The bust of Dr. Joe Stukes is located in the Joseph T. Stukes Meeting Room of the Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation Library in Florence. Dr. Stukes, a history professor at Francis Marion University, often brought history to life over the course of his long-running history series at the Florence County Library. He often portrayed historical figures for edu-tainment of students and the public.
Alex Palkovich had finished this bust of Joe Stukes, which had been commissioned by the library, and he was bewildered when Dr. Stukes asked for a significant change: he wanted to be smiling. Palkovich needed to recreate all the facial features, incorporating the “smile muscles.” Dr. Stukes retired from his history series in 2014 and passed away in 2016, but his smile remains as a permanent fixture in the meeting room named in his honor.
Dr. Joe Stukes bust
Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation Florence County Library
509 South Dargan Street
Florence SC 29506
Alex Palkovich Sculpture Trail map