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The University of Tennessee College of Engineering 114 Perkins Hall Knoxville, TN 37996-2012 |
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| Newsletter
of the UT College of Engineering |
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| Dr. Jerry Stoneking, the late dean of the UT College of Engineering |
COE Dean Jerry Stoneking Dies on November 16, 2001
University of Tennessee faculty, staff, students and members of the Knoxville community were deeply saddened by the death of Dr. Jerry Stoneking, dean of the College of Engineering, on Friday, November 16.
Stoneking collapsed while filming a recruiting video in front of Ayres Hall. He was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center, where he died a short time later of an apparent heart attack.
UT Provost Loren Crabtree sent out official word to the university community at 10:30 a.m. that Dr. Stoneking had died, stating "As you all know, Jerry was a fine engineer and scholar-teacher, and an excellent dean. His personal integrity, irrepressible spirit, sense of humor and keen intellect marked him as an extraordinary human being. To say that he will be missed by all who knew, loved and respected him falls far short of conveying our sense of loss."
Stoneking will be remembered for his dedication to the university, his leadership and his empathy for students, faculty and staff.
"He was a superb personnel manager," Crabtree said. "He was well-organized and always had an agenda, but he was also sensitive to 'people needs.'"
Crabtree also said that Stoneking was "a leader of real significance, attentive not only to the welfare of the College of Engineering but also to the progress of the entire university."
"He had excellent connections with the Oak Ridge scientific community," Crabtree commented. "He was well-known and trusted, and took advantage of opportunities to create bonds between UT and Oak Ridge--particularly in the areas of materials science engineering and with the National Transportation Research Center."
UT interim president Eli Fly also praised Stoneking, stating that "Dr. Stoneking epitomized what a good dean should beÉhe was committed to his students, related well to donors and had a strong vision for the college and the university."
Fly cited UT's Engage freshman engineering program as an example of Stoneking's progressive leadership.
"Dr. Stoneking championed the Engage program, which has reduced the drop-out rate for freshman engineering students. The fact that he was able to secure outside funding from the National Science Foundation speaks highly of the program. We are seeing students come out of Engage who are better prepared for the demands of business and industry, and the program is showing the benefits through its effect on both learning styles and teaching techniques."
Dr. Bill Snyder, former dean of the COE and chancellor emeritus of UT, hired Stoneking in 1975 and the two shared a close professional and personal relationship for over 25 years.
"Jerry contributed to this university, the engineering profession and this community in so many ways," Snyder said. "Of all the contributions that he made, none was more important than his commitment to the central purpose of our university in serving the needs of students. He was also the consummate university citizen. He was a very effective teacher, he contributed to what he was teaching through research, he had a great vision for the college serving the needs of society beyond the boundaries of the campus, and he provided the quality of leadership that inspired those around him to be the best that we possibly could be."
Crabtree also commented on Stoneking's affinity for bringing out the best in people and situations.
"As a person, he was so engaged in life," Crabtree commented. "He also had a truly remarkable way with people."
Jane Hunley, Administrative Services Assistant in the COE dean's office, who began working for Stoneking in 1993 shortly after he became interim dean, recalled that Dr. Stoneking, although always under a demanding schedule, was still a caring supervisor.
"He was always understanding about mistakes," she said. "He would say 'Let's fix it' and then we would get on with what we needed to do. He didn't like mistakes but he knew that we're all only human."
Hunley also commented on Stoneking's affinity for young people.
"He loved children and the students," Hunley added. "When my granddaughter or another child would visit the office, he would always take a few minutes to talk to them and to make them feel like they were special. And he cared so much for the students; when the Tau Beta Pi pledges would come by to collect signatures, he would make time to talk to them, even when he had other demands on his time. Although he enjoyed being dean, I think he missed that daily contact with the students. He always spoke about how bright the kids were and how enthusiastic he was about our engineering students."