| SWU
News:
October 1, 2004
Southern
Wesleyan University history professor dies at age 61
History
professor Dr. Louis Palmer Towles Jr. died Sept. 29 at
the age of 61.
Dr. Towles
left an afternoon faculty meeting feeling ill and later
died at Palmetto Health Baptist Hospital in Easley after
suffering a heart attack.
Serving
as professor of history at the Southern Wesleyan University
since 1972, Dr. Towles was a distinguished faculty member
with 32 years of service to the institution.
“He
was a significant figure in the lives of his colleagues,
friends and especially for the hundreds of students he
has influenced through his teaching, scholarship and commitment,”
said Dr. David Spittal, Southern Wesleyan University president.
In addition
to his teaching duties, Dr. Towles served in a variety
of campus roles including class sponsor and sponsor of
the Student Government Association.
Dr. Towles
received a bachelor’s degree from the College of
Charleston; a master’s degree and doctorate from
University of South Carolina.
“During
his years of service at Southern Wesleyan University,
Dr. Towles has been recognized frequently by the university
and his colleagues and students as an outstanding scholar
and as a lecturer with an amazing breadth of knowledge
that reflects both his intellect and his deep love of
history,” Dr. Spittal said.
During his
career, Dr. Towles was the recipient of numerous fellowships
and study grants and has conducted research leading to
publication of many articles and books.
He was a native
of Charleston, a son of Lois Miller Wayne of Mt. Pleasant
and the late Louis Palmer Towles.
In addition to his mother, Dr. Towles is survived by a
son, Louis Palmer Towles III of Atlanta, Ga.; daughters,
Rebecca Marie Sligh and her husband, William, of Atlanta,
Ga., and Amy Towles of Easley; a brother, Winfield C.
Towles of Chevy Chase, Md.; a stepbrother, Walter P. Crews
of Piedmont; and a grandson, Devon Sligh.
Funeral services were held Oct. 1 at First Wesleyan Church
on the campus of Southern Wesleyan University, with burial
to be held at Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston.
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