In Memoriam
Longtime educator, coach and FSU legend Leon Brumback ’61/M’67 passed away on Jan. 1, 2025, in Williamsport, Md. He was 85.
Brumback made history at Frostburg State by being the first black student to graduate from the college. He went on to have a long and prestigious career as an educator and coach in Washington County, Md.
Above all, Brumback was a mentor to his students and pointed many of them in the direction of Frostburg when it was time for them to pursue a higher education. “People helped me – that’s why I’m so committed to mentoring programs. It’s like paying back a debt,” he told Profile Magazine in 1994. “When I help someone, I tell them that they don’t owe me anything. Just smile, think of me and pass the help along. I think everyone should be that way.”
Brumback is survived by his sisters, Leona Watson and Catherine Tyler, many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Ralph L. Brewer passed away Feb. 6, 2025. He began his tenure at Frostburg State University in 1969 as a professor in the English Department, where he remained until assuming the role of interim athletic director in 2000. In July 2003, Brewer was named the permanent athletic director at FSU.
Bobcat athletics thrived under Brewer's direction. The number of corporate sponsors increased, and student-athlete retention rates and academics also improved. During his time as AD, several facilities were upgraded, most notably with the construction of new soccer and softball fields, the installation of new scoreboards, message boards and a sound system in Bobcat Arena and the addition of $90,000 of new equipment in the weight rooms.
A strong supporter of Bobcat athletics, Brewer was also the chair of the Athletic Advisory Committee and served as the University's faculty representative for both the NCAA and Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference steering committees. He was also a member of search committees for the head football coach and sports information director positions and served as president of the Atlantic Central Football Conference.
Brewer graduated from Austin Peay State College in Clarksville, Tenn., in 1967 with a bachelor's degree in English and taught at Clarksville High School from 1967-1968. He then earned his master's degree in English from Austin Peay in 1969 before joining the FSU staff.
He served on numerous English department and University committees and task groups, including the President's Cabinet, the Senate Steering Committee and the Strategic Planning Task Group. Additionally, he was president of the Faculty Assembly, chair of the Faculty Senate, and chair of the English Department.
Brewer's contributions to the larger community were recognized when he received the Faculty Achievement Award for University and Community Service in 1995 and the Allegany County NAACP Award for Community Service in 2006.
Brewer retired from FSU in 2021.
He is survived by his wife Sue Brewer, his son John Brewer '90 and wife Karen Fitzpatrick Brewer '92, his granddaughters Bailey Brewer '21 and Lindsay Brewer Christner, his great-granddaughter Bea, and his great-grandson Chase.
Alumni
- 1940+
1949 Kate McClain Kroll Dec. 14, 2024
*Former faculty or staff member
- 1950+
1952 Dorothy V. Van Scoy* Jan. 26, 2024
1953 Mary Manley DeVore June 21, 2024
1953 Mary Phyllis Marsh June 12, 2024
1954 Colleen Kreger Grayson* June 9, 2024
1955 Rosemary Folk Cain Aug. 30, 2024
1956 John C. Clarke, Sr. Sept. 27, 2024
1956 Carol J. Troutman Jan. 14, 2025
1957 Frederick S. Briggs Aug. 19, 2024
1957 Carole Charles Leiboldt Jan. 17, 2024
1957 Paul M. Marriott, Jr. July 1, 2024
1957 Floyd N. Ryan Oct. 17, 2024
