GC Retiree Association

Obituaries

Lurline West

Lurline West, a beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, also known as Mimi, passed away Wednesday, February 28, 2024, after a brief illness. She faded over the days but was surrounded by family who loved her through this transition. She ended her time on earth just as she lived. With inner strength, grace, dignity, and peace.

Lurline is survived by her husband, John West; a daughter, Claire West-Hogue (John); a son, Brandon West (Christy); and 5 loving and cherished grandchildren, Carson Webb, Weston Webb, John Ashton Pickett, William West and Austin West. She is also survived by her constant companion, her French Bulldog, Hank. Lurline was predeceased by her father E.L. Browning Sr., mother Marie Fincher Browning, and brother Lanier Browning.

John and Lurline met in Milledgeville, Georgia, in 1969. Their journey together included living in Athens, Rome, Atlanta, and Gray before returning to Baldwin County in 1987 to settle close to family where they would raise their children and welcome grandchildren through the years. John and Lurline had been married for 51 years.

Lurline was born in Telfair County on July 9, 1951, and graduated Telfair County high school in 1969. She studied at Georgia College after high school, but life intervened and she decided to get married and begin a family. She spent many years as a homemaker. As her children entered their school years, she entered full time employment. A bit later in life, while being a wife, mom, and working full time, she reentered college where she earned a bachelor’s degree in 1992 from Georgia College. Her determination to finish her education was a testimony to her admirable work ethic and grit. Lurline retired from GCSU and the J. Whitney Bunting College of Business and Technology in 2014.

John and Lurline were blessed with 5 grandchildren who all lived close by where memories of times together became abundant. She was known to them as Mimi, and she showed incredible pride in all of them and was a consistent source of kindness and love.

Louis Bourne

Dr. Louis Milton Bourne, who taught Spanish language and literature at GCSU for 16 years until his retirement in 2017, passed away December 23, 2024.

Dr. Bourne was known internationally as a translator of poetry from Spanish into English, and as the translator of Robert Bly's poetry in Spanish. He published his own collection of poems in English, The Thought of Seeing, in 2019 (Limerick, Ireland: Revival Press). The collection is a meditation from childhood memories to thoughts of old age, reflecting on his many years spent in Spain, from Franco's dictatorship to the country's cosmopolitan present; the American South; and the loss of his beloved wife, Adelina Rosales Martin, to cancer in 2007.

Born in 1942 in Richmond, Virginia, Dr. Bourne was the third of his name. His grandfather, the first Louis Bourne, was a lawyer who laid out the Code (Charter and Ordinances) for Asheville, North Carolina in 1909. The second of his name was his uncle, a Marine Corps major who made the first non-stop flight from Miami to Managua, Nicaragua in a tri-motored Fokker on January 14, 1928. Dr. Louis Bourne (the Third( was raised in Alexandria, Virginia near Washington DC, spent a yar of schooling in Mussoorie, India, in the foothills of the Himalayas, as well as half a year in Cairo, Egypt. He received a B.A. in English and Latin from the University of North Carolina, where he edited the Carolina Quarterly from 1962 to 1964; an M.A. from Hollins College, VA ; and a B.A. and M.A. in English Literature from Oxford University, where his tutor was F.W. Bateson. He earned his PhD in Spanish with New York University in Madrid.

Clyde Tipton

Born Aug. 17, 1934, Clyde died on Dec. 15, 2022, surrounded by loved ones at his home in Maine, following a serious illness.  He was 88 years old.  An accomplished composer, conductor, singer and trumpet player, Clyde was a member of the music faculty at Georgia College & State University (GCSU) from 1974 through 2000.  He also served as choir director at First Presbyterian Church Milledgeville during this time.

Originally from Richmond, Va., Clyde followed in his father's musical footsteps, playing soprano saxophone in a local May Day celebration at age 7 and singing the male lead in the operetta "Hansel and Gretel" when he was 11 years old.  He attended Richmond public schools and played trumpet in the Thomas Jefferson High School orchestra and marching band.  He also sang in church and school choirs.  Clyde earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, in vocal performance and choral conducting, respectively.  A highlight of his college career was a six-month tour with Westminster Choir throughout Asia, during which Clyde wrote a saxophone piece played by the King of Thailand.  Clyde began his career as a church musician in 1956 at The Presbyterian Church of Toms River in New Jersey and later directed the choirs at Ginter Park Baptist Church in Richmond, Va.  He began his teaching career at The Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, and subsequently joined the faculty of Rider University, where his opera, The Forced Marriage (text by Molière) was premiered.  While teaching in New Jersey, he sang lead roles with the Princeton Opera, the Mobile (Alabama) Opera and the Aspen (CO) Opera Company.

