May 2017 PrideNotes

*Cities are in North Carolina except where indicated* General

Joseph F. Petrosi 1972, Slate Hill, NY: "I recently completed my second year as Vice President of the ENCORE Program for Adults 50 years and older at SUNY Orange 2 year college in Middletown, NY. I also teach classes in drawing and T'ai Chi Chuan at the college through the ENCORE program."

Anitra Canty Louis 2003 and Paul Louis 2004, April Alston Purnell 2003 and Hakeem Purnell, Jen Sheperd and Michael Shepherd 2003, Amy Whitaker Ward 2003 and Kevin Ward 2001, gathered in Huntersville, NC for a mini reunion and plan to make this an annual event.  They had a lot of fun reminiscing about college days and enjoyed watching Ava Louis, Anna Ward, Tina Purnell, and Marcella Shepherd play together.

Mini reunion group Justin Weaks 2012, Concord, received the James MacArthur Award for supporting actor in a play at the 2017 Helen Hayes Awards. He was nominated for the James MacArthur Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play for his performance in "The Christians" at Theatre J and for the same award for his performance in "Word Becomes Flesh" at Theatre Alliance. He won for "Word Becomes Flesh."   The Helen Hayes Awards are divided into two categories: the "Helen" category for productions, typically smaller, that use relatively few union actors; and the "Hayes" category for productions, typically larger, that employ 51% or more union actors. Weaks won for "Word Becomes Flesh" in the "Helen" category.  The Helen Hayes Awards have been presented annually since 1983. They are presented by Theatre Washington, the umbrella group for the D.C. region's more than 80 professional theatre companies.  Article

T'keyah A. Henry 2014, Greensboro, was named the N.C. High School Athletic Association's Elton Hawley Athletic Trainer/Medical Professional of the Year.  To read more about her award and the work that earned this nod, read the article.

Death

Phyllis Haywood Lambert 1972, passed away on May 2, 2017.  OBITUARY

Margaret Sharpe Younger 1944, passed away on May 3, 2017.  OBITUARY

Martha Gasque Brown 1950, passed away on May 23, 2017.  OBITUARY

Alex Gray 1966, passed away in April 2017.  OBITUARY

Lesa Corbin Ritter 1988, passed away on May 21, 2017.

Peggy S. Simmons 1991, passed away on April 30, 2017  OBITUARY

Sympathy

Rosalyn Gasque Hass 1954, in the passing of her cousin, Martha Gasque Brown 1950, on May 23, 2017.