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Campus mourns loss of library staff member


The UTM flag was flown at half-staff Tuesday in honor of David R. "Dave" Stout, 46, of Martin, who died Monday.

Stout, the Paul Meek Library's media specialist, died at his home Monday afternoon of a brain aneurysm.

Stout joined the library staff as an electronics technician in March 1999 after formerly serving as a UTM Physical Plant supervisor. In 2001, he was promoted to media specialist and coordinator of the Media Services Department of the Paul Meek Library.

In addition to supervisory duties in this area, Stout was responsible for providing general audiovisual repair services to the campus, focusing in particular upon the specialized repairs required for LCD data projectors. He was also responsible for the university's satellite teleconferences, in addition to recording, editing and maintaining a videotaped archives of the Honors Program Academic Speakers.

Stout was a Martin native and attended Westview High School. Before joining the university, he served for 20 years in the U.S. Navy as an electronics technician, retiring as a Chief Warrant Officer III. He was completing his degree in Business Management at UTM at the time of his death and was a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society.

He is survived by his wife, Felicia Budzek Stout, a senior dispatcher at the UTM Office of Public Safety; two daughters, Nicole Stout, a senior Graphics Design major at UTM, and Tara Garner, a fees control clerk in Public Safety; one grandson, Kaine Garner; his parents, Bill and Peggy Stout; a brother, Billy G. Stout, who is the building inspector for the City of Martin, and a sister-in-law, Vicki Stout, a Telephone Services account specialist at UTM. All of the survivors are from Martin.

"Dave Stout was an outstanding service professional and an exemplary employee of the university," said Steve Rogers, director of the Paul Meek Library. "I have had numerous comments over the years praising both the quality of Dave's work and his positive, upbeat attitude. Dave would always find a way to complete needed projects for students, faculty and staff. He was a genuine friend and colleague to the entire campus community."

Visitation will be 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct.15, and services are at 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16. Both will take place at Murphy Funeral Home in Martin.

Burial will be at Eastside Cemetery in Martin immediately following the funeral.

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Victoria Hughes

The University flag, representing the entire UT System, flies at half-staff (left).