The Berea College Alumni Association enjoys hearing from Bereans from all over the world. The “Class Notes” section of Berea College magazine reports verifiable news you wish to share with your alumni friends and associates: careers, weddings, retirements, births, and other items of importance to our alumni. Please include your class year and name used while attending Berea. Notes may be edited for style and length. While we will make every effort to put your information into the next issue of BCM, some delays may occur. We appreciate your understanding.
Submit class notes and photographs here or via email: alumninews@berea.edu.
Tap or click on the arrows beside each year below to display Class Notes and photos.
1954
John Ken Gwinn, with his spouse, Lynette, flew to Qatar for two weeks in February to visit with their grandson who works at the U.S. Embassy in Doha. The presence of their two great-granddaughters made the trip extra enjoyable.
1960
Veda Webb Davis lives in western North Carolina. She has written three children’s books. Her first book “Kazuko and the Gardens of Manzanar,” is available on Amazon. The other two illustrated books should be available soon. “Tenny and the Big Move” has a main character who ultimately attends Berea College and “The Gentle Hunters” is about pre-colonial Native Americans in western North Carolina.
1964
Raleigh and Rita Johnson have been married 61 years. They met at Berea College in 1960. The Johnsons are retired. Their address is 4510 Cypress Pond Court, Houston, TX 77059
Dr. Larry E. West and his wife, Suzanne, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in September 2023. The couple married in Danforth Chapel at the beginning of their senior year.
1965
Kattie Deel Blankenship’s husband, Alvin, passed away June 18, 2022, which was 20 days shy of their 55th wedding anniversary. She thanks everyone for their prayers.
Edith Elmira Vance is a retired RN. She served in the Air Force and as a county health nurse in Bakersville, N.C.
1967
Dr. Essie P. Knuckle presented her second book “Slate Hill-1949: My Five-Year-Old Memories of Family and Slate Hill, A Community in Roanoke, Virginia,” at the 21st annual Virginia Festival of the Book. Read more.
1970
Carolyn Coffey Pennington has a poem in the February 2024 issue of Kentucky Monthly that won the Penned Literary Contest. The poem is “Appearance,” on page 34 of the magazine. Pennington also has five short poems in the anthology “Red Lick Valley Press: Coming of Age,” writing and art by women 60 and older.
1984
Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews, who served as a guest artist/visiting assistant professor of theatre from 1996-1997, is a Long Island-based voice and speech coach and is also president and founder
of the Tribute and Honor Foundation, a non-profit organization with a mission to honor and support veterans and their families. He is pictured presenting a citation on behalf of the foundation to Korean War veteran Ben Farnan as board members look on. Learn more about the foundation at www.TributeAndHonorFoundation.org.
1998
Dr. Chris Lakes is the new associate dean for student affairs at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. This comes after 23 years of professional service to the amazing students at Berea College.
Ricky Eugene Kirk, II recently was promoted to senior dining services director for ATLAS Senior Living. He has been an integral part of developing standards in ATLAS Senior Living communities. He hosts monthly dining calls, onboards new directors of dining services and provides support to communities in need of additional resources to excel. Kirk has more than nine years’ experience as a chef. He began his ATLAS career at Legacy Reserve at Fritz Farm in Lexington, Ky. He currently serves as dining services director at Lake Howard Heights in Winter Haven, Fla. Kirk will continue to support his home community in his new role.
1999
Celebrating 25 years at Homecoming 2024.
2002
Bobi Conn published a novel called “Someplace Like Home” in May. Conn grew up outside of Morehead and is now based in Berea; this is her third book. Conn’s 2020 memoir, “In the Shadow of the Valley,” recounted her upbringing with unvarnished honesty—from the boundless beauty of her family’s holler to the horrific violence of her abusive, addicted father. Its publication led Conn into a surprising dialogue with her mother and a desire to give voice to this woman she had so long struggled to understand. The resulting novel, “Someplace Like Home,” is inspired by her mother’s story and brings the reader on a journey to the outskirts of Morehead alongside three generations of strong women. As Conn explores her characters’ perspectives, she raises questions about our origin stories, the fraught nature of memory and the ripple effect of trauma through generations.
2004
Celebrating 20 years at Homecoming 2024.
2009
Celebrating 15 years at Homecoming 2024.
2014
Celebrating 10 years at Homecoming 2024.
2019
Celebrating five years at Homecoming 2024.
2023
Ozemeyi “Oze” Egure writes,
“Hello fellow Bereans! I am writing this class note to encourage you and remind you of the greatness inside of you. I graduated from the Berea College Nursing Program, and I am class of 2023. I am now working my dream nursing job as a post-partum nurse in Georgia. I was once in a place where I questioned everything. Am I smart enough to be here? Am I good enough to be a nurse? What if I don’t make it to graduation? The imposter syndrome was something and it was quite crippling. I am here to tell you if I can do it, you definitely can, too. You are here for a purpose and there is a reason Berea College chose you to attend this prestigious college. They saw greatness in you, and it is important that you see it in yourself. Specifically, to my nursing students:
I want to let you know I am proud of you whether you just declared your major to it being your final semester. I need you to just remember that success is possible, you are capable, and to be unstoppable. P.S. Don’t forget to massage the fundus. LOL. Sending all my love, prayers and support.
Yours Truly, Ozemeyi ‘Oze’ Egure RN, BSN.”
2024
Celebrating its first reunion at Homecoming 2024.