During Clyde's time in Milledgeville, his "Memorial Mass" honoring Flannery O'Connor was premiered with college and community singers in 1994 on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of O'Connor's death.  His setting of a Native American text, "Pushing Up the Sky," was premiered in Carnegie Hall by the Princeton-based American Boy Choir.  In his book "History of Georgia College & State University: 125 Years of a Liberal Arts College," Dr. Bob Wilson, professor emeritus of history and Clyde's dear friend and colleague wrote, "The music department continued to sustain and support the work of its gifted professor of music theory, a thoughtful, white-bearded man with a beautiful bass voice and a Zen-like quality, who composed sacred music, the hallmark of which was simplicity and grace.  His more secular works reflected a deeply quiet, transcendental quality."  After retiring from GCSU, Clyde and his family moved to Nairobi, Kenya. There, Clyde taught at Kenyatta University where he was composer-in-residence from 2000-2008.  He also directed the Nairobi Music Society Choir.  Clyde's compositions have been performed at new music festivals throughout the U.S. and abroad.

Clyde is remembered for his kindness, his great love of nature, especially wildflowers, his gentle spirit, and his open-hearted embrace of all people.  A person of faith with a deep concern for social justice, he was an avid reader, especially of poetry, philosophy, and theology. In a recent journal entry, he wrote, "Always seek solitude with nature.  Always seek the vastness of the stars.  Always love life, whether living or dying.  Always love stillness more than talking.  Always welcome wherever you happen to be more than where you intended to go."  During his last summer, Clyde enjoyed daily swims in the cold Atlantic Ocean.

Clyde was preceded in death by his parents, Helen and Clyde Tipton, and by his sister, Sue Tipton Moon.  He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Jane Tipton, of New Harbor, Maine; by his daughter, Pamela Rivera of Morrisville, PA; by his sons, David Tipton (Shiela), Craig Tipton of Lawrenceville, NJ, and Nelson Tipton of New Harbor, ME; by his daughter Susan Tipton (David Blackwell) of Mountain Center, CA; by his son, Bryan Tipton (Raina Ward) of Vista, CA; by his grandchildren, Adam Rivera of Morrisville, PA. and Samantha Zimmermann (Michael) of Rockledge, PA.; and great grandchildren, Aubrey and Asher Zimmermann.  He is also survived by his brother-in-law, Peter Moon of Richmond, VA, and by nephews, Michael Moon (Yuhul) of Yorktown, VA., and Jeffrey Moon (Anna) of Oakton, VA.

Memorial gifts may be made to The Open Door Community, P.O. Box 10980, Baltimore, MD 21234 or to the Choral Programs Fund: GCSU Foundation/Choral Programs, Office of University Advancement, Campus Box 96, Milledgeville, GA 31061.

Glenda Fay McCoy

Glenda Fay Roberson McCoy, age 76, of Gordon, passed away Monday, July 17, 2023.  Glenda was born on August 30, 1946, in Marion, Virginia, to the late Wilbur David Roberson and the late Callie Marie Dolinger Roberson.  Mrs. McCoy was a “Virginia Girl,” but having been here since college, lived in Georgia most of her life . Glenda Fay worked with the Baldwin County School System as an Assistant Librarian at both Midway and Southside Elementary Schools.  Additionally, she worked for many years as a Library Technician at Georgia College.  She also worked with “The Marlor House” (John Marlor Arts Center) for a number of years.  She was an artist, and enjoyed sewing, cross-stitching, and painting. Glenda Fay was a member of Friendship W. Baptist Church. 

Glenda Fay is survived by her husband, Harry A. McCoy of Gordon; her son, Scott A. McCoy (& Colleen) of Sarasota, FL; her daughter, Julie F. Treichel (& Steve) of Albuquerque, NM; her grandchildren, Ellie A. McGlohon (& David), Makai H. Treichel (& Cortlyn), Reagan M. Treichel Carlson (& Brandon), Cadence C. Treichel, Everly A. McCoy, Ava R. McCoy, and Hayes A. McCoy;  her great grandchild, Evie F. McGlohon; her sisters, Rosa Marie Boatwright (& Thomas), and Wilma Jean Gibson (& Butch); and a number of nieces and nephews. 

