SUMMER 2019
2018-19
BOARD OF TRUSTEES EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MICHAEL K. ALFORD ’82
OUR MISSION Virginia Episcopal School is an engaging community that guides students to strive toward full stature in their academic, ethical, spiritual and personal growth.
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Catherine Hunter Varner DESIGNER Esther Underwood WRITERS Catherine Hunter Varner Jillian Sollazzo-Wang PHOTOGRAPHERS Mark Thompson Adam Underwood Esther Underwood Catherine Hunter Varner
Greensboro, NC
CHAIR, BOARD OF TRUSTEES Jacksonville, NC
SARAH P. DU BOSE P ’13, ’18
MARY HODGES GEORGE ’89
STEPHEN M. FARMER
VICE CHAIR, BOARD OF TRUSTEES Charlottesville, VA
C. LYNCH CHRISTIAN III ’69
CHAIR, FINANCE & INVESTMENTS Lynchburg, VA
ROBERT D. COOK, M.D. ’79 P ’18, ’20 CHAIR, COMMITTEE ON TRUSTEES Lynchburg, VA
ELIZABETH M. ELLISON ’96 HEADMASTER G. Thomas Battle, Jr. ’83
KATHY K. CRAFT P ’13, ’19
CHAIR, ADVANCEMENT Los Angeles, CA
ALAN E. HARER ’63
CHAIR, BUILDINGS & GROUNDS Raleigh, NC
G. WILSON MARTIN, JR. ’73
Charlottesville, VA
Chapel Hill, NC
MEREDITH MORAN GERMAN ’95 New York, NY
JESSICA S. GRANEY P ’09 VICE CHAIR, FINANCE Charleston, WV
W. DOUGLAS HARTOG
VICE CHAIR, ADVANCEMENT Charlottesville, VA
LEE C. HERBERT ’74 HONORARY TRUSTEE Charlottesville, VA
JAMES T. JOHNSON, JR. ’73 Ahoskie, NC
VICE CHAIR, COMMITTEE ON TRUSTEES Winston-Salem, NC
WILLIAM L. PANNILL ’73
__________________________________
LESSLIE HAMILTON RAY ’00
Martinsville, VA
West Palm Beach, FL
THE HONORABLE EMILY M. ASTOR London, England
HALL F. BARNETT P ’19 Raleigh, NC
JOHN E. BAUKNIGHT IV ’85 Spartanburg, SC
LAURA M. BEASLEY P ’07, ’09 HONORARY TRUSTEE Colerain, NC
DONTAY J. RILEY ’99
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT EX-OFFICIO Chicago, IL
WILLIAM E. SANFORD II ’77 Lynchburg, VA
PAUL H. SHEEHY ’81 Richmond, VA
LEIGH-ANN W. SPROCK P ’18, ’20 Charlotte, NC
Virginia Episcopal School, founded in 1916 in Lynchburg, Virginia, is an independent, coeducational college preparatory boarding and day school for students in grades 9-12.
400 VES Road, Lynchburg, VA VES.ORG
THE RIGHT REVEREND MARK A. BOURLAKAS EX-OFFICIO Roanoke, VA
JOEL T.C. WILLIAMS ’85 P ’17
VICE CHAIR, BUILDINGS & GROUNDS Raleigh, NC
WILLIAM L. BOWLES ’72 Georgetown, SC
P = PARENT
Cover: Seniors May Lui, Bryce Waterman and Lily Hurt celebrate the conclusion of their high school career.
TABLE O F CO N T E N TS
2 Letter from the Headmaster
4 Commencement 2019 Legacy Marshals Valedictory Address Class of 2019 College Selections
14 Special Recognition
Math teacher Chris Hamilton holds class outside on Box Plaza.
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5 Ways to Stay Involved with VES
Dorm Renovations
Your Bishop Network Is Always Here for You Join VES Connect
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Alumni Weekend 2019 Kindling Bishop Connections
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You Asked, We Listened
Lose Yourself in a Great Book
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38 Class Notes
2019-20 Special Campus Events
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Mark Your Calendar and Plan to Join Us
William King Society Inductees
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Celebrating Our Reunion Classes
Meet Our New Faculty & Staff
In Memorium
45
Community Awards
Travel & Enrichment Opportunities
Faculty Awards 2018-19 Athletic Achievements
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Dear Friends,
“
Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” - Teddy Roosevelt
Trustees, faculty, staff, alumni and parent volunteers— all are rewarded when they see the evident growth and outcomes achieved by our impressive students. May Liu ‘19 set a new standard at Commencement with
As I pause to reflect at this time of year, I feel the
her Valedictory Address. You can read her important
tension of the natural competing emotions—fond
message on p. 11. Yet you can only truly experience
memories of the Class of 2019 and the anticipation of a
May’s gifts when you watch the video where she
deep, diverse and talented new student class entering
pulled out a guitar to perform a song she wrote for
this coming fall; the farewell to colleagues moving on
the occasion. She promised us that she had only been
to new professional and personal opportunities and the
playing guitar for a month. I sat dazzled by how her self-
welcome energy new faculty and staff bring; the need
confidence and elegance demonstrated the power of
for vacation and rest versus the hard necessary work
the VES commitment—where engaged faculty provide
each summer refreshing our campus and programs to
the catalyst for students’ talent and passion to intersect.
ensure an exciting and renewed student experience.
May had the podium because she is smart as a whip,
Within this tension between old and new, rest and
yet there are 65 equally powerful stories of talents
hard work, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the
discovered and nurtured among the graduating class.
many who agree with Teddy Roosevelt and have found that our Toward Full Stature mission is motivating and
The Class of 2019 also set the pace with 100%
indeed “work worth doing.”
participation in The Fund for Virginia Episcopal School. On the heels of their giving, our second record-breaking
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GiveDay motivated alumni and parents alike to set
about our ability to recruit the next Head of School who
an historic participation record in VES philanthropy:
will continue the momentum established by our smart,
36% alumni participation and 91% parents. With this
focused and hard-working team.
best-in-class engagement by alumni and parents, as well as timely and significant capital and endowment
Schools are evolving, emotional beings and rely on
support, we have been able to make meaningful
the collective investment of committed adults and
improvements in faculty compensation and refresh
engaged students. VES today is a wonderful example
several dorms and student areas on campus in line
of the way many hands “working hard at work worth
with our strategic priorities.
doing” can create a transformative experience beyond imagination. I know that you will enjoy reading about
These headline-grabbing efforts position VES as a
the accomplishments of our students, and I invite to
school with a clear strategic vision and broad and deep
you to return to the Old 160 this fall to experience the
support, providing the ideal foundation for our Head of
magic in person.
