DR. OSCAR C. PAGE

DR. OSCAR C. PAGE Dr. Oscar C. Page was born on December 22, 1939, and passed away after an illness on November 23, 2024. Dr. Page was the president of Austin College (1994-2009) and Austin Peay State University (1988-1994). He was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky, the third child of Oscar H. and Elizabeth Page. His father was a pastor and home builder, and Oscar and his sisters, Betty and Romona grew up singing gospel songs on their father's Gospel Hour radio show. He also spent many hours with his pants nailed to a roof while he learned from his father how to build houses and fix just about anything. Oscar's mother, Elizabeth, nursed him through polio and taught him to never give up. His love of learning and education began in the one-roomed schoolhouse he attended as a child and followed him throughout his life to Western Kentucky University for his undergraduate, and ultimately the University of Kentucky for his PhD. Oscar grew from a curious child and an eager student into a leader educator who has touched many lives. Oscar met the love of his life, Anna Laura Hood, at the University of Kentucky. As his middle name was chosen to honor a country organist, with the hope that he too would become a musician, it was only right that he would marry Anna Laura, an organist and composer. They were married June 12, 1965 and together Oscar and Anna Laura have touched lives at many institutions including the University of Georgia (Athens, GA), Wesleyan College (Macon, GA), Lander University (Greenwood, SC), Austin Peay State University (Clarksville, TN), and ultimately Austin College (Sherman, TX). Each institution and community were touched by Dr. Page's vision for servant leadership and mentoring so each subsequent generation would understand the importance of education. He wanted everyone to understand that the opportunity to learn should not be taken for granted, and every student that met him understood their personal responsibility to consider how their actions and decisions impacted everyone in their community. Ultimately, his legacy of pursuing justice over self through education is one of the greatest gifts he left for us. Oscar's legacy is carried forward by his children Kristen (Rick) and Matthew (Amy), grandchildren (Cailin and Wren), one special student who became family Chandra Ford (Eric), and thousands of educators and students who he touched over the years. He was a man of strong faith who loved his family friends and church. He was humble, compassionate and accepting. He taught us to be gracious, grateful and a servant leader. He encouraged us to do hard things because we can accomplish any task set before us if we try hard and refuse to quit. He instilled in us the importance of having a mindset characterized by a desire to learn new things and grow in knowledge. He said that in these ways, we will become better people. We learned that if we really loved something, it is worth pursuing and that we should never give up on a dream. He lived a life of kindness and care for others. He taught us to never take our opportunities for granted, and in every choice that we make, we should always make the way easier for others who come after us. Making ways for others to be successful is an important way to pursue justice. He loved his family fiercely and we are honored to carry forward this legacy that he has entrusted to us. During his career as an educator, Oscar was instrumental in starting leadership programs. These programs cultivated future leaders by providing an education that centered on service, community involvement, global perspectives and an understanding of personal responsibility. He always looked for ways to make connections for conversations between influential thinkers and students. Some of the amazing people he introduced us to include Presidents George W. Bush and George HW Bush, Barbara Bush, Dr. Paul Farmer, General Colin Powell, Maya Angelou, Alex Haley, Madeline Albright, Cokie Roberts, Henry Winkler, Dick Cheney, Don Henley, Robert Ballard, James Baker, and Oscar Arias, the Nobel Prize winning former president of Costa Rica. Dr. Page always found a way for students to pursue education. Whether it was by believing in them or by finding ways to practically support them, his passion and dedication to providing a way forward to anyone who pursued education has made the world a much better place. Oscar is preceded in death by his parents, Oscar H. Page and Elizabeth Dearing Page, his sister, Betty Puckett, and his nephew John Stinson. He leaves his wife of nearly 60 years, Anna Laura Hood Page, his daughter Kristen Page (husband Rick, granddaughter Wren) his son Matthew Page (wife Amy, granddaughter Cailin), his sister Romona Stinson, and nieces and nephew Beth, Melissa, Autumn, Lori, Lynne, and Blake. In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to the Austin College fund created in memory of Dr. Page and his remarkable leadership. Gifts may be made online at www.austincollege.edu/giving or via check to 900 N. Grand Ave, Suite 6G, Sherman, Texas. If making a gift online, please select "Other" designation and specify "Dr. Oscar C. Page Memorial Fund." A celebration of life will be held at Austin College on January 3, 2025. Details will be available at Dannel Funeral Home (dannelfuneralhome.com).