52 / ’
southern
CLASSNOTES
on Aug. 22, 2011. For 35
years, he was a developer and
homebuilder. Walker was inducted
into the U.S. Army to serve in the
European Theater during World War
II. During the Battle of the Bulge
in December 1944, he was an
infantry scout.
Dr. Joseph Charles Baldone ’51
of Birmingham on March 22, 2012.
Baldone served in the U.S. Army in
the Philippines at the end of World
War II. After only three years of
college, he was accepted to the
University of Alabama School of
Dentistry and graduated with
honors. He practiced dentistry
for 46 years and was a lifetime
member of the American Dental
Association and cofounder of
the Birmingham Dental Study
Group. Baldone also had abilities
as a dancer and singer. Among
his survivors is a brother, Dr.
Pasqual Anthony Baldone ’49
of
Birmingham.
Robert Darby ’51
of Wilmington,
Del., on July 11, 2011. Darby
received a master’s degree and a
doctorate from the University of
Virginia in organic chemistry. He
served in the U.S. Army Chemical
Corps for two years. Darby joined
the DuPont Co. in 1957 and served
in various managerial positions
until his retirement in 1991. His
memberships included the
American Chemical Society.
Kathleen “Kitty” Fouché Owens
’51
of Birmingham on Sept. 12,
2011.
She was a lifelong resident
of Birmingham and a member of
Mountain Brook Baptist Church.
Claire Scalese Bouton ’53
of
Birmingham on Feb. 22, 2012.
Bouton taught at Our Lady of
Sorrows Catholic School, Minor
In
Memoriam
’52
Larry D. Striplin
Jr.
,
BSC trustee,
business leader, and
philanthropist, died Jan.
23
at a local hospital. He
was 82.
Striplin was a
passionate supporter of
his alma mater. Among
his philanthropic
contributions, he
established the Striplin
Physical Fitness and
Recreation Center, Striplin
Baseball Complex, and
Larry D. Striplin III
Scholarship Fund on
campus.
Striplin will always be
regarded as one of the
college’s greatest student-
athletes. He competed on
Birmingham-Southern’s
swimming and diving,
men’s basketball, and
baseball teams during his undergraduate years. He established Belmont University’s
first men’s basketball team in 1952 and served as head coach for four years, along with
coaching baseball and serving as Belmont’s first athletics director. Belmont’s Striplin
Gymnasium was named in his honor, along with its Striplin-Wiseman Athletic Office
Complex.
Born in Selma, Striplin continued his education after BSC at George Peabody
College (now Vanderbilt) in Nashville where he earned his master’s degree in
education. He was the CEO of Nelson-Brantley Glass Co. and Circle “S” Industries
and was instrumental in establishing the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, serving for
13
years as chair and a total of 23 years on the hall’s board. Striplin was the Alabama
Sports Hall of Fame’s 1998 Distinguished American Sportsman and was inducted into
the 2007 Class of the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame in Montgomery. He
was inducted into the State of Alabama Academy of Honor in 1997.
He received Birmingham-Southern’s 2003 Bob Strain Distinguished Service Award
for his outstanding contribution to athletics during his career on the Hilltop, and was
inducted into the BSC Sports Hall of Fame in 1986.
Over the years, he was a member of numerous boards of businesses, charitable
organizations, and educational institutions.
At the request of the family, memorial contributions can be made in Striplin’s
name to Birmingham-Southern through the
Office of Institutional Advancement, 900
Arkadelphia Road, Box 549003, Birmingham, AL 35254
.