School search. Our strong and focused committee, led by Dr. Robert Cook ’79 (P’18, ’20), is busy connecting with interested candidates to determine who will be invited to campus for in-person interviews this fall. VES and Lynchburg are attractive professional destinations, as we have continued to demonstrate through our strong faculty recruitment. All should have great optimism
G. Thomas Battle, Jr. ’83 Headmaster
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COMMENCEMENT 2019 On May 25, students, families and friends gathered on the front lawn under a beautiful blue sky to celebrate the school’s 103rd graduating class. Virginia Episcopal School diplomas were given to 66 seniors and two certificates of completion were bestowed on our ASSIST students from Spain and Sweden for their completion of the one-year exchange program. Congratulations, Class of 2019! TOWARD FULL STATURE MAGAZINE
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Four-Year Seniors
We thank Sarah Elizabeth Perrow Sterne ’89— parent of Joseph ’19, Row ’21 and Alex ’23—for delivering a poignant and inspiring Baccalaureate message to our seniors and their families. Baccalaureate Senior Movie Night
International Family Reception
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2 01 9 L E G ACY M A R S H A L S Nine young men and women in the Class of 2019 represent VES legacy families, including the first graduate of an alumna. We are pleased to continue the long-standing VES tradition in which alumni parents with graduating legacy students serve as the marshals for Commencement ceremonies, leading the procession of the graduating seniors.
Th e s e l e ga c y f am i li es i n clude (fro m left to righ t a bove): 1. M IKE BASNIGHT ’72
4. F EN RASCOE ’85
7. A SHBY WATTS ’83
2. G EORGE COOK ’84
5. S ARAH ELIZABETH STERNE ’89
8. FAISON WINBORNE ’79
3. B OB DRISKILL ’79
6. B O WALKER ’77
9. LOUIS WOOTEN ’81
Cameron James Claire
Nixon
Ash
Joseph
Maddie
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EXCERPTS FROM THE HEADMASTER’S ADDRESS
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At VES, we are in this business not only to create
great college students, but also great 30-yearolds who live out the ideals embedded in them at home and on this campus. This includes building Mindful Leaders—one of the five aspects of our Portrait of a VES Graduate. As defined by Janice Marturano, the founder of the Institute for Mindful Leadership, this skill and character trait ‘is about embodying leadership presence by cultivating focus, clarity, creativity, and compassion in the service of others.’
Let’s look at compassion in the service of others. Graduates, I can think of no higher calling as you think about your choice of career and course of study. Set your sights on making a difference in the community in which you work and live. Create jobs for others. Give in support of education and enrichment for young people. Be the vehicle for hope through your active engagement with those less privileged and as one who creates capacity for community growth and engagement. – Tommy Battle ’83
MAY LIU CLASS OF 2019 VALEDICTORIAN AS INTRODUCED BY HEADMASTER G. THOMAS BATTLE, JR. ’83
“
A modern day renaissance woman,
community. That said, she has quite a way with
May’s interests span across all disciplines.
words on the page as well. Mr. Knebel shares
She would tell you that science, engineering and
that her writing ‘brims with sounds and colors
sound design excite her most. But when the VES
and smells. … her essays are an almost decadent
community thinks about May, music is likely what
court of words, like a royal palace.’ And he adds,
first comes to mind. Whether crushing it in the
‘While she, of course, has high grades, she seems
school musical, taking the lead on a solo with the
to realize that education is about more than
Jazz Ensemble, or playing piano while singing
grades. For May, creating and learning are joyful
The Cranberries ‘Zombie’ with Chaplain White—
acts.’ For these reasons and more, May has more
his idea—for a Fine Arts Friday presentation,
than earned the title of Valedictorian this year.
May’s music has lifted up the whole school
Congratulations, May!
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Combining her passions for academics and music, May shared learnings from her personal journey through VES. She encouraged her peers to shed labels and explore all of life’s possibilities. And, in the ultimate demonstration of pushing beyond your comfort zone, May followed her remarks by singing an original composition on guitar—an instrument she began learning to play just one month earlier.
“
I remember in psychology class we were
So, at this very moment, why do we still have to
talking about an experiment that tests for
cling to our old labels? Why don’t we discard the
self-fulfilling prophecies. A bunch of students
old patterns and start to explore new aspects of
took an intelligence test, and a select few of them
ourselves?
were told that they ranked high among their peers, even though the fact was those kids were selected
For those still on the way to figuring out who you are
completely at random. And guess the result: those
or what are you are truly passionate about, I want to
who were told they have outstanding intelligence
tell you one of my personal stories. I remember my
actually became smarter than their peers. Maybe
dad told me that it’s OK not to have a goal-oriented
at the beginning the claims weren’t real, but they
life right now, because not having anything figured
became real, like a prophecy come true. We often
out means there are thousands of possibilities you
find comfort in labels, because by putting them out
can go and explore. Not having a specific passion
there in the world, we give ourselves a reason to live
at the moment means you have the potential to
the way we live, to do certain things in certain ways.
be passionate about everything. So don’t be upset
Once we start to embrace the labels, it becomes a
when you don’t know what you want to do in the
rule that makes our lives predictable.
future. Take that vacancy as an advantage—as an opportunity to explore a little bit of everything.
During my senior year, I started to think that these
So, take off your labels, go explore the world,
labels I made for myself don’t have to be there to
and become more than who you are right now.
restrict what I do or how I think. And as we go out into the world, we can refute those labels in the same way we assigned ourselves the labels at the beginning. I became more aware that the world we are about to go into is calling on us to have our own voices—and to defend these voices the best we can.
The future requires us to be versatile and creative, as all the progress that the world has ever made originates from the moment when one discards the accepted traditions and starts something new. Don’t miss May’s speech—and musical performance—in full at youtube.com/TVBishops.
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Class of 2019
COLLEGE SELECTIONS
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VES graduates are accepted into some of the country’s most selective colleges and universities, but most importantly, we help each student select the school that is their “best fit”—meaning that the school and its programs are well-aligned with the student’s academic, co-curricular, personal and professional interests. We are proud that 100 percent of our students are admitted to accredited four-year colleges and universities, and that more than 85 percent of our students enroll in one of their top-choice colleges. Of the 40 schools selected by our 64 graduates, the 2019 U.S. News & World Report Top College and Universities listing ranks: • 8 among the Top 30 National Universities • 4 among the Top 11 Liberal Arts Colleges • 3 among the Top 5 Public Universities
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(19% of class) accepted to UVA 6 attending (11% of class) accepted to UNC-Chapel Hill 4 attending (8% of class) accepted to Wake Forest University 3 attending
We celebrate all of the great schools our students are attending this fall! Appalachian State University Birmingham-Southern College* Boston University Case Western Reserve University College of Charleston College of William & Mary Dartmouth College Denison University East Carolina University (2) Elon University (2) Fairmont State University* Howard University James Madison University New York University Norfolk State University North Carolina Central University* North Carolina State University (2) Rollins College Sewanee: The University of the South (4)
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Simmons University* Southern Methodist University Swarthmore College* University of Alabama University of California-Berkeley University of Georgia (2) University of Kentucky (2) University of Mary Washington University of Mississippi University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill (4) University of Notre Dame University of South Carolina (3) University of Southern California University of Virginia (6) Vassar College* Virginia Tech (3) Wake Forest University (3) Washington and Lee University (2) Wellesley College Wofford College*
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SPECIAL AWARDS & RECOGNITION
COMMUNITY AWARDS Margaret Stanley - Optimists Award Each year The Optimists Club of Lynchburg recognizes one outstanding theatre arts student from each area high school. This year, senior Margaret Stanley received the honor for VES. She has performed in countless shows, taking her roles to a level rarely matched by her peers. This fall, Margaret played the lead role in performances of “The Library” by Scott Burns. Former Director of Theatre Arts Joshua Miller shared, “I was so impressed by Margaret’s vulnerability and subtle emotional understanding. I have been able to direct many students throughout my time, but Margaret stands out as one of the few that genuinely understand how much of yourself must go into your character to create something honest, sincere and believable.”
