A Season of Loss

MHU Loses Four Members of the Campus Community

Faculty, staff, and students gathered around the fountain on Lunsford Commons on March 4 to honor the life of Daniel Hudgins, a student who, three days before, had lost his courageous battle with liver cancer. “I got to watch him grow up, develop, cultivate his passion to help others as the nurse he dreamed of being,” said Professor Marc Mullinax, who was Daniel’s godfather, “As he grew, he developed a 200-watt infectious smile, a smile that was the prelude of his compassion.” As Mullinax and other speakers remembered the young man—with his ready smile and kind ways— the scene was all too familiar. It was the fourth time in a little more than a year that the campus community had gathered in just this way to remember the loss of one of their own.

Cindy Moore Coffey of Mars Hill, a member of the housekeeping staff, passed away on August 29, 2021 after an illness. The campus community gathered on September 1 to remember her.

April Hamby, Cindy’s coworker, said that it was “a blast” to work with Cindy. “Cindy told the funniest jokes while we were working,” she said. “She kept us all laughing.” Cindy loved her family and often talked about her twin granddaughters and her grandson. She was a caregiver to her husband and was always taking care of others before herself, Hamby said. “Cindy was a joy to work with and she is greatly missed,” she said. The campus community was shaken again October 29 when J’son Pitts, a sophomore student from Gastonia, passed away during a weekend trip home. On the first day of November, the campus community met on the quad for yet another memorial. Coach Tim Clifton remembered the young man as someone who wanted to use his life to help others. “J’son was a very caring young man who never met a stranger. He had great aspirations in life and was looking forward to helping others, especially young men, become successful,” he said. Longtime volleyball coach Raoul “Tony” Fontanelle, who passed away February 15, 2021, was remembered in the spring 2021 issue of Mars Hill the Magazine. Fontanelle had coached at MHU since 2004.

MHU Director of Athletics Rick Baker said, “Tony was a great friend and a great coach. He cared deeply for his players and loved coaching. Tony was always willing to help wherever needed. He was devoted to coaching his teams and serving our university.”

Daniel Hudgins

Cindy Coffey

J’son Pitts