JACKSON, Tenn (March 24, 2015) — “The entire Union University community grieves the loss of Dr. Keith Absher, dean of the McAfee School of Business Administration,” Union President Samuel W. “Dub” Oliver said. “Keith and his wife Beverly have been vital leaders in the life of Union University for more than a decade. Keith was a capable administrator, a faithful churchman, a generous giver, a devoted husband and a loving father and grandfather. His absence will be keenly felt on the Union campus, and we offer our deepest sympathy and ongoing prayers to his family, friends and colleagues.
Absher, originally from Florence, Alabama, came to Union as dean in 2004 after serving for many years in the management and marketing department at the University of North Alabama. He taught previously at Athens State University and the University of Arkansas.
Beverly Absher is Union’s associate vice president for auxiliary operations, chair of the department of continuing studies and professor of educational leadership. They have two grown children and seven grandchildren. They are members of Englewood Baptist Church in Jackson.
According to a news release, Absher played an instrumental role in the McAfee School of Business Administration earning accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business in 2013. A designation Absher described as “the gold standard” of business school accreditation, placing the McAfee School in the top 5 percent of business schools in the world.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
