Limestone University To Hold Celebration Of Life Service On May 3 In Memory Of Stephen Jennings

Limestone University and the Call Me MISTER program are celebrating the life of Stephen L. Jennings with a special service on Tuesday, May 3, at 4:30 p.m., on the front campus.

The Limestone community and the general public are invited to attend.

Jennings, a Limestone alumnus who was serving as the Coordinator of the Call Me MISTER Program for the University, died in an auto accident on Friday, April 22, in Union County. He was employed full-time with the Union County School District as a music teacher.

Because Jennings was a talented musician and a lover of jazz, the Limestone Jazz Ensemble will provide music during the celebration of life service.

The invocation for the program will be provided by Limestone Chaplain and Adamah Christian Education Director Dr. Tom LeGrand. Members of the Jennings family will speak about him as a loving family man. Limestone music faculty members will reflect on Jennings as a student and colleague, while Assistant Professor of English & Interdisciplinary Studies and Program Coordinator of Liberal Studies Megan Anderson will speak about her friendship with Jennings. Current Call Me MISTER cohort president Patrick Cook will share his memories of Jennings as a mentor. 

Limestone alumna and former Call Me MISTER representative Lyman Dawkins will make a special presentation. In addition, Limestone Professor of Elementary Education and Dean of Education & Health Professions Dr. Shelly Meyers will present a proclamation on behalf of the University’s President Dr. Darrell Parker.

Current MISTER Cody Rackley will provide the benediction.

“While we are heartbroken to lose someone as special as Stephen Jennings, with this service we want to celebrate his life and his impact on Limestone and beyond,” Meyers said. “Stephen’s influence on the Call Me MISTER program will be felt for years and generations to come. He was a great role model to so many and will be missed as a leader and as a person. Limestone sends its heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.”

Jennings was on staff at Limestone from 2014 through 2021, beginning as an Assistant Testing Center Proctor. He became the Coordinator of the Testing Center in 2015. He added the role of Coordinator of Limestone’s Call me MISTER program in 2019. He started his duties as a music teacher at Sims Middle School in Union in August of 2021. Prior to coming to Limestone, Jennings served as a Student Success Coordinator at Spartanburg Methodist College.

He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in music from Limestone and also served as a Resident Assistant for over two years. He received a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from DePaul University and was working toward a Doctor of Education in Educational Practice and Innovation from the University of South Carolina.

Jennings’ funeral is scheduled for Saturday, April 30, at 12 noon, at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Spartanburg.