Connections: Winter 2018

1949

Stephen Eckstein has taught a class on a spiritual A-bomb, an outgrowth of an article he wrote in regard to the A-bombs of 1944, at Green Lawn Church of Christ in Lubbock, Texas. He served in World War II. (2605 N. County Road 1700, Lubbock, TX 79416)

1959

Lewis (’57) and Charlene Stewart celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary June 1, 2017. They are both retired from Georgia Southern University where Lewis taught in the College of Business, and Charlene taught in the College of Education. They have two sons. (211 Wildwood Drive, Statesboro, GA 30458)

1968

Phillip Jones retired as the school counselor for the Goreville (Illinois) School System after 30 years in education. He also served as minister for the Goreville Church of Christ for 30 years and is now the full-time minister for the Vienna (Illinois) Church of Christ. (P.O. Box 272, Goreville, IL 62939)

1970

Su Zanne Hampton Pace has authored two poetry books, Pages of Water and Iron and Memories and Pleasures Now , under the pen name Emily Laurel. The books can be found on Amazon.com. (3235 Junior Place, Shreveport, LA 71109)

1973

Gregory G. Pauley concluded a 42-year career with American Electric Power, one of the nation’s largest investor-owned utilities. He retired as the company’s president and COO of its Kentucky operations. He and his wife, Kathryn Henderson (’72), have three children and 10 grandchildren. They attend Holly Hill Church of Christ where they oversee the ladies ministry. (105 Waterford Circle, Frankfort, KY 40601)

1976

Timothy D. Stidham was honored for his 30 years of service to the church of Christ in Los Alamos, New Mexico. He began at the church as youth minister and served in the capacity for five years. In 1992, he became pulpit minister. His wife, Tanya Anderson (’78), has served as women’s minister since 2000. They have four children. (2345 Diamond Drive, Los Alamos, NM 87544)

1983

Lisa Chapman retired from Shell Oil Co. She worked 34 years in information technology. (1206 Catskill Drive, Missouri City, TX 77459)

1993

Amy Cavender Cho joined Truxton Trust as associate wealth advisor. She joined Truxton Trust from a private law practice, where she primarily focused on estate planning. She earned her Doctor of Jurisprudence at Nashville School of Law. She is a licensed Tennessee attorney and a member of the Tennessee Bar Association and Nashville Bar Association. (2148 Hillsboro Valley Road, Brentwood, TN 37027)

Steven Nutt married Suzanne Hodge on Sept. 2, 2017. Steven is CFO at Community National Bank and Trust of Texas. (4210 W. State Highway 22, Corsicana, TX 75110)

1995

Karen Monk Garner was invited to join Sigma Theta Tau International. She also completed a Master of Science in Nursing with a specialty in nursing education from Chamberlain College of Nursing. An adjunct professor at Harding, she is married to Jeremy (’96). (207 Crain Drive, Searcy, AR 72143)

1998

Daniel Norton is a student in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management’s Executive MBA Program. (1204 Boxthorn Drive, Brentwood, TN 37027)

1999

Nick Kennedy is president of Surf Air, which recently purchased Rise Air. He started Rise Air and was its chief executive. He is married to Dr. Angela Sholl (’97). (6822 Tulip Lane, Dallas, TX 75230)

Tyson (’98) and April Campbell Ledgerwood announce the birth of a daughter, Kaylin Arya, Sept. 19, 2017. Tyson is fine arts coordinator/21st century director, and April is a homemaker. (1128 N. Grayson St., Hobbs, NM 88240)

2003

Jarod Varner is regional vice president for transit management at First Transit. He is responsible for transit management operations and supporting current customers. He serves on the American Public Transportation Association board of directors as well as the National Transit Institute Advisory Board. He earned a master’s in public administration degree from the University of North Texas. He is married to Paige Tenery . (4316 Austin Drive, North Little Rock, AR 72116)

2004

Michael Anderson has been promoted to managing director-acquisitions at Westmount Realty Capital LLC. He graduated from Texas A&M University with a master’s in land economics and real estate. He is a member of the Real Estate Council and is a licensed Texas real estate broker. (3334 Regent Drive, Dallas, TX 75229)

