Alumni Info - Deceased Alumni

TOM BUTCHKO,  (Clarinet, through 1974) - Passed away November 21, 2009.  Tom's brother, John, offered these details:  Tom lived in Elisabeth City, NC for much of the last 25 years.  He was curator at Museum of the Albermarle. He was known as a Georgia football fan.  He died a week before the Tech game and would have been very happy with the upset.  He enjoyed his years in the Redcoat Band.  He is survived by two brothers, two nephews and his partner Gerard.    More   

DEAN NOVOTNY,  (Flute 1974-1979) - Passed away August 5, 2009.  Dean attended the University of Georgia from 1974-1979.  He graduated with a bachelors in Journalism, married and moved to Jacksonville, FL in 1984.  He often attended Homecoming and proudly played his flute with the Redcoat Alumni Band.  He was so proud to say "I am a Georgia Bulldog born and bred, I live and breathe red and black." he is survived by his wife Susan Novotny and 15 year old son, Christopher Alan Novotny.  Susan and Christopher will both attend homecoming 2009.

CHARLES LOUIS McPHAIL, Griffin, GA  (Clarinet 1966-1970) passed away Sunday, October 11, 2009, at his residence. Charlie was born May 23, 1948, in Anderson, S.C., to the late Charles Louis McPhail Sr. and the late Kathleen Alsena Rogers. He was a member of the Griffin First United Methodist Church where he sang in the choir. Mr. McPhail retired from the Thomaston Upson School System after 38 years of teaching. He was a member of the Phi Mu Alpha Music Fraternity and longtime member of the G.M.E.A. and P.A.G.E. where he was a district board member.
A memorial concert celebration of the life and achievements of Mr. Charles Louis McPhail Jr. will be announced at a later time by the family.

SARAH WISE TIDWELL, Atlanta, GA  (Flagline 1990-1992) passed away September 9, 2009 after her battle with leukemia.  She graduated from UGA with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism in 1993.  She later attended the Atlanta School of Massage and became a massage therapist specializing in pregnancy massage.  She was an active member of the North Atlanta Church of Christ where she met her husband, Tim.   Sarah spread so much joy to all that she came in contact with.  She will be greatly missed.

ART RYDER, Athens, GA (Sousaphone 1997 thru 2000) Passed away June 10, 2009.

HORACE FLEMING, JR, Macon, GA (Trumpet 1966 thru 1970) Passed away May 1, 2009 from a courageous battle with cancer.

CHUCK TODD, Columbus, GA (Trombone 1984 thru 1985) Passed away February 28, 2009 from an unexpected heart attack.

FELECIA GERMAINE CROWDER MILES, age 48, Athens, GA (Flute 1979 thru 1982) Passed away October 24, 2008.

MARGARET ADAMS "MEG" HAAS, age 39, (Clarinet thru 1991) passed away at home in Birmingham, Alabama on Saturday morning, September 13, 2008. Funeral September 18th.

Donald Sidney Haton, Jr. - 9/12/08 - (1993-1995 Graduate Assistant) - age 45 of Shelbyville, North Carolina died suddenly in his office of unknown causes on the morning of September 12, 2008. Sid was Director of Athletic Bands and Instructor of Music Business and Music Technology at Gardner-Webb University. He held Bachelors and Masters Degrees from the University of South Carolina, and was working toward the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from the University of Georgia. Sid was a graduate assistant with the University of Georgia Bands from 1993 to 1995. During that time he wrote drill and music for the Redcoat Band, including the current arrangement of the "Seventh Chords" that the Redcoats perform during the Georgia Spellout. He also served in an assistantship in the Department of Choral Activities under the late Pierce Arant. Sid is survived by his parents, Rev. Donald Sidney Haton, Dr. and Eleanor Haton of Greer, SC, and his wife, Dr. Sydney Brown Haton of Shelybville, NC. At the time of this writing, funeral arrangements were unannounced.

Meredith Holland Jones - 11/30/07 (Class of 2000) - Red and Black. Some alumni may be interested to read that here. 

