In Memoriam

The college remembers those we have lost.

Notifications received June – September 2020

Ginny Kessel ’45, June 14, 2020

Phyllis Porter Jones ’47, September 11, 2020

Paula Watson Whitson ’47, September 1, 2018

Betty Harper Blackburn ’48, July 11, 2020

Cindy Pierce Hight ’50, April 16, 2020

Carolee Axtell Galbraith ’55, July 12, 2020

Gay Hoyt-Weston ’55, August 4, 2020

Kay Shoner ’56, August 18, 2020

Kay Williams Hudson ’57, August 24, 2020

Joan Tottenham Buell ’58, August 19, 2020

Annabelle Wilson Krueger ’58, August 31, 2020

James Shaw ’75, July 26, 2020

John Strom ’76, June 29, 2020

Vincent Ventimigilia ’76, February 24, 2020

Lisa Edelmann Rees, ’78 June 29, 2020

Robert Caldwell ’79, June 17, 2020

Jane Foland Poore ’80, September 15, 2020

Robert Ferreira ’85, July 18, 2020

Sharon Small Mitchell ’99, September 6, 2020

Tom Atkins

Tom Atkins, a longtime trustee, friend and benefactor of the college, passed away July 22, 2020.

Tom was a member of the Board of Trustees from 1976-2001. Columbia College flourished during his time as Chair for 17 of those years (1982-1999) and was named Trustee Emeritus for his exemplary service. He supported several initiatives vital to our success, including the construction of Atkins-Holman Student Commons, which is named in honor of Tom and his wife of 63 years, Linda Holman Atkins ’54. Their philanthropy was key in the construction of the Brouder Science Center and the Quad beautification project. Tom and Linda also supported the George Ann and Sydney Larson Scholarship, as well as Cougar Athletics. He also served as a curator at the University of Missouri.

President Scott Dalrymple presented Tom with an honorary doctoral degree at the Spring 2019 commencement ceremony. “Tom’s passion for the Columbia community, success in his family business and support of Columbia College earned him this honor, which few individuals in the college’s history have received,” Dalrymple says.

Renee Karczewski

Renee Karczewski, who served as the director of our location on Fort Sill in Oklahoma and a regional director, passed away Sept. 23, 2020.

Renee joined the college in 2012, and following the reorganization of Columbia College Global was promoted to regional director for Military Region I in 2018. She had previously served as a teacher and acting principal for Lawton Public Schools and also taught online and in-seat education classes for Cameron University.

Renee is survived by her husband, Paul, and her two teenaged children, Braden and Alissa.

To notify the CCAA of Columbia (Christian) alumni who have passed recently, please send an email with the link to the obituary to ccalum@ ccis.edu. If you would like to make a gift in memory of a loved one, you may mail a check in the envelope provided in this magazine (write “in memory of” and the name of the individual on the memo line) or visit ccis.edu/onlinegiving.