Charles "Bo" Rankin

Charles 'Bo' Mayo Rankin, 95, passed away peacefully at his home in Jacksonville, Fla., on March 3, 2023.  Mr. Rankin was born in Rochester, Minn., on Sept. 9, 1927, to the late Fred W. Rankin and Edith Mayo Rankin.  He was the grandson of Mayo Clinic co-founder Charles Mayo.  Mr. Rankin served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II and was honorably discharged in September 1948.  He attended Harvard University for his undergraduate studies and received a Master's degree in Teaching from Emory University.  Thereafter Mr. Rankin wed the love of his life and late wife, Annie 'Leola' Dumas. They spent much of their lives in Milledgeville, Ga., where Mr. Rankin found great passion in teaching English at Georgia College from which he retired.  He was preceded in death by his wife and three siblings, Thomas A. Rankin, Fred W. Rankin, and Edith 'Missy' Redden.  A special offer of gratitude is extended to his friends and caregivers of over 20 years, Catherine & Roosevelt Underwood.  Mr. Rankin leaves behind numerous nephews and nieces. A private memorial service was held with family on Friday, June 2, 2023, at Lexington Cemetery in Lexington, Ky.  In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to the Alzheimer's Association or a charity of one's choice.

Gerald Adkins

Dr. Gerald Wayne Adkins of the Village of Hacienda West in The Villages, Fla., born Aug. 29, 1946, passed away on June 29, 2020.  Gerald moved to The Villages in 2013 (from Milledgeville, Ga.) after retiring as a professor of computer science and mathematics at Georgia College and State University.  Gerald honorably served in the Army as a captain and helicopter pilot, with two tours in Vietnam after which he also served in the Reserves.  He is a graduate of the University of Kentucky, Florida Institute of Technology, and Texas A&M University with a Ph.D in computer science.  He was a talented musician and loved playing the guitar and French horn.  He was also an avid golfer.  Gerald, the son of the late Reuben and Odessa Adkins, is survived by his daughter, Laura Adkins Goin (husband Ryan), and granddaughters Kori and Kacy Goin, son Taylor Adkins (wife Lindsay), and his beloved Beagle Basset, Max.  He was preceded in death by his wife, Rhonda.  He was a loving and faithful father and husband, and cherished friend to all who knew him.

Dr. Larry Elowitz

“Teachers don’t impact for a year, but for a lifetime” -Anonymous

Dr. Larry Elowitz passed away on May 14, 2023. A graveside service will be held Wednesday, 2:00 p.m., May 17, 2023, at New Congregation Sha’areh Israel, with Rabbi Aaron Rubinstein officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to The Georgia College in Washington (GC in DC), Office of University Advancement, Campus Box 96, Milledgeville, GA 31061.

Dr. Elowitz is survived by his wife, Sharon Adler Elowitz; brother-in-law Jeffrey Davidson (Leah Adler Davidson, deceased) (Beth); niece, Janna Davidson Gilbert (Chris); nephew, Ian Davidson (Adrienne); great nieces and nephews, Maia Davidson, Quinn Davidson, Ryan Gilbert, and Lyla Gilbert.

Born in Elizabeth, NJ, Dr. Elowitz received his B.Ed and M.A. from the University of Miami (FL) and his Ph.D. in Political Science/International Relations from the University of Florida. In December of 1964 he married the love of his life, Sharon Adler, and last December they celebrated 58 years of marriage. Dr. and Mrs. Elowitz moved to Milledgeville, GA in 1972, and he taught in the Department of Government and Sociology for over thirty years, serving as Department Chair for 20 years. 

1n 1980 Dr. Elowitz became the first professor to occupy the Carl Vinson Chair of Political Science and Public Administration, and he held that position with distinction until the fall of 2014. Although he served as Department Chair for the Department of Government and Sociology, his love of teaching was reflected in everything he did. His courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels were very popular among students, particularly: American Foreign Policy, International Problems, Terrorism, National Security Policy, the Presidency, and Environmental Politics. In 1982-83 Dr. Elowitz was Visiting Professor of National Security Affairs at the United States Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Montgomery, Alabama.

