HUNTINGDON COLLEGE

News Release

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

January 2024 Alumni News

Photo: Dr. Savannah Ryan ’21 and Chris Bishop ’21 celebrate with friends and family at their wedding in Fairhope.  Photo credit: RoxDue Photography.

Births

Heather Wilson Ertel ‘15 and her husband, Chad, welcomed a son, Brayden Colt Ertel, in January 2024.

Alex Hillman ‘19 and Hakeem Filmore ‘20 welcomed a daughter, Nylah, in January 2024.

Blake Lawley ‘15 and his wife, Kacy, welcomed a daughter, Saylor Elizabeth Lawley, in December 2023.

Heath Miller ‘10 and his wife, Erin, welcomed a son, Preston John Miller, in January 2024.

PresLee Pittman ‘24 and Eli Cobern welcomed a daughter, PaisLee Daun Cobern, in January 2024.

Sarah Wiersema ‘23 and her husband, David, welcomed a daughter, Abigail Joy Wiersema, in January 2024.

Murrey McDonald Zimmerman ‘17 and her husband, Drew, welcomed a son, Avry Hunter Zimmerman in December 2023.

Weddings

Chris Bishop ‘21 married Dr. Savannah Ryan ‘21 on December 30, 2023.

Addi Genard ‘21 married Ab Abernathy on January 20, 2024

Jessica Holliday ‘22 married Chase Merritt on January 27, 2024.

Stephen Thornton ‘22 married Jordan Figurin on December 30, 2023.

Graduate School Achievements

Dr. Amanda Crowell ‘21 completed a doctorate in occupational therapy from the University of Alabama-Birmingham.

Jessi Gonet Goodwin ‘02 completed a master’s degree in art education from AOEU in 2023.

Maria Silva ‘20 graduated from Faulkner University with a master’s degree in physician assistant studies.

Honors/General News

Ann Manry Kenyon ‘57 recently completed a commissioned portrait of the First Lady of Florida, Casey DeSantis. She also painted a portrait of Alabama Governor Kay Ivey that will be presented and hung in the Rotunda of the Alabama State Capitol. She has previously completed a commissioned portrait of former President Donald Trump, his wife, Melania, and son, Barron.

For the second year in a row, the Alabama Golf Association has named Shaw Pritchett ‘92 the Alabama Senior Men’s Player of the Year.

Dr. Diana Gray ‘04 was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the Beta Nu Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

Matt Johnson ‘08 was named the 2A Coach of the Year by the Alabama Football Coaches Association. He led Reeltown High School to an appearance in the 2A state championship game in December.

Ashley Williams ’09 was awarded the Ambassador of the Year and her company, Pest Pro, was awarded Small Business of the Year by the Millbrook Area Chamber of Commerce and named a top 15 Small Business for the State of Alabama.

Catherine Naylor Sheppard ‘11 was named Teacher of the Year at Murphy High School in Mobile.

Tyler Robinson ‘14, a teacher and head football coach at St. Clair County High School in Odenville, Alabama, was named County Coach of the Year. He serves alongside Landon Cotney ‘23 and Tyler Jackson ‘23.

In Memoriam

Anne Durr Palmer ‘47 died on January 1, 2024.

Helen Parkman Land ‘51 died on January 12, 2024, in Birmingham, Alabama.

Betty Seymour Perdue ‘51 died on January 4, 2024, in Montgomery, Alabama. She was the 2015 recipient of the Alumni Achievement Award, and a member of every giving society at Huntingdon.

Malinda Robertson Daniel ‘52 died on January 25, 2024, in Fayette, Alabama.

Dr. Gwendolyn Smith Pearson ‘52 died on January 12, 2024, in Montgomery, Alabama. She was preceded in death by her husband, William M. Pearson ‘47.

Ruby Wilson Huntley ‘57 died on January 24, 2024, in Wadesboro, North Carolina.

George “Mac” Mallory Jarvis ‘57 died on January 22, 2024, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Robert “Bob” Williford Salter ‘65 died on December 25, 2023, in Bay Minette, Alabama. We extend condolences to his wife, Martha Brown Salter ‘67.

Lee Reynolds Sewell ‘69 died on January 10, 2024, in Atlanta, Georgia. We extend our condolences to her husband, Randy Sewell ‘69.

Lyn Praytor Oberkirch ‘72 died December 30, 2023, in Slidell, Louisiana.  She was preceded in death by her mother, Ivy Pope Praytor ‘48.

Lori Williams Montgomery ‘85 died on December 31, 2023, in Murphy, North Carolina.

Ray Denmark “Smoke” Johnson ‘90 died on January 3, 2024, in Montgomery, Alabama.

Susan M. Strong ‘94 died on January 8, 2024, in Birmingham, Alabama.

Barbara Haney Smith ‘01 died on January 1, 2024, in Montgomery, Alabama. She was a former member of the Huntingdon alumni office staff.

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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