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FALL 2017 / 43
IN MEMORIAM
*Obituaries are organized by
graduating class year and include
alumni whose deaths were
reported from January
2016 through June 2017.
Carl Ferdinand Wittichen Jr. ’35 of
Irondale, on Oct. 29, 2016. Wittichen
served in World War II as a major
in the Chemical Corps of the U.S.
Army. He began his business career
by founding Wittichen Chemical
Co., and later, Wittichen Supply
Co., which still operates today.
Wittichen was active in community
life, including a term as president
of the Birmingham Kiwanis Club;
he was recently honored by the
naming of the Wittichen Fountain at
Mountain Brook City Hall. He was
an avid outdoorsman. Wittichen is
survived by his wife, three daughters,
nine grandchildren, and eight great-
grandchildren.
Clara Rice Brightman ’37 of
Centerville, Iowa, on Nov. 5, 2016.
Brightman continued her education,
earning a master’s degree. She
worked as a director of religious
education, a social worker, and
as executive director for Planned
Parenthood in Connecticut. She
moved to Centerville in 1999.
Among her survivors is a sister.
Dr. Dora Henley Going ’37 of
Tuscaloosa, on March 10, 2016 (See
Philanthropy).
Dr. McLemore Bouchelle ’40 of
Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., on
Jan. 3, 2016.
Marion C. Murphy ’40 of
Birmingham, on Jan. 17, 2016.
Murphy was a longtime member of
Trinity United Methodist Church
and had retired from personnel
work with the department of
defense in Mobile, Pensacola, and
Birmingham. Two nephews are
among her survivors.
Mary Penruddocke Britton ’41
of Birmingham, on June 8, 2016.
Britton was a parishioner of St.
Luke’s Episcopal church, where she
served on the staff from 1963-
2013. Her survivors include two
daughters, four grandchildren, and
two great-grandchildren.
Rev. Arthur M. Carlton Sr. ’41 of
Fairhope, on April 28, 2016. Carlton
was a retired member of the clergy
for the Alabama/West Florida
Conference of the United Methodist
Church and a recognized leader in
civil rights. He earned his master
of divinity from Duke University
and served in ministry nearly 60
years, including providing staff and
leadership for Blue Lake Camps
for intellectually and physically
challenged adults. Carlton served
on BSC’s Board of Trustees from
1969-80. He is survived by eight
children, including Arthur Carlton
Jr. ’70 of Fairhope, Kay Carlton
’72 of Durham, N.C., and Charlie
Carlton ’80 of Indian Springs, as
well as a host of grandchildren and
great-grandchildren.
Dr. Joseph S. Davis Sr. ’41 of
Tuscaloosa, on June 24, 2016. Davis
served in the medical corps in the
U.S. Navy and later attended the
School of Medicine at UAB. A fth-
generation physician, he practiced
medicine in Tuscaloosa from 1947
until his retirement in 1999. He
was chief of the medical staff at
Druid City Hospital from 1961-62
and co-founder of West Alabama
General, now Northport Medical
Center. Among his survivors are three
children, including Joseph Davis Jr.
’73 of Tuscaloosa; four grandchildren;
and ve great-grandchildren.
The family requests memorial
contributions be made to the Hiram
Glass Davis Scholarship at BSC,
Of ce of Advancement, Box 549003,
900 Arkadelphia Rd., Birmingham,
AL 35254. It is awarded to students
preparing for ministry or a church-
related vocation.
Elaire Cooper Fletcher ’41 of
Birmingham, on Sept. 30, 2016. A
homemaker, Fletcher was married
to the late Gordon Fletcher ’41 .
After their children were grown, she
volunteered with University Hospital
Auxiliary for many years. Her love
of outdoor activities included
horseback riding, ying small
airplanes, gardening, water skiing,
and camping. Among survivors are
three children, including Madeline
“Cissy” Fletcher Bennett ’69 of
Birmingham and Susan Fletcher
Smith ’67 (Dr. Robert E. Smith
Jr. ’68) of Highlands, N.C.; four
grandchildren; and ve great-
grandchildren. Elaire’s father, the
late Kenneth E. Cooper, graduated
from Southern University, BSC’s
predecessor.
Dr. Virginia Van der Veer
Hamilton ’41 of Birmingham, on
April 4, 2016. Hamilton worked
for the Birmingham News and
became one of the rst faculty
members at UAB. She taught history
classes, ran the library, and later
became the chair of the History
Department. She has written several
notable books on Alabama history,
including Hugo Black: The Alabama
Years, Alabama: A History, and several
textbooks. Hamilton was also
involved with history and politics
on a national level. She earned both
bachelor’s and master’s degrees
from BSC and was the second
woman to earn a Ph.D. from UAB.
She received a BSC Distinguished
Alumni Award in 1972. Among her
survivors is a grandson.
WEDDINGS
If you would like to submit a photo
of your wedding for consideration in
‘Southern magazine, send a digital
photo (as a JPEG or TIFF le) to
clearly titled with
your name.
Jeannie Bennett ’85 to Daniel Russell
Jr., June 3, 2017. Pictured above
at the wedding, which took place
in Hampton Cove, Ala.: front row
(from left) are Mike Chappell ’82,
Hollie Russell ’14, Katie Russell
’18, Bennett, and Amma Hurt Barnes
’57; back row (from left) are Sarah
Spencer Chappell ’83, Gary Real ’83,
Jill Limbaugh Real ’85, Kristi Adcock
Valls ’85, Jennifer Sloan Dill ’92,
Ralph “Randy” Dill IV ’89, and Jeff
Bennett ’89.
Richard Falkenhagen ’00 to Javier
Garza, April 29, 2017.
Cori Jobe ’03 to Michael Fishman,
June 18, 2016.
Charlotte Beam ’07 to Robert
“Bobby” Peinhardt ’07, Jan. 28, 2017.
Meredith Reid Cheney ’09 to Lt.
David Phillips III, March 11, 2017.
Matron of Honor was Kelsey Frady
Malone ’10.
Rev. Ani Missirian-Dill ’11 to John
Wilson on July 1, 2017.
Aaron Brown ’12 to Alexis Gilmore
’12, April 8, 2017.
Julia Guyton ’12 to Jesse Kamps,
March 25, 2017.