In Memoriam

Kittie J. Blakemore

July 29, 2020

Class: Physical Education ‘61
Hometown: Manassas, VA

Trailblazer Kittie Blakemore died July 29, 2020, in her native Manassas, Virginia, following months of declining health. Blakemore and Dr. Wincie Ann Carruth, chair of the women’s physical education department, were responsible for getting women’s sports off the ground at WVU when the Title IX provision of the Educational Amendments Act became law in 1972. In early August 1972, WVU athletic director Leland Byrd, received a request from Blakemore to have a meeting. From that discussion, and a written document, was the creation of basketball, tennis and gymnastics in 1974, followed by volleyball, swimming, track and softball in 1975. In ensuing years, other women’s sports such as swimming and diving, soccer and rowing were added to the docket. l Blakemore, Carruth and Martha Thorn spearheaded the plan, execution and administration of all this.

Read the full story by John Antonik of WVU Athletics.

Steveda “Stevie” Chepko

February 3, 2020

Class: Physical Education ‘71
Hometown: Omaha, NE

Steveda "Stevie" Chepko, Ed.D., passed away on February, 3, 2020, at the age of 70. Chepko served as assistant dean for the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) College of Education from 2017 until the time of her death. Chepko earned her undergraduate degree in physical education from West Virginia University and her Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction and sport history at Temple University. She was inducted into the WVU College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences Hall of Fame in 1999.As an expert on performance-based standards and assessment for physical education curriculums in K-12 schools, Chepko contributed greatly to the field of physical education during her 49-year career. This includes serving as chair of the task force that revised the National Standards for Initial Physical Education Teacher Education and serving on the AAHPERD Curriculum Framework Task Force for the National Standards & Grade-Level Outcomes for K-12 Physical Education.

In addition to being a prolific writer and pioneer in the advocacy for women’s in athletics, she was also a passionate teacher, coach and sailor. Continue reading about Stevie

John Gay

Early 2020

Class: Physical Education ‘74 
Hometown: Florida

John Gay passed away in early 2020. John earned his bachelor's degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo and then served in the United States Navy as a naval aviator. He received his master's degree from San Diego State University, doctoral degree with a concentration in health from West Virginia University and a post-doctoral degree from Johns Hopkins University. John established an impressive résumé of professional experience. He worked as an assistant professor at Towson University, associate professor at Louisiana State University, professor and chair of the Health and Exercise Sciences department at Central Michigan University and dean of the University of Scranton. John took his professional positions abroad as professor and dean of professional studies at the University of Newcastle in Australia and professor and chair of the health sciences department at the University of South Australia. He tallied numerous awards along the way, having received the Mortar Board of Outstanding Teacher Award at WVU, Top 10 Faculty at Towson University, Outstanding Teacher Award at Central Michigan University and Centennial Award at the University of Scranton to demonstrate his dedication to academia. He published and served as a subject matter expert for major textbook publishers and served on the CPASS Visiting Committee for multiple terms, always trying to give back and help CPASS grow and reach its potential. Although he did not live near West Virginia nor Morgantown, John always held WVU and CPASS in a deep place within his heart.

Tom Martin

October 4, 2020

Class: Physical Education ‘61 ????
Hometown: Lancaster, PA

Tom Martin, CPASS graduate and 2016 Hall of Fame member, passed away October 4, 2020, at the age of 70. Martin served as James Madison University men’s head soccer coach for 29 seasons, from 1986 to 2014.

Martin guided JMU men's soccer to prolific success with a 359-164-58 record in his 29 seasons, achieving an average of 12.4 wins per season and .668 winning percentage.

"Many will look at his career achievements with the all-time victories, consecutive NCAA quarterfinal appearances, multiple other NCAA runs and CAA Championships, but what set Doc apart was his approach to college athletics and the profession of coaching. He worked to develop his student-athletes as individuals in all facets: academics, leadership, teamwork, life skills and more,” said Jeff Bourne, JMU director of athletics.

In addition to his coaching career, Martin acted in an administrative role for JMU as interim director of athletics in 1998 and 1999. He worked as an instructor for multiple academic courses at JMU, including in an expanded capacity for the Hart School upon his retirement from coaching in 2014. Continue reading about Tom.