Homer Pankey, 10th TU President, Passes
Homer Richwell Pankey, Ed.D., the 10th president of Thomas University, passed away on Thursday, February 20, 2025, in Tallahassee, FL.
He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 62 years, Patricia Griffith Pankey; his two sons, Mark Griffith Pankey (Amy Gray) and David Allen Pankey (Kimberly Overholser); his grandchildren, Gage Mason Pankey, Talan Michael Pankey, and Tristan Brooke Pankey; and his step-grandchildren, Grayson Rhodes Montgomery and Miles Monroe Safriet. He is also survived by his sister, Harriet Pankey Kimes (Thomas). He was preceded in death by his parents, Homer N. Pankey and Jane Staples Pankey, as well as two of his sisters, Norma Jean and Helen and both of his brothers, Garnett and Beverly (Bev).
Born on November 3, 1936, in Martinsburg, West Virginia, Dr. Pankey served in the U.S. Naval Reserve from 1954 to 1958, stationed at Anacostia Naval Air Base in Washington, D.C.
He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Shepherd College (now Shepherd University) in 1958. While at Shepherd, he was a member of the school’s first intercollegiate swim team, setting four state records in backstroke and winning four gold medals. He earned his Master of Arts degree in 1961 and his Doctor of Education degree in 1967, both from West Virginia University. At the time, he was the youngest person to receive a doctoral degree from WVU. His dissertation on economic education was one of only three such studies cited in the Journal of Social Education.
Dr. Pankey also completed a Presidential Workshop at Harvard University in 1993 and pursued postdoctoral studies at the University of Pittsburgh and the College of William & Mary.
A Legacy in Education and Leadership
Dr. Pankey’s career in education spanned over four decades. He began as principal and teacher at a two-room elementary school in 1958 at Mt. Garfield Elementary School in Morgan County, West Virginia. He later became an assistant professor at Frostburg State University, where he founded and directed a reading clinic and a summer reading camp.
From 1965 to 1992, he served at California University of Pennsylvania in various leadership roles, including associate professor, full professor, associate dean, dean of graduate studies and research and ultimately Senior Vice President for Economic Development and External Relations.
During a one-year sabbatical in 1989-1990, he was invited by the French Ministry of Education to be a visiting professor at the University of Paris VIII (part of the Sorbonne) and the École Nationale de Commerce in Paris.
In 1990, he addressed the Russian Congress at the Kremlin, speaking on the values of the free enterprise system. In recognition of his contributions to economic development in Russia, he was awarded the Russian Educators’ Medal in 1994 in a ceremony conducted by Colonel Venumen Zavuloff on behalf of the Russian government.
Transforming Thomas University
In 1992, Dr. Pankey was appointed the 10th president of Thomas College in Thomasville, Georgia. At the time, the institution was in difficult financial condition. Under his leadership, he secured financial support from the Southwest Georgia community, stabilizing the institution and setting it on a path of remarkable growth.
By the time he retired in 2001, Thomas University had:
• Transitioned from a college to a university in 2000
• Increased enrollment from 300 students in 1992 to over 700 in 2001
• Expanded from one degree program to 22 undergraduate and four graduate programs, all accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
• Increased faculty doctoral degrees from 20% to over 60%
• Boosted faculty and staff salaries by an average of 8% per year to remain competitive nationally
• Raised the university’s endowment from $30,000 in 1992 to over $9.5 million in 2001
• Increased annual giving by 650%
Under Dr. Pankey’s leadership, numerous campus improvements were made, including the construction of a fine arts building, a student campus center, an education building, a rehabilitation service program building, a maintenance building, a science classroom/laboratory, a soccer facility and an amphitheater. A residence hall and apartment complex were also acquired to serve students.
Intercollegiate athletic programs were established for men’s and women’s soccer, baseball, softball, golf, tennis and equestrian sports. The Thomas University Press was founded in 1993, and a full-service dining facility was added for students and staff.
Dr. Pankey also led efforts to secure full membership for all Georgia private colleges and universities in the Georgia Foundation for Private Colleges and Universities, a status granted in June 2000.
A Lasting Community Impact
Dr. Pankey was deeply involved in the Thomasville community. He served as President of the Rotary Club of Thomasville and was a Paul Harris Fellow. He was also an executive board member of the Thomasville Chamber of Commerce from 1992 to 2001 and was actively involved with the Archbold Hospital Foundation, Glen Arven Country Club, Thomasville Historical Society, Thomasville Cultural Center, Landmarks, Inc., The Entertainment Foundation and Ducks Unlimited.
He was recognized as the Thomasville Jaycees Citizen of the Year in 1993 and received the Association Service Award from the Thomas University Student Government.
In June 2001, Dr. Pankey was invited to join the prestigious Oxford University Roundtable in Oxford, England, an exclusive gathering of 40 global leaders in education, politics, business and science.
A prolific writer and speaker, Dr. Pankey authored several major publications and delivered numerous public addresses throughout his career.
Dr. Pankey considered Thomasville his true home and felt deeply blessed to have spent so many years in the community he loved.
Make a contribution to the Homer Pankey Scholarship Fund
