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Clarence "Clem" Simpson
Whitworth icon Clarence "Clem" Simpson died April 14. He was 93. Simpson was hired by Frank Warren in 1953; in addition to leading the English department, he served a stint as acting president during his 27 years at Whitworth. He was known as a tireless supporter of Whitworth and its faculty, as one of the architects of the university's Core program, and as a wise, humble and much-beloved professor, colleague and friend.
"Good fortune or God's grace blessed me with the opportunity to learn from Clem on my first faculty retreat in 1993," writes Whitworth President Bill Robinson. "His warmth, wisdom and humility still inspire me."
Tammy Reid, '60 (who is profiled in the pages of this issue), says, "Clem understood the complexities of life in literature so deeply that he could talk about them in deceptively simple ways. He was the ultimate model of intellectual and spiritual humility."
After Simpson's retirement, he and his wife, Koreyne, sold their house and traveled the country, pursuing their avocation of birdwatching. They eventually settled in Wesley Gardens, outside of Des Moines, Wash., where Simpson studied Hebrew and Jewish literature and spoke at his retirement community and in local churches. "Again and again," he wrote at the time, "we recall how our faith has deepened and expanded in response to new ideas and unforeseen experiences - both desired and not desired. And we think of our calling to join diverse persons in discovering the joys of growing and learning a vocation that did not begin with employment or end with retirement."
Robinson notes that even death is not the end of Simpson's teaching career. "Recently," Robinson says, "in notifying the Whitworth community of the death of Fenton Duvall, I noted that Fenton, along with fellow legend Clem Simpson, left an imprint on Whitworth that still influences the way in which we select and support our faculty. It is through this influence that he continues to teach us." Simpson is survived by his wife, one daughter, four grandchildren (including Peter Tucker, '91, now an associate professor of computer science at Whitworth) and 11 great-grandchildren.
Peggy Guenther
Peggy Guenther died Feb. 3. She served as music department secretary for 15 of her 19 years at Whitworth before her retirement in 1998. She is remembered for her deep commitment to Whitworth, her dedication to her department, and her great love for students and colleagues. "Peggy was the embodiment of joy," says Professor of Music Dan Keberle. "No matter how difficult the tasks or how busy she was, Peggy approached everything and everyone with a smile and a joyful heart." Guenther is survived by her husband, Don, and her family. The family asks that any memorial donations be made to: Cure PSP, Executive Plaza III, Suite 906, 11135 McCormack Rd., Hunt Valley, MD 21031.
Kay Zollmann
Kay Zollman, a former Sodexo employee, passed away Feb. 8. "Kay would come in in a happy mood at 6 a.m. every day and turn on her music - usually Irish or Christian - and buzz around like life is wonderful," says Sodexo General Manager Jim O'Brien. "She would want us all to make peace with the idea that she is in heaven." Zollman is survived by her husband and other family members.
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