Andrew Goodman joined Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s staff as director of policy coordination and legislative outreach Jan. 2, 2018. He was chief legislative aide to the president of the Arkansas Senate. He and his wife, Chelsea Wilson (’05), have four children. (101 Maple St., Cabot, AR 72023)

Craig Vick is chief financial officer at Collier’s International Arkansas. He is a volunteer in the AR Kids Read Program, giving time to children who need some extra help with their reading skills and is a youth basketball coach at Central Arkansas Christian Schools. He is married to Carrie Stake (’06). (1801 Wellington Woods Drive, Little Rock, AR 72211)

Lauren Smelser White successfully defended her dissertation and has received a Ph.D. in religion from Vanderbilt University. She has been appointed assistant professor of theology at Lipscomb University. Her husband, Jason , is a private-practice dentist in Franklin, Tennessee. They have two children, Everette and Abel. (1106 Stonewall Jackson Court, Nashville, TN 37220)

2006

Charles and Cara Elliott announce the birth of a daughter, Charlotte Elaine, July 26, 2017. Charles is a lawyer, and Cara owns her own business. They have another daughter, Elizabeth Blake. (2627 Summerwind Drive S.E., Decatur, AL 35603)

2007

Ben and Rachel Delk Burkhart announce the birth of a son, Joshua Alan, Aug. 10, 2017. They also have a daughter, Mikaela. (3050 Abby Way, Loveland, OH 45140)

2008

Rachel Bashaw Grady earned first runner-up in the Grand National Wedding Cake Competition on Oct. 1, 2017. Hosted by Food Network’s Kerry Vincent, this is the largest competition of its kind in the country. She and her husband, Brandon (’07), have two children. (126 Gold Rush Drive, Searcy, AR 72143)

2009

Sean (’10) and Laura Reeder Driggers announce the birth of a son, Jack Caleb, Aug. 4, 2017. They have another son, Charlie. (605 Ember Lane, Mansfield, TX 76063)

Eric (’11) and Rachel Steele Giboney announce the birth of a son, Edwyn Kent, Sept. 24, 2017. They live in China where Eric works for Tianjin Zhi Yang Cross-Cultural Consultants. (Qing Xiu Yuan 3-2-201, Liu Jiang Road, Hexi District, Tianjin, P.R. China, 300061)

2010

Sandra McGrew joined Ghidotti Communications to run its new content communications division. As director of content marketing, she manages the agency’s web-based news and events platform, called The Arkansas 100; oversees its website and podcast; and devises digital content marketing strategies for clients. (601 Napa Valley Drive, #637, Little Rock, AR 72211)

2011

Collin and Katie Fittz Harwell announce the birth of a daughter, Ella Ruth, July 15, 2017. Collin is owner and president of Prairie Pet Food Ingredients, and Katie is the executive support manager for Refrigeration Design Technologies. (103 Omaha Court, Waxahachie, TX 75165).

Caleb and Ashley Ward Mitchen announce the birth of a son, Luke Kenneth, Dec. 13, 2016. They are both employed as financial analysts at Walmart Stores Inc. (4007 S.W. Grace Farms Ave., Bentonville, AR 72712)

2012

Mark (’10) and Courtney Carter Wagner announce the birth of a son, Hudson Dale, July 19, 2017. Mark is the math instructional facilitator at White County Central Schools, and Courtney teaches kindergarten in the same district. They also have a daughter, Nora. (105 Dean St., Searcy, AR 72143)

2013

Levi (’12) and Reatta Williams Walker announce the birth of a son, Asher Finn, March 10, 2017. (335 N. Spruce Ave., Bartlesville, OK 74006)

2015

Rebecca Neely was named Volunteer Services Coordinator at Arkansas Children’s Northwest Hospital. (7526 Peony Place, #104, Springdale, AR 72762)

Ansley Watson has become a reporter for “Good Morning Arkansas” on Little Rock, Arkansas, ABC affiliate KATV Channel 7. She previously worked for two years as a morning reporter and journalist at NBC and FOX affiliates in Marquette, Michigan. (5500 Highland Drive, #1124, Little Rock, AR 72223)