Funeral services were held Friday for former North Georgia Tech president Jim Marlowe. He passed away on December 12 at the age of 86.
From 1969-95 Marlowe served as president of, what was then, North Georgia Technical and Vocational School. (During his tenure the name was later changed to North Georgia Technical Institute and, in 2000, to North Georgia Technical College.)
He holds the distinction as the longest serving president in the school’s history.
Although he retired more than two decades ago, his influence is still felt on the Clarkesville campus.
Former students and colleagues fondly remember him as a kind and caring man who was always ready with a smile and believed in the transformative power of technical education.
Mr. Marlowe always showed a genuine love for the students and was a firm believer that a technical school could transform lives. – Shelby Ward, NGTC Dean of Adult Education
A lasting legacy
Shelby Ward of Demorest is one of the last people Marlowe hired before he retired.
“When he hired me, he sat me down in his office and told me that this school was like a family and as the president it was his job to look after his family,” she recalls. Now the college’s Dean of Adult Education, Ward says Marlowe showed a “genuine love for the students” and “was a firm believer that a technical school could transform lives.”
Cynthia Brown first met Marlowe when her father went to work for the vo-tech school in the mid 1960s. “His huge smile, engaging personality, commanding voice and energy made a lasting impression on me,” she says of the school’s former president.
Even after he retired Marlowe stayed connected to the school. He served as a member of the North Georgia Technical Foundation Board of Trustees and, later, as Emeritus Trustee.
Brown followed in her father’s footsteps and went to work for the school. She now serves as the Director of Institutional Advancement. In her job, she saw firsthand the contributions Marlowe made even after he left the president’s office.
“Through the years, Mr. Marlowe has continued to support and promote this college and technical education in ways that have long-lasting results,” Brown says. “Mr. Marlowe’s legacy is one of integrity, respect and life changing educational experiences.”
A name synonymous with North Georgia Tech
Jim Marlowe didn’t set out to be a college administrator. His early interests were in journalism and broadcasting. After earning an Associate’s Degree in journalism from Young Harris College, he went to work for WCON Radio in Cornelia as the station manager and disc jockey. During his years working at the station, he went back to school and earned his Bachelor’s Degree in journalism from the University of Georgia.
Marlowe served in the U.S. Army from 1955-56. He worked as a radio-broadcaster specialist at Fort McPherson in Atlanta.
It was around this time that Marlowe was drawn to education, according to the recently published NGTC history book, “Living and Learning in the Mountains” by another former school president, Dr. Judy Hulsey.
From 1958-63, Marlowe served as the first full-time Director of Public Relations and Alumni Affairs at Young Harris College. In 1964, he became director of student personnel services at North Georgia Tech. Five years later he was put in charge of the school.
Saddened by the loss
Current NGTC President Dr. Mark Ivester says Marlowe was with the college for so long that “his name became synonymous with North Georgia Tech.”
Calling his predecessor a “fun and wonderful person to be around,” Ivester says the NGTC community is saddened by his loss.
“First and foremost, he was a huge student advocate and was a primary leader for post-secondary education and helped make significant progress for technical education statewide,” says Ivester. “Of course, he was known for starting the Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) program, and he would attend as many GOAL recognition ceremonies on our campus as he could. The faculty and staff really respected him and enjoyed working for him too.”
Adds Ward, “Every time I saw him on campus, he was smiling and taking the time to talk to everyone he met. He was a wise, thoughtful and caring man that will be truly missed.”
Marlowe’s wife, Kathryn, passed away this past March. The couple is survived by their two sons and grandchildren.
Ivester says, “We are truly certainly saddened by his loss, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this time.”
