Dwight Truman Baptist
Honored as oldest living UVA basketball alumni
August 20, 1924-December 30, 2020
Dwight Truman Baptist, 96, passed peacefully in the Somerfield Center at The Heritage Brentwood. Dwight was born in Shelby County, Illinois, on August 20, 1924. As a coach and teacher at Cowden High School, Dwight fell in love with another teacher, the stunning Bette Jane Leckrone, who invited him into her home economics class to sample their baked goodies. They married in 1947 and raised their family of three children, Vicki, Eric, and Jody, cherishing their love and life together for more than 58 years.
During WWII, Dwight volunteered for the Navy and was selected to enter the V-12 officer training program at Denison University, an opportunity that changed the course of his life. He transferred to the University of Virginia, where he went on to become starting guard on the basketball team. Dwight was a true sports enthusiast, lettering in basketball, baseball, and track. He graduated from the University of Virginia in 1947 and was a proud member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity.