1940s

Harriet Smith Head 45N of Jackson, Ga., on Nov. 25, 2018, at 94. She loved to sew and make crafts. Survivors include her husband of 45 years, Jack H. Head, three daughters, two sons-in-law, and a sister-in-law.

Anne Smith Neal 47N of Caswell County, N.C., on June, 18 2018. She was an RN at Annie Penn Hospital and taught in the Caswell County school system until retirement. She was predeceased by her husband of 66 years, Robert Lee, and a son. Survivors include one daughter, three sons, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

1950s

Barbara Kinsley Slauson 50N, formerly of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Nov. 24, 2018, at 96. Her father was in the U.S. Army and their family was at Hickam Field, adjacent to Pearl Harbor, when it was bombed in WWII. Her nursing career covered a broad spectrum, including serving as a public health nurse, school nurse at a boarding school, newborn care nurse, and LPN instructor at a vocational center. She is survived by her identical twin sister. They were very active at All Saints Episcopal Church in Fort Lauderdale for more than 50 years. Other survivors include two nieces, a nephew, two great-nephews, and their families.

Eleanor C. “Ellie” Underwood 50N of Marietta, Ga., on June 8, 2018, at 90. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend.

Nora Reed Burleigh 52N of Grand Junction, Colo., on March 12, 2018. A single mother of seven since 1968, she worked as a realtor and later as an RN in the recovery room at St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction. She was the first in her family to attend college. In retirement, she volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, including building houses in Mexico, and assisting with blood drives throughout western Colorado. Survivors include her seven children, 18 grandchildren, and their families.

Mary Rogers Jordan 52N of Birmingham, Ala., on Dec. 10, 2018, at 87. After graduating from Emory, she became an RN and had a lifelong interest in health care. After her marriage to John Sheffield Jordan Jr. in 1952, they lived in Birmingham with brief sojourns in Atlanta and Germany. When her husband, while in his 50s, said, “What do you think about me joining the Navy?” she agreed. They lived in the Tidewater Virginia area until he retired from the Navy in 1993, when they returned to Birmingham. Survivors include a sister, two children and their spouses, eight grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.

Dorothy Holmes Tolar 52N of Griffin, Ga., on Sept. 1, 2018, at 88. After Emory, she earned an MSN and taught nursing at Mississippi College for Women. Survivors include two sisters, a brother, five children, 20 grandchildren, and 21 great-grandchildren.

Gwyndolyn Cline Ayers 53N of Bryson City, N.C., on Oct. 8, 2018, at 88. A native of Swain County and an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, she was the daughter of the late Luzene and Fred Cline. She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold Boyd Ayers. Survivors include a son and a daughter, their spouses, two grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, a sister and brother-in-law, and a brother and sister-in-law, all of Cherokee, NC.

Nancy Joan Tappan 53N of Clarkesville, Ga., on Dec. 13, 2018. She spent most of her life working for the Victory Mission of the Americas in Colombia. In 1962, she started an orphanage in the small town of Villavicencio. The first child was adopted in 1965. More than 200 children were adopted during her years there. “Miss Nancy” kept meticulous records and photo albums of the children. One photo showed her on a horse she rode around the orphanage grounds. She returned to the States when her health began to fail.

Louise Tribble Cerny 55N of Atlanta on March 28, 2018, of Alzheimer’s disease. She was an RN at Emory University Hospital until retiring when her children were born. Survivors include her husband, John, three sons and their wives, 12 grandchildren, and one great-grandson.

Annie Lou Henry Clay 55N (above with husband Roy) of West Monroe, La., on May 28, 2018, at 85. A native of Stockbridge, Ga., she met her future husband at Emory, Dr. Roy Gresham Clay Jr. 55C 59M. They were married for 62 years and raised four children. She was predeceased by one of their sons and one grandson. Survivors include her husband, Roy, three sons, three daughters-in-law, and six grandchildren.

