HUNTINGDON COLLEGE

News Release

April 1, 2024
For more information, contact:
Dr. Anthony Leigh, aleigh@hawks.huntingdon.edu

March 2024 Alumni News

Births

• Zach den Besten ‘15 and his wife, Lindsay, welcomed a son, Parker James den Besten, in March 2024.
• Rodes Bowers ‘14 and his wife, Danielle, welcomed a son, Merritt Rodes Bowers, in March 2024.
• Samantha Havel-Blanquiset ‘15 and her husband, Eliecer, welcomed a son, Theodore Ja’cari (Teddy) Blanquiset, in March 2024.
• Will ‘14 and Michelle Gonzalez Davis ‘14 recently welcomed a son, Santi Davis.
• Jessica Kyser Duggins ‘14 and her husband welcomed a son, Cephas Jude Duggins, in March 2024.
• Sara Pittman Luly ‘15 and her husband, Chris, welcomed a daughter, Nora Ingrid Luly, in February 2024.
• Kali Martin Myrick ‘16 and her husband, Jared, welcomed a daughter, Anna Kate Myrick, in March 2024.
• Matt Reilly ‘15 and his wife, Hannah, welcomed a son, Baker Matthew Reilly, in March 2024.
• Lori Bonds Rider ‘10 and her husband, Wesley, welcomed a daughter, Ruthie Caroline Rider, in March 2024.
• Jes Smith ‘10 and his wife, Kayla, welcomed a daughter, Pyper Brooke Smith, in March 2024.
• Dr. Brandon Veach ‘15 and his wife, Lauren, welcomed twins, Charlotte Anne Veach and Coleman Webster Veach, in March 2024.

Weddings

• Garrett Breland ‘19 married Morgan Zettle on March 24, 2024.
• Corey Lowe ‘19 married Kayla Benton on March 9, 2024.
• Jase Munroe ‘21 married Lauren Meredith on March 16, 2024.
• Troy Mandris ‘19 married Morgan Floyd on March 30, 2024.
• Shannen O’Leary ‘16 married Camille Sanford on March 1, 2024.
• D’awvalo Turnipseed ‘13 married Elizabeth Anne Jordan on March 16, 2024.
• Dr. Ashlee Walters ‘12 married Chris Alonzo on March 16, 2024.

Retirements/Promotions/Honors/General News

• Dr. Matthew Lewis ‘07 has been appointed Assistant Professor of Biology at Lincoln Memorial University.
• Sidney Carol Hall Barnhardt ‘19, Katy Garren Brasfield ‘16, Blake Lawley ‘15 and Hunter Smith ‘14 have been named to the Central Alabama Inc. 40 Under 40 List.
• Will Wright ‘15 has been promoted to the Director of Applied Science for football at The University of Alabama.
• Mac Hirsh ‘23 graduated from the United States Marine Corps Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia, and is being commissioned as a Second Lieutenant.
• Amber Shirley ‘20, a Lincoln Memorial University-DCOM student, was elected as the American Medical Association (AMA) Medical Student Section (MSS) Region 4 Chair.
• Koby Townsend ‘21 has been named the Interim City Manager for DeFuniak Springs, Florida.

In Memoriam

• Ruth Milner Morrison ‘49 died on March 6, 2024.
• John Dennis Gorman ‘61 died on March 13, 2024, in Florida.
• Dr. Sandra Sullivan Houston ‘65 died on March 26, 2024, in Huntsville, Alabama.
• John Peach Hightower, Jr. ‘67 died on February 14, 2024, in Palm Desert, California.
• Nina Elizabeth Chapman Philpot ‘73 died on February 27, 2024, in Camden, Alabama.
• Freddie Hugh Davis ‘79 died on March 12, 2024.
• Nicholas Knute Hessman ‘06 died in March 2024.
• Chris Kelser died on March 19, 2024, in Deatsville, Alabama.  He is survived by his wife, Sandy Kelser, a long-time dedicated employee in the President’s Office until her retirement in 2022, and their sons, Todd Kelser ‘02 and Matt Kelser ‘07.
• Mike Watson died on March 22, 2024, in Montgomery, Alabama.  He was a member of the Huntingdon Society. We extend our condolences to his family including his son, Mason Watson, a volunteer with the Huntingdon football program.

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Huntingdon College, in accordance with Title IX and Section 106.8 of the 2020 Final Rule under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, other applicable federal and state law, and stated College policy, prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex.  Similarly, it prohibits discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, religion, age and/or national origin in its education program