Well-Known Area Educator’s $148K Bequest
Establishes Endowed Scholarship
at Bluefield State College

(Bluefield)—During nearly five decades as an educator and administrator, Billy G. Moore relied on a recipe that balanced guidance, discipline, and compassion, and helped thousands of Mercer County students. Now, his commitment to education will be extended perpetually through the bequest of nearly $148,000 from his estate.

“His very thoughtful, generous gift will be used to establish the ‘B.G. Moore Scholarship’ for students majoring in teacher education,” noted Karen Harvey, Director of Institutional Advancement and Planning at Bluefield State College. “We are extremely grateful. This endowed scholarship opens the door of opportunity for deserving students who, upon graduation, can extend Mr. Moore’s love of learning to many generations of students.”

Mr. Moore was a life-long resident of the Bramwell area and a World War II veteran, hav­ing served in the Army. A retired educa­tor, he received a master’s degree from West Virginia University and additional graduate study hours from WVU and Mar­shall University. He taught in Mercer and McDowell counties in West Virginia and served as assistant principal and princi­pal at several schools in Mercer County. Moore was a member of the Mercer County Educational Association, the West Virginia Educational Association, and the National Educational Association.

Jim Shires, executor of Mr. Moore’s estate, noted Mr. Moore had “a heart for the underdog.” “As principal of several of the smaller schools in Mercer County, he helped many students who did not come from affluent backgrounds,” Shires explained. “He was very, very interested in being an enabler and encourager. He was a strict disciplinarian, but tempered his discipline with compassion.”

Harvey, whose master’s thesis was about planned giving, said that estate gifts such as Mr. Moore’s are a way for individuals of ordinary means to make extraordinary gifts that make a difference in others’ lives in perpetuity.

April 25, 2007