Search the database below for class notes, births, memoriams and marriages reported by your classmates. All online information is posted for one year from the date the information is received. If no selections are made to narrow the class year or information type, all information from the last year will be shown alphabetically by last name of alumni.
To access the information for specific class years, choose the class year from the first drop down box below on the left. Scroll to find the correct year. Once the class year is selected, the information received for any person in that year within the last 365 days will be shown. Choices can be further narrowed by choosing from Births, Notes, Marriages and Memoriams in the second drop down box.
To submit your own entries, please use Class Notes section of the Stay Connected form.
If you have questions about this section of the website, please contact alumni@maryvillecollege.edu.
Browse Class Notes:
(Default list is alphabetical of all notes – sort by year or category to filter the list)
Class of 1988
Leah Mueller Blaisdell 50, of Tarpon Springs, died Nov. 15, 2016 after a brief illness. Survived by daughter, Rachael Blaisdell; parents, Ken and Ellen Mueller; sister, Heidi Mueller; brothers, Randy (Leslie), Kyle (Julie), and Adam (Monica) Mueller. Leah loved her alma mater Maryville College, theatre, gardening, Tarpon Springs Soccer, Sunset Beach, and entertaining her nieces and nephews, Cecelia, Casey, Riley, Clarissa, Connor, Brian, Finn, Taylor, Emma, and Lauren. In lieu of flowers please make donations to Elisasgreatestwishes.org Visitation will be 11 am-12 pm, with a service at 12 pm, all Saturday, Nov. 19, at the Faith Chapel of First United Methodist Church. Burial to follow at Anclote Cemetery. Vinson Funeral Home, (727) 937-6111
Class of 1988
Douglas Mark McCarty, born May 21, 1966 in Brevard, North Carolina, died at 54, May 15, 2021 in Brevard, NC. He grew up in Brevard and excelled as a gifted athlete. He played football and was a star wrestler who attended state championships while at Brevard High School. He attended Maryville College, Maryville Tennessee, for his Bachelors in English where he continued his football career. After graduating from Maryville in 1988, he attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro for his MFA in Creative Writing and Ph. D. in Literature. He later taught at the university for a number of years. He was incredibly intelligent and a talented writer and poet. He worked at the Harris YMCA in Charlotte, NC for several decades where he had the opportunity to interact with and help many people regularly, something he particularly enjoyed. He liked to cook, fish, collect knives, and was a huge dog lover. He was kind-hearted, quick-witted with a dry sense of humor, and gentle in his nature. He is survived by his daughters, Amelia and Lydia, his brother Greg, and his parents, Gail and Wayne.
Class of 1988
Dwayne Sanders, Director of Sports Ministry with Emerald Youth Foundation and Director of Urban Fellowship of Christian Athletes, passed away April 29 after a determined battle with cancer. Sanders, 51, devoted his life to ministry with urban young people and was a staple in the Knoxville youth sports community. A native of Knoxville, Dwayne grew up in the inner city just blocks away from where Emerald Youth would eventually be launched decades later. He came to faith in college and subsequently devoted his life to ministry with young people through the vehicle of youth sports. Under Sanders’ leadership, Emerald Youth’s sports ministry with city children grew from 322 children on 38 teams in 2012 to over 1,600 young people playing on 169 teams this past year. Additionally, the ministry of Emerald Youth Sports and FCA grew to add new sports, including soccer, track, wrestling, lacrosse, performance training, swim lessons, and baseball as well as additional ministry locations including the E.V. Davidson Pool in east Knoxville and the Sansom Sports Complex. This expansion provided additional opportunities for children from the heart of the city to attend FCA camps and be involved in campus ministries as well. Sanders’ heart for reaching young people through sports began through his own experience growing up in urban Knoxville through seeds of influence planted by his high school football coach. He went on to play football and tennis at Maryville College and came to know Christ during his time there before formally launching his ministry after graduation in 1988. In spite of tremendous results and achievements professionally through athletics, Sanders was always quick to avoid the limelight. He viewed his work as a calling and was known for his remarkable sense of humor, ability to relate to others, and personal story of faith. In addition to a host of family and friends, Dwayne is survived by his wife of 27 years, Lisa Collins Sanders; children, Madison and Baylor; mother, Shirley Brewer; and sister and brother in law, Sheila and Jamie Picquet. The family wishes to extend special thanks Dr. Martin and the nurses at Tennessee Cancer Specialists. The family will receive friends on Friday, May 4th from 5:00-7:00pm at North Knoxville Baptist, Dwayne’s childhood church. A memorial service will be held at 7:00pm that same evening officiated by Steve Diggs, Dean Craig, and Pastor Tim Parker. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to Emerald Youth Foundation and Greater Knoxville Area FCA. Arrangements are being handled by Berry Highland Memorial, 5315 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37919. Friends may share their thoughts and memories at www.berryhighlandmemorial.com