Aaron Staggers & Sally Curme - Rotary Club Award Each year, the Rotary Club of Lynchburg honors young men and women in their senior year of high school who have displayed exemplary ethical ideals. Among the attributes that Rotary International seeks in its ethics award winners are that they be true to themselves, have strong school loyalty, are honest and trustworthy, as well as diligent workers with a developed sense of gratitude. According to VES faculty, there’s no question VES is a better place with Aaron Staggers as a member of our community. His servant leadership, commitment to well-rounded excellence and passion for family and community have paved the way for underclassmen to live into his example of character. Sally Curme always finds new ways to surprise us with her dedication to doing what is right both as an individual and a member of our community. Sally is determined and rarely flustered. She is accomplished, but humble. She is competitive, but caring. Mary Poppins might even say Sally is “practically perfect in every way.”
Casey Kibe - Ron Dolan Citizenship Award Each spring, the Bank of the James honors one high school senior from each of the Region 2000 high schools with the Ronald V. Dolan Citizenship Award. Recipients are selected by the faculty and administration of their school as students who demonstrate outstanding leadership qualities that show loyalty, integrity, trustworthiness and a genuine concern for the well-being of others. Casey received this impressive recognition at the 13th annual award ceremony. Casey is an engaged, dynamic member of VES and we are all impressed by her ability to reach her goals in a balanced, unflappable manner. We have no doubt that Casey’s abilities as an empathetic thinker, artist, leader and global citizen will guide her to make a positive impact within her UNC-Chapel Hill community and in the world!
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SMITH FAMILY AWARD The Smith Family Award is made possible through contributions to VES by Jean Smith and Gordon Smith, Jr., parents of Gordon Smith III ’62 and Clark Smith ’65. It recognizes excellence in teaching and the making of meaningful connections with young men and women.
WILL GREENE
JESI THOMPSON
Selflessness is synonymous with Will Greene.
Jesi facilitates critiques in her visual art
Will makes an impact in each of his roles through
classes—moments when her students offer their
his work as Ainslie Dorm Head, Math Department
creativity, their productivity, their vulnerability;
Chair, Head Golf Coach, teacher and coveted
moments when a student stands back from his
advisor. As one student said, “Mr. Greene teaches
or her art while classmates critique the very
boys how to become young men. I’m forever
parts that are the most raw, the most exposed,
grateful for all the lessons he’s taught me!” In all
the most real. Jesi facilitates with the tenderest
he does—whether he is leading our golf team to
of touches. In that way, she helps her students
a conference championship, organizing a spiritual
expose their souls, and then helps them believe
retreat for our students in DIG Bible Study, giving
that their souls are beautiful—in the classroom
extra help to math students in the library, or
and on dorm, too. In all of her roles, Jesi, like the
leading students on a life-changing service trip
art she encourages her students to craft, helps
to Kenya and Uganda—Will makes the students’
mold her students to become great humans—not
experience his top priority.
always because of what they do, but because of who they are.
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PAUL FULTON, JR. ’53 MASTER TEACHER AWARD Established in 1980 by the Board of Trustees to honor the unique and dedicated service to VES of former Board Chair Paul Fulton, Jr. ’53, this award recognizes that teacher on the VES faculty who, in the opinion of his or her fellow faculty members, most nearly represents the ideal of the “Master Teacher.”
JASON KNEBEL “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it
Jason knows this trick well. In the water bucket that is
drink,” they say. As a horse person myself, the cliche is
his Lego- and typewriter-filled classroom, he replaces
true. Even on a hot day, when a horse must be thirsty,
carrots with obscure bands from the 70s, tales of
if he’s not into having a drink, sloshing a water bucket
writers’ eccentricities and lightning bolts. His students
in his face accomplishes nothing. But if you float some
can’t help but stick their noses in the world he creates
carrots in the water, that horse will probably sniff
for them, and in a blink, they are swimming in a sea of
around after them… and then realize (while his muzzle
words, of stories, making connections across time—
is in there) that a nice long drink is a great idea.
even those students who once insisted that they weren’t thirsty at all.
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ELINOR BASS HOPKINS MEMORIAL AWARD This award was established in 2016 by Emmy Ellison ’96 and John Ellison ’65 to honor Elinor Bass Hopkins —the late wife of retired long-time Senior Master James W. Hopkins—who devoted her life to the betterment of her community. A deserving faculty member, member of the staff, or spouse of a staff or faculty member is recognized with this award for his or her dedication to the VES community and for making an outstanding contribution to the school and its students.
MARGARET LYLE JONES ’95 Margaret Lyle’s enthusiasm for VES is irrepressible!
Yet Margaret Lyle brings something even more
It has never wavered throughout her years as a VES
vital to our VES community—and that is her
student and more than 15 years on staff.
passion for nurturing and celebrating our students. Her dedication to her advisees and residents of
In her role as Director of Special Events—in which
Perkins dorm—where she lived for 12 years—is
she plans and carries out more than 50 events each
unrivaled. She is fully present, listens intently,
year—Margaret Lyle is the consummate hostess.
provides thoughtful guidance, and finds every
She miraculously juggles hundreds of details,
opportunity to inject fun and laughter into each day.
remains unflappable and maintains a cheerful
And for us all, Margaret Lyle serves as a beacon of
and gracious demeanor all the while.
our VES values—demonstrating humility, honor and integrity; always striving for excellence; and being deeply engaged in this wonderful VES community.
For a list of all school awards, please visit ves.org/awards. TOWARD FULL STATURE MAGAZINE
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2018-19 ATHLETIC HIGHLIGHTS
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Athletes Committed to Play at Collegiate Level Charlie Barnett | Basketball Birmingham Southern University
Saliou Diop | Basketball Fairmont State University
Michael Caprise | Basketball Swarthmore College
Megan McGrath | Lacrosse Wofford University
Bryson Carter | Lacrosse Vassar College
Sadie Royer | Lacrosse Simmons University
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Team State Championship
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Team Conference Championships
Ellie Tate Schutte | Lacrosse Sewanee: The University of the South
Boys Cross Country
Boys Cross Country Boys Golf Girls Lacrosse Boys Swimming Boys 200 Medley Relay Swim Team
17 Athletes 59 Athletes 25
of 21 Varsity Teams Qualified for State Playoffs
Named to All-Conference Teams
Named to All-State Teams
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Athlete of the Year Titles 4 State Hundley Burger ’20, Girls Tennis Daniel O’Brien ’20, Cross Country & Track Daniel O’Brien ’20, 2018-19 Gatorade Virginia Boy Cross Country Runner of the Year Kohl Perkins ’22, Boys Tennis 5 Conference Hundley Burger ’20, Girls Tennis Daniel O’Brien ’20, Cross Country Kohl Perkins ’22, Boys Tennis Ellie Tate Schutte ’19, Girls Lacrosse Bryce Waterman ’19, Boys Basketball
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Individual Championships 5 State Wins Daniel O’Brien ’20, Cross Country, Indoor Track 3200m, Track & Field 800m, 1600m and 3200m 6 Conference Wins Daniel O’Brien ’20, Cross Country Spencer Miles ’20, Swimming, 50 Free Nana Kofi Obeng-Mensah ’20, Wrestling, 195 lbs. Neguens Ovincy ‘20, Wrestling, 220 lbs. Charlie Dodson ’21, Track & Field, 400m Dash Charlie Schindler, Track & Field, Pole Vault
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Coaches of the Year Jen Anderson, Cross Country Tate Gallagher, Boys Tennis Will Greene, Golf Steve Jamison, Boys Tennis Anna McWane, Girls Tennis Katie Markunas, Swimming
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5 WAYS TO STAY INVOLVED WITH VES Your Bishop Network Is Always Here for You
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Find a New Job, Internship, Housing or Get to Know a New Hometown Leverage the VES alumni network!
