Dr. Erwin Hester (March 24, 1931 – August 10, 2024)

Dr. Erwin Hester, a devoted faculty member and administrator who served ECU and our department for 30 years, recently passed away. His life will be celebrated on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, at 2 PM at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Committal of cremated remains will follow the service in the church’s columbarium, and the family will then receive friends in Parrish Hall.

In 1966, he joined the English Department at East Carolina College and served as Department Chair for 14 years. He eagerly embraced the opportunity to grow and shape the department during tremendous development and change for the entity that had become East Carolina University, recruiting many talented and gifted colleagues. During his 30-year tenure at ECU, his administrative skills led to his service as interim dean of the School of Art for two years and later as interim dean of the School of Music. However, he loved teaching most, and he excelled at it. Beyond his subject matter expertise, he had a unique ability to bring out the best in others, which endeared him to generations of students.