Larry Stephen Champion ’54

Larry Stephen Champion ’54, professor emeritus of English at N.C. State University, died Feb. 11 of congestive heart failure. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Nancy Blanchard Champion, 5320 Sendero Dr., Raleigh, NC 27612-1810; a daughter, Rebecca C. Wood (Edgar); a son, Larry Stephen Champion, Jr. (Jennifer); a sister, Doris C. Bernsen (Harold); four grandchildren, Cameron Wood, Andrew Wood, Sara Champion, and Sydney Champion; nephew, Stephen N. Jolly; and nieces, Billie Poole and Brenda Bergevin. Born in Shelby, N.C., he was the son of Flay O. and Mary A. Champion. He was preceded in death by his parents and by a daughter, Mary Katherine Champion. Champion received his B.A. from Davidson, where he was elected to membership in Phi Beta Kappa, his M.A. from the University of Virginia in 1955, and his Ph.D. from UNC in 1961. From 1956-58, he served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in the Panama Canal Zone. After having taught at Davidson for one year and, as a teaching fellow, at UNC for two years, Champion joined the English department at N.C. State University, where he was promoted to professor and served as head of the department from 1971-84. He retired from the university in 1994, having completed 34 years of teaching and administrative duties. Champion published 11 books and more than 50 articles in professional journals. Twice the recipient of the Outstanding Teacher Award at N.C. State, he was elected to the Academy of Outstanding Teachers in 1966, and was named Alumni Distinguished Professor in 1987. He was a faculty member for special programs at the National Humanities Center and at the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, and he served as consultant for various university presses and professional journals and for the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education. Following retirement, he continued to serve as book correspondent for the International Shakespeare Bibliography.