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• Join VESConnect.org. • Call or email Alumni Relations: 434.385.3700 | alumni@ves.org
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Join Us for Events Look for regional opportunities to join Bishops on the Road gatherings. Come back home for Alumni Weekend, Founders Day/ Homecoming Weekend, Lessons & Carols, athletics and other fun events.
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Help VES Thrive Help VES provide an exceptional experience to all students and faculty. With your financial gift of any size, you will continue to have a significant impact on the VES community! ves.org/give
Refer a Bishop You are our best resource for recruiting great students to VES! If you know 7th and 8th graders interested in boarding school, talk to them about VES. •S end their contact information to admissions@ves.org • Refer a Bishop: ves.org/scholarships
Keep in Touch
•E ncourage them to come for an open house: ves.org/visit
Let us know when your phone, address or email change. Send news and photos about what you’re up to! Email us at classnotes@ves.org and update your profile on VESConnect.org.
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NETWORK WITH FELLOW ALUMNI ON
VESCONNECT Join VESConnect.org—our web-based news, event and networking platform dedicated to serving our alumni. It’s a safe, secure online community to build your personal and professional networks.
CONNECT
MENTOR
EXPAND
ENGAGE
INFORM
online with former classmates, faculty and graduates.
and coach VES graduates throughout their careers.
career connections with VES alums. Post a job or look for one.
with VES news, social media feeds and event info all in one place.
your network, keeping them up to date on all that you’re doing.
vesconnect.org
Be sure to sign up and/or log in to see the platform’s new look— designed to allow alums to post their own class notes and engage with fellow alumni updates!
JOINING IS EASY! Activate your account by syncing your LinkedIn or Facebook page or create a new sign in. Go to VESConnect.org today. TOWARD FULL STATURE MAGAZINE
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Alumni Weekend 2019 Kindles Bishop Connections
From Friday night’s BBQ and jazz to the school update with Headmaster Battle and Academic Dean Mimi Csatlos, “The Art of VES” show to the wine tasting, and painting class to cheesy westerns, more than 240 alumni, their families and VES faculty and staff caught up, traded stories and made new connections on a gorgeous weekend back at the Old 160. The weekend had many memorable moments. We were delighted to host a 69-year span of Bishops from Webb Maddux, Class of 1949—former trustee who lives in Danville, Virginia—to members of the Class of 2018—Hallie Feinman (College of William & Mary), John Cook (Rice University) and Jaelin Llewellyn (Princeton). Lieutenant William “Trace” Bowen III ’04 of the U.S. Navy attended, after serving as graduation speaker for the James River Day School Class of 2019. Also visiting with us were Kay Wyatt, wife of Headmaster Bill Wyatt, who served VES from 1946-75, and their daughter, Susan, as well as former faculty Marion Farmer, BK Mundy, Phil Garmey and Jim Hopkins. Reunion Chair Peter Grover ’69 and his classmates were inducted as the newest members of the William King Society. Friday night The Swinging Deacons—a VES-alumni jazz group with John Cook ’18 (alto sax), Zach Baugher ’17 (bass), Hallie Feinman ’18 (vocals), and Kyle Flint (drums), son of alumnus Billy Flint ‘79—played their swing, bossa and funk stylings. The wine tasting hosted by Director of Fine & Performing Arts Debbie Burton drew people to the King Center, where they could view the first-ever large-scale showcase representing artistic talent of 75 alumni, faculty, staff, current students and VES friends spanning 53 years—a show curated by VES Marketing Manager Esther Underwood. The Wine & Design event captured the beauty of Evans Gate with Jett Hall in the background. And the weekend came to a close with a beautiful remembrance service, led by Chaplain Adam White in Langhorne Memorial Chapel.
Enjoy these images and find many more at ves.org/alumniweekend2019.
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Clockwise from Top | 1: A delicious Meriwether-Godsey dinner on Box Plaza | 2: Enjoying the art show | 3: Debbie Burton, director of Fine & Performing Arts and wine aficionado, leads wine tasting. 4: Helen Powell ’09 points out yearbook photo.
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LEFT PAGE: 1: Alumni Weekend kicks off under the tent with The Swinging Deacons jazz band composed of three VES alumni. | 2: Sandy McKenna ’67 and wife, Anne, catch up with Lec Leckie ’69. | 3: Dontay Riley ’99 and Annemarie Maggard ’99 chat before Saturday night festivities. | 4: Kelly Aiken teaches Paint and Sip class featuring Evan’s Gate. | 5: Webb Maddux ’49 returned to campus after a decade. THIS PAGE: 1: Molly Biesemier ’09 and son, John 2: Frank Johnson ’69 and Peter Daniel ’69 | 3: Larry Hancock ’69 and wife, Beth, dance the night away. 4: Drew Daffron ’14 having fun with VES selfie frame 5: Sarah Ream Driggers ’95 and husband, Eli, play Connect 4 on the lawn.
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1: Alumni Weekend attendees admire work in art show. | 2: David Watkins ’69 at William King Society Induction | 3: Classmates from 1969, 1973 and 1974 join Kay Wyatt and Headmaster Tommy Battle ’83 on the balcony. | 4: Local Lynchburg band Apple Butter Soul | 5: Guests enjoy historic photo display.
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FRONT ROW L-R: Larry Hancock, Clay Ferebee, Bill Bollin, Ned Clelend, Jim Roediger, Peter Daniel BACK ROW L-R: Peter Grover, Tom Hairston, Lec Leckie, Frank Johnson, Lynch Christian, David Watkins, Godfrey Cheshire
New Inductees Welcomed into William King Society Congratulations to our alumni from the Class of
who was a charter member of the VES Board of
1969, celebrating their 50 Reunion. They are our
Trustees and served on the board from 1916 to
newest members to be inducted into the William
1943. His tireless devotion to VES and longevity of
King Society, formerly known as the “Old Guard.”
volunteer service is unmatched in school history.
th
The society is named after Col. William King, Jr.,
Strong Philanthropic Support from Reunion Classes Sustains the VES Mission Peter Grover ’69 presented Headmaster Tommy Battle ’83 with a check for the amount of $1,457,724. Tommy noted, “This check represents every dollar contributed to VES—including capital, endowment and annual giving— from members of these 4 and 9 reunion classes and the William King Society. Thank you for your generous support to the school!”