Dr. Elowitz conducted interviews with prominent political figures such as Carl Vinson, Ted Turner and Sam Nunn, and published a number of books and articles in his field. However, he was first and foremost a teacher. Dr. Mike Digby, one of his colleagues at Georgia College described Dr. Elowitz as one of the best teachers he had ever known. Many of his students, as well as his fellow faculty members, echo that sentiment. In 1994, he was elected by his colleagues as Distinguished Professor, an award recognizing outstanding leadership, teaching, and scholarship. In a recent tribute to Dr. Elowitz on his 75th birthday, Dr. Harold Mock, Director of Leadership Programs and Assistant Professor of History at Georgia College wrote. “Dr. Elowitz has a once-in-a-generation mind. Georgia College, his department, and his students are the better for his examples of teaching, scholarship, and service.”

In addition to his studies and ongoing teaching and learning experiences, Dr. Elowitz loved movies, music, technology and sounds systems, good food, tennis, whiffleball, the New York Yankees, the Miami Dolphins, and the University of Florida Gators. He and Sharon enjoyed traveling and spending time with family. Dr. Larry Elowitz will be remembered for years to come in the hearts of those who loved him. His legacy as a master teacher will influence the lives of the many students who have taken his classes.

Sharon would like to thank the wonderful caregivers Bertha Bridges, Doris Wilson, and Tabatha Fisher, and a special thanks to the Agape Hospice team. They went above and beyond the call of duty. She could not have asked for a better group of people to help care for her husband.

Patsy Ainsley

Mrs. Patsy Carolyn Ansley, 74, passed away on May 12, 2023.  Mrs. Ansley was born in Thomson where she spent a good bit of her adult life. She moved to Milledgeville in the early 90's where she worked with Georgia College and State University as Postmaster. She was the daughter of the late Ivey C. Ansley and the late Mamie Lois Hunt Ansley and was preceded in death by a sister, Martha Strawsma. Mrs. Ansley enjoyed reading and cross-stitch. 

Survivors include her niece, Jennifer Strawsma Pressley of Milledgeville; great nephew, Brandon Pressley; great niece, Kallie Pressley; brother in law, Ron Strawsma; and several cousins and other relatives. 

Mary O'Keeffe Hargaden

Mary M. O'Keeffe Hargaden, 84, of Milledgeville, passed away Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022. A Memorial Mass will be conducted Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, at 11:30 a.m. in Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Father Kevin Hargaden officiating. Interment will be private at Honey Creek Woodlands Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, in the Aquinas Parish Hall from 10 a.m. until the service time.

Mrs. Mary Hargaden was a native of Dublin, Ireland, but had made her home in Milledgeville since 1968. She was the daughter of the late John O'Keeffe and the late Marie O'Keeffe. Mrs. Hargaden received her bachelor of arts in history from Georgia College and State University in 1985 and then worked as manager of the Museum and Archives of Georgia Education (MAGE) at Georgia College until she retired in 2003. Mrs. Hargaden was an active member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church for over 50 years. One of the founding members of the Parish Council of Catholic Women (PCCW), she served as president several times. At the Archdiocesan level she was President of the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women (ACCW) from 2001 to 2003.

Mrs. Hargad en is survived by her husband, John P. Hargaden of Milledgeville; sisters, Margaret O'Keeffe of Aughrim, Ireland, and Bernadette Leistner of Weiden, Germany; brother, John O'Keeffe of Dublin, Ireland; her daughter, Anne Hargaden of Atlanta; sons, Paul Hargaden of Sandy Springs, Father Kevin Hargaden of Cartersville and Stephen Hargaden (Tina) of Portland, Ore.; and granddaughter, Maire Hargaden of Beaverton, Ore.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations may be made to the Helping Hands Society at Sacred Heart Church, 110 N. Jefferson St., Milledgeville, Ga. 31061.

Ralph William Hemphill, Jr. 

