1980-89
1980
Melissa Brigman, Tyler, Texas, is the director of missions at Marvin United Methodist Church.
1981
Karen Koelemay Boston, Shreveport, La., is the director of the Child Development Center at Providence House, a residential development center for homeless families with children. She and John are surprised to find themselves back in Shreveport, courtesy of Hurricane Katrina. They have been incredibly fortunate, and appreciate the help from everyone, including alums Chaplain Betsy Eaves ’78 and John Wesley White ’98, for their warm welcome and assistance in relocating and recovering after the storm.
1981
Phil Budd, Allen, Texas, is president and CEO of Employ Solutions. He would like to hear from Centenary friends via email at .
==1982
Mark Evans, Forney, Texas, is a product analyst for EPIQ Systems, Inc. He has been with EPIQ for over 10 years. Although the company is located in Kansas City, Kan., Mark works out of his home in Forney. Mark’s job includes designing and developing Chapter 7 bankruptcy software.
Joey Kent, McKinney, Texas, has recently merged his entertainment company, Louisiana Hayride, Inc., with Flatworld Entertainment, a division of First Capital Corp. of New Jersey.
Richard Liles, Shreveport, La., is a financial consultant with A.G. Edwards.
Mary Alfred Thoma, Shreveport, La., is the drama specialist at Southfield School. She teaches middle school drama and stagecraft and directs middle school musicals. Mary is a professional actress/director, recently portraying Annie Sullivan in The Miracle Worker at East Bank Theatre to sold out houses. In addition, she played the role of Cathy Butler on a Lifetime Movie Network film, Not Like Everyone Else.
1983
John O. Moore, Knoxville, Tenn., is the senior district manager with TAP Pharmaceuticals. John works with 15 representatives in east Tennessee and central Kentucky. He has worked for TAP for 12 years in sales, training and management. John’s wife, Tara, is a pharmacist, and they have a son, Nicholas (Nic), who is in the third grade. Nic just completed playing on a Junior Pro All-Star basketball team that advanced to the national tournament. He is also playing in a traveling baseball team based in Knoxville. Needless to say their summers are very busy!
1984
Les Smith, Texarkana, Ark., is the controller for E-Z Mart Stores, Inc.
1985
Ramonalynn Walker Bethley, Alexandria, La., is the district superintendent for the United Methodist Church, Alexandria District. Ramonalynn says, “My mission is to help these churches fulfill their mission.”
Shelley Colbert Gele, Frederick, Md., moved from Bowie, Md., to Urbana, Md., in June as soon as her sons, Andrew, 16, and Phillip, 13, finished the school year. “It’s a new beginning for the boys and me,” Shelley says. “I’ve wondered from time to time over the past couple of years how on earth God could bring good out of trials. He is faithful and sees us through. It’s always comforting, encouraging and exciting to see how He was, and is, in even the smallest details!”
Lee Morgan, Hightstown, N.J., who created the role of Taylor in the Denver production of Brooklyn: The Musical and was in the subsequent Broadway production, joined the first national tour to recreate his role as Taylor. He joined Diana DeGarmo, a finalist on American Idol, Tony winners Melba Moore and Cleavant Derricks. The tour stopped in Saint Paul, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas and San Jose this summer.
1986
Steven Grenchik, Broussard, La., is an operations engineer/trade director for a small barter/exchange company. He handles the accounts and databases and coordinates members in the Lafayette and Northshore New Orleans area.
Angela Wall, Lacombe, La., is working for American Nursing Services, Inc. as a credentialing/quality assurance coordinator in Metairie, La.
Curtis Westerfield, Milpitas, Calif., and wife Mia are living in San Jose with their two children aged 15 and 11.
1987
Jerry Smith, San Antonio, Texas, has served in the U.S. Army for over 21 years. He is chief of operation for the 90th Regional Readiness Command, San Antonio Element, having been promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in January. Jerry completed a master’s degree in emergency and disaster management and is married to Gay Dale Colburn of Lubbock, Texas. They have six children: Corey, 24; Casey, 21; Trey, 20; Sam, 14; Brooks, 12; and Skeete, 4.
Jeffrey Swope, Austin, Texas, is a partner and senior managing director of Fiduciary Asset Management, Inc. He is responsible for product development, business
development and investor relations.
1988
Pamela Stevenson Besser, Beaumont, Texas, spoke at a community men’s prayer breakfast in May at First Presbyterian Church in Kilgore, Texas. Pam was ordained in the United Methodist Church in May 1994. She is the minister of education and senior adults at St. Luke’s UMC in Kilgore.
Eric Brock, Shreveport, La., has a new book. Scenes of Shreveport was released May 1.
Chris Golden, McKinney, Texas, is working with Merck & Co, Inc. as a senior osteoporosis specialty representative. He and wife Babs have two children: Phoebe, 6, and Liam, 4.
Scott Luneau, Roanoke, Va., recently returned to the States after six years in Europe studying medicine. He is in an internal medicine residency at the University of Virginia-Roanoke. He and his wife, Henrietta, have two children: Patrik, 4, and Gabriella, 2.
Jan VandenBerg, The Netherlands, is a pulmonologist working in a large teaching hospital about an hour from Amsterdam. Jan came to Centenary as an exchange student in 1983 for one year. He writes that he loved college life and his fraternity, Kappa Alpha.
1989
Charles Carpenter, Cabot, Ark., has achieved his lifelong dream of becoming a “Newman,” (a.k.a. mailman). He is a city carrier in the Little Rock area and absolutely loves it. After spending a year on the road with Christian artist Ginny Owens playing bass, he decided it was best to settle down and get a “real job.” He and his wife, Deanna, have two daughters: Emma, 5, and Isabel, 2.