My name is Eric Vaughn Jennings, and I was born in Nelsonville but grew up in Athens, in a privileged way most kids have never seen. My dad, Dr. Eugene Jennings, taught piano at OU for approximately 45 years. He was originally hired by former President John Baker, (for whom Baker Center is named) when then-President Baker went out to the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., and heard my dad’s master’s recital at KU.
President Baker then arranged for my dad to get his Ph.D. in music from Florida State University in Tallahassee, where my dad studied under a professor named Duquesne.
My father Eugene — or Gene, as he is more comfortable being called — met my mother Lucile down in Tallahassee. My mother was a harpist and taught harp at OU for almost 35 years.
Unfortunately, my mother died in a car wreck three years ago. Her 81st birthday would have been Dec. 1.
Consequently, December was a really rough month for me personally because quite frankly, I miss my mom. She taught me many things. One of the great qualities that she taught me was to be optimistic and uplifting with other people. Don’t dwell on the negative.
Pete Wuscher, a good friend of mine here in Athens, once told me that he never saw my mom without a smile on her face. There is a lot more to my life story than this. Perhaps you will be reading about me in the near future.
Eric Jennings is an OU alumnus and resides in Athens.