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CELEBRATING OUR
1979
1974
1989
1999
Class of 1974
Class of 1979
Class of 1989
Class of 1999
Steve Thacker Bill Cook Lee Herbert Tommy Nelson Tom Reich John Hagan Ron Hood Gray Heppner Bill English Ken Penrose John Borden David Hagan Billy Nutt David Bice
Back Row Robert Cook Ross Lynde John Steele Bill Wallace Johnny Alford
Back Row Jason Rhyne Carlton Revere Mary Hodges George Will Sherrod
Front Row Robert Brailsford Clay Craddock
Front Row Caroline Fisk Margaret Hutter Niblett Sarah Elizabeth Perrow Sterne
Back Row Andrew Holmes Dontay Riley Mary Lyons Rouse Thomas Bass Jeff Davis Doug Dalton
Note: All rows are listed left to right. VIRGINIA EPISCOPAL SCHOOL
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Front Row Kindell Walters Annemarie Maggard Anne Logan Bass
REUNION CLASSES
2004
Class of 2004 Back Row Will Cook Ryan Alexander William Pully Kyle Frazier Trace Bowen Borden Edgerton
Front Row Kelly Bryant-Franklin Annie-Gordon Vordermark Mary Ellen LaFreniere Danielle Simmons
2009
Front Row Isabelle White Helen Powell Marcey Cook Molly Biesemier Sarah Patterson Not Pictured: Terrance Abbitt
Class of 2009 Back Row Marsh Baker Hank Donaldson Merriweather Franklin Chelcie Ross Anna Capel Tyler Overfelt Will Roe
Welcome Class of 2014 to Your First Reunion! Back Row Jack Edmunds Drew Daffron Jonnie Bevan
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Front Row Minnie Lane Felicity Martin
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DORM RENOVATIONS
You Asked, We Listened Board of Trustees Approves $1.7 Million Dorm Renovation Project
WALL PAINT
BENJAMIN MOORE HC-81 MANCHESTER TAN
Wyatt House ready for
renovation AND IMAGES MAY(before) NOT BE TO SCALE
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TRIM PAINT
BENJAMIN MOOR WHITE DOVE
RE OC-17
t the spring meeting of the Virginia Episcopal School Board of Trustees, it was approved that the school would conduct extensive cosmetic renovations to three of its dorms during the summer of 2019.
A
We Invite Your Gifts to the Building Fund
Ainslie House, given in 1981 in honor of
Funding will come from VES’ Building Fund,
Headmaster Lee Sanford “Sandy” Ainslie,
an $11 million fundraising effort to renovate
Jr., Perkins House, given in 1991 in memory
dorms and construct a new academic building.
of the late Katharine Patterson Perkins, and
During the 2018-19 fiscal year, donors gave
Wyatt House, given in 1977 in memory of the
$2.6 million—24% of goal—to the Building
late Headmaster William Larkin Wyatt, will
Fund. If you are interested in supporting
each receive a new roof and gutters, updated
dorm renovations at VES, please:
bathrooms and lounges, and new paint, carpets,
DOOR PAINT
• Use the enclosed form.
furniture and landscaping.
BENJAMIN MOORE 721 VANDERBERG BLUE The $1.7 million project commenced immediately
• Make a gift online at ves.org/give to The Fund for Virginia Episcopal School - Dorm Triage.
following Alumni Weekend on June 3 and is
• Contact Henry Clarke ’03, Director of
slated to be completed by August 18, 2019—just
Development, at 434.385.3708
before students arrive for fall classes.
or hclarke@ves.org.
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JOIN US FOR THESE
2019-20 Special Events
April 8
October 4 - 6
December 14 (Saturday)
(Wednesday)
FALL FAMILY WEEKEND & HOMECOMING
LESSONS & CAROLS
GIVE DAY #everyonegiVES
April 24 - 26
May 22 - 23
June 5 - 7
(Friday through Sunday)
(Friday through Sunday)
(Friday and Saturday)
(Friday through Sunday)
SPRING FAMILY WEEKEND
BACCALAUREATE & COMMENCEMENT
ALUMNI WEEKEND
Look for Regional Events in These Communities Atlanta, GA
Charlotte, NC
Raleigh, NC
Charlottesville, VA
Chapel Hill, NC
Edenton, NC
Wilmington, NC
Richmond, VA
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M EET OUR N EW
FACULTY & STAFF At VES, delivering an exceptional experience is part of our promise. At the heart of that commitment are our highly talented, creative and dedicated teachers and staff. We are excited to introduce you to several new members of our team.
N EW STAFF
AMY KOLMAN
DEAN OF STUDENTS, DIRECTOR OF RESIDENTIAL LIFE & ENGLISH TEACHER We are excited to announce that Amy Kolman will join VES as Dean of Students and Director of Residential Life. Amy comes to us from the Leysin American School in Switzerland, where she has been the Associate Dean of Students since 2016. Prior to Leysin, she worked for eight years as the Assistant Head of Middle School at the Hun School, a private boarding and day school in Princeton, New Jersey. She also has many years of experience as an English teacher, debate coach, advisor, teacher on duty in girls’ dorms and providing support in faculty training and development. She attended the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, majoring in English and swimming for their Division I team. She earned her M.Ed. in Secondary School English from Saint Joseph’s University. Amy and her husband, Mark, have two daughters: Pepper, a sophomore studying economics and rowing on the women’s crew team at Clemson, and PJ, who is Director of Alumni Relations at Isidore Newman School in New Orleans.
JAMES “TRAE” WATKINS ’08
ASSISTANT DEAN OF STUDENTS, PSYCHOLOGY TEACHER & FOOTBALL COACH James “Trae” Watkins, VES class of 2008 and a Lynchburg, Virginia native, serves as Assistant Dean of Students and Coordinator of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. In addition, he teaches psychology, lives on Randolph dormitory and serves as an assistant football coach. Trae graduated in 2012 with a B.A. in Psychology from Virginia Military Institute, where he also played football. In his four years as free safety, he was a top tackler for the VMI Keydets. At VES, he led the Bishops football team to the VISAA Championship game as a senior, was a three-time AllVISAA running back, a two-year All-VISAA Defensive Back First Team and earned Most Valuable Player in his junior and senior year. After college, Trae worked as a Qualified Mental Health Professional in Richmond, assisting at-risk youth in achieving a healthy home and community environment through reducing adverse behaviors and strengthening child, parent and teacher relations. He actively worked with VES in 2018-19, speaking about diversity issues and working with minority students to provide support, empowerment and awareness on a variety of topics involving race. Trae lives on campus with Kanikia and 7-year-old son, Christian.
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TRIPP PRICE
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS & SOCCER COACH Tripp Price has joined our team as Associate Director of Admissions. He comes to VES from The Kiski School in Saltsburg, Pennsylvania, where he has served as Assistant Director of Admission for the past three years. A native of Greensboro, North Carolina, Tripp attended Page High School and earned his B.A. in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2016. He also was a long-time camper and served for five years as a counselor at Camp Sea Gull in Arapahoe, North Carolina. Tripp will coach soccer and serve as a dorm parent on Ainslie.
