Month: August 2020

Ireland G. Regnier, 95, professor emeritus of Art, died Aug. 15, 2020. He retired from Clemson in 1988 after 26 years.

A decorated World War II veteran and graduate of the Kansas City Art Institute with a Master of Fine Arts degree, Regnier had works in private collections in the U.S. and England and a painting in the permanent collection of the Greenville Art Museum.

Regnier was inducted in the Army and sent to the Pacific Theater, where he fought as a machine gunner in the 41st Infantry Division and was awarded the Bronze Star for heroism.

During his teaching career, he had two sabbaticals, one in Guadalajara, Mexico, and the other in London. He was invited to teach painting and drawing at Penland Arts and Crafts School in North Carolina, which he did for more than a decade during the summer months. Many of his former students cite him as the professor who influenced them most during their years at Clemson.

He is survived by his wife, Linda, and her son, Ryan; his oldest son, Michael, and his wife, Andrea, and grandson Max; and son, Marc, and wife Jane.

A graveside military service will take place at a later date at the Woodland Cemetery.  A celebration of life including family and friends will take place at a later date.

Clyde Lewis Barth, 88, professor emeritus of Agricultural Engineering, died Aug. 13, 2020. He retired from Clemson University in 1987 after serving as a professor and Extension agent.

Barth was a veteran of the United States Army. He graduated from the University of Illinois Champaign and earned his master’s degree and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin Madison.

He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Glenola Palmer Donald Barth; sons, Garin Barth (Carolyn), Jeremy Barth and Keith Donald (Lyn); daughters, Lia Barth, Heidi Moody (Scott) and Cyndi Donald Thomas (George); 10 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

A private family funeral service was held on Aug. 16. Burial followed in Dickson Memorial United Methodist Church Cemetery.

Barth’s full obituary is posted online.

Lawrence “Larry” Dyck, 78, professor emeritus of Biological Sciences, died Aug. 15, 2020.

Dyck taught at Clemson for 31 years. His dedication for the removal of PCBs in Twelve Mile Creek led to a cleaner Lake Hartwell. Upon retiring as a professor, he created a business focused on the stabilization and habitat restoration of eroded and unsustainable lake shorelines.

Dyck graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor of Arts in botany, followed by a Ph.D. in botany/phycology from Washington University in St. Louis. He was an active member of the Lake Hartwell Association, Friends of Lake Keowee Society and The Pickens County Conservation District.

Dyck is survived by his wife of 59 years, Cecile; his daughter, Nancy Ravan, and husband, Mark,  of Duncan; son, Jerry, and his wife, Barbara, of Marietta, Georgia; and four grandchildren.

A private family burial will be conducted at Woodland Cemetery on the campus of Clemson University at a later date.

His full obituary is posted online.

Benjamin Upchurch Kittrell Sr., former director of the Pee Dee Research and Education Center in Florence, died July 27, 2020, after a long battle with dementia.

He retired from Clemson in 2002 after 24 years as an agronomist and tobacco specialist before guiding the Pee Dee REC through a time of tremendous change, implementing many improvements to the station.

Kittrell grew up on a tobacco farm in North Carolina and earned the first of three degrees in agriculture in 1960 from North Carolina State University. Working full time as a tobacco specialist with the North Carolina Agriculture Extension Service while he continued his education, he earned a doctorate in 1975 and worked as an extension service soybean specialist for the University of Georgia in Athens before coming to Clemson.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Nancy Louise Lassiter Kittrell, son Benjamin Upchurch Kittrell Jr. (Millie), daughter Jan Kittrell Howell (Al) and three grandchildren.

The funeral was held July 31 in Florence. His full obituary is posted online.

Stanley “Luke” Lukawecki, professor emeritus of mathematical sciences and former director of Undergraduate Studies, died in Seneca Aug. 8, 2020.

Lukawecki graduated from Southeastern Louisiana College in 1953, then served in the U. S. Army. He was awarded a Ph.D. in applied mathematics from Auburn University in 1961. He taught at Southwestern Louisiana College and at Texas Women’s University.

He came to Clemson University in 1964, where he concentrated on the undergraduate portion of the mathematics program and was heavily involved in the establishment of a mathematical sciences curriculum for undergraduates. He served as director of Undergraduate Studies for 10-plus years.

Lukawecki is survived by his two daughters, Laura and Amy.

Out of respect for the health of their friends during this time of the COVID pandemic, the family will hold private services.

Lukawecki’s full obituary is posted online.