Available online 12 May 2017

Catherine Dunnington Ennis

Available online 12 May 2017

It is with the deepest sadness that we publish the following obituary for Dr.Catherine Dunnington Ennis,a Journal of Sport and Health Science(JSHS)editorial board member.Dr. Ennis was invited to join the JSHS board in 2014.In early 2015, she was diagnosed with late stage lung cancer.Regardless of the disease,she worked diligently to improve the quality and impact of JSHS.The obituary published here was first published by the Greensboro News and Record.1A memorial service honoring Dr.Ennis was held on April 25,2017 at University of North Carolina at Greensboro(UNCG).

Dr.Ennis passed away on April 8,2017.She was born in Richmond,VA on January 12,1953 to Shirley Merchant Ennis and the late James Donald Ennis,Sr.In 1971,Cathy graduated from Collegiate School in Richmond,VA.She then attended Lynchburg College,where she received her BS degree in 1975 and thereafter attended the UNCG,graduating with a master of science in physical education degree in 1977.Upon graduation, she was hired as head Field Hockey Coach at Duke University, where she continued until leaving to pursue a Ph.D.in curriculum theory and development in kinesiology at the University of Georgia(1984).She held faculty positions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Maryland-College Park,before returning to UNCG as a professor of kinesiology in 2008.

Dr.Ennis was an outstanding teacher educator,scholar,and curriculum specialist,conducting research examining physical education and physical activity programming in urban public schools.She received grants from the National Institutes of Health to design,implement,evaluate,and disseminate curricula to increase children’s and adolescents’eagerness to participate in physical activity and to enhance their interest in the scienti fic basis of physical activity.She published several books and numerous articles in professional journals.She was selected as the Alliance Scholar for the American Association for Health,Physical Education,Recreation,and Dance (AAHPERD)in 2010.She was a Fellow in the National Academy of Kinesiology and the American Educational Research Association.Among her many awards and recognitions,she received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the UNCG School of Health and Human Performance in 2009,and the Luther Halsey Gulick Medal in 2017,the highest award from SHAPE America for exemplifying the highest standards of accomplishment,innovation,and leadership in the profession.She was actively engaged in many professional organizations,serving as President of the National Academy of Kinesiology and President of the Research Consortium of AAHPERD.Above all,Cathy was an excellent mentor to her undergraduate and graduate students,holding high standards for them but always supportive in the face of dif ficulties they might encounter.

Cathy had many interests,including travel,reading,and musical theatre.She enjoyed participating in and watching all types of sport and outdoor physical activities and took great delight in watching and cheering for the Spartans.She was an expert in driving and maintaining a 38’Class A RV,while towing a vehicle to drive around to numerous vacation spots, including many national parks,along with her partner,JoAnne.

She is survived by her partner JoAnne Safrit,her mother Shirley Merchant Ennis,her brother Jay Ennis and wife Kristina,her nephew Sean Ennis,her niece Julia Ennis Batters and husband Samuel,her great niece Chloe Batters,and her beloved Schnauzer Keri.

Funeral arrangements in Richmond,VA,and a memorial service at UNCG are pending.Memorial donations may be made to the Catherine D.Ennis Undergraduate Scholarship Fund(UNCG Advancement Services,PO Box 26170,Greensboro,NC 27402-6170.)

Reference

1.Greensboro News and Record.Ennis,Catherine Dunnington.Available at:http://www.greensboro.com/obituaries/ennis-catherine-dunnington/ article_59f19b3b-e5bf-53fc-b6e0-ad1fd14ca8b5.html;2017[accessed on 21.04.2017].

Peer review under responsibility of Shanghai University of Sport.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2017.04.008

2095-2546/?2017 Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.on behalf of Shanghai University of Sport.This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).