1959 P. Terrence Burke Nov. 21, 2024
1959 Toby Morrissey Feddis M'69 Nov. 11, 2024
1959 Russell J. Heyde, Jr. Oct. 10, 2024
1959 H. Daniel Pfeiffer, Jr. Aug. 24, 2024
*Former faculty or staff member
- 1960+
1960 John W. Blake Jan. 28, 2024
1960 Joanne McPartland Dickinson July 10, 2024
1960 Rose Lee Chaney Folk July 11, 2024
1961 Leon C. Brumback M'67 Jan. 1, 2025
1961 Josephine Saum Swope Aug. 1, 2024
1962 Linda Schwalm Bradstreet April 29, 2023
1962 George R. Kuhn Nov. 8, 2024
1962 James P. Shertzer M'71 July 27, 2024
1963 Joseph S. Loveless, Jr. M'75 June 15, 2024
1963 Carol K. Watson Sept. 17, 2024
1963 Judith A. White Aug. 1, 2024
1964 Gary J. Durr* June 5, 2024
1964 John E. Hess, Jr. July 17, 2024
1964 Wayne L. Lewis M'70* June 22, 2024
1964 James R. Thomas June 7, 2024
1964 Larry G. Tyree Dec. 26, 2024
1965 Robert C. Green Jan. 17, 2024
1965 Joseph E. Murphy Aug. 30, 2024
1965 Anne Beane Slater Oct. 25, 2024
1965 Nancy Kay Griffith Grant March 5, 2025
1966 Dorrin L. Armentrout Aug. 11, 2024
1966 Robert H. Bacheller April 23, 2024
1966 Shirley K. Burch Oct. 19, 2024
1966 James K. Seibert May 29, 2024
1967 Lois Brown Bonner June 1, 2024
1967 Eileen A. Mikolayunas Sept. 23, 2024
1968 Donald A. Lloyd B'88 Sept. 5, 2024
1968 R. Thomas Powell Nov. 28, 2024
1968 Dawn Ressler Sutton Nov. 20, 2024
1968 Bonnie L. Troxell Oct. 31, 2024
1968 George R. Truly Sept. 23. 2024
1969 Robert L. Graves Sept. 7, 2024
*Former faculty or staff member
- 1970+
1970 Nancy W. Crawley M'70* July 4, 2024
1971 Rev. Dr. David E. Draper Oct. 23, 2024
1971 Thomas W. Johnson Oct. 26, 2024
1971 Barbara M. Miller Nov. 14, 2024
1971 Glenn F. Miller Aug. 9, 2024
1972 Robert H. King M'73 Nov. 26, 2024
1972 Gary W. Riggleman Sept. 3, 2024
1972 Donald L. Russell, Sr. April 14, 2019
1973 Linda Stein Finster M'81/M'88 Dec. 31, 2024
1974 Paula C. Jones Oct. 1, 2021
1974 Patrice Legros May 16, 2020
1974 Deborah K. Rohrer June 18, 2024
1974 Alfred W. Saunders, Jr. M'74 Aug. 8, 2024
1974 Linwood F. Snider, Jr. M'74 Sept. 20, 2024
1975 Arthur G. Barnhart M'75 Aug. 12, 2024
1975 Lois P. McCray March 11, 2020
1975 Stephen G. McCray Nov. 29, 2024
1976 Otto C. Graham, Jr. M'76 Sept. 5, 2024
1976 George W. Lovelace M'76 July 24, 2024
1976 Thomas J. McMahon, Sr. May 21, 2024
1976 Ronald C. West Nov. 4, 2023
1977 Karen M. Brake Nov. 30, 2024
1977 George W. Buzzerd July 30, 2024
1977 Robert L. Dugan, Jr. Aug. 4, 2024
1977 J. Daniel Laffey, Jr. July 6, 2024
1977 Mary C. Miltenberger M'77 Nov. 8, 2024
1977 Obie L. Tucker, Jr. Dec. 4, 2023
1978 John D. Campbell M'78 Nov. 11, 2024
1978 Russell A. Reed Nov. 22, 2024
1978 Lucille I. Sorensen M'78 Oct. 15, 2024
1979 Teresa Henstrand Hoke Aug. 24, 2024
1979 David E. Shipley Aug. 13, 2024
1979 Jeanette L. Zapushek M'79 July 28, 2024
*Former faculty or staff member
- 1980+
1980 Rebecca Beachy Hresko Nov. 19, 2024
1981 Joyce Moyer Williams July 12, 2024
1982 Charlene L. Taylor Nov. 23, 2024
1982 Lewie P. Thomas, III Aug. 25, 2024
1983 Hugh E. Hartman, Jr. M'83 July 31, 2007
1983 Jane F. Roderick* Sept. 11, 2024
1983 Janet Martens Stevens M'88 July 8, 2024
1983 Brian D. Stewart Aug. 14, 2024
1983 Franklin C. Yates Nov. 30, 2024
1985 John S. Buchanan M'85 Aug. 17, 2024
1986 Leanne D. Bowman-Bodes M'93 Aug. 23, 2024
1986 Charles L. Gillis, Jr. M'86 June 24, 2024
1986 Linda Smith Redinger Aug. 23, 2024
1987 Robert B. Harden Aug. 17, 2024
1988 Roger B.Cover Oct. 19, 2024
1988 Gary F. Reeves Nov. 12, 2024
1989 Sandra K. Schofield Sept. 28, 2024
1989 Betty A. Wurster June 7, 2024
*Former faculty or staff member
- 1990+
1990 Robin Freese Mellen April 15, 2024
1990 Major (Ret.) Ernest B. Miller, Jr. M'90 May 13, 2024
1990 Pastor Timothy L. Shockley M'93 Oct. 23, 2024