NE W FACULTY
ALEX RIVENBURGH
HISTORY TEACHER, VOLLEYBALL & HEAD COACH, WRESTLING Alex Rivenburgh received his B.A. from Boston University in Political Science in 2012, and his M.Ed. in Secondary History from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2014. He has been working for the last five years as a history and global studies teacher at Williston Northampton School, a boarding school in New England. Alex has coached hockey, wrestling, pole-vault, volleyball and ultimate frisbee. For the last three summers, Alex has worked at the Wolfeboro Summer Boarding School as their Director of Recreation. Fun fact: Alex was the mascot—Rhett, the Terrier—for four years at Boston University. At VES, Alex will teach Global Cultures and U.S. History, coach wrestling and volleyball, and serve as the dorm head for Pendleton dormitory.
MICHELLE STAGGERS ’15
HISTORY & ARTS TEACHER, BASKETBALL & LACROSSE COACH Michelle Staggers, VES Class of 2015, joins the faculty to teach two sections of Global Cultures, co-teach a theater class, and coach basketball and lacrosse, as well as live on Perkins dormitory. In May, Michelle graduated with distinction from Duke University with a degree in Cultural Anthropology and a minor in Theater Studies. She accomplished this while juggling a demanding schedule as a Division I athlete in lacrosse and working on staff at the Duke Arts Annex, a hub of Duke’s student art scene that houses studio arts and rehearsal and programming spaces. Michelle cares deeply about creating global change, and creates artistic works designed to spark socio-political dialogue. During her time at Duke, she was involved in DukeEngage, where she spent two months in Rwamagana, Rwanda, and co-produced two short documentaries: one to educate the world on equality in education to empower the young women of Rwanda, and the other to promote The Rwanda School Project. Michelle was the first of several Stagger siblings to grace VES. She is the sister of Aaron ’19, Joshua ’20, Danny ’22 and Joe ’23.
CHRISTOPHER BRIGHT
SCIENCE TEACHER, HEAD COACH, CROSS COUNTRY We are excited to announce the return of Christopher Bright to VES. Christopher lived and worked at VES from 1997 to 2005. He earned his B.S. degree from Guilford College and his M.A.T. from Brown University. Christopher has been at Peddie School for the last 13 years, served as faculty representative to the Board of Trustees and head boys cross country coach, where he guided teams to seven league championships and four prep state championships since 2010. He also served as Peddie’s assistant coach for indoor track, and assistant coach for wrestling. Christopher has won several awards, including the 2014 Peddie Parents’ Association “Above and Beyond Award” and VES’ 2002 Fulton Master Teacher of the year. In his spare time, Christopher competes in triathlons. In fact, he is a two-time national team member, representing the USA at the Triathlon World Championships in Denmark USA (2001) and New Zealand (2012), and he was named USA Triathlon All-American in 2012. We welcome Christopher, his wife, Beth, and their two daughters, Allyn and Delaney. VIRGINIA EPISCOPAL SCHOOL
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PETE HURYK
SPANISH TEACHER & HEAD COACH, VARSITY BOYS SOCCER Pete Huryk also is returning to VES, where he worked from 2005 to 2008. He will teach Spanish and coach varsity boys soccer. Peter graduated from Salisbury State University with a B.A. in Spanish, and has been a teacher and coach since 2000. He currently teaches Spanish at Belvidere High School in New Jersey and has served as Assistant Soccer Coach for both the men’s and women’s teams at Drew University. He also has been the trainer and Director of Development for Soccer Smith, conducting all aspects of the Summer Select program, training teams (ages 8-23) and administering summer camps and tryout sessions. Pete is the author of Fill Your Boots and creator of Identity Crisis: A Soccer Documentary. He will return to the Old 160 with wife, Rebecca, and their two children, Luke and Emily.
CHRIS ALDRICH THEATER TEACHER
Chris Aldrich hold his B.A. degree in Theater from George Mason University and an M.F.A. from the esteemed Sarah Lawrence College in New York. He comes to VES from Austin Preparatory School in Massachusetts, where he has gained tremendous experience in the performing arts, including set design and construction, lighting and sound while teaching acting, theater tech and speech/debate and being a coveted advisor of more than 10 students. Chris has experience working on 25-plus theater productions. At VES, Chris will teach theater classes, lead our afternoon theater program, manage the Garmey Theater facility, including all major performances and guest artists, and serve on a duty team. We welcome Chris and his fiancé, Sara Jameson, to VES.
DEMETRIOUS TRÁ NICHOLSON
FOOTBALL HEAD COACH, HISTORY & LEARNING RESOURCES TEACHER Born and raised in Virginia Beach, Trá Nicholson attended Bayside High School where he excelled as a student-athlete. His football journey took Trá to the University of Virginia where he played football for five years under Head Coach Mike London, who instilled into his players his mantra of “faith, family and football”—values brings to his own work with student-athletes. An honors student in high school and college, Trá graduated from UVA with a B.S. degree in Sociology and an M.Ed. in Higher Education in 2016. Following graduation, Trá has coached both football and indoor and outdoor track in Virginia Beach, while also working as a Student Support Specialist at two public high schools. At VES, Trá will serve as head coach for our football program, teach a history class and support students as a Learning Resources teacher. He also will be an assistant coach for JV Basketball and Track & Field, and serve on a duty team. He and wife, Aqura—also a UVA graduate and chemical engineer, who recently accepted a career opportunity with BWXT in Lynchburg—will live on the VES campus.
REBEKAH GREEN WHIPPLE
HEAD COACH, VARSITY GIRLS BASKETBALL Rebekah Green Whipple joins VES in the fall of 2019 as Head Coach, Varsity Girls Basketball. Rebekah comes to us from James River Day School in Lynchburg, Virginia, with more than 15 years of coaching experience. In addition to teaching physical education, health and wellness in Virginia and Georgia, her experience involving youth athletics includes time as Sports Coordinator and After School Activities Coordinator for the YMCA in East Tennessee and Greater Richmond, and serving as Assistant Athletic Director at Atlanta International School. Rebekah brings experience coaching at the collegiate level, where she served as an assistant coach at Southern Virginia University. During her first two years, she helped lead her team to Nationals, finishing second in the first year. As the foundation of this experience, Rebekah holds her B.A. in Family and Child Development from Southern Virginia University and her master’s degree in Elementary Education from Grand Canyon University. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Physical Education, Health and Wellness.
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Lose Yourself in a Great Book After you read this article, go sit down and indulge in reading. It just may improve your health!
Research has shown that reading fiction is more effective at reducing stress than listening to music, sipping tea, and taking a walk. In fact, stress levels were reduced by 68 percent after reading for just six minutes.1 Another bonus: reading literary fiction expands our ability to empathize. Researcher David Kidd at The New School in New York City says that “richly developed characters disrupt reader expectations, undermining prejudices and stereotypes. They support and teach us values about social behavior, such as the importance of understanding those who are different from ourselves.”2 VES faculty, staff and students are diving into our own summer reading. The VES community is reading the classic Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles, featuring detective Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as they investigate the legend of a supernatural hound, plus one choice from a broad selection of books suggested by VES faculty, staff and students. If you are looking to add to your summer reading list, scan the stack of books to the right, then choose one that captures your interest and perhaps breaks from your usual genre. You’ll find the perfect mystery, witty satire, thought-provoking memoirs, lessons in self-discovery and emotional agility, and much more.
