Dr. Anne Coleman Troutman

The education world lost an amazing educator this past week. Dr. Anne Troutman, retired University of Memphis professor, died at home on March 1, 2023. She leaves 2 children and their spouses and grandchildren. Virginia Troutman Stallings and husband, James, have 2 children – Gideon and Madison. George “Bas” Troutman and his wife Jill have 1 son, Charlie. Anne is survived by her younger sister, Ginger Belisle (Kenneth).

Anne was born in Medford, Oregon, on June 24, 1943. As an “army brat,” her family traveled frequently. Anne spoke of living on various army bases in the United States and in Gramisch, London, and Tai Pei. She actually graduated from high school in Tai Pei and spent her freshman year at Barnard in New York. She graduated with her undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and would return there to finish her Ph.D.

Anne started teaching fifth grade in the early 1960‘s and found that she really enjoyed working with the difficult students. She soon moved to working full time with children labeled as emotionally and behaviorally challenged. Before earning her doctorate, she served as a System Help Itinerant Teacher. (She frequently told teachers in in-service presentations to figure out what that acronym was). This entailed carrying a pager with her everywhere she went and rushing from school crisis to school crisis.

After completing her Ph.D., Anne was offered a job at Memphis State University. She left Georgia in August 1977, in a small car—whose air conditioning quit on the way to Memphis— with 2 small children, a couple of cats, and all of her house plants. She arrived in Memphis late in the day only to learn that Elvis Presley had died, and there were no hotel rooms anywhere in Memphis.

Anne stayed in Memphis and taught until her retirement from the University of Memphis. During her tenure, she conducted hundreds of in-service presentations for school systems in west Tennessee, volunteered to teach in multiple schools, served as a consultant to school systems who had children with behavior problems, taught in summer school programs, received a Distinguished Teaching Award from the university, and wrote a best-selling textbook which is now in its 10th edition.

When Anne retired, she continued with some of her teaching activities including as a substitute teacher in a charter school, as an adjunct for the University of Memphis, and as an adjunct for Christian Brothers University. If she wasn’t teaching people, Anne enjoyed teaching, training, and showing dogs. She volunteered as an instructor in beginner classes for pets and their owners.

Anne loved the ocean, reading mystery novels, completing the New York Times crossword puzzle, succulents, and, of course, working with her dogs in sheep herding and obedience. Her dry sense of humor, love of teaching and learning, quick wit, and love of all things related to her dogs will be missed.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, March 9, 2023 beginning at five o'clock in the evening. Family and friends will gather together one hour prior and after the memorial service. All services will be held in the North Hall of Memphis Funeral Home, 5599 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, TN 38119.

Any donations in Dr. Troutman's memory should be made to the Morris Animal Foundation, Memphis Animal Services, Wilson Animal Rescue, or the rescue of choice. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.MemphisFuneralPoplar.com for the Troutman family.