In Memoriam | October 2023
George Burritt Whitehurst | BSBA ‘58 | 1935-2023 | Whitehurst, of Brooksville, Florida, passed on September 26. He was a direct descendant of one of the early Brooksville pioneers, dating back to 1869, and spent his whole life in the area. After earning his education at the University of Florida, he became a dedicated stock trader and real estate broker. Whitehurst was fond of the pine forests and other natural habitats of Hernando County, and was a member of the Florida Native Plant Society and the Florida Farm Bureau.
James “Jimmy” Dukes Evans, Sr. | BA ’59 | 1937-2023 | Evans, of Hobe Sound, Florida, passed on September 10. He was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity and the Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity while studying at the University of Florida. Upon joining the automotive business with his father, Evans became the youngest franchised Mercedes-Benz dealer in the U.S. Later, he ventured into community banking, where he became an advisory director and a chairman of the board. Beyond his professional life, Evans raised turtles and collected and repaired antique music boxes.
Robert Mobley | BSBA ‘60 | 1935-2023 | Mobley, of Jacksonville, Florida, passed on September 22. During the Korean War, he served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany. After being discharged, he attended the University of Florida and later went back to school at the University of North Florida to earn his graduate degree. With his education, he became a CPA in private business and spent his career working for Gate Petroleum. Mobley’s favorite part of his job was talking with all the people who visited the company.
Robert Arnold Claeys | BSBA ‘63 | 1940-2023 | Claeys, of Atlanta, Georgia, passed on September 23. While attending the University of Florida, he was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity and participated in ROTC. In his sophomore year, Claeys was recruited by IBM to become a systems engineer and launched into his career there immediately following graduation. He became a top sales leader and worked with many clients, including AT&T and Delta Airlines, to meet their integrated data communications needs. Following his retirement, he became a teacher, working and volunteering at local schools and homeschooling his grandchildren with his wife, Suzanne.
Matthew Mishan | BSBA ‘98 | 1977-2023 | Mishan, of New York, New York, passed on September 8. Following his education at the University of Florida, he earned his MBA degree at Emory University and spent his professional career at Key Bank. Outside of the office, he was a dedicated Miami Hurricanes fan and adventurer, travelling around the world.
Noah Leopold | BSAc ’07, MAcc ‘07 | 1982-2023 | Leopold, of North Miami Beach, Florida, passed on September 9. After earning both his undergraduate and graduate degrees in taxation at the University of Florida, he pursued a career as a CPA at Grant Thornton, where he worked for several years. At the age of 35, he switched career paths, earning a law degree at Nova Southeastern University School of Law so he could practice law alongside his parents at their firm, Leopold Korn, P.A. Both inside and outside of his professional life, he built strong bonds with his family.
