Inside Clemson

Author: rreal

George Cavender, Associate Professor, Food, Nutrition, and Packaging Sciences

December 4, 2025

Clemson University mourns the death of George Cavender, associate professor in the Department of Food, Nutrition and Packaging Sciences.

George Cavender.

“Dr. George Cavender was an exceptional faculty member and a steady, compassionate presence in our Food, Nutrition and Packaging Sciences (FNPS) department,” said Ramesh Babu Jeganathan, chair of the Department of Food, Nutrition and Packaging Sciences. “His deep commitment to teaching, his expertise in food science and his genuine care for students shaped the lives of countless young scientists. George approached every aspect of his work with sincerity, humility, and a quiet strength that earned the respect and gratitude of colleagues, students and industry partners alike. His sudden passing leaves a profound void in FNPS and the Clemson community, and we will remember him with great admiration and heartfelt appreciation for all he contributed.”

Cavender began his Clemson career in July 2021 as an assistant professor and was named an associate professor in 2025.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is providing grief counseling to students. Any student who wants to speak to a counselor should contact CAPS at 864-656-2451. After-hours counseling is available by calling 864-656-2451 and selecting option 2 from the menu.

Counseling services are also available to faculty and staff through ComPsych, the University’s Employee Assistance Program provider, at 866-365-0813.

A celebration of life will be held at St. Paul Methodist Church, 14 Martin’s Ford Rd., in Dahlonega, Ga., on Sunday, December 14, at 2 p.m. George Cavendar’s obituary is available online.

Clemson University Obituaries

Obituaries for active employees, retirees and current students are issued by Inside Clemson once we are able to confirm the information. Since faculty and staff live and work throughout the state, we depend on university departments, colleagues or friends to notify us of the deaths of active employees and retirees.

Jordan Elizabeth Rights, student

November 30, 2025

Elizabeth Rights, 33, passed away on Nov. 22, 2025. She was a graduate student from Brewster, New York in the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences.

“We were blessed that Elizabeth’s journey brought her to Clemson,” says John Lopes, dean of the Graduate School. “She will forever be a part of our family.”

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is providing grief counseling to students. Any student who wants to speak to a counselor should contact CAPS at 864-656-2451. After-hours counseling is available by calling 864-656-2451 and selecting option 2 from the menu.

Counseling services are also available to faculty and staff through ComPsych, the University’s Employee Assistance Program provider, at 866-365-0813.

View Elizabeth’s full obituary online.

Clemson University Obituaries

Obituaries for active employees, retirees and current students are issued by Inside Clemson once we are able to confirm the information. Since faculty and staff live and work throughout the state, we depend on university departments, colleagues or friends to notify us of the deaths of active employees and retirees.

Robert ‘Bob’ Lawrence Wiggins, Sr., retiree – November 4, 2025

November 7, 2025

Robert “Bob” Lawrence Wiggins, Sr., retired systems manager for the Division Of Administrative Programming Services, passed away on November 4, 2025.

Wiggins began his Clemson career on September 11, 1967, and retired on September 30, 1993, totaling 26 years of service with the University.

During his time at Clemson, he computerized the circulation system of the Clemson University Libraries.

A memorial service will be held at University Lutheran Church of Clemson on Sunday, November 23, at 2 p.m.

Robert Lawrence Wiggins’s obituary is available online.

William Doyce Graham, Jr., Professor Emeritus of Plant and Environmental Sciences – November 2, 2025

November 7, 2025

William Doyce Graham, Jr., Professor Emeritus of Plant and Environmental Sciences, passed away on November 2, 2025.

Graham was hired on October 1, 1966, and he retired on June 20, 2003, totaling nearly 37 years of service. He then served in the Emeritus College for 19 years from 2005 to 2024.

In a testament to his contributions, Clemson University released the “Graham” oat in 2012, and the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station released “Doyce,” a type of hulless winter barley, in 2003.

He received his bachelor’s degree in agronomy from Texas Tech before earning master’s and doctoral degrees from Purdue University.

A memorial service will be held at Clemson United Methodist Church on Wednesday, November 26 at 2 p.m.

William Doyce Graham’s obituary is available online.

Samuel Bruce Martin, Professor Emeritus of Plant Pathology – October 15, 2025

October 20, 2025

Samuel Bruce Martin Jr., Professor Emeritus of Plant Pathology, passed away on October 15, 2025.

Martin was hired on September 1, 1987, and he retired on July 1, 2018, totaling nearly 31 years of service. He joined the Emeritus College on May 29, 2018.

Martin earned the Alumni Distinguished Cooperative Extension Public Service Award in 2010 for his work educating the South Carolina public about the management of diseases in turfgrass and was recently inducted into the Myrtle Beach Golf Hall of Fame.

He received his bachelor’s degree in biology from Hendrix College in Arkansas, a master’s in plant pathology from the University of Arkansas and a Ph.D. in plant pathology from North Carolina State University.

Friends and family will celebrate his life with a family-led memorial service on Saturday, November 15, 2025.

Samuel Bruce Martin’s obituary is available online.

John (Jack) Kanet, Burlington Professor Emeritus of Management – October 13, 2025

October 17, 2025

John (Jack) Kanet, Burlington Professor Emeritus of Management, passed away on October 13, 2025.

Kanet began his Clemson career on December 21, 1986, retiring on December 20, 2022, totaling nearly 16 years of service with the University. He joined the Emeritus College on March 3, 2014.

Kanet earned a bachelor’s degree from Lehigh University and a doctorate from Penn State University.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

Jack Kanet’s obituary is available online.

Obituary: Jacob Babayan, student

October 14, 2025

Jacob Babayan, 26, passed away on Oct. 13, 2025. He was a general engineering major from Greer, South Carolina. Babayan was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps and member of the Student Veterans Association.

“We were saddened to learn of Jacob’s passing,” says Vice President for Student Affairs Doug Hallenbeck. “He was a valuable contributor to the student experience as a transfer and a beloved student assistant in the Office of Military and Veteran Engagement. He will be deeply missed by students, faculty and staff. Our thoughts are with his loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.”

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is providing grief counseling to students. Any student who wants to speak to a counselor should contact CAPS at 864-656-2451. After-hours counseling is available by calling 864-656-2451 and selecting option 2 from the menu.

Counseling services are also available to faculty and staff through ComPsych, the University’s Employee Assistance Program provider, at 866-365-0813.

The family will receive friends and loved ones on Friday, October 24, 2025, at 10 a.m., with the funeral service beginning at 11 a.m. at Cornerstone Baptist Church, 8508 Pelham Road, Greenville, S.C. A burial will full military honors will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery in Greenville.

Jacob Babayan’s obituary is available online.

Clemson University Obituaries
Obituaries for active employees, retirees and current students are issued by Inside Clemson once we are able to confirm the information. Since faculty and staff live and work throughout the state, we depend on university departments, colleagues or friends to notify us of the deaths of active employees and retirees.