Bill Maurice Pridgen ’64 passed away peacefully at home with his family in Charleston, Sept. 28 after a battle with brain cancer. Bill was born Dec. 21, 1941, in Myrtle Beach, the son of Carl Columbus Pridgen and Annelle Garr Pridgen. Bill was a graduate of Davidson, where he was on the wrestling team. He graduated from Yale Law School in 1967. Bill then spent two years in the U.S. Army and served in the Vietnam War. He worked at White & Case in New York, Sea Pines Company in Hilton Head, and Brown Malman in Miami. He then joined with Fred Newby to found the law firm Newby and Pridgen in Myrtle Beach. Bill was a member of the Carolina Yacht Club and the Library Society of Charleston. He was a faithful member of the Friday morning men’s Bible study at St. Philip’s Church. Bill had a passionate love of his family. He was an American history buff and was well-known for his incredible memory and his ability to recite poetry. His hobbies included snow skiing and hiking in the mountains of Colorado, where he ascended several 14,000-foot peaks. Bill enjoyed jogging barefoot on the beach, walking the golf course, and playing tennis. His love for the water kept him close to the coast his entire life. Bill was a very devoted father: He coached both of his sons’ soccer teams and also volunteered as a scoutmaster. Bill and both of his sons achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. He is survived by his wife, Delia Hipp Pridgen, 308 70th Ave. N., Apt. C, Myrtle Beach, SC 29572-3659; two sons, William Maurice Pridgen and Matthew Lock Pridgen; a younger brother, Roy Pridgen; four sisters-in-law, Paula Pridgen, Evelyn Pridgen, Jan Hipp, and Laura Wichmann Hipp; two brothers-in-law, Charley Hipp and Preston Hipp; and many beloved cousins, nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and grandnephews. He was preceded in death by his older brother, Carl Pridgen.
William Ames Ruth ’64
William Ames Ruth ’64, dedicated father of three daughters, Mary Beth Christine Ruth ’91, 1755 York Ave. Apt. 5K, New York, N.Y. 10128-6865; Natasha McKerran Ruth ’94; and Amy Ruth McGrath, and grandfather of Hunter McGrath, died Dec. 16. He was born in Irvington, N.J., and grew up in Jacksonville, Fla. He attended Davidson College and law school at the University of Florida, and then moved to Hilton Head Island in 1972 after receiving his L.L.M. in taxation from New York University Law School. He was a partner in the Beaufort and Hilton Island law firm of Dowling, Sanders, & Dukes until 1985, when he founded the law firm now known as Ruth & MacNeille, P.A. on Hilton Head Island, where he practiced law until his death. He was a dedicated professional and was proud to call himself an attorney. Throughout his career he became involved with many affiliations and memberships including South Carolina Bar chairman, section on tax; South Carolina Bar chairman, section on estate planning, probate, and trust; member of the South Carolina House of Delegates; The Florida Bar member tax section; The District of Columbia Bar; National Association of State Bar Tax Sections; South Carolina Bar Foundation; fellow, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel; American College of Tax Counsel; and certified specialist, Tax Law, Estate Planning, Probate Law, and Trust Law. He shall be remembered for his strong love for his children, his wife, Kathleen, who died in 1996 from a long battle with scleroderma, and his new grandson, Hunter. He was a strong individual and his dedication to serving his community and his country was unmatched as evidenced by his service as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy and his volunteerism. Not only shall he be remembered for his achievements, but his family and friends shall remember him for his dry wit, his sophisticated intellect, and his genuine compassion for all those around him.
Orvin Reese Coppage, Jr. ’64
Orvin Reese Coppage, Jr. ’64 of Tampa, Fla., died September 21 after suffering from ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) for several years. He was born January 14, 1942, in Columbus, Ga., son of the late O.R. (Buster) Coppage and Mary White Coppage. He graduated from Columbus High School, Davidson College, and earned a graduate degree from Georgia State College. From 1966 to 1990, he was chief executive officer of several periodical wholesale distribution agencies and was active in several related trade associations. He was also a member of the Rotary Club of Tampa. In the last several years, he became involved with various Community Foundation of Tampa Bay committees and philanthropic endeavors. He is survived by his wife, Martha Ann McConnell Coppage, 1112 Culbreath Isles Dr., Tampa, Fla. 33629; son, Christopher R. Coppage (Evelyn); daughter, Catherine Bingham (David); two grandsons, Caleb Stricklen and Carter Bingham; his brother, James T. Coppage (Janet); and his sister, Lynn Land (A.J.).
Richard A. Whitfield III ’64
Richard A. Whitfield III ’64, of Attleboro, Mass., died unexpectedly on Aug. 19, 2007, in the Central Maine Medical Center in Bridgton, Maine. He was the devoted husband of 43 years of Elizabeth (Howard) Whitfield. He was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., a son of the late Richard A. Whitfield, Jr. ’33 and Janet E. Whitfield. He was a lifelong resident of Attleboro and a graduate of Attleboro High School, with the Class of 1960. He graduated from Davidson, and then served as a first lieutenant with the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He served on the board of directors of the YMCA and the former Attleboro-Pawtucket Savings Bank, and was a director and past president of the Community Health Agency, all in Attleboro. He was president of W.E. Richards Company of Attleboro until the company closed and he retired in 2002. He was an active fundraiser for the United Way of Attleboro and a former member of the board of directors of the Jewelers Board of Trade. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth H. Whitfield, 15 Woodland Ln., Attleboro, MA 02703-6412; one son, William D. Whitfield ’89 (Laura); a daughter, Deborah W. Wiese III (Peter); a sister, Barbara W. Genge; and five grandchildren, Matthew, Brian, and Sarah Whitfield, and Hannah and Mason Wiese.
David Tillman Stitt ’64
David Tillman Stitt ’64 died May 10 in Wilmington, N.C., after suffering a heart attack while vacationing in Topsail Beach, N.C. Judge Stitt, a well-known figure in legal circles, served as the Fairfax (Va.) county attorney for nearly a dozen years, as president of the Fairfax Bar Association for a year, and as a circuit court judge for almost 13 years. He was also known as a dedicated outdoorsman, enjoying hiking, boating, playing tennis, or commandeering players for a bar association volleyball tournament. His son recently qualified for the U.S. Olympic rowing team, and Judge Stitt had been hoping to travel to Beijing this summer. David was born in St. Louis and, when he was two, moved to Austin, where he was raised. He graduated from Davidson, where he played freshman basketball for then-coach Lefty Driesell. He entered the Army and served as a Ranger during the Vietnam War. He received his law degree from the University of Texas in 1969 and moved to Washington, where he worked first in the corporation counsel’s office, then as an assistant U.S. attorney. He became an assistant county attorney in Fairfax in 1975, was appointed county attorney in 1980, and left that job for private practice in 1991. Judge Stitt was a regular at state and local bar association functions, organizing so many volleyball tournaments that the local bar’s volleyball trophy is named for him. He also spoke regularly to law school classes about the need for civility and professionalism in the courtroom. Survivors include his wife, Elizabeth Stitt, 6503 Smoot Dr., McLean, VA 22101; and two children, Samuel T. Stitt and Rachel Elmendorf.