Chuck Crume

Charles Thomas “Chuck” Crume Jr. was born on October 13, 1933, to Charlie Thomas “Cocky” Crume Sr. and Hallie Florence Warren Crume. A Bardstown, Kentucky, native, Chuck joined the Air Force after graduating high school. After serving in the Korean War, he worked for Southern Bell Telephone and Telephone Company in Louisville, Kentucky. While in Louisville, he enrolled in night classes at the University of Louisville.

He then pursued his interest in nature art publishing a column “Nature Notes,” in the Kentucky Standard. This led to a position as Chief Naturalist of Bernheim Forest in Bullitt and Nelson Counties. He received his doctorate in education curriculum and instruction from the University of Kentucky in 1983.

Chuck came to WKU. During his time on the Hill from 1969 to 1995, he was a physical education and recreation professor and Interpretive Naturalist and Lecturer in Residence. During this time, he designed and created a logo of a hand holding a red towel. The logo is used by the athletic department and is displayed throughout the campus.

He was also active outside of work. He wrote a book on hunting ethics, “Teaching Hunter Responsibility.” He gave numerous hunter education workshops and was the recipient of several honors by hunter education groups, including the Kentucky Sportsmen’s Outstanding Hunter Safety Education Instructor of the Year Award in 1980. He was a member of the executive board of the Hunter Education Association. He was a member of Shepherdsville First Baptist Church. Chuck passed away on April 29, 1996.

To further give back to the university, Chuck established the Chuck Crume Scholarship for Recreation Leadership. The fund assists WKU students who are majoring in recreation and sport and have a GPA of at least 2.5. Through this fund, Chuck’s legacy lives on in perpetuity.