Three Inducted into Union College Hall of Fame
Ceremony Held During Homecoming 2001 Festivities

A successful entrepreneur, a local professor, and one of the "winningest" high school basketball coaches in Kentucky history were inducted into the Union College Hall of Fame on October 20 at a ceremony held during the Homecoming alumni banquet.

Well-known Local Professor Receives Honor Posthumously

"He was always the 'educator,' whether it was in the classroom, in his office, in the hallway, or at his home." So said Union alumnus and retired VP of Academic Affairs, Dr. Paul "Pete" Moore, in describing his teacher, boss, neighbor, colleague and above all, friend-Dr. H. Warren Robbins.

Countless others echo those sentiments, among them, Dr. Jim Kerley, President of UK Lexington Community College. "He counseled and mentored many during his career as teacher and administrator," said Kerley, "and touched lives throughout Kentucky and beyond. I especially believe he has made a profound difference in eastern Kentucky."
A Wasioto, Kentucky, native, Robbins attended Union College, received his bachelor's degree from Eastern Kentucky University, his master's degree from George Peabody College at Vanderbilt and his doctorate from the University of Tennessee. He also pursued graduate study at the University of Kentucky, Virginia State College and Indiana State University.

He began his professional career in 1942 in the Bell County school system, serving 12 years as a teacher, principal and supervisor. From 1954 to 1957, he was a supervisor in a Ford Foundation program at Berea College designed to improve rural education in Kentucky.

Robbins joined the Union faculty in 1957 as Associate Professor of Education and Director of Student Teaching. Later, he became chair of the department, and in 1978, was named Dean of Faculty and Director of Graduate Studies. From 1979 until his retirement in 1990, Robbins served as Dean of Graduate Academic Affairs.

Mirroring his dedication during his 33-year career at Union, Robbins was also quite active in the Barbourville and Knox County communities. He was a deacon at the Barbourville First Baptist Church for 43 years and directed the Sunday school for 38 years. He served on the Board of Directors of the Knox County Historical Museum, was a member of the Knox County Health Department Advisory Committee and, in 1999, was recognized for his community service by the Cumberland Valley Area Agency on Aging.

This past March, Robbins was honored for his lifetime of teaching, mentoring and positively influencing hundreds of lives by the renaming of Bible Way Institute, an accredited theological distance-learning university, as the Warren Robbins University.

"The direction of my life was drastically altered as a result of Dr. Robbins' influence," said Dr. Harry Yates, Union graduate, author and President of the renamed Bible College. "He has always been a teacher, educator, mentor, father, brother and friend to a multitude of people who, as a result of his tutelage, have gone on to become great contributors to society. Warren Robbins University will continue the legacy of this great man."

When Warren was notified of this latest and highly deserved honor, he responded with typical humility: "I love Union College," he wrote, "and am proud to have been a part of a Christian college that serves God and man."

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Entrepreneur Honored for Business and Professional Achievements

A native of Artemus, KY, Kenneth L. Ramsey graduated as valedictorian of his high school class, earning a scholarship to Union in 1952. After attending Union his freshman year, then earning his business degree from UK and serving in the Navy, Ramsey launched his successful entrepreneurial career in real estate, spending the next 20 years growing his firm into one of the largest in Lexington. In the mid-80s, Ramsey became a pioneer in the wireless telecommunications industry, building a company known today as Ramcell, Inc., which owns and operates cellular phone companies in three states, holds a minority interest in over 50 other cellular companies and has several AM, FM and mobile radio stations as well.

"He had a vision how the cellular industry would grow and develop and simply would not be deterred from building his own companies," said John Pomeroy, a friend and attorney with a Washington, D.C. firm serving the telecommunications industry. "I admire Ken greatly because what he has built has been substantially of his own creation, not acquired by inheritance or by climbing to the top of a large company's bureaucracy."

Today, Ramsey and his wife and partner of 43 years, Kathern, are making their mark in the Thoroughbred breeding and racing industry. Owners of Ramsey Farm in Nicholasville, with over 250 Thoroughbreds and more than 100 Thoroughbreds in training, the Ramseys have won several honors, including being named the 2000 Kentucky Thoroughbred Owner of the Year.

David Hooper, Executive Director of the Texas Thoroughbred Association and a friend of nearly 35 years, said, "Ken, with the lasting support of Kathern, is a self-made man. He's achieved extraordinary success using his entrepreneurial skills, adhering to the highest ethical and professional standards. Also philanthropic, he is generous to causes with which he shares an affinity."

Ramsey never misses an opportunity to publicly thank Union for the scholarship that started him down the road to success, as he puts it, "back when I didn't have any money at all." He has served on the Board of Trustees since 1996 and been a strong supporter, most notably, sponsoring the construction of the beautiful carriage way at Union's entrance, named for him and Kathern. The Ramseys have also hosted Union Alumni events at Ramsey Farm.

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Kentucky High School Coach Honored Posthumously for Lifetime Achievements

In a 1993 tribute to Woodrow "Woodie" Crum, Cynthiana Democrat sports columnist Lee Kendall wrote: "Woodie Crum, as a coach, did not demand respect. The way he handled himself, his demeanor, the aura that surrounded him-commanded it. You respected the man because of who he was, not because he reminded you of what he had done."

Over the course of his 37-year high school coaching career, Crum had definitely acheived a lot, including being one of the few coaches in Kentucky basketball history to win over 500 games-527 to be exact. He was also an excellent baseball coach, with a record of 250 wins in 10 years.

A multi-sport letterman at Jenkins High School and 1947 All-State basketball player, Crum was a superb athlete at Union College as well, both in basketball and track, and was elected "Mr. Union" during his senior year.

After his graduation in 1951, Crum began his coaching career at Mays Lick High School, before moving to Maysville High School in 1951 as assistant basketball coach. During his nine-year tenure at Maysville, Crum guided his team to three Sweet 16 appearances, and, as head baseball coach, to a state championship baseball title in 1958.

His reputation in the state was established and in 1962, while at Daviees County High School in Owensboro, Crum was selected to coach the Kentucky All-Stars. He then moved to that "other" basketball state, spending six years as head basketball coach at Lawrence Central in Indianapolis, making one trip to the Indiana state tournament.

Returning to Kentucky in 1970, Crum served as head basketball coach for eight years at Harrison County High School in Cynthiana, capturing the regional title in 1976 and making his fourth Sweet 16 appearance. From 1979 to 1983, he was head basketball coach at Pendleton County in Falmouth, before returning to Harrison County, where he coached until his retirement in 1988.

Crum was both first vice president and president of the Kentucky High School Coaches Association, as well as a director of the National High School Coaches Association, and in 1959, served as Union College Alumni Association president.

"Woodie was very passionate about basketball," said close friend and colleague, Mike Lenox, "and he strived to make his athletes not only better players, but also fine citizens. He instilled in them high moral character and the desire to succeed, which he knew would carry them far in the 'game of life.' His enthusiasm was an inspiration to many and gained him the respect of both his players and colleagues."

In 1995,as a testament to what Crum meant to high school athletics in Kentucky, he was posthumously inducted into the Kentucky High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame.
"I respected Woodie not only as a coach, but as a man," said Berny Miller, Crum's assistant coach at Bowling Green High School. "He was successful not only in the number of games he won and number of times he played in state tournaments, but also in his relationship with his players and their parents, who all loved him. His most important success, however, was not as a player or a coach-it was as father, husband and family man."

November 19, 2001

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