1950
Billy Wilber Wood, Sept. 15, 2025, Spartanburg, S.C. Wood was a U.S. Army veteran and retired from Duke Power Company after 35 years. In 2015, he and his wife established the Billy W. Wood and Betty T. Wood Endowed Scholarship with a $100,000 gift to Wofford. Wood was a longtime member of Southside Baptist Church, where he twice served as chairman of the deacons. He volunteered with Mobile Meals of Spartanburg and supported the Hope Center for Children and the Salvation Army. He rarely missed a Wofford home football game and attended most men’s basketball games, and he was always positive and supportive of the student- athletes and coaches. For his contributions, he was inducted into the Wofford College Athletics Hall of Fame as the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award.
1951
Dr. Ernest Glenn Ayers Jr., Aug. 22, 2025, Sumter, S.C. Ayers was the director and chief psychologist for the Sumter Clarendon Mental Health Clinic and helped establish the Santee Wateree Mental Health Center. After retiring, he continued a private practice until 2006. Ayers was active in the Kiwanis Club, the Salvation Army, Samaritan House and the Sumter County Mental Health Association. He was a member of the American Psychological Association, the South Carolina Psychological Association and served on the ethics committee of the South Carolina Board of Examiners in Psychology. He attended the Church of the Holy Comforter, where he was a vestry member and junior warden.
1957
William W. “Bill” Kirkpatrick, Sept. 27, 2025, Hendersonville, N.C. Kirkpatrick owned Forge Mountain Foods in Hendersonville, N.C., for 20 years after holding various business development positions around the country. He also served in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve. Kirkpatrick loved music and played trumpet with the Aristocrats Dance Band, the Spartanburg Symphony and the Buddy K Big Band. He was active in music programs at First United Methodist Church in Hendersonville and helped found Windsor United Methodist Church in Columbia, S.C.
Jimmy Albert “Jim” Maners, Sept. 17, 2025, Rock Hill, S.C. Maners owned and operated Drum’s Tire and Battery Service for over six decades. Away from work, he was a voracious reader and avid golfer, playing once or twice a week with his many friends at Pinetuck Golf Course. He was also an active member of Rock Hill Elks Lodge #1318. In 2016, Maners was honored by CN2 News as a Hometown Hero for a lifetime of service to the Rock Hill community. He treated customers and employees like family and was known for his honesty and generosity.
1960
James Arthur Adams Jr., Oct. 5, 2025, Spartanburg, S.C. Upon graduating from Wofford, Adams served the U.S. Army Medical Corps during the Korean War and was stationed for two years at Fort Jackson. He was a longtime employee of Spring Industries as a chemist and an active member of the First Church of the Nazarene in Spartanburg.
Dr. Victor Clyde Campbell, Aug. 16, 2025, Greer, S.C. Campbell was a major in the U.S. Air Force and served as an orthopedic surgeon for American POWs during the Vietnam War. He was the owner and founder of Mountain View Orthopedics and worked as an orthopedic surgeon for Greenville Memorial Hospital. A member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and the South Carolina Orthopedic Surgeon Association, Campbell was a Future Farmers of America volunteer for Greenville County Schools and donated his time to Greer Community Ministries. Campbell also owned and operated Log Cabin Farm, where he raised registered Polled Hereford cattle and Belgian Brabant horses and hosted Olde Tyme Farm Day with his beloved wife, Gail.
1961
John Seaborn Perkins Jr., Sept. 5, 2025, Cornelia, Ga. Perkins had a long career in commercial real estate and served as financial officer for Cousins Properties and Ackerman & Co. in Atlanta before starting his own business, Perkins & Associates. A sports enthusiast, he played handball, racquetball and golf. He had a passion for running, completing 30 Peachtree Road Races and five Boston Marathons. He shared his joy for running with students at Habersham Central High School, where he coached cross country and track for 10 years.
Ronald Edward “Ron” Sperlbaum, Aug. 1, 2025, Matthews, N.C. Sperlbaum was a National Bank examiner in the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for 25 years. After retiring, he continued to share his expertise with North Carolina National Bank, Rock Hill National Bank (later renamed NationsBank) and The Risk Management Group, where he worked for 15 years. Sperlbaum was a member of Morning Star Lutheran Church and was active in Mint Hill Masonic Lodge #742, Scottish Rite Valley of Charlotte, Amran Shriners of Raleigh and Order of the Eastern Star of North Carolina #353.
