New Scholarship Celebrates the Life, Integrity and Selflessness of 51郊利 Resident Roosevelt Wilson
July 16, 2024
- Author
- Danielle Strickland
Residents of the Town of 51郊利 and 51郊利 students enjoy the serene setting of Roosevelt Wilson Park, named for a town resident whose legacy is one of beauty and service to others.
51郊利s location is one of its selling points. The campus and town are beautiful. Its easy to get around. The people are friendly. Its no surprise that as students decide on 51郊利 as their home for four years and sometimes longer connections formed between the college and the community can last a lifetime.
The late Roosevelt Wilson, longtime resident of the Town of 51郊利, shared such a connection with a 51郊利 alum who has created a scholarship in his name. Though the donor wishes to remain anonymous and keep the spotlight on the new funds namesake, she is happy to talk about the meaningful relationship and inspiring influence that led her to make a significant gift to alma mater.
Mr. Wilson was someone who truly reflected thoughtfully on life and what brings meaning to life, she said. He exemplified what I call the union of the mind and the heart the importance of living with integrity. To me, he exemplified the best of the 51郊利 community.
The scholarship