John Dempsey Obituary

John Vaughn Dempsey, 76 of Beaufort, SC, passed away on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at Caroline's Cottage after a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis. Jack was born on June 29, 1949, in Evanston, IL, the son of the late Bernard Hayden and Margaret Cecelia (Gallagher) Dempsey. He grew up in Washington, DC. Survivors include his wife Brenda Litchfield of Beaufort, daughter Erina Dempsey (Elliott Gonzalez) of Peekskill, NY, son Gallagher Dempsey (Nicole), grandchildren Nolan Gonzalez, Anabel, Jak, Ben Dempsey of Bainbridge, GA and his former spouse, Eva Crlenjak Daigle of Tallahassee, FL. His faithful dog, Luna, was always by his side waiting for a treat. He loved them all deeply and they were the joys of his life. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to Friends of Caroline Hospice, 325 Friends Ln., Ridgeland, SC 29936. After graduating from high school, Jack spent a couple cold winters working on barges on the Illinois River. Tiring of that rather quickly, he enrolled in Florida State University art program for a short time. He joined the US Navy in 1974 and became an electronics technician on nuclear submarines. He was stationed in Holy Lock, Scotland; Charleston, SC; Rota, Spain, and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He married Eva in 1975. Jack used his GI Bill to attend college and graduated with an undergraduate degree in printing technology and graphic design from Florida A&M University. He earned a master's and a PhD in Instructional Systems at Florida State University where he met Brenda, and they were married in 1990. He worked in the FSU Learning Systems Institute as the manager of a rowdy group of graduate students. After graduating from FSU, he began his 28-year teaching career as an assistant professor at the University of South Alabama in Mobile. He designed and developed the new Instructional Design and Develop master's program where he taught 11 courses the first two years. Later he was instrumental in creating the IDD doctoral program. He was the first professor at the university to teach online courses beginning in 1997. He established the Online Learning Lab which employed graduate students who worked with university faculty to develop online courses. For seven years he was the chair of the Behavioral Studies and Educational Technology Department and directed 17 faculty and 20 adjunct professors along with 35 MS students and 20 PhD graduate students. In 2013 he established the Innovation in Leaning Center at the university. The Center was responsible for faculty development and all online course operations for the university. He was awarded a Fulbright Scholar appointment and spent six months in Malaysia teaching and conducting research at the Multimedia University in Kuala Lumpur. Jack received numerous awards and recognition for his teaching, research, and service at the University and in professional organizations. He had so many plaques that he finally started putting them in the garage which became filled with testaments and appreciation for his unique abilities in education and technology. Jack could do anything related to technology. He would never stop until he figured out the problem, however large or small. He had all the latest gadgets and technology and was always looking for the next one. Amazon, FedEx, and UPS delivered to the house almost every day. There was even a day (photo to prove it) when an Amazon truck and a Fed Ex truck delivered at the same time. There was most likely a market drop at Amazon last week when he was no longer ordering daily. His real love was art. He started painting when he retired in 2015 and became quite an accomplished artist. He tried all art mediums. He excelled in detailed, precise drawing and fine illustrating. He loved museums and was always ready to travel to see art. On one extended trip he started off in NYC, then London, Paris, Madrid, Valencia, Toledo, Barcelona, Berlin, and Amsterdam. He loved spending his days inside his wonderful studio above the garage. He would rather spend all day inside than go outside. His studio was a big space and the perfect place for him to create his art. This was a man who never used the words yard and work in the same sentence. He always said that his tombstone would read, He was an avid indoorsman. Jack was an accomplished photographer and spent years working professionally. He was a photographer for the Florida Flambeau (FSU newspaper) and worked as a wedding photographer. He spent six months in South America in his 20s photographing street scenes. He had a successful exhibition at the University of South Carolina Beaufort two years ago showing that collection of photographs. He also published a book of those photos. Jack's amazing talents as a photographer can be viewed here https://www.jdempsey.net A close second to art was his love of traveling. He would go anywhere at any time, the more exotic the better. With his wife, Brenda, he traveled to 71 countries around the world. They traveled from Iceland to Chile to Cambodia to Easter Island to Morocco and places in between. His passport was always current, and his bag was always packed. The next trip he had planned was to southern India and was sad he did not get to go. Jack was a creative, sensitive person with immense talent. He cared deeply for animals and their well-being. He nursed baby bunnies, tiny raccoons, and went out of his way to stop in the road to save turtles. He often caught spiders in a cup and took them outside. He decided to keep six acres of land they owned in Mobile just so it would be a home for animals in a fast-changing world. His two children, Erina and Gallagher, were everything to him. He spoke of them with pride and delighted in their accomplishments as adults and as parents. Jack was truly comforted by their visits near the end and during his final days by their presence and love. Please celebrate Jack who will long be remembered as a wonderful soul who was kind to all people and animals. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him. We all wish Jack a new journey of travel, museums, animal friends, and happy times.