Editor’s Note: This story will be updated as more details are made available.
Editor’s Note: This story was updated at 1:15 p.m. on Jan. 2 with additional details from the Warren County Coroner’s Office.
Editor’s Note: This story was updated at 6:10 p.m. on Jan. 2 with excerpts from a statement from Potter College of Arts & Letters Dean Terrance Brown and a statement from Ron DeMarse, director of the School of Media & Communication.
School of Media & Communication faculty and staff were informed on Wednesday afternoon that Heather Strode, associate professor of communication, has died.
Strode died of natural causes in her sleep on Wednesday morning, according to Warren County Chief Deputy Coroner Dwayne Lawrence.
Strode, a 1995 graduate of WKU, taught in the communication department for 22 years, beginning her time with the department in August 2002. She began her career with WKU in 1999 as leadership and volunteerism coordinator with the Department of Student Activities.
Outside of her duties as a professor, Strode also served WKU’s chapter of Kappa Delta Sorority as the organization’s adviser. In April, Strode was awarded the Randy Bracey Outstanding Advisor Award for her work with the sorority.
A visitation will be held from 12 to 6 p.m. on Sunday at J.C. Kirby & Son Funeral Chapel’s Lovers Lane location. A visitation will be held at Broadway United Methodist Church on Monday from 9 to 11 a.m., with the funeral to follow.
Kappa Delta will hold a candlelight vigil at the chapter’s house on Sunday, Jan. 5 at 7 p.m.
“Heather was a beacon of light on our campus, in both visible and quiet ways,” Terrance Brown, dean of the Potter College of Arts and Letters, said in a statement on behalf of PCAL and the university. “She was a fierce advocate for her students and colleagues, and she brought joy to every room she entered.”
“Life is both beautiful and fragile,” Brown continued. “I encourage you to take time to cherish those around you—give that extra hug, play that one last game, or stay a little longer for meaningful moments. These are the things that truly matter.”
“For those who may not have known Heather personally, she was truly one of the best,” Brown concluded. “An introverted leader with an extraordinary heart, she made a lasting impact on all who had the privilege of knowing her. She was special, and she was my friend. Her presence will be deeply missed, but her legacy will endure in our lives and work.”
“Heather was one of the most kind, considerate and positive colleagues that I’ve worked with, in almost two decades on the Hill,” Ron DeMarse, director of the School of Media and Communication, said. “We both arrived on campus early, so I got to spend a few minutes with her almost every morning. As the director of WKU’s public speaking course, she had a really important job, and she was constantly asked to deal with situations and difficulties that would arise from that campus-wide Gen Ed class. She hated bringing problems to me, so she always came with solutions and with her upbeat, optimistic outlook – even in tough situations. Her direction is the biggest reason why our public speaking course has been so successful, especially for those lucky enough to have Professor Strode as their instructor. Our School will certainly miss her. Personally, I’ll miss her more than any other faculty member who has ever left or retired or passed away. She made every life she touched a little bit better.”
Editor-in-Chief Price Wilborn can be reached at [email protected].
