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Issue date: 4/30/09 Section: Administration

Media Credit: Danielle Cox Interim chaplain Dr. Pete Warren

For those who have ever had a class in the Thompson Education Building or walked past the Warren Counseling Center, the name Dr. D.L. Warren may sound familiar. He retired after 25 years of service in 1994, but returned to LC in 1998 to serve as director of church relations until Grant Azdell was hired. After Azdell resigned last year, Warren was asked to return to serve as the interim chaplain.

Dr. Druie Lee Warren, more commonly known as Pete to family, friends and colleagues, has been a part of the Lynchburg College and greater Lynchburg community since he moved here in 1969 to teach in the School of Education and Human Development.

During his time at LC, Warren was a professor, department chair and dean of the school of education and human development. He even served as dean of students for the 1982-1983 school year.

Warren was born in Spray, N.C. in 1928, one of nine children. Growing up, he had a passion for baseball.

"My dream was to play first base for the New York Yankees. Lou Gehrig was my hero," Warren said.

Warren never made it to the big leagues, but he did play minor league baseball for one season as well as while he was in the Air Force.

Warren attended college for one semester before entering the Air Force in 1948. While he was stationed in Oklahoma, he met and married his wife of 59 years, Patsy. Warren eventually finished his baccalaureate at Phillips University in 1957. He worked as a youth minister at a church in North Carolina while pursuing his Masters in Education at East Carolina University. While working as dean of students at Phillips University, Warren completed his doctorate in counseling and higher education at Oklahoma State University. In 1969, he moved to Lynchburg to teach in the school of education and human development at LC.

Warren has always considered himself a people person, which made teaching a good match for him.

"Working with people just fit me and that's all that I ever wanted to do. I spent the biggest part of my professional life teaching about people," Warren said.

After his retirement, Warren continued to be active in the Lynchburg community. In 1996, he was elected to the city council.

"I was very upset with the decisions of city council; the fact that it was so right winged, and decided that the only way I could do something about it was to run," Warren said. "I was elected as an independent, but everyone knew I was a democrat."

Continued...

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