Obituary

Malcolm Overstreet Partin

May 24, 1936 - October 12, 2011

Davidson-- Dr. Malcolm Overstreet Partin, 75, died Wednesday
at the Lake Norman Regional Medical Center. He was the son
of the late Loyd Lafayette Partin and Margaret Overstreet Partin
of Enfield, NC. He graduated from Enfield High in 1954, then
graduated Phi Beta Kappa from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in history. Later he earned a masters and Ph.D. in
history from Duke University where he was a James B. Duke Scholar.
His research in France as a Fulbright Scholar gave him the basis for
his dissertation which was later published by The Duke University Press,Waldeck-Rousseau, Combes, and the Church: The Politics of Anticlerlicalism,1899-1905. He began his successful teaching career in history at Appalachian State University, 1962-1968. He accepted an invitation from the late Dean of Faculty Frontis W. Johnston and the late History Department Chairman Malcolm Lester to join the Davidson College Faculty in 1968,retiring from there in 2006. During his 34 year tenure he became one of the most admired and respected teachers ever. He was named the Mary Reynolds Babcock Professor of History, was awarded by students the Omicron Delta Kappa Outstanding
Teaching Award and was awarded by his colleagues the Hunter-Hamilton Love of Learning Award for outstanding teaching. His colleagues elected him Secretary of the Davidson College Faculty for 24 years. The Faculty required that the minutes he took of the meetings must be read aloud before each meeting as they were detailed,eloquent, and more times than not, riddled with his wonderful since of humor. In
that position as secretary he personally signed over 8,500 student diplomas. Upon his retirement a former student established the Malcolm Overstreet Partin Endowed Professorship for a pre–tenure faculty member. Later, other former students established The Malcolm Overstreet Partin Scholarship at the college. Current Dean of Faculty Clark G. Ross said in an announcement of his death: “Those of us who were fortunate to be here with Malcolm over these years will always remember and cherish his wonderfully crafted lectures, his devotion to his students, his warmth to his colleagues, as well as his wonderful wit and charm.” Dr. Partin is survived by his sister, Mrs. Margaret Partin Pyatte(Claude) and his brother, John Sidney Partin, both of Enfield, and two nephews, John Sidney Partin II (Page) of Smithfield, NC and Wesley McKinnon Partin (Beth) of Rocky Mount, NC,
two great-nephews, and long time friend, Leland M. Park of Davidson.

A memorial service will be held at 3 P.M. on Saturday, October 15, 2011 at the Davidson United Methodist Church, conducted by the the Rev. Dr. Jody Seymour, Senior Pastor. In lieu of flowers, The family invites donations to the Malcolm Overstreet Partin Scholarship, Davidson College, P O Box 7173, Davidson, NC 28035.

Cavin-Cook Funeral Home, Mooresville, is serving the family of Dr. Partin. Condolences may be made to the Partin family at www.cavin-cook.com