September 30, 1942 - March 13, 2022 
Macon, Georgia - Ralph William Hemphill, Jr. was born Sept 30, 1942 in Canton, MS. He died March 13, 2022, in Macon, GA, of multiple myeloma and diabetes. He was preceded in death by parents Edna Lillian Hudnall and Ralph William Hemphill of Jackson, MS, siblings Betty Jean Nance, Patricia Ann Harkins, and Donald Wade Hemphill. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Ann Hall Hemphill. 
Ralph graduated from Murrah High School 1961, Hines Community College 1963, and the University of Mississippi, B.A. 1965, M.A. 1966, and Ph.D. 1970. At the University, he served as attorney general of the student body, executive editor of the Daily Mississippian, and news director and station manager of campus radio. He was chosen Social Science Student of the Year and Debater of the Year. 
Ralph Hemphill came to Georgia College in Milledgeville, GA, in 1968 to teach political science. He served as assistant dean of Arts and Sciences and chair of the Department of Political and Public Administration. He was selected the college's first Vice President of Academic Affairs in 1977 and immediately assumed much of the day-to-day administration of the college. With relentless energy for the next twenty-two years, he addressed problems of declining enrollment and remained dedicated to ensuring the survival and growth of Georgia College. He was a pioneer in developing instruments for assessments and evaluation. He was always anticipating future changes. Ralph was named distinguished professor in 1975 and served as acting president in the spring of 1998. Before his retirement in 2002, Ralph enjoyed his return to the classroom for four more years of teaching political theory. 
Ralph was grateful for the support he received at Central Georgia Cancer Care, Atrium Health Anderson Infusion Center, Emory University Winship Cancer Institute, and Carlyle Place Retirement Community. 
Ralph requested no service. His ashes were interred in the family lot at Riverside Cemetery in Macon. Donations may be made to the Georgia College Foundation (Sallstrom–Hemphill Faculty Honors Endowment), Box 96, Milledgeville, GA 31061. 

Gregory John Jarvie

June 11, 1952 - February 4, 2022

Gregory John Jarvie, Ph.D., passed away following complications from COVID-19 on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the age of 69, with family by his side.
Born on June 11, 1952, in Lafayette, La., he is survived by his long-time partner and wife, Carina, brothers Alan (Rachel) and Jim, sister Jean Lyn (Craig), niece Leslie Colagrosso (Matt), nephews Will and Max, as well as a great-niece Gianna and great-nephew Jonathan. He is preceded in death by his parents, William John Jarvie and Lou Anne Conques Jarvie, as well as by his beloved greyhound Soren, and Soren's brothers, the Italian greyhounds Béla and Paris.
After squeezing seven years of graduate school into ten, Greg graduated with a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Georgia (around the time of UGA's first national championship in college football). In 1982, he joined the Department of Psychology at Georgia College and was a vital and integral member of the department until his retirement in 2019. Greg taught various courses over the years but is best known for challenging students' assumptions and pre-existing beliefs in Abnormal Psychology, Aging, Psychology of Gender, X-Files and Madness.
Greg possessed a fantastic sense of humor, and many stories abound, chronicling his antics inside and outside the classroom. He once showed up dressed head to toe in full leathers to lecture on societal definitions of "What is normal?" Greg constantly pulled pranks on the nursing faculty when both departments were in Ennis Hall. He led students, faculty, and staff in the then-famous, or possibly infamous, sometimes traditional, gender stereotype-defying cover band, "The Roids." Greg never failed to capture the attention, hearts, and minds of those around him.
Greg loved music, and on many mornings in the department, you could hear him singing along, most often loudly and off-key, to a wide variety of artists, bands, and genres. "Roxanne" by the Police was a recurring favorite, as was "Shake it Off" by Taylor Swift. He also sang along with various selections by Slim Whitman, Green Day, Oingo Boingo, Neil Diamond, The Offspring, The B-52's, Bon Jovi, Paramore, and others.
Greg was responsible for writing/directing/producing/costuming and starring in several short films featuring students and faculty. Some of these received awards at the BALD Shorts Film Festival. He also formed an award-winning (at least two in ancillaries) amateur competition BBQ team comprising departmental colleagues and close friends. He'd complete the application forms, design and acquire t-shirts for team members, and then sit back with a beverage and a cigar and wait to sample the team's creations. And when the team's ribs, pulled pork, chicken, Bloody Mary's, and desserts were not enough, he'd wander off searching for the ever-elusive funnel cake. Greg also loved pie, most any kind of pie, not to mention the biscuits from the Golden Pantry.
Dr. Greg Jarvie was widely known in the local community. For decades, he maintained a private practice in clinical psychology, serving Milledgeville and the surrounding area. After retiring from Georgia College, he provided pre-trial evaluations for individuals housed in Forensic Services at Central State Hospital.
Greg could often be seen around downtown Milledgeville. When his go-to breakfast spot, Mike's Snack Shack, closed, Blackbird Coffee became his favorite morning hang out. Passers-by would often see him waiting, the embodiment of patience, his face sometimes pressed against the glass, as he longed for the clock to strike 7 a.m. He would stroll inside, order his no-frills black coffee, go to his favorite place on the couch, and wait to hold court with the close-knit group of friends he referred to as the "Coffee Clutch." Some mornings, Greg would wander across the street for blueberry pancakes at The Local Yolkal Cafe.
Greg profoundly influenced everyone around him, including his family, students, clients, colleagues, and community. He was always ready to help and gave his resources and time unselfishly. Greg continued to provide psychological services to clients when they experienced financial hardships. He offered insights and provided free mini-therapy sessions to various community members. Over the years, Greg helped a number of students. On more than one occasion, Greg paid a student's tuition. For others, he assisted with bills or medical expenses, and he made sure students were able to attend professional conferences. Greg demonstrated the kind of generosity that often changes the course of an individual's life, while leaving an unforgettable mark on countless others.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Animal Rescue Foundation in Milledgeville.