1990 Joan Glotfelty Sussman M'90 Sept. 13, 2024
1990 Susan Halloran Young July 18, 2024
1991 Carla Saville Eckard Oct. 8, 2024
1991 Michael W. Talhelm M'91 Sept. 19, 2024
1992 Jeffrey S. Ashby Sept. 16, 2024
1992 Lawrence D. Belkov Aug. 26, 2024
1993 Diana Gapp Harman M'93 Oct. 27, 2024
1993 Amy Swanson Lentowski Dec. 24, 2006
1994 Michael G. Nastanovich May 12, 2024
1995 Patricia A. Gapp M'95 Oct. 27, 2024
1995 Robin L. Puffinburger M'96 June 8, 2024
1997 Linda L. Shriver M'97 June 27, 2024
1999 James R. Dunn Oct. 19, 2024
1999 Patrick D. Zaharoff M'99 March 31, 2024
*Former faculty or staff member
- 2000+
2001 Allison Fellner Pauole Sept. 5, 2024
2004 Joaquina M. Braithwaite Aug. 23, 2024
2004 Laura M. Wilson M'07* July 1, 2024
2005 Juan C. Lopez Sept. 22, 2024
2006 Douglas H. Green, DPT, OCS Nov. 20, 2024
2009 Nicholas A. Freeman July 29, 2024
*Former faculty or staff member
- 2010+
2011 Myrlene Romain-Bounds May 20, 2024
2013 Matthew D. Byars Nov. 21, 2024
2017 Heather N. Singell Nov. 26, 2024
*Former faculty or staff member
- Friends of the University
Rosalie M. Adams* Aug. 12, 2024
Victoria R. Amrhein Aug. 22, 2024
Erma Jean Baker July 15, 2024
Brenda R. Bean* Nov. 23, 2024
Michael J. Beltz June 5, 2024
Ray A. Biscoe, Sr. Aug. 13, 2024
Helen W. Bowling Oct. 16, 2023
Marshall L. Caton July 4, 2024
Dr. Joseph W. Cavallaro July 18, 2024
Martin C. Coy July 17, 2024
James M. Crawley* July 31, 2024
Robert S. Farrell Dec. 3, 2024
Wayne Fleegle July 3, 2024
Luis Audberto B. Flores, M.D. July 18, 2024
Robert A. Ford June 25, 2024
Elizabeth P. Frizzell Feb. 11, 2016
Stephanie R. Gates Nov. 17, 2023
Van E. Gaus June 25, 2024
Harold J. Gill June 5, 2024
Marlene M. Grande July 1, 2024
Kenneth M. Gray April 25, 2014
Mae E. Gray Aug. 13, 2024
Paul E. Green Oct. 8, 2024
Patricia W. Hall June 1, 2024
Patricia A. Hanlon June 28, 2024
Charles A. Harris April 22, 2024
Douglas B. Heavner, Jr. Feb. 27, 2024
Marguerite Hughes* June 18, 2024
Audrey H. Huthwaite Sept. 9, 2024
Linda D. Jones Aug. 12, 2024
Yanique T. Jones July 20, 2024
Brian M. Jordan March 17, 2024
Scott A. Keister Jan. 24, 2024
Jeanne O. Kelly Oct. 1, 2024
Martin J. Kirsch Nov. 24, 2024
John Kovich, Jr. June 21, 2024
June C. Krimm March 26, 2024
David M. Litts March 30, 2024
Kevin P. Lyons, Sr. Jan. 28, 2024
Eric E. Manns, Sr. Dec. 2, 2024
George M. Marr Oct. 12, 2024
Lt. Colonel (Ret.) James S. Marshall Aug. 7, 2024
Dr. Ronald T. Maruskin June 10, 2024
Lois A. McGreevy June 9, 2024
Barbara A. McManus Feb. 4, 2024
RMCH Hugh F. Meehan, USN, Ret. Feb. 11, 2024
Dr. John N. Mehanna April 26, 2024
Marcia Miklovic Jan. 24, 2024
Elsie Morgan July 19, 2024
Shirley J. Mullaney March 30, 2024
Jean E. Nicholas June 16, 2024
William Nizinski* Oct. 3, 2024
Donna J. O'Roark July 18, 2005
Judy W. O'Toole* Dec. 9, 2024
Mary Ann Spence Ostlind Jan. 21, 2024
Joseph V. Pace Aug. 15, 2024
Howard C. Pallik Oct. 13, 2024
Barbara A. Perdew June 15, 2024
Richard E. Pesta* Oct. 5, 2024
Commander Paul A. Petzrick, USN, Ret. July 2, 2024
Gary P. Rinkus June 4, 2024
James J. Robertson May 30, 2024
Douglas S. Salmon* Dec. 6, 2024
Dr. Robert S. Selby* Sept. 18, 2024
John D. Self Nov. 13, 2024
Beverly A. Serpone Aug. 22, 2024
Mary A. Sharp Sept. 14, 2024
Joseph R. Stevens July 15, 2024
Doris L. Struck* June 8, 2024
Carolee Stup June 20, 2024
Terry C. Tedrow April 1, 2024
Fred Thayer Feb. 15, 2007
Wesley C. Thompson Sept. 11, 2024
Barbara J. Tomsic* July 17, 2024
Betty J. Troupe Feb. 26, 2024
Donald L. Troupe April 25, 2024
John W. True Aug. 10, 2024
William E. Tucker, II Sept. 2, 2024
Jeremy A. Whitacre June 22, 2024
Charles D. Whitehill July 23, 2024
* Former faculty or staff member