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CLASS NOTES
Beulah Gilliland Ormond ’41
of
Tuscaloosa, on Nov. 2, 2016. During
World War II, Ormond worked as a
chemist for U.S. Steel. After earning
her master’s degree, she became a
chemistry and biology professor
at the University of Montevallo.
Later, she was dean of women
and professor of chemistry and
mathematics at the University of
West Alabama. When Ormond
retired, she moved to Tuscaloosa;
she wrote poetry and earned a real
estate license. Ormond enjoyed
entertaining, sewing, traveling,
reading, and dancing. Among
survivors are four children, eight
grandchildren, and nine great-
grandchildren.
Rev. Wood n K. Grove ’42
of
Anniston, on Oct. 16, 2016.
Almeta Anderson Mitchell ’42
of Birmingham, on Jan. 28, 2016.
Mitchell was a full-time homemaker.
She was an active member of
Independent Presbyterian Church for
more than 70 years. Survivors include
two children, four grandchildren, and
four great-grandchildren.
Caroline Winston Winters ’42
of
Birmingham, on Dec. 13, 2016.
Winters loved teaching, reading,
Spanish, and meeting new people.
She is survived by three sons,
including
Dr. John Winters ’79
of
Birmingham, and a granddaughter.
Mary Wolford Pate ’43
of Irondale,
on Feb. 2, 2016. Pate obtained
a master’s in education and an
education specialist degree from
UAB. She began working as a staff
writer for the Birmingham News
and received numerous rewards
for her reporting. Later, Pate taught
journalism and produced the
school newspaper at Brooke Hill,
now the Altamont School. She
retired as assistant director of the
Emmett O’Neal Library. Survivors
include two children and three
grandchildren.
Allie Christian Butler ’44
of
Decatur, on Sept. 11, 2016. During
World War II, Butler taught airplane
mechanics for the U.S. Air Force at
Keesler Field in Biloxi, Miss. She
obtained a master’s degree from
Peabody College (now Vanderbilt
University) in 1962. Butler taught
piano lessons before teaching
piano at schools in Cullman and
Decatur. She taught sixth grade at
Walter Jackson Elementary School
for six years, then transferred to
Austin High School, where she
taught English until her retirement
in 1986. Butler is survived by two
children, four grandchildren, and
eight great-grandchildren.
Lilian Culley White ’44
of
Birmingham, on July 31, 2016. White
graduated from BSC Phi Beta Kappa
with honors. She met her husband,
the late
Dewey White ’45
, at BSC.
They enjoyed many adventures
together, including working on
their farm, on the political front in
Montgomery, and helping those
less fortunate than themselves. She
also taught ballet and led many
Girl Scout groups and PTAs. She
was a longtime member of South
Highland Presbyterian Church.
White is survived by four children,
13 grandchildren, and 13 great-
grandchildren.
Emily Louise Irving Allen ’45
of
Birmingham, on June 21, 2017. In
1944, she married the late
Bibb
Allen ’44
and was a devoted wife
and mother. She was an active
member of First United Methodist
Church and the Birmingham and
Alabama State Bar auxiliaries. She
was also involved in community
service with the Birmingham
Symphony Association and the
Birmingham Museum of Art. She
is survived by two children, six
grandchildren, and two great-
grandchildren. The family requests
memorial donations be made to
the Bibb Allen Honors Pre-Law
Scholarship at BSC, Of ce of
Advancement, Box 549003, 900
Arkadelphia Road, Birmingham,
AL 35254.
Faye Little Curl ’45
of Cantonment,
Fla., on June 4, 2016. Curl was a
church organist and pianist.
Her husband,
Rev. Dr. William
E. Curl ’48
, died on March 19,
2016. He served in the U.S. Army
Air Corps during World War II.
Curl received his master of divinity
at Emory’s Candler School of
IN MEMORIAM ’49
Elbert “Billy” Sterling Walker
,
a World War II veteran, successful
engineer, and contributor to the
communities in which he lived, passed
away on Jan. 27, 2017, in Birmingham.
He was 91.
Walker served in the U.S. Navy during
World War II as a radio/radar technician.
Afterward, he enrolled at BSC, where
he studied physics, and later earned his
MBA from the University of Denver.
A registered professional engineer in
Colorado, Walker was employed for 36 years by the Hughes Aircraft Co. in the development
of radar and space communications equipment in California, Canada, and Colorado. Upon
retirement, he and his wife, Nancy, returned to Birmingham.
Throughout his life, Walker was an enthusiastic and generous supporter of Birmingham-
Southern. He was a regular contributor to the Annual Fund, supported the Elton B. Stephens
Science Center and Admission Welcome Center building projects, and endowed two
scholarships at BSC: the Elbert S. Walker Science Scholarship for students studying in any of
the sciences, and the Smith Family Scholarship, which assists nancially challenged students
born in Alabama.
His volunteer activities included reading on the Alabama Radio Reading Service Network,
recording textbooks for the Hoover School System’s Talking Books Program, and driving for
the Hoover Express. Walker was a lifetime member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers, the BirminghamMuseum of Art, and the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
He was also an active member of Bluff Park United Methodist Church. Survivors include a
niece and nephew.
Walker with wife, Nancy