Cheyrl Kish

February 7, 1944--September 6, 2022

Cheryl Ann Pope Kish, age 78 passed away Tuesday evening, September 6, 2022, at the Westbury Center of Jackson for Nursing and Healing. She was born Monday, February 7, 1944, in Griffin, Georgia, to the late Walter Darden “Dick” Pope and Mervyn Thaxton Pope.

Cheryl graduated from Jackson High School with the class of 1962. She then earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from Piedmont College of Nursing & the Medical College of Georgia, a Masters from Georgia State University, and a Doctorate of Education from the University of Georgia. As a life-long learner, she went on to obtain her Nurse Practitioner certification by way of the University of Texas, El Paso. Throughout her lengthy career, she served the middle Georgia area as a Labor & Delivery RN, a nursing professor at Gordon College, Macon State College and Georgia College & State University, finishing her career in nursing education as the interim Dean of the College of Health Sciences at GC&SU. After her retirement from the University System of Georgia, she continued her work in the nursing education field as a nursing school accreditation consultant for the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, traveling the USA and as far away as Saudi Arabia, helping colleges and universities with their nursing program accreditation.

Cheryl was also very active in her community, serving as Executive Director of the Butts County Pregnancy Center, a member of the Board of Directors of WellStar Sylvan Grove Hospital, and a member of the First Baptist Church of Jackson where she served on international missions and as a teacher for the Senior Adult Women’s Sunday School Class for many years. In her limited spare time, she loved to travel, most notably several trips to Ireland (her favorite) and was an avid football fan, cheering on her UGA Dawgs and the Green Bay Packers.

Cheryl is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Brian & Angela Kish, and three grandchildren; Morgan Kish, Andrew Kish and Elizabeth Kish, all of Jackson.

Rommie Johnson

October 26, 1943 - October 5, 2022
Rommie Johnson, 78, Passed away October 5th, 2022, in Boone, North Carolina.

Rommie was born on October 26th, 1943, in Baxley Georgia, to Clifford and Carrie Johnson.  Rommie was preceded in death by both his parents, his brother Albert Johnson, and four sisters, Winnie Merle Herrington, Audrey Bradley, Willie Cee Reed, and Ruth Cooper.

He has one son, Richard Johnson of Hazlehurst, GA. He also has a number of nieces and nephews who cherish their memories with their "Renaissance Man," uncle. Rommie left Baxley and went to work for Georgia Public Television in Atlanta.  While there, he worked on numerous projects, which enhanced the states communication capabilities. He was a constant learner and teacher. Rommie received his pilot license to better serve the state during his time there. He retired from Public Broadcasting and helped when needed. On a trip to help with communications at Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville, Rommie found a new home. During his time there, Rommie helped with the communications program and taught astronomy to numerous other teachers.  During this time, he also received a bachelor’s degree in Theology.

Rommie eventually retired once more This time to Sugar Mountain, NC, where he developed many more dear friends including longtime friend, Sharon VanBurena.  He loved the mountains, and he loved to travel His telescopes gave him wonderful views of the stars that he loved. His nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews know more about the stars, music, politics, and life because of their precious Uncle Rommie.

