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UGA Mourns the Loss of Three Great Members of the Bulldog Family

Although I never look forward to featuring the passing of UGA alumni on this blog, I do enjoy looking back on the lives of the University’s great graduates and celebrating their lives and accomplishments. January marked the passing of three storied members of the Bulldog family and I’d like to take a moment to recognize them.

Curtis “Coot” Beall (BSA ’47), of Dublin, Georgia, passed away surrounded by family members on January 10. Beal was born in 1922 in Brewton, Georgia, and graduated from UGA. While in Athens, he was active in campus activities including Gridiron, Omicron Delta Kappa, Aghon, and Blue Key Honor Society. Having been on the 1942 cheering squad when UGA played in the Rose Bowl, Beall held the distinction of being UGA’s oldest living male cheerleader. He led Sanford Stadium in cheers at the annual Homecoming game until 2011. Proceeds from Beall’s book, Memoirs of a Marine Dawg: From the Rose Bowl to the Pacific Theatre, will be donated to UGA Cheerleading. Curtis will be remembered as one of the most devoted fans in Georgia history.

James “Jim” Colvert, 91, died in Athens on January 13. Colvert came to UGA in 1968 as editor of The Georgia Review, and was a full professor until he retired in 1988. He was also head of the English Department for seven years. Before arriving in Athens, Colvert served in the United States Army Air Corps in World War II. His family and friends enjoyed his stories, often humorous, about his experiences and observations from a life well-lived.

Former Alabama Senator Hinton Mitchem (BSED ’61) was born in 1938 in Georgia. After graduating from UGA, where he lettered in baseball, he took a job in Oconee County that soon transferred him to Albertville, Alabama. He became involved with the city’s Chamber of Commerce, was elected to the city council and eventually made his way to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1975. Mitchem became a state senator four years later and served in the Alabama State Senate until he retired in 2011. He is remembered by friends and family for his loyalty to UGA despite living in a state filled with SEC foes. Mitchem passed away in his home on January 22 surrounded by family.

Although I am saddened by the passing of these men, we are fortunately left with lasting memories of their time with us. UGA alumni and friends have the families of Jim Colvert, Coot Beall, and Hinton Mitchem in their thoughts and prayers, and we celebrate the part they played in the University of Georgia story.

Information or this blog post was sourced from the following links: Colvert, Beall, and Mitchem.

Recent Entries

05.17.2013

Betsy Crossley (BS ’77, MS ’80) elected mayor of Nashville suburb

Congratulations to newly elected Brentwood, Tenn., Mayor Betsy Crossley (BS ’77, MS ’80)!

Elected as a Brentwood City Commissioner in 2007, Crossley previously served as mayor from 2009 until 2011. She has been a member of the city's Historic Commission, Planning Commission, Tree Board and Library Board. For the past five years, she has served as a member of the Tennessee Municipal League's Board advocating on behalf of municipalities. On the state level, Crossley was appointed to a three-year term on the Tennessee Water and Wastewater Financing Board by the governor in 2011. In 2012, the Speaker of the House appointed her to a two-year term as a member of the Tennessee Local Development Authority. Crossley was the first woman ever appointed to serve in that position.

The alumna moved to Brentwood in 1999. Prior to her public service there, she was a medical researcher and teacher. Her community involvement includes Christ United Methodist Church, the Williamson County Education Foundation Board, Leadership and Youth Leadership Brentwood, Williamson County Chamber of Commerce, Brentwood Rotary Club, and the American Heart Association.

She has been married for more than 30 years to her husband, George. They have two sons who graduated from the University of Tennessee (we’ll let that slide).

We are so impressed with Crossley’s commitment to her community and are impressed by her continued leadership in the Nashville area. Best of luck in this term, Betsy!

05.16.2013

Spotlight on the Jane and Harry Willson Center for Humanities & Arts

The UGA Willson Center for Humanities & Arts is a showcase for faculty innovation and achievement. It facilitates intellectual exchange with the University and the public by the encouragement of interdisciplinary activity, which extends to the sciences and other orders of knowledge.

The Center is named for Jane Willson, the owner of Sunnyland Farms, Inc., the largest mail-order pecan business in the country, and her late husband Harry Willson, who was the chairman and CEO of Sunnyland Farms before his death in 2004.

The Willson Center for Humanities and Arts was founded as the Humanities Center in 1987 and named thereafter the Center for Humanities and Arts (1997) and the Jane and Harry Willson Center for Humanities and Arts (2005).

The Center coordinates a number of wonderful programs, including today’s special event with Ambassador James A. Joseph titled “Leadership as a Way of Being: Reflections on Nelson Mandela, Servant Leadership and Personal Renewal.” Joseph was the U.S. ambassador to South Africa from 1995 to 1999, the only person in that office to present his credentials to President Nelson Mandela. He served in the administrations of four presidents of the United States.

If you aren’t acquainted with the Willson Center, I encourage you to visit its website at www.willson.uga.edu to learn more about upcoming events. Our University is blessed to have such an incredible resource on campus – another reason it’s great to be a Georgia Bulldog!

05.15.2013

Alumnus leads Columbus, Ohio, arts council

Early last month, Tom Katzenmeyer (AB ’76) took over as president and CEO of the Greater Columbus (Ohio) Arts Council. The organization distributes funds for the arts, and advocates and markets the Central Ohio arts community. In this role, Katzenmeyer will oversee a staff of 11 and a budget of more than $6 million. His fellow Columbus cultural leaders say he is a strong choice for the position because of his expertise in navigating politics and business.

Just prior to joining the Arts Council, the alumnus served as senior vice president for university communications for The Ohio State University. At Ohio State, Tom oversaw university-wide communications and reputation management.

Before joining Ohio State, he was senior vice president of investor, media, and community relations for Limited Brands, Inc. He was responsible for the company’s relationships with investors and analysts, local media, national business and trade press, and the nonprofit and philanthropic community.

Prior to joining Limited in 1990, Katzenmeyer served as executive assistant for legislative affairs to the Governor of Ohio for four years. His public service career spans nearly 15 years, including time on the staff of Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Department of Development.

Congratulations to Tom as he takes on this new role – I have no doubt he will help the Greater Columbus Arts Council continue to thrive!

Information for this post was sourced from the Greater Columbus Arts Council website and The Columbus Dispatch.

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