N.C., has recently completed work on a documentary, A Path Less Taken: From Ministry to Non-Belief and Beyond (Axis Mundi Media).
Michael Battle D’76 spent four years (2009–2013) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia as the U.S. Ambassador to the African Union and U.S. Representative to the UN Economic Commission for Africa. He also led diplomatic and policy efforts for the summit between President Obama and African heads of state in August 2014.
Jacob L. “Jake” Kincaid D’76 of Fort Collins, Colo., has published Lifelines (rgjbooks, 2014).
Gregory V. Palmer D’79 was Hood Theological Seminary’s commencement speaker on May 17, 2014. He is the presiding bishop of the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church.
80s
Todd Outcalt D’85 published a first collection of poetry, Where in the World We Meet (Chatter House, 2014) and a new book, The Other Jesus (Rowman & Littlefield, 2014). He is the lead pastor at Calvary United Methodist Church in Brownsburg, Ind.
90s
Tobias Winright D’91 has been named the Hubert Mäder Endowed Chair of Health Care Ethics in the Albert Gnaegi Center for Health Care Ethics at Saint Louis University, where he is also associate professor of theological ethics in the Department of Theological Studies. He recently co-edited Environmental Justice and Climate Change: Assessing Benedict XVI’s Ecological Vision for the Catholic Church in the United States (Lexington Books, 2013), and he is co-editor of the Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics and book review editor for the international journal Political Theology.
Shane Stanford D’94 was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity by Asbury Theological Seminary at its May Commencement. He is the senior pastor of Christ United Methodist Church in Memphis, Tenn.
Tim Cannon D’97 received the 2013–14 Excellence in Teaching Award from Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem, N.C., where he serves as program coordinator and instructor of humanities, religion & philosophy.
Dave MaGee D’99 became director of student ministries at the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kan., in October 2013 after previously serving as the high school youth minister since 2006.
Jennifer “Jenny” Smith Walz D’99 and her husband, Robert, announce the birth of their son, Elliot Myhr, born May 5, 2014. They reside in Hackettstown, N.J., where she serves as associate pastor at Trinity UMC.
00s
Patricia Hawkins Wells D’02 was awarded the Doctor of Psychology in Pastoral Counseling degree by the Graduate Theological Foundation on May 2, 2014 in South Bend, Ind. She is a pastoral psychotherapist with Methodist Counseling and Consultation Services in Charlotte, N.C.
Ed Drew D’03 is currently serving at First Cooperative Baptist Church of Smithton in Belhaven, N.C., and he continues to teach Old and New Testament studies as well as World Religions at Pitt Community College in Winterville, N.C.
Justin Coleman D’05 and his wife, Chaka, welcomed their third son, Lawson James, in December 2013. Previously the pastor of a United Methodist church in Houston, Texas, he has recently assumed responsibilities as the chief ministry officer of the United Methodist Publishing House in Nashville, Tenn.
B. J. Hutto D’05, D’10 wrote “Why a church wedding?—Truth telling about Christian marriage” in the May 28, 2014, issue of The Christian Century. He is a Baptist pastor, currently completing doctoral work at the University of Aberdeen (Scotland). His wife, Rebekah McLeod Hutto D’06, is associate pastor at the Brick Presbyterian Church (New York City, N.Y.) leading programs in Christian education and discipleship.
Ken Loyer D’05 has published two books, God’s Love through the Spirit: The Holy Spirit in Thomas Aquinas and John Wesley (The Catholic University of America Press, 2014) and Holy Communion: Celebrating God with Us (Abingdon Press, 2014). He is the pastor of Otterbein UMC of Spry in York, Pa.
Gregory Ceres D’07 completed his D.Min. in Leadership in Missional Church Renewal at Eastern University’s Palmer Theological Seminary in 2014. He is the former pastor of Ferry Avenue UMC in Camden, N.J., and now serves as the assistant pastor at Peace Missionary Baptist Church in Durham, N.C.
Ben Alexander D’08 and his wife, Sarah, welcomed a baby daughter on May 5, 2014. He is the pastor at First UMC in Pittsboro, N.C.
10s
Jason R. Villegas D’13 and his wife, Elizabeth Ann, announce the birth of Worth Talbott, who was born April 20, 2014. Jason is the pastor at Rose Hill UMC in Rose Hill, N.C.
Deaths
Dermont J. Reid D’50 of Burlington, N.C., died April 20, 2014. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran and a United Methodist pastor in North Carolina, Kansas, and Virginia. He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Tennie P. Reid, a daughter, two grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
Max E. Polley D’53, G’57 of Davidson, N.C., died March 27, 2014. He was a professor of religion at Davidson College for 37 years and Cannon Professor Emeritus of Religion, a distinguished Presbyterian moderator and commissioner, and a devoted thespian with the Davidson Community Players. His wife of 63 years, Jacquelyn Vander Ven Polley, two children, and three grandchildren survive him.
Rufus H. Stark T’53, D’56 of Durham, N.C., died March 29, 2014. A United Methodist minister who served parishes across the North Carolina Conference, he was later the executive director and president of the Methodist Home for Children. He was a champion for justice and a mentor to young clergy. Survivors include his wife, Betty Lou Siegle Stark WC’53, four children, including Paul Stark T’83, D’96, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
Walter P. Weaver T’56, D’62 of Lakeland, Fla., died Feb. 18, 2014. He was a U.S. Navy veteran, Methodist pastor in North Carolina and New Jersey, and longtime professor of religion and philosophy at Florida Southern College, having also served as chair of humanities and as the Pendergrass Professor in Religion. He was a New Testament scholar, an avid golfer, and an irascible follower of Duke basketball. His wife, Peggy J. Weaver, three children, four grandchildren, and one great-grandchild survive him.
Donald K. Hanks D’60 of New Orleans, La., died March 30, 2014. He was a member of the philosophy faculty at the University of New Orleans for almost 40 years, and he was honored in 1981 with the LSU System Distinguished Faculty award and later with a scholarship endowment for the study of philosophy bearing his name. An author, innovator in criminal justice, and ironic humorist, he is survived by his wife, Jenjira Redboon, four children, and nine grandchildren.
Hubert A. Maddrey Jr. D’67 of Huntersville, N.C., died Jan. 11, 2014. He served as a United Methodist chaplain with the Department of Veterans Affairs in Hampton, Va., for 36 years. He is survived by his wife, Jane T. Maddrey, four children, and five grandchildren.