Category: 1954

Henry Mills Higgins ’54, of Roswell, Ga., died Nov. 1. He was born in Statesville, was a retired salesman, a longtime resident of Dekalb County, a sharpshooter in the Army during the Korean War, and was a very special friend of Bill W. for more than 25 years. He is survived by his daughter, Elizabeth Jane Luffy, 15382 Twin Creeks Ct., Centerville, VA 20120-3742; daughter, Patricia Louise Higgins-Thomas; brother, Bryan B. Higgins; sister, Virginia Palmer; and grandchildren, Samantha M. Luffy, Scott Higgins Luffy, Sean M. Luffy, Sarah E. Luffy, and Kathleen Higgins-Thomas.

Clarence Clapp Morrison ’54, of Bloomington, Ind., passed away Aug. 6. Clarence was born June 19, 1932, in Greensboro, N.C., to the Rev. Clarence N. Morrison ’21 and Ava Clapp Morrison. He graduated from Davidson and completed his master’s degree in 1956 at UNC Chapel Hill. The next three years were spent in the U.S. Navy, assigned to the destroyer USS Putnam, based in Norfolk, Va. He then returned to the Univ. of North Carolina and completed his Ph.D. in 1964. His first faculty appointments were at the University of Virginia and the University of Georgia. Clarence arrived at Indiana University in 1970, and served as a professor there until 1996. He continued as an active scholar and was widely involved in the Atlantic Economic Society, serving as both vice president and president, and was also involved with the board of editors at the Atlantic Economic Journal. Throughout his career, he taught classes, published more than 60 articles over a wide variety of topics, and served as a journal referee. Clarence will be remembered for his love of the open road, traveling by both automobile and motorcycle. Some of his passions included genealogy, antique cars, and his family. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Geraldine Whitesides Morrison, 4587 E. Heritage Woods Rd., Bloomington, IN 47401, with whom he has shared many fine memories; his son, Robert Morrison (Debbie) and their son, Joseph; and his son, Fred Morrison (Lisa).

Wycliffe Vance Rountree, Jr ’54 died October 9 at his home in Flagler Beach, Fla. a retired high school English educator of thirty-eight years, taught in North Carolina and Pennsylvania. He graduated from Davidson College in North Carolina, received his master of divinity degree from The Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville, Ky., and his master of education degree from The University of North Carolina, Greensboro. He was born in Atlanta, Ga. He moved to Plymouth Meeting in 1962, where he taught English at Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School until his retirement in 1997. Upon retiring, he moved to Flagler Beach, Fla. He was an active member of Flagler Beach United Methodist Church, teaching an adult Sunday school class, serving on church council and multiple committees. He was an active board member of his homeowner’s association and will be greatly missed by his family and friends. He enjoyed reading, following college football, and rail-fanning. He is survived by his wife of twenty-four years, Bette Rountree, 47 Pebble Beach Cir., Flagler Beach. Fla. 32136-4013; two sons, Wycliffe V. Rountree III (Gaye) and Wallace M. Rountree (Donna); four stepchildren, Kenneth Debus (Joy), Kathleen Smith (Michael), Brian Debus (Helen), and Patricia Debus; eight grandchildren, Emma, Nicole, Kristen, and William Rountree; Nicole Bani; Kevin, Sean, and Megan Debus.

Grant L. Beardsley ’54, of Placida, Fla. and formerly of Miami, Fla., died Mar. 13, 2007. Dr. Beardsley was born Jan. 8, 1933, and was raised in Dunedin, Fla. He graduated from Darlington School in Rome, Ga., and earned his bachelor of arts degree in English from Davidson College in North Carolina. He joined the Air Force as a jet instructor for the T-33 and F-86. He retired as a major in the Air Force Reserve. After serving six years in the Air Force, he returned to school at the University of Miami School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, where he received his master’s and Ph.D. degrees. He did past research on the biology of the dolphin-fish and behavioral studies of pink shrimp. Dr. Beardsley joined the National Marine Fisheries Center, Miami Laboratory (NOAA), and was program manager of the Oceanic Game Fish Investigations and the Atlantic bluefin tuna program. He retired as a senior scientist in 1990. He is survived by his wife, Sue Beardsley, 13044 Via Cassia, Placida, FL 33946; daughters, Lynn Mitchell and Lauren; sons, Grant III and Michael; a sister, Alice Beardsley-Garber; and four grandchildren.

John T. MacQueen ’54, of Chapel Hill, N.C., passed away Feb. 10, 2007.