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In Memoriam | Winter 2024

In Memoriam: 1970s

Notices sorted by graduation date

James Carothers (Grad ’70 CM) of Lawrence, Kansas, died July 9, 2024. He earned a doctorate in English from UVA, where he wrote a dissertation on William Faulkner’s short stories. He also held bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Missouri. In 1970 he began a 46-year career at the University of Kansas as an English professor. His teaching focused on modern American fiction (including William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald) and Shakespeare. He also developed courses including Literature of Baseball and Honors: Comedy and Humor. He served for 12 years as associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and as president of faculty four times. Beginning in 1979, he attended the University of Mississippi’s Faulkner Conference each year and was a founding editor of The Faulkner Journal. After retirement, he continued his research through the Digital Yoknapatawpha Project, a collaboration between an international team of Faulkner scholars and technologists at UVA. He always maintained a love of baseball and humor. Survivors include his wife, Beverly; two children; two grandchildren; and a great-grandson.
Edwin Michael “Mike” Chewning (Engr ’70) of Madison, Alabama, died June 16, 2024. He studied aerospace engineering at UVA, where he was a member of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and the P.K. Society. After graduation he began working for NASA at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, where he served as a mission planner and network support manager. In 1978 he joined McDonnell Douglas in Florida, supporting the Kennedy Space Center with preparations for the space shuttle program. Later he moved to Huntsville, Alabama, in support of the Marshall Space Flight Center. In 1997, he began a 10-year stint at Spacehab Inc., where his missions included support of logistics flights to the International Space Station. After stints at Boeing and TriVector Services, he retired in 2013. He enjoyed boating and vacations in St. Thomas. He continued to follow the development of commercial human spaceflight and was eager to see human missions to the moon and to Mars. Survivors include his stepdaughter, her children and grandchild; his stepson; and his niece Sarah Chewning McIntosh (Col ’01 CM) and her husband Paul McIntosh (Col ’01, Med ’05 CM).
Robert Allen “Bob” Nigro (Com ’71 CM) of Kiawah Island, South Carolina, died June 30, 2024. He earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from UVA, where he was a class president, a Lawn resident and a member of the golf team. He enjoyed a long career in finance, with the bulk of his time spent at the First Boston Corporation in Chicago, Atlanta and New York City offices. He finished his career at SEI Investments. He settled in Greenwich, Connecticut, and retired to Kiawah Island in 2006. He served on the executive board of directors of the Charleston Animal Society and Coastal Community Foundation and chaired the investment committees for both organizations. He also served on the board of trustees of the Kiawah Conservancy and was chairman of the Golf Committee at Briar’s Creek. He steadfastly supported his beloved alma mater and consistently headed up the Class of 1971 Reunion Committee. He loved to cook elaborate Italian meals for friends and family and, in retirement, took Italian language classes. He also enjoyed working on vintage cars. Survivors include his wife, Lee Anne; two children; a brother; and four grandchildren.
H. Conrad Warlick (Educ ’71) of Fredericksburg, Virginia, died July 3, 2024. He earned his doctorate in counselor education from UVA, where he was a member of the Raven Society. He also held a bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest University and a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. From 1953 to 1957, he served as an officer in the U.S. Navy and as chief of operations on the USS Pictor, stationed in the Pacific. He taught English at UVA and served as associate dean of undergraduate admissions before joining the administration of the University of Mary Washington in 1974. During his 23 years there, he held positions including vice president for admissions and financial aid, executive assistant to the president, and senior vice president. He served on the board of directors of the Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce, The Salvation Army, the University of Mary Washington Foundation and the United Way. He remained active in several state, regional and national college admissions organizations and served as president of the Potomac-Chesapeake Association for College Admission Counseling. He served on the founding boards for the Fredericksburg Academy and the Fredericksburg Festival of the Arts. Survivors include his wife, Anne; two sons; a sister; and two grandchildren.
Thomas Baldwin Brittain III (Col ’73 CM) of Arlington, Virginia, died June 1, 2024. He earned his bachelor’s degree from UVA and worked as a real estate agent and property manager for over 30 years. He also worked as a research analyst and bartender. He was an avid sports fan who supported local professional teams and, most of all, his beloved Virginia Cavaliers. He also loved history, strategy games, bowling and billiards. Survivors include his mother, three brothers, and six nieces and nephews.
David Gene Cupp (Grad ’75) of McKinney, Texas, died July 19, 2024. He earned a master’s degree in drama from UVA. He spent 25 years in Charlottesville as the news director and co-anchor of the 6 p.m. newscasts at WVIR-TV. Under his leadership, the newsroom expanded to include dozens of reporters, videographers and meteorologists. He received accolades including the Virginias AP Broadcasters’ Robert Gallimore Distinguished Service Award, an Emmy nomination and the Edward R. Murrow Award for writing. In 2005 he began a new career at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he taught writing, voice and diction, and the history of broadcasting. He also maintained a passion for theater as both a playwright and performer. He enjoyed many seasons performing at UVA’s Heritage Repertory Theatre. He loved singing, Irish pubs and a nice glass of Jameson. Survivors include his wife, Cecilia Minden (Educ ’00); a daughter; a sister; a granddaughter; and many nieces and nephews.
James Ronald “Ron” Lovell (Engr ’75 CM) of Huntsville, Alabama, died June 28, 2024. He earned his master’s degree in nuclear engineering from UVA after receiving his bachelor’s degree in engineering science from Tennessee Technological University. He completed the Engineer Officer Basic Course at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and was honorably discharged as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. After many years working as a licensed professional engineer, his position required more training in computing, leading him down a new career path. In 1984 he joined supercomputer company Cray Research. Living in Huntsville, he worked as a senior systems analyst and oversaw software development at sites including the Alabama Supercomputer Center and NASA. He eventually settled in a position at the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, working with companies including Silicon Graphics and Kratos. After retiring in 2016, he enjoyed playing disc golf, watching movies and PBS, and continuing to work with computers. Survivors include his wife, Karen; two sons; two sisters; and many cousins.