Bob Shorter, retired English professor, passes away
We are saddened to share that retired professor of English Robert N. (Bob) Shorter died at Salemtowne on Saturday, July 10. He was 90 years old.
Professor Shorter grew up in New Rochelle and South Salem, New York. 
He was educated at Union College, which maintained a special place in his heart, and received his MA and PhD at Duke. He taught medieval literature for 41 years at Wake Forest from 1958-1999 where he was chairman of the English department for 12 years and associate dean of the Graduate School.
Professor Shorter’s special love was Chaucer, whose description of the knight in the Canterbury Tales might well have fit him: “he loved chivalrie/ Trouth and honor, freedom and curteisie . . . .He was a verray, parfait, gentil knyght.”
He is survived by his wife Professor Emerita of English Nancy Cotton, who taught at Wake Forest from 1977-2002, his son Geoffrey who graduated from Wake Forest in 1983, grandson Duncan (Elyse), granddaughter Morgana, and great-granddaughter Letitia Marie.
A memorial will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 17 in the Smith Saal at Salemtowne. Memorial gifts can be made to Wake Forest University or to the Union Fund, 807 Union Street, Schenectady, NY 12308.
We grieve Professor Shorter’s death and extend our condolences to his family and friends, as well as those at Wake Forest who had the opportunity to know him.
Wake Forest offers support and counseling services for all students, faculty and staff. The Counseling Center may be reached at 336.758.5273, the Chaplain’s Office at 336.758.5210. For faculty and staff, there is also the Employee Assistance Program at 336.716.5493.
An obituary is available in the Winston-Salem Journal here.
Categories: Inside WFU
New department chairs named
Wake Forest University has appointed three new department chairs, effective fall 1996.
Nancy Cotton, professor of English, has been appointed chair of the English department. Since Cotton joined the university in 1977, she has held several administrative appointments. She served as director of the master of arts in liberal studies program from 1986-1993. She also has been assistant dean and acting dean of the graduate school of arts and sciences. Cotton earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin, then completed her master’s degree at the University of Wisconsin at Madison and her doctorate at Columbia University.
Charles Kimball, a professor of religion at Furman University specializing in Middle Eastern religious studies, has been appointed chair of the religion department. An ordained Baptist minister, Kimball holds a bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma State University, a master of divinity degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a doctorate in comparative religion from Harvard University.
Candelas Newton, professor of Romance languages, has been named chair of the Romance languages department. Author of three books on the Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca, Newton has taught at Wake Forest since 1978. Newton has also been coordinator of Wake Forest’s study abroad programs in Columbia and Spain. She received master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Pittsburgh.
Categories: Faculty News