Dr. Hazel Brown Marshall 55N 60MSN of Springfield, Va., on July 7, 2018, at 89. She completed her doctorate in education at Virginia Polytechnic Institute in 1990. She taught nursing at Alexandria Hospital in Alexandria, Va., and the University of the District of Columbia until she retired in 2001. She was preceded in death by her husband, John Lee Marshall Jr. Survivors include a son and daughter-in-law, a grandson, and a brother.

Donna Lee (Fenton) Martin 56N of Atlanta, after a history of heart disease. A native of Iowa, she married Howard Martin in 1952, and they relocated to Atlanta for his job. After graduating from Emory, she worked for two years as a nurse with the Fulton County Public Health Department in Atlanta. She was preceded in death by her husband. Survivors include two children and three grandchildren.

Shirley Allgood Mushet 57N of Augusta, Ga., on April 8, 2018. She was former director of the nursing service at University Hospital and also served as director of the University Hospital School of Nursing in Augusta. Survivors include four children, four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Margaret Walter “Peg” Wise 58N of Salt Lake City, Utah, on Aug. 8, 2018, at 83. She met and married her Ramblin’ Wreck from Georgia Tech, Harry Dearman Wise, in Atlanta in 1957. They lived in Minneapolis, Minn., for a few years before moving to Salt Lake City in 1971 with their young family. She worked at St. Marks Hospital until returning to the University of Utah to complete her graduate degree as a pediatric nurse practitioner in 1981. Harry and Peg moved back to the Twin Cities in 1983. She worked for the Minnesota State Board of Health until retiring in 1999. In 2013, Peg made one more move to Salt Lake City to be near family. Survivors include two daughters and their husbands, two grand-daughters, one grandson, and one fur-grandchild.

Elizabeth Ann Della Ratta 59N of Schenectady, N.Y., on March 14, 2018, of leukemia at 81. After graduating from Emory, she went to work at the National Institutes of Health, holding the rank of Lieutenant JG, U.S. Navy. While there, she met her future husband, Richard G. Della Ratta. They married in 1961 and raised five boys together. She was predeceased by one son, a brother, and a niece. Survivors include her husband of 57 years, four sons, seven grandchildren, a brother, and a sister. Her nursing career mentor was Louise (Tribble) Cerny 55N, who died two weeks after her.

1960s

Mary Wallace Brogan 61N of Hartwell, Ga., and formerly of Atlanta, on Oct. 5, 2018, at 81. She was preceded in death by her husband, Terry Brogan, and is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, a nephew, two nieces, three great-nephews, and four stepchildren.

Dr. Elsie Deana Cross 65MSN of Temple Terrace, Fla., on June 27, 2018, at 86. She had a lifetime of education and service in nursing. Before graduating from Emory, she completed a baccalaureate degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she joined the nursing faculty. After completing her MSN in rehabilitation nursing at Emory, she returned to UNC School of Nursing as an assistant professor and later completed a PhD in epidemiology at UNC School of Public Health. She then became one of the first full-time nursing researchers at the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Lexington, Ky. A year later, she was appointed as Chief, Nursing Research Service Central Office, in Washington, D.C. In late 1977, Dr. Cross’ career was cut short by a cardiovascular incident that led to a medical retirement. She remained active and on her own for 20 years before moving into an independent living retirement facility near friends in Tampa, Fla. Survivors include many nieces and nephews and her lifelong friend, Paula Kirby Benway 65MSN.

Verna Garmon Brinson 67MSN, formerly of Orlando, Fla., on Dec. 11, 2014, at 76.

1970s

Deborah D. Rogers 70N of Woodstock, Ga., on Dec. 2, 2018, at 71. For 26 years, she worked in the emergency department at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta. She was an active member of St. Andrew United Methodist Church in Marietta, Ga., and volunteered with Out and About Ministries. Survivors include her husband of 48 years, Bob, two daughters and their husbands, two grandchildren, and two brothers.