Also, her sister mentions on her Caring Bridge site (website for victims of long term illness) the following ways of donating in Meredith's honor:

   MEREDITH HOLLAND JONES SCHOLARSHIP FUND -

A scholarship will be set up in Meredith's name at the University Of Georgia. Meredith dearly loved Athens and UGA- she received her undergraduate and masters degrees from the University. She was working on her doctorate before she went into the hospital. It was a very special place for her. This scholarship will help supplement the costs for a rising Junior or Senior music major who wishes to be an elementary school music teacher.Please make checks to University Of Georgia Foundation. On the check please list Meredith Jones Scholarship Fund.The music department at UGA is assisting us on setting up the fund.
Checks can be mailed to:
Dr. Mary Leglar- Hugh Hodgson School Of Music
UGA
250 River Rd.
Athens, GA 30602

   HONEY CREEK ELEMENTARY MUSIC PROGRAM
Meredith loved her time as the music teacher at Honey Creek Elementary. Music teachers are constantly raising money to provide instruments, materials, props, and other resources for their students. We would like to make a donation to the school's music program in honor of Meredith's love of Honey Creek and the school's students, parents, and staff.Please make checks to Honey Creek Elementary. Please list on your check that the money should go to the music program. If you would like to mail your check directly to the school, please send it to:
Honey Creek Elementary- Music Program
700 Honey Creek Rd.
Conyers, GA 30094

   CARINGBRIDGE
Throughout Meredith's battle with cancer, caringbridge.org has been a wonderful service. Writing in the journal allowed Meredith to keep everyone informed of her condition, but it also provided her emotional support. She was able to write about her feelings as well as things like doctor visits and tests. She was uplifted by each and every guestbook entry. Caringbridge.org is a free service. We would like to keep this wonderful free service going for other patients and their families & friends to use and be comforted from during hard times.If you wish, you can donate directly on their website:
www.caringbridge.org
Checks should be made out to CaringBridge. You can also request your donation to be in memory of Meredith Jones.
If you wish to mail your check, please send to:
CaringBridge
1995 Rahn Cliff Court
Suite 200
Eagan, MN 55122

Suzanne Lutrell (Class of 1982 - Trumpet) - 11/20/07 - age 47 of Athens, passed away Friday, November 30, 2007. Memorial services will be held 3 PM Wednesday, December 5, 2007 in the Stateroom of Tim Stewart Funeral Home, Snellville. Inurnment will follow at Eternal Hills Memory Gardens, Snellville. Miss Lutrell was employed with Wal-Mart in Athens, a graduate of University of Georgia with a teaching degree and a member of the Red Coat Band. She is survived by her parents, Travis and Georgia Lutrell, Snellville; brother and sister-in-law, Daniel and Yolla Lutrell, Lawrenceville; niece and nephew, Daniel and Eve Lutrell, Lawrenceville; aunts and cousins. Tim Stewart Funeral Home, 2246 Wisteria Drive, Snellville, GA. 30078, 770-979-5010. Please sign online guest registry at www.stewartfh.com

09/05/07 - Judge James Cleveland Miller (Class of 1960 - Drum Major) - 69, of Elberton, husband of Lita Anderson Miller, died Wednesday, September 5, 2007 at Athens Regional Medical Center in Athens, Ga. Born in Elbert County, he was a member of First Baptist Church of Elberton, a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, a past Exhaulted Ruler of the Elberton Elks Lodge, an Administrative Law Judge, and was a drum major of the University of Georgia Redcoat Marching Band of 1956-1960 and participated in the 1960 Orange Bowl Festivities. Funeral services were held Friday, September 7th at Elmhurst Cemetery with Rev. Michael Stovall officiating. 

09/01/07 - Neil Edwards (Class of 1956 - Trombone) - Harvey Neil Edwards, of the Sanford Community, age 75, passed away on Saturday, September 1, 2007 after a long bout with bladder cancer. He was a native of Dalton, Whitfield County, Ga. Neil attended Dalton High School, was a high school band soloist, was an Eagle Scout and a member of the Order of the Arrow. He earned a Bachelor's Degree in Music with Honors and a Master's Degree in Music Education from the University of Georgia. As a protegé of Roger Dancz, he was a member of the first Redcoat Band and an active member of the Redcoat Alumni Band.

07/28/07 - Huey Kent (Class of 1962 - Sousaphone) - Huey Glen Kent, age 68, of Hartwell, Georgia, passed away on July 28, 2007 at Peachtree Christian Hospice after a gallant battle to Melanoma. Huey's tenure in the band as an active redcoat (sousaphone) , and during the early 70s design drills for the Redcoats while Huey was the band director at Clarke Central High School. This was the beginning of the Redcoats becoming an outstanding "marching band" as well as a "playing" band. Huey and Patricia helped with an expanding program of Redcoat merchandise over many years.