1 Telegraph March 30, 2009 | 2 Science October 3, 2013
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Tell us your favorite summer read on social media #VESsummerbookclub
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Class Notes 1949
W. Tayloe Murphy, Jr. and wife, Helen Turner Murphy, jointly received the 2019 Outstanding Virginian Award, becoming only the fourth couple ever to win the award together. “The General Assembly established the Outstanding Virginian Award to honor recipients whose distinguished contributions, outstanding achievements, and dedicated leadership serve as an inspiration to all civic-minded citizens. The award, considered the Commonwealth’s highest honor, was first presented to United States Senator Harry F. Byrd, Jr., in 1983.”
1956
Joseph Daingerfield Dulaney and the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum in North Carolina continue to celebrate the work of renowned artist and Joe’s grandfather Elliot Dangerfield with a bronze of the artist outside the museum. Elliot’s paintings of Grandfather Mountain and the Grand Canyon have been on display at the Hickory Museum of Art. Landon Lane ’68 was instrumental in both events, which attracted a number of VES alums, including Jim Best ’68 and his wife, Mary Cameron.
been appointed to the United Bankshares’ West Virginia Board. A distinguished attorney with Spilman Thomas & Battle, in Charleston, West Virginia, and chair of the firm’s Workers’ Compensation Practice Group, “Battle was selected for his strong legal ability, high ethical standards, experience and keen understanding of West Virginia’s business landscape,” said United Bankshares Chairman and CEO Richard M. Adams. A graduate of the University of Virginia and West Virginia University College of Law, Dill and his wife, Emily, have two children, George ’16 and Julia.
1988
communications, alumni engagement and philanthropy, to support inclusion and diversity efforts. “I’m thrilled Matt will be joining us,” VT’s Vice President for Diversity, Inclusion, and Strategic Affairs Menah Pratt-Clarke said. Prior to his position at Virginia Tech, Matt worked for the University of Virginia Alumni Association, where he was Executive Director of the Ridley Scholarship Fund. For 10 years prior to that, he held the role of Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations and Associate Vice President for Advancement at the University of Lynchburg (formerly Lynchburg College). Matt served as a VES trustee from 2006-11 and 2012-18.
1998
1984
Dill H. Battle III has
Matthew L. Brandon is now the Chief Advancement Officer for Inclusion and Diversity at Virginia Tech. Matt coordinates advancement initiatives, including
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After 16 years with BB&T Bank, David L. Hamilton III was promoted to Charleston Market President in
1986 Innovation Sparked by Frustration, Problem-Solving and LEGOs®
Jerry Calder (left) and Rick Garrett ’86 (right) introduce their innovation at NAMM.
A guitar player for more than 35 years, Rick Garrett of Richmond, Virginia, has always been fascinated with how a guitar’s sound can be shaped using effects. These effects are made using pedals that shift the tone of the guitar in various ways—emulating whining, buzzing, roaring and more. “The possibilities are limitless, and let’s face it, pedals are just plain fun.”
As new pedals are introduced, though, musicians have been forced to make a choice: which existing pedal do I have to give up to add a new one? That’s because the pedals sit on a board with limited space, so adding one means swapping another out. Add to that the mess of power cords and expensive patch cables required to rig up all these pedals to the board. Rick had the notion that there must be a better solution. As Rick describes it, “One day, I was trying to make room on an already maxed board for a cool new pedal only to find that it wasn’t going to fit. Frustrated, I had to remove one of my favorites to free up space. As I was sitting there on the floor, I noticed a bag of my daughter’s Legos. I started thinking, what if you could have a board made of connectable pieces so you could add to it at any time? Then, I thought about the possibility of providing power and wiring inside each pod so you would have a neat, organized appearance without overcrowding. “I immediately called my friend, Jerry Calder”—a consumer electronics industry insider. “If anyone could make this idea come to life, it was Jerry. He saw the potential and went to work. Thankfully, his skills and knowledge of electronics and sound are a natural fit in designing and creating pedalboards. Sound quality and integrity have always been paramount to him.” From there, Pedal Evolution was born. In January 2019, the Richmond-based company made its debut at the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) show, where the team introduced Pedal Pods—a powered, modular, locking pedalboard system that allows musicians to reshape their pedalboards by length, width, height and depth quickly and easily with only a screwdriver. On day one of the show, the product was listed in Adorama.com’s Top 10 most exciting announcements of the show. With positive and constructive feedback from people in the industry Rick and Jerry are finalizing their designs and will formally launch Pedal Pods this July in Nashville.
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2001 Meg King Ritcheson spoke this spring about cyber security issues—a topic she deals with in depth on a daily basis—at the 19th annual Lynchburg Club dinner on the VES campus. Meg serves as the Strategic and National Security Advisor to the Wilson Center President as well as Coordinator of the Science and Technology Innovation Program (STIP). She guides and manages the work of the executive office, while overseeing cuttingedge training programs to equip Congressional staff with cybersecurity skills. A former senior staff member on the House Homeland Security’s Subcommittee on Intelligence, Information Sharing and Terrorism Risk Assessment, Meg has written on topics ranging from ISIS hackers to encryption. She began her career as a research assistant for the Homeland Security Project at the Center for the Study of the Presidency, and is a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies and the Women in International Security Network.
February 2019. David relocated to Charleston in 2017 as a Regional Corporate Banker. David is now senior banking officer in the Charleston community, leading a team of commercial lenders and responsible for the management of all commercial banking functions in Charleston. The Hamilton family— including wife, Lauren, and children Michael (13), Jack (11), Adair (9), and Layla (5)—have enjoyed being back in the “lowcountry.”
2002
O. Milner Fuller and wife, Mary Jo, of Indianapolis, Indiana, welcomed their second daughter, Elizabeth Jane “Eliza” Fuller, into the world on February 11, 2019.
W. Holmes Lilley III assumed a new role in late 2018 as CEO of Chartwell Staffing Solutions. Holmes joined the company in 2016 as vice president and general counsel. Through technology innovation and staff realignment, he revolutionized company efficiency. As he settles into his new position and new responsibilities, Holmes reflects, “When you’re
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a general counsel, you wake up every day thinking about the various legal and regulatory problems and issues you have to solve that day. Now, I wake up thinking about taking care of 12,000 employees. So the scope is a bit different.”
2003
2004
Minnie L. Corwin and Johnson Phillips married October 27, 2018, in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Virginia Hart McAnaney and husband, Patrick, welcomed daughter Eloise Virginia McAnaney to the world on April 16, 2019.
Rece Nester has been named Head of School of the Greenbrier Community School. According to GCS, “Rece has been involved with Greenbrier Community School since our inception in 1999. Over the past 10 years, she has worn many different hats— development director, student parent, member of the Board of Trustees and teacher. We are so excited to have her leadership and guidance as we embark on our many adventures, transitions and continuing journey.”
