VSU Honors Retired Faculty and Staff

Dr. Richard A. Carvajal, president of Valdosta State University, is pictured with Dr. James T. Baxter, who retired at the end of the 2019-2020 academic year after 47 years of service to Blazer Nation. He taught chemistry from 1973 to 2020 and served as head of the Department of Chemistry from 2002 until his retirement. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Valdosta State in 1966. Before becoming an official member of the VSU faculty, he filled in for a professor on leave, serving as a temporary instructor from 1971 to 1972.   Additional images may be viewed / downloaded at https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzLrZW.

VALDOSTA — Valdosta State University recently hosted a Retiree Recognition Ceremony and Celebration in honor of the 109 faculty and staff members who either retired during the past three years or will retire in the coming weeks.

Due to the global health crisis known as COVID-19, this is the first year that the university community has gathered to honor its retirees since Spring 2019.

“I am proud to honor our retirees and to celebrate and recognize their hard work, dedication, and lasting contributions to VSU,” said Dr. Richard A. Carvajal, president. “VSU is incredibly blessed to have a world-class faculty and staff. They are the heart and soul of this institution. Every role at VSU is critical to achieving our mission, and my hope is that our retirees never underestimate the impact they’ve had, and continue to have, on the lives of others as a result of their years of service.”  

2019-2020 Retirees

• Shirley P. Andrews, 1996-2019
• Lora S. Backes, 1993-2019
• Chester C. Ballard, 1985-2020
• Napoleon A. Bamfo, 1993-2020
• James T. Baxter, 1973-2020
• T. Diane L. Cocke, 2005-2020
• Ted Davis Jr., 1998-2020
• Dianne C. Dees, 2006-2019
• Ann B. Farmer, 1997-2020
• Russell H. Goddard, 1994-2020
• Robert B. Green III, 2000-2019
• Debra Kay Ingram, 1989-2019
• Esther L. Iverson, 2009-2019
• Brenda K. Johnson, 1994-2019
• Arthur E. Jonas, 2006-2020
• Curtis S. Lowe, 2003-2020
• Babacar Mboup, 2002-2020
• Debra G. McCrary, 2011-2020
• Teresa D. Musgrove, 1989-2019
• Carolyn L. Nelson, 1997-2019
• Lai Kent Orenduff, 2004-2019
• Beverly D. Phelps, 2006-2020
• Linda H. Phillips, 2005-2019
• William K. Postel, 1996-2020
• Beverley A. Richardson-Blake, 1992-2019
• Walter G. Rollenhagen, 1998-2020
• Aristotelis Santas, 1990-2019
• Nancy A. Sartin, 2010-2020
• Melvin E. Schnake, 1989-2020
• Gerald R. Siegrist, 1997-2020
• Sara J. Smith, 1994-2019
• Helen A. Wishart, 2003-2020

2020-2021 Retirees

• Angela M. Acosta, 2007-2021
• Terrie L. Adrian, 2003-2021
• Phyllis T. Alvarez, 2007-2021
• Frank Anderson, 2010-2020
• Marty S. Atkins, 1980-2021
• Amy B. Aud, 2005-2020
• Judy L. Bailey, 1983-2020
• John T. Barbas, 1982-2021
• Jamie T. Bird, 2011-2020
• W. Kevin Boyd, 2004-2020
• Drew W. Burgering, 2008-2020
• Arthur G. Calhoun Jr., 2009-2021
• Thomas E. Carter Jr., 2006-2020
• Melinda C. Cutchens, 1993-2020
• E. Lee Davis, 2017-2020
• Clarence W. Dunaway Jr., 2001-2020
• Said C. Fares, 1985-2021
• Jill L. Ferrell, 1996-2021
• Darrell G. Fike, 1999-2020
• Elizabeth A. Goode, 1995-2021
• Sandra B. Griffin, 1985-2020
• Jacquelyn Diane Guess, 1988-2020
• Mary Frances Hightower, 1994-2021
• Debra H. Holley, 1989-2021
• James F. Jenkins, 2010-2020
• Charles T. Johnson, 1997-2021
• Janice E. Key, 1995-2020
• Evelyn Kirkland, 2011-2021
• Leonard J. Kumpik, 2006-2021
• Pamela P. Lesane, 2007-2020
• Lorna P. Mullis, 2003-2020
• Corine C. Myers-Jennings, 1995-2021 (Deceased)
• Beatriz Potter, 2005-2020
• L. Wayne Plumly Jr., 1980-2020
• Matthew J. Richard, 1997-2021
• John Gardner Rogers, 2008-2020
• Kenneth S. Rumstay, 1984-2021
• Michael Sanger, 2005-2021
• Nanci A. Scheetz, 1999-2021
• Karen P. Sodowsky, 2007-2020
• Gabriele M. Stellmacher, 2003-2020
• Ronald A. Stunda, 2011-2021
• Annetta L. Taylor, 2005-2020
• Jeffrey L. Vasseur, 1996-2021
• Maggie J. Viverette, 1992-2021
• Marsha K. Walden, 1995-2021
• Jacqueline S. Wheeler, 1982-2020
• Mary Ann Wheelis, 2009-2021 (Deceased)
• Denise A. Woodruff, 2006-2020
• Robert P. (Sherman) Yehl, 2011-2021

2021-2022 Retirees

• Marie E. Bertsch, 2011-2021
• Julie A. Bowland, 2002-2022
• Deserie C. Bruton, 2012-2022
• J. Lee Campbell, 1995-2022
• Edward E. Chatelain, 1987-2022
• Loretha Copeland, 2001-2021
• Angela B. Culbreth, 1997-2021
• Frederick L. Downing, 2006-2022
• John F. Elder, 1996-2022
• Mary A. Fares, 1993-2022
• Bobby V. Flowers, 2001-2022
• Melody M. Fuller, 2009-2021
• Joyce Gates, 1991-2021
• Sheree C. Hudson, 2000-2021
• Karla M. Hull, 1996-2022
• Monroe Inman Jr., 1983-2022
• Donald W. Leech, 2000-2022
• Lisa H. Long, 1989-2022
• Colleen M. McDonough, 1994-2022
• Mark E. Mears, 2005-2022
• Sage W. Merwin, 1991-2022
• Patricia A. Miller, 1989-2022
• Joseph A. Newton III, 1992-2022
• Steven A. Scheuler, 2001-2022
• Richard A. Schmertzing, 1998-2022
• Shirley A. Serini, 2011-2022
• Barbara A. Thomas, 2006-2021

The Retiree Recognition Ceremony and Celebration ended with each of the retirees being inducted into the VSU Retirees Association.

The VSU Retirees Association strives to help faculty and staff maintain their connection to the university throughout retirement by providing opportunities for them to remain involved in campus life and to serve as a resource to current faculty, staff, students, as well as alumni.

The Retirees Association’s home on campus, the VSU Retiree Center, is located in University Center Room 1101.

On the Web:
https://www.valdosta.edu/administration/retirees/