Caroline Preston Heath was born in 1911 in Norfolk. For high school, she attended the Tutoring School, and graduated in 1927. From there, she studied at Sweet Briar College and graduated with a B.A. in 1931. Sometime in the years following her graduation, she married a certified public accountant named Hugh N. Tunstall. In 1942, she received three certificates from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute’s Engineering, Science, and Management Defense Training Program. The courses Ms. Tunstall completed were Engineering Drafting Primary, Engineering Drafting Secondary, and Applications of Engineering Drafting. Between 1947 and 1949, Ms. Tunstall attended both the University of Tennessee and the University of Virginia. On March 30, 1948, Ms. Tunstall received her Virginia State Teachers Certificate. She was qualified to teach all subjects in the sixth and seventh grades, as well as teach English, French, Latin, and History and Social Science in high school. During the 1950’s, Ms. Tunstall wrote hundreds of book reviews for the Virginian Pilot and the New York Herald Tribune. She received many thank yous and letters from various authors during her years as a reviewer. In 1964, Ms. Tunstall was one of eleven women in Virginia to receive the American Association of University Women’s College Faculty Program award. She pursued a Master’s degree in English at Old Dominion College and in 1966 was one of the first four people to receive a Master’s degree from ODC. She began her teaching career as an English professor at ODC in September of 1965 teaching evening classes. In 1966, she became a full-time professor. Ms. Tunstall taught English 101, 102, 201, and 314 during her years as a professor. She retired in the mid-1970s and passed away on April 29, 1979.

Note written by Kara Askey