Dave Turner, Jan Turner, Deborah Branson, Joan Bitterman, Beth Copeland, Paul Wilson

Dr. Lloyd Bailey, Dr. Joan Bitterman, Dr. Deborah Branson, Professor Beth Copeland, Professor Janet Turner, Dr. David Turner and Dr. Paul Wilson each retired from Methodist University with a combined 122 years of service.

Methodist University recently celebrated the retirements of seven faculty members at a retirement celebration at the end of the school year.

Dr. Lloyd Bailey, Dr. Joan Bitterman, Dr. Deborah Branson, Professor Beth Copeland, Professor Janet Turner, Dr. David Turner and Dr. Paul Wilson each retired from Methodist University with a combined 122 years of service.

Dr. Lloyd BaileyDr. Bailey (pictured at right) is retiring from Methodist University after 22 years of service, ending his career as a professor of religion. Bailey organized the Bullard-Templeton lectures, an annual event in which a guest speaker presents a lecture on the relationship between science and religion. He was published numerous times during his years at Methodist University and was even featured at Barnes & Noble during a book signing event in 1998. He contributed four years of research and preparation of Smyth & Helwys’ Leviticus-Numbers, a 648-page series full of biblical commentary and illustrations.

Dr. Bitterman served Methodist University for 24 years and nine months as a professor of French and German. In 2005, Bitterman presented a paper at the annual meeting of the Foreign Language Association of North Carolina in Raleigh on Sept. 30 titled “Theodor Fontane als Gesellschaftskriter: Die allzu jungen Ehefrauen in Effi Briest und Irrungen Wirrungen.”

Dr. Branson, director and associate professor of the environmental and occupational management program, is retiring after 10 years and six months of service.

Professor Copeland is retiring after nine years and nine months as an assistant professor of English at the University.

Professor Turner, assistant professor of ESL/TESL in the Modern Languages and Literature Department, is retiring after 15 years and nine months of service. During her time at Methodist University, Turner was the faculty advisor of the women’s bible study group on campus.

Dr. Turner is retiring as a professor of speech after 15 years and nine months at Methodist University. In 2004, Turner published the second edition of “Speech Communication: Theories and Practices” with Dr. Willis Watt, C.B. Crawford, Mahboub Hashem, and Eric Krung. He was also a respondent for the 2006 B.F. Stone Lyceum during which Dr. John Fields, associate professor of chemistry, presented his paper titled “Lifting the Hydrogen Veil: An Alternative Approach to National Energy Security.”

Dr. Wilson is retiring as an associate professor of theatre after 27 years and nine months at the University. During his time, Wilson has directed and performed in many theatre productions.


Pictured, top (L-R): Professor Dave Turner, Professor Jan Turner, Dr. Deborah Branson, Dr. Joan Bitterman, Professor Beth Copeland, and Dr. Paul Wilson.