02/22/07 - Tom Stone (Class of 1974 - Trumpet) died suddenly Tuesday morning at his home in Carrollton. He was 54 years old. Tom was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on October 13, 1952, to the late Martha Lewis Stone and William Hinton Stone, Sr. He was a 1970 graduate of Hapeville High School in Hapeville, Georgia, where he was the Band Captain of the first Georgia public high school band to march in the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, California. He was also a 1974 graduate of the University of Georgia where he was Band Captain. Upon graduation from the University of Georgia he went to work for Systems & Methods, Inc. where he was employed until his untimely death. Burial was at Carroll Memory Gardens. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Thomas E. Stone Scholarship Fund, University of West Georgia Foundation, Inc., 1601 Maple Street, Carrollton, Georgia, 30118.

6/08/06 - Helen Virginia Beall, 60, of Sherwood Place, Morganton, died Thursday, June 8, 2006 at her residence. She was born December 30, 1945, in Fort Worth, Texas, and was the daughter of the late Jack Davis and Wilma Way Davis. Helen was a school band director since 1969 in Georgia, Maryland, Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. For the past five years she was an E.S.L teacher at Table Rock Middle School. She also loved hiking the Appalachian Trail and was active in churches as a choir director, youth advisor and Sunday School teacher. Helen was a member of North Morganton United Methodist Church. She is survived by her husband, Rev. Tom Beall of the home; a daughter, Virginia Beall Fowler and husband, Josef of Cashiers, NC. A memorial service will be held at 4:00 p.m. Monday, June 12, 2006 at North Morganton United Methodist Church with Rev. Tony Matthews officiating. The family will receive friends at Sossoman Funeral Home on Sunday from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Memorial gifts may be made to North Morganton United Methodist Church, 900 Sanford Dr., Morganton, NC 28655; Homes for Hearts, Inc., P. O. Box 3752, Morganton, NC 28680; Habitat for Humanity, The Tashi Brown House, P. O. Box 352, Morganton, NC 28680; or to Burke Hospice and Palliative Care, 1721 Enon Rd., Valdese, NC 28690. Online condolences may be made at www.sossomanfuneralservice.com.

6/27/05 - Ms. Patrick Davis Hughes notified us of the death of her brother - Mr. Sam Thomas Davis, III (age 54). Sam lived in Washington, D.C. and was a 1971 and 1976 Mathematics and Statistics graduate. He was one of the longest participating members of the percussion section of the Redcoats. Ms. Hughes has indicated in the obituary that memorial gifts may be directed to the Redcoat Band Alumni Fund at the UGA Foundation. Notes may be sent to: Mrs. Cheryl M. Davis, 206 6th Street, Washington, D.C. 20003-1134.

6/10/05 - Russ Laib (Graduate Assistant, Class of 1975) has died suddenly of a massive heart attack on June 10, 2005. He had been at a Cub Scout swim meet (He had been a Cub Scout leader for over 10 years). Karen, his wife, suggested in lieu of flowers, that a donation to a music scholarship to the Tara Winds could be given.

5/25/05 - Babs Conlin died of complications of diabetes on May 25, 2005. Babs was a faithful Redcoat and met her husband, Hugh F. Conlon, III, in the Redcoats. She was James Harris Mitchell's daughter (Mr. Mitchell's term as Redcoat Band Director ran until 1955). Babs was 64 and is survived by her daughter, Tracy Conlon Melvin (Props '89), who still marches with the Alumni Band at Homecoming.

12/30/04 -Stephen Winsky, 74, a retired Foreign Service officer whose final assignment was political attache stationed in Ottawa, died Dec. 30 at Brooke Grove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Sandy Spring. He had complications from cancer and multiple sclerosis. Lt. Cmdr. Quarterman was born in Brunswick, Ga. In his youth, he was proficient on nine musical instruments, including the trumpet, trombone, violin and piano. He played French horn in the University of Georgia marching band and worked his way through college playing string bass in dance bands. Survivors include his wife of 39 years, Dale Quarterman of Fairfax County; five children; and 13 grandchildren.