Charlotte E. Hockenberger 71MSN of Portsmouth, Va., on Nov. 24, 2018. She earned her BSN from Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., became a U.S. Navy nurse, and traveled to the East Coast, the West Coast, Guam, and Italy. Thus began her lifelong love of travel. After Emory, she studied at the University of Virginia, where she became a pediatric nurse practitioner and was appointed assistant professor. She continued serving in the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps until retiring at the rank of commander. She then worked as a pediatric nurse practitioner with Kaiser Permanente in San Diego, retiring again after 10 years. Continuing to travel around the country and internationally, she visited a total of five continents and 49 states. Survivors include a sister, a brother, their spouses, four nieces, four nephews, and their families.

Jo Ann Rhyne Norris 71MSN of Charlotte, N.C., on Aug. 22, 2018, at 72. Before coming to Emory, she received her BSN from East Carolina University. She was an active member of Beta Sigma Phi and taught nursing at the Univeristy of North Carolina at Charlotte, Presbyterian School of Nursing, and Queens University. For many years, she worked part time as a night nurse at Charlotte Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat. Preceded in death by her husband, Steven Thomas Norris, she is survived by two daughters, both of Charlotte, and a sister.

Vandona S. “Dona” Sorenson 73N of Atlanta on Oct. 3, 2018, at 68. A native of Atlanta and nearby Griffin, Ga., she dedicated herself to working in the pediatric ICU at Grady Memorial Hospital and later to public health. A talented artist, she also enjoyed playing the piano and cooking. She was preceded in death by her father and a grandson. Survivors include her husband of 36 years, Dick, two sons, a daughter, six grandchildren, her mother, a brother, a sister, and many great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

1980s

Glynn Thomas Hamilton 82MSN, formerly of Charlotte, N.C., on Aug. 7, 2018, at age 70.

1990s

Dr. Sandra L. Evans Goins, Col. (Ret.) 90MSN 90MPH of Clayton, N.C., on July 9, 2018, at 61. After graduating cum laude at Winston-Salem State University, she joined the U.S. Army as a commissioned officer in 1978. Her active duty assignments included medical surgical nurse at Dwight David Eisenhower Army Medical Center at Fort Gordon, Ga; chief of preventive medicine, community health nurse at Fort Lee, Va; and community health nurse at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, among others. In addition, she served as the community health nursing consultant to the Army Surgeon General from 2000 to 2004. She received the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and the Army Superior Unit Award before retiring from the Army in 2006. Her next move was into nursing academia. She taught at Fayetteville State University and North Carolina Central University, giving special attention to minority and veteran students. She was part of developing a new nursing program at Campbell University in Buies Creek, N.C. Survivors include her husband, Thurmond Goins, three children, three grandchildren, two sisters, and three brothers.

Donna Carol Sanders 90MSN of Tucker, Ga., on Dec. 12, 2018, from cancer at 64. She received her nursing diploma from Missouri Baptist School of Nursing in 1974 and her BSN from Maryville University in 1985. She worked at Missouri Baptist as a head nurse on a peripheral vascular unit and as a utilization review coordinator. After completing her graduate degree in gerontology-mental health nursing at Emory, she served as mental health nursing director for Emory Healthcare (EHC) until 2014. She then served as EHC policy and procedure manager. Survivors include five cousins from Dayton, Tenn., and Hollywood, Fla., and an uncle from Dayton.

Tania M. Suao-Castleberry 91N 95MSN of Cumming, Ga., on May 18, 2018, at age 53. She is survived by her husband, David Castleberry; her twin sons, Conor and Alexander; her mother, Tania Montes; and her father, Luis Suao.

Miriam Huffstetler Caddell 95MSN, formerly of Jensen Beach, Fla., on Dec. 25, 2016.

Karen Lynn Claugus 95N (above) of Marietta, Ga., on May 6, 2018, at 48. She was born in Rockledge, Fla., to Kenneth Hatfield and Erika Ramsey Read. She is survived by her husband, Thomas E. Claugus II, two sons, a daughter, and her mother.

Mollie Bly Grimaldi 98MSN of Atlanta, on Nov. 29, 2018. She was born in Battle Creek, Mich. She worked at Perimeter North Family Medicine in Woodstock, Ga. and was married to Anthony J. Grimaldi.