1964
Ila Curtis Price III, Oct. 4, 2025, Columbia, S.C. Price was a dedicated certified public accountant who served his state as an auditor for South Carolina Public Service and his country as a member of the U.S. Marine Corps. He was a gifted musician who enjoyed singing and playing guitar for his family, community and church. He also enjoyed drawing and painting, especially when he was making gifts for his family and friends.
1966
Charles Henry “Charlie” Poole III, April 28, 2025, Newberry, S.C. Poole retired from the South Carolina Office of Information Technology Policy and Management. He liked planes, trains, computers, cats, Bach and bluegrass.
1967
Eugene Perrin “Gene” Elebash III, Oct. 7, 2025, Pensacola, Fla. Elebash was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity and ROTC at Wofford. He commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army and served at Fort Sill, Okla.; Fort Benning, Ga.; Fort Bragg, N.C.; and Fort Bliss, Texas. He went to advanced language school, learning Vietnamese before serving at Military Assistance Command in Vietnam. He completed his active-duty service in Pensacola then joined the family business, Elebash’s Jewelers. He was an experienced jewelry appraiser and gemologist, who most enjoyed helping people find “the perfect gift.” He loved his church, St. Christopher’s Episcopal; dancing; volunteering; gardening; celebrating Mardi Gras; travel; and spending time with family and friends.
Sam Wingo Fuller, Sept. 5, 2025, Savannah, Ga. Fuller was the longtime principal of Inman (S.C.) Elementary School. He also mentored future leaders for the state Department of Education’s New Principals Academy before retiring as principal at Bethel-Hanberry Elementary School in Blythewood, S.C. Beyond his career, Fuller was a devoted husband and father, a born storyteller and a devoted history buff who loved living in the Lowcountry.
Addison Palmer Knight, Sept. 9, 2025, Jacksonville, Fla. Knight founded the first independent money management firm in Jacksonville, The Palmer Knight Company, in 1985. After retiring, he spent countless hours making wooden toys for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots program in North Georgia, earning Knight the nickname “the real secret Santa.” He was involved in many other civic and charitable organizations, including Goodwill, DePaul School of Northeast Florida, Mercy Ships and the Rotary Club of Jacksonville.
1969
John Richardson “Richard” Ruthven, Oct. 11, 2025, Allentown, N.J. Ruthven joined the U.S. Air Force after college and served in Vietnam, finishing his service at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey. He worked as a tax preparer for H&R Block for more than 20 years and was active in the community, coaching Little League baseball and volunteering at his church, Allentown Methodist. He enjoyed fishing, reading, woodworking and cheering for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Thomas Edward “Tom” Young Jr., Aug. 30, 2025, Charleston, S.C. Young opened Charleston’s first bead store, Ecuadorian Imports, after his lifelong love for travel took him to South America in 1972, where he saw potential in importing handmade crafts and beads from Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia. With his longtime friend Bob Glenn, Young founded The Cargo Hold Inc., a wholesale jewelry and components company that specializes in fine sterling silver and Nappa leather. Called “Catfish” by his friends, Young was a member of Kappa Alpha Order and enjoyed reading, playing golf and attending oyster roasts and Wofford alumni breakfasts at the City Marina.
1972
Charles Elmer “Chuck” Whitt Jr., Aug. 25, 2025, Martinez, Ga. Whitt attended Wofford on a football scholarship and played for the Terriers in the 1970 NAIA Championship against Texas A&I. He taught and coached at Wheeler High School and Cherokee High School and later worked for Kemper Insurance before transitioning to Allstate, where he worked until his retirement in 2012. Whitt enjoyed traveling, playing golf, spending time with family and regaling friends with stories of his high school and collegiate glory days. He was a proud Terrier and a diehard Beatles and Atlanta sports fan.
1974
Worth Terry Laney, Aug. 9, 2025, Davidson, N.C. Laney operated Pizza Huts for nearly two decades. He served on the Children’s Miracle Network telethon committee and was an early adopter of Pizza Hut’s BOOK IT! Program. In 2000, Laney began working with Habitat for Humanity Guatemala, making nearly 30 trips to Central America over the next 18 years. A lifelong learner and avid reader, he loved music and college football.
Thomas Morrison “Chip” Simmons, Sept. 8, 2024, Greenville, S.C. Simmons was an award-winning photographer and published author. He was a dedicated leader for the Sierra Club, organizing numerous outdoor excursions that encouraged environmental stewardship. Simmons learned how to fly before he had a driver’s license, and among his hobbies were kayaking, biking, hiking, astronomy and playing the piano and guitar. He served in the U.S. Army, and he is remembered as someone who could make a friend out of a stranger with ease.