William A. Pully II and Gretchen Wiggins married February 9, 2019 at the First Presbyterian Church in Wilson, North Carolina. The reception was held at the Elm City Train Depot. Will’s father, Bill Pully ‘70, and Matthew Garrett ‘04 were groomsmen. Marc Chesnutt ‘06 was an usher. Hall Edwards, brother of the late Conger Edwards ‘13, also was an usher. Pictured: left to right: Bill Johnston ’04; Matthew Garrett ’04; Will Pully ’04; Marc Chesnutt ’06; and Paul Reynolds ’03
2008
Will Cook ’08 has returned to his hometown of Charlotte, NC to take on the new position of Director of Admissions and Outreach at Fusion Academy. Will brings to this role experience
.
gained from working in Admissions at VES, Episcopal Collegiate and Hopewell Academy. He received his B.A. degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he majored in American History. Will started his Masters in Education (Policy and Leadership) at American University in Spring 2019.
Romey Poore, Anne Elise Hastings and Jacob Early met up after Anne Elise Hastings and her Revolving Cast of Characters performed at the Spot on Kirk in Roanoke, Virginia on May 28. All three recently graduated from college—the University of South Carolina, Loyola University New Orleans and Virginia Tech, respectively.
2015
2017
Landon Courville traveled this summer to East Africa with his family: Sydney Courville ’17, Dr. Tim Courville, and Dr. Joy Hilliard. After graduating from Washington and Lee University in May with a degree in International Politics and Film Studies, Landon Courville ‘19 spent two weeks in East Africa hiking with mountain gorillas and chimpanzees. This fall he will join the staff at Culver Academies—a coeducational boarding high school in northern Indiana—as a humanities teaching fellow.
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With a love for everything related to flight, you will rarely find Abigail Martin with her feet on the ground. Catch her this summer tandem skydiving, flying as an FAAapproved commercial pilot or earning her wings as a Certified Flight Instructor (she’s eager to teach you to fly!). We expect Abby to continue soaring through life as she begins her junior year at Middle Tennessee State University in the fall. |
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In Memorium Alumni
1941 Edward “Eddie” B. Thurman died December 28, 2018, of natural causes at the age of 95. During his senior year, he was the fastest student in the school, and always prided himself on being a VES alum. His career as an architect took him and his family all over the world, from Hawaii to Bangkok, and from Tehran to Los Angeles. At his bedside were his two children— son, Blair Thurman ’71, and daughter, Sybil Wyatt.
Frank “Ferebee” Trafton passed away at his home in Virginia Beach on January 21, 2019. Both a lifelong resident of Virginia Beach and member of Galilee Episcopal Church, Ferebee attended Norfolk Academy and the Norfolk Division of the College of William & Mary, which later became Old Dominion University. After a very successful career in the hotel business on the Virginia Beach oceanfront, he opened
and operated Trafton Marine, a successful sailboat marina on Shore Drive. Having a lifelong passion for sailing, Ferebee developed many deep and enduring friendships with other members of the boating community in Southeastern Virginia. He loved and was loved dearly by his wife, June, and his four children: Lynn, Beau, Frank Jr. and William.
Samuel Pretlow Winborne died peacefully on May 9, 2019, at the age of 96. A former Wake County District Court judge, Pretlow enjoyed seaside life in Atlantic, North Carolina. Pretlow is survived by his daughters Ferne Winborne and her husband, Mitch Wilds, and May WinborneRice and her husband, Carter Rice; his son Hughes Winborne and his wife, Regina Okasaki de Freitas; his daughter-in-law, Betsy Winborne; his
grandchildren, Elizabeth, Rosa, Alex, Wyatt, Sarah and Diego; and his sister, Rosa West Tucker. He was predeceased by his wife of 51 years, Ferne H. Winborne, in 2000, and by their son Sam in 2011.
Roanoke, Virginia; of four grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren.
1949
1947 Wade Cothran Warren died on April 23, 2019. He attended The University of Richmond and was employed by Warren Insurance Company for several years after college. He spent many years in the insurance business and served in the Virginia Legislature as a Senate Clerk. Married to Jean Douglas Smart in 1952, Wade enjoyed many summers with his wife’s family on the York River, where he loved catching and feasting on crabs. Wade is survived by his wife, Jean; brother, James Magruder Warren III (Maruma) of Roanoke, Virginia; three children, Deborah Warren McCann (John) of Huntersville, North Carolina, Wade Douglas Warren (Liz) of Richmond, Virginia, and Jean Carter Warren (Sally)
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Vernon D. Dawson of Occoquan, Virginia, passed away February 27, 2019. Following Hampden-Sydney College, he married Hazel Wilkins on June 4, 1951, shortly before his deployment to Germany with the United States Army. Returning to Woodbridge, Virginia, Vern worked for Sears before becoming an entrepreneur working alongside his father and brother, John. He is preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, their infant son, and his brothers, Hugh Lindsay and John Wallace Dawson. Vernon is survived by four children: Dave Dawson (Janet), Paula DawsonDowns (Ronald), Bobby Dawson
(Kimberly) and Matthew Dawson; 11 grandchildren: Ryan Dawson (Moon), Scott Dawson (Maggie), Jeffrey Dawson (Rachel), Tory Dawson, Caroline Downs, Ashton Evans (Eric), Adam Dawson (Nicole), Tyler Dawson (Samantha), Kyle Dawson (Morgan), Charlotte Dawson and Lindsay Dawson; and great-grandchildren Ryu, Leo, Kirra, Sabra, Scarlet, Bailey, Mason, Gracelyn, Tillman and Theodore.
1965
Charles “Chuck” A. Poe, Jr. passed away on May 2, 2019. Chuck graduated from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 1970 and was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order. Chuck
and Ham Poe ’05; granddaughter Finley Elizabeth Poe; sisters Betsy Poe Manning (John Manning) and Mary Poe Twitchell (James Twitchell); four nieces; one nephew; six great-nephews; and five great-nieces. He also is survived by his cousins Gordon Smith ’62, Clarke Smith ’65, Bill Poe ’63, J.T. Poe ’97 and Boss Poe ’95.
volunteered for the National Guard in 1968 and served in the states of North Carolina, Hawaii and Florida before completing his service. Chuck found his calling as a computer programmer, holding many positions with the state of North Carolina before retiring and raising his two sons. He was predeceased by his parents, Betty and Charlie Poe ’30. He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Patricia Forbes Poe; his children Toby Poe III (Adrianne)
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Students capture the fun of Book Night on Box Plaza. VIRGINIA EPISCOPAL SCHOOL
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Homecoming & Fall Family Weekend Bringing alumni, students and parents together to celebrate VES.
Friday - Sunday
October 4 - 6, 2019
Enjoy a Bevy of Activities Fine Arts Friday Concert Drop-In Social for Alumni & Parents Homecoming Picnic and Football Game Distinguished Alumna Award Presentation Honoring Vivian Howard ’96 Parents Council Auction Homecoming Dance
Register today!
ves.org/homecoming
