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BSC
magna cum laude
and Phi
Beta Kappa, taught English and
journalism at Banks High School
from 1965 until her retirement
in 1985. She was a member of
Central Park Baptist Church.
Among survivors are two children,
five grandchildren, and two great-
grandchildren.
Blanche Berry Logsdon ’47
of
Birmingham, on April 25, 2015.
Logsdon was an administrative
assistant in the UAB orthopedic
division for many years. She is
survived by two children and two
grandchildren.
Maxwell Owens Sims ’47
of
Vestavia Hills, on Oct. 30, 2015.
Sims served in the U.S. Navy for
three years, obtaining the rank of
lieutenant junior grade. He earned
an MBA from the University of
Alabama and started an accounting
career with F.W. Nichols & Co.,
later becoming partner. Sims was
one of the founding partners of
McCarty, Dudley, Hopton-Jones,
Sims & Freeman PLLP, CPAs. In
addition to his many professional
affiliations, he was a former chair of
the Federal Tax Clinic at UA, where
a scholarship was named in his
honor at the School of Accountancy.
Survivors include two daughters,
seven grandchildren, and 12 great-
grandchildren.
Dr. William B. McCrory Jr. ’48
of Huntsville on May 9, 2015.
McCrory served in the U.S.
Navy during World War II. After
graduating from BSC and the
Southern College of Optometry,
he practiced optometry until
retirement. Among survivors are a
son and four grandchildren.
Dr. Edwin Arthur Miles ’48
of
Birmingham, on May 3, 2015.
Miles, who earned his Ph.D. in
history from the University of North
Carolina, taught at the University
of Houston, retiring in 1986 as
department head and moving
to Birmingham. He published
many articles and books on early
19th century American history
and donated history books and
early American dictionaries to the
libraries of UH and BSC. Miles was
a veteran of World War II. Survivors
include a nephew. He and his late
sister,
Nan Elizabeth Miles ’39
,
established the Ernest Percy and
Ida Duke Miles Scholarship Fund
at BSC in honor of their parents.
Contributions to the scholarship
may be made in his memory
through the Office of Advancement,
Box 549003, 900 Arkadelphia Road,
Birmingham, AL 35254.
Frank Andrew Wagner ’48
of
Birmingham, on July 17, 2015.
Wagner was director of the
Birmingham Parks & Recreation
Board from 1961-87 and was active
in numerous civic and community
organizations. After graduating
from BSC, he received a master’s
degree from Peabody College at
Vanderbilt University. Wagner was
inducted into the BSC Sports Hall
of Fame in 1988 and the Alabama
Tennis Association Hall of Fame
in 1992. A U.S. Navy Veteran,
he received many awards for his
service, including a Battle Star,
before being honorably discharged
in 1945. Survivors include his
wife,
Merlee Sears Wagner ’48
; two
daughters, including
Janet Wagner
Potter ’73
of Brooklyn, N.Y.; two
grandchildren; and two great-
grandchildren.
Joseph Anthony Zicarelli ’48
of
Anniston, formerly of Birmingham,
on July 16, 2014. Zicarelli was a
U.S. Army veteran of World War
II. After graduating from BSC, he
sold office products for a store in
Birmingham. Zicarelli moved to
Anniston in 1953 to start a business
with his wife called Joe Zic &
Company Office Equipment and
Supplies; they sold the company
in 1980. He was a member of
several professional and community
organizations and attended
Anniston First United Methodist
Church. Among survivors are a
daughter and three granddaughters.
Robert Earl Brown ’49
of San
Jose, Calif., on Sept. 23, 2015.
Brown served in the U.S. Army Air
Corps during World War II and
the Korean Conflict. He and his
wife lived in various U.S. cities
IN MEMORIAM ’48
Art Sharbel
died on Nov. 14, 2014,
at the age of 90. He was a lifelong
resident of Birmingham.
Before coming to Birmingham-
Southern, Sharbel served in Belgium
and Austria in WWII during the Battle
of the Bulge. He was awarded the
Purple Heart and the Bronze Star by
the U.S. Army.
At BSC, Sharbel studied business and
was a member of Alpha Tau Omega
fraternity. He was active in track and
intramural sports, serving on the
Intramural Council.
“As a track runner, he ran so fast, he
was nicknamed the ‘Atomic Flash,’” noted
his wife,
Ginger McVea Sharbel ’55
.
Sharbel’s career was in sales and
construction. Over the years, he and his wife became ardent supporters of BSC’s Fine Arts
Society and attended numerous events on campus. “Birmingham-Southern was where Art
and I met,” Ginger said.
They were planning their 60th anniversary celebration when he died.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by three children, 10 grandchildren, and six great-
grandchildren. The family requests that memorial contributions in his name be made to
the Office of Advancement at BSC, Box 549003, 900 Arkadelphia Road, Birmingham, AL
35254.