Bob Wilson Publishes GC History:   

125 Years of Georgia College (1889-2014) The History of Georgia's Public Liberal Arts University

The new GC history is now available in the Governor's Mansion gift shop and at Barnes and Nobles at the Campus Theater.  

Eustace Palmer Publishes New Memoir

Eustace Palmer’s “My Epic Journey: The Making of A Cosmopolitan” is a remarkable and most compelling account of the author’s life and experiences, from the times he could recollect as a toddler, to his departure in his middle years for the United States of America. Blessed with long life and the resources to travel extensively, his memoirs could therefore go back eighty years and move from events and attitudes such as the end of the second world war and the electoral defeat of the British heroic leader Winston Churchill in 1945, to the start of the Sierra Leone civil war in 1991. Of course, the memoirs are about the individual, about the development of the gifted young boy who would eventually become a celebrated and phenomenally successful teacher, scholar and academic; but they are also national, societal, and even international. Starting with the young boy’s exposure to a colonial educational system designed to promote the interests of the British colonizer rather than colonized nationals, the memoirs show the boy taking full advantage of it nevertheless and becoming a “perfect product of the system” and one of the most successful youths of the time in the whole of West Africa. The boy is also growing up in Freetown Krio society, and the memoirs inevitably give a detailed presentation of Krio social, cultural, and religious practices and attitudes. Moving to Britain to pursue higher education, the young man is well placed to study and appreciate the history, culture, educational system, and politics of the United Kingdom, and there are powerful vignettes presenting various aspects of the British social, political and educational structure. The memoirs move to Europe which the student visits several times to improve his knowledge of some European languages and gain understanding of the European character and significant historical European events such as the Renaissance. He visits the United States where he becomes acutely aware of the momentum of The Civil Rights Movement and the signing of various civil rights bills. The reader is held spellbound by the accounts of momentous world events such as the death of Pope John the twenty-third and the election of Pope Paul the sixth, the death and funeral of Sir Winston Churchill, the death and funeral of President Kennedy, and, later, the Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. It is obvious that the young man is preparing himself for leadership and to become not only a model African, but also a model cosmopolitan. He is cognizant of his Krio/African heritage, but he is also preparing himself to become a global citizen who could respond adequately to world trends attitudes.
Returning to Sierra Leone after acquiring “the Golden Fleece,” he places the experience, knowledge, and leadership qualities he has acquired to the service of his country, particularly as a scholar and educator in the field of academia, but he is also active in the educational and religious fields in general. The account of political, educational, and religious developments in this post-independence period is the most riveting of all. Sierra Leoneans in general, and Professor Palmer’s former students and colleagues in particular, will find this book enlightening and riveting, but so will other readers in Europe, the United States, and Africa.

Sarah Gordon publishes new poetry collection

THE LOST THING is a collection of poems exploring absence and loss and the potential of language to witness that loss. These poems capture the certain fading away--of family, individuals, places, and emotions. The inevitable erasures of time are countered by poetry that is often startling and compelling, asserting the necessity for a clear-eyed sensibility that is both honest and humane. The poet steadfastly refuses to settle for a facile cheerfulness or inspiration. Her territory is wide-ranging, sometimes wry, and relentlessly probing, with an eye always to the ironic, the strange, and the downright curious. In images that are precise and memorable, Gordon's poetry is hard-hitting and provocative, covering diverse subjects from the worlds of art, poetry, history, as well as the quotidian, topics often turned inside out to ensure the reader's focus and renewed attention.

Martin Lammon publishes new poetry collection

Martin Lammon's long-awaited second collection, The Long Road Home, offers poems that tell stories about a son's affection for his mother and father, and a husband's abiding love. His poems tell stories about back roads that crisscross Ohio's heartland, the Deep South, and beyond his homeland's borders, stories sometimes sad, sometimes funny, but always surprisingly familiar. Whether searching for Emus near the Oconee River, feeding pigs on his grandfather's farm, dancing with his beloved, or climbing up Blood Mountain and singing just for fun to the birds, Lammon reminds us how poems preserve best those moments that we long to hold on to, rewind and replay again and again. Like the poet Robert Frost, Lammon chooses the road less traveled, but rather than go alone down that solitary road, he invites the reader to join him on the journey