1979
Charles Allen Nickles, Aug. 28, 2025, Simpsonville, S.C. Nickles worked as a real estate advisor for Wells Fargo and was the president of The Nickles Company, a site location specialist for retail and special investments. He was a lifelong member of First Presbyterian Church in Greenville, where he served as a deacon, Sunday school teacher and usher. He enjoyed cheering on the Atlanta Braves, watching “National Treasure” movies and ordering the All-Star Special from Waffle House with a big cup of coffee.
1981
Michael Auburn “Mike” DeVine, Aug. 24, 2025, Atlanta, Ga. DeVine practiced civil and criminal law in Spartanburg, S.C., winning several high-profile cases involving elected officials. Devine, who died of complications related to ALS, frequently expressed his gratitude to God and for the friendship and care provided by members of South Gwinnett Baptist Church.
Franklin Lee “Franky” Brady, Oct. 11, 2025, Winston Salem, N.C. Brady attended Wofford on a football scholarship before beginning a career with Man Busing, which allowed him to travel across the United States. He later began a self-owned bricklaying business. Brady loved to hunt and watch football.
1987
William Brooks “Billy” Hendrix Jr., Aug. 20, 2025, Newberry, S.C. Hendrix was a realtor for Dutch Fork Realty. He attended every national championship game that Clemson University played in and enjoyed fishing, hunting, gardening and riding his tractor. He was a member of Newberry Reformed Presbyterian Church.
1990
Kimberley Waynett Young, Oct. 12, 2025, Clinton, S.C. Young died after a long battle with glioblastoma. She received a full academic scholarship to Wofford and graduated summa cum laude with a degree in English. She was a cheerleader for the Terriers and was active in music and theatre. She worked in sales and marketing for Aveda before becoming a cosmetologist. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Clinton, where she was active in children’s and youth ministries.
FRIENDS
Barbara Russell Hardin, Oct. 19, 2025, Chapel Hill, N.C. Hardin was a warm and graceful presence on Wofford’s campus when her husband, Paul Hardin, served as president from 1968-72. They met and fell in love at Lake Junaluska, N.C., and went on to earn degrees at Duke University. They were married for 62 years. Hardin was active in the church and community wherever they moved. She was a founding board member of the Ronald McDonald House and a passionate supporter of the Duke University ALS Clinic.
Paul Duncan Lansberry, Oct. 11, 2025, Spartanburg, S.C. Before retirement, Lansberry worked as a field representative with the Social Security Administration. A devoted husband, parent and grandfather, he never missed a game, performance or chance to support his family and those he adopted as family. He loved Wofford athletics, and he and his wife, Sue, were fixtures at home basketball games, especially those of the women’s basketball team. A proud Furman graduate, Lansberry wore the hats of both teams on rivalry days and cheered with equal enthusiasm for the Terriers and the Paladins. In the week before his death, the Wofford women’s basketball team presented him with a signed jersey in thanks for his unfailing support. He was also a longtime member of Central United Methodist Church, living out a quiet faith filled with mentoring, community service, prayer, humor, love, kindness and care for others.
Marilyn Rita Ingalls Huskey, Oct. 1, 2025, Woodruff, S.C. Huskey served Wofford as housekeeping supervisor of residence halls for 13 years. She loved being outside and gardening.
Junie L. White, Sept. 1, 2025, Spartanburg, S.C. A successful business owner, philanthropist and former three-term mayor of the city of Spartanburg, White contributed to many local college scholarship funds, including the Junie L. White Scholarship Fund at Wofford, which gives preference to a student-athlete who is also an English major and has financial need. The owner of White’s Pine Street Exxon and car repair shop, White was a leader in the Jewish community and attended Temple B’nai Israel, where he served as a past president. In 2009, at the age of 71, White was elected to his first of three terms as Spartanburg’s mayor. Less than a year later, he issued a proclamation establishing the city’s first-ever LGBT Day and Pride March. White was the recipient of the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce Small Businessman of the Year award, the City of Spartanburg Patriot Award and the state’s highest civilian honor, the Order of the Palmetto. In 1993, he was awarded Wofford’s Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, honoring excellence of character and humanitarian spirit.
Elsie Ruth Wright, Oct. 11, 2025, Tifton, Ga. Wright served with the American Red Cross in Korea and Vietnam as a Donut Dollie. In Spartanburg, she worked as a clinical social worker and was a community volunteer and devoted member of Trinity United Methodist Church. She and her longtime partner, Zerno Martin, endowed a scholarship at Wofford, and in 2010, the college awarded her the Mary Mildred Sullivan Award for her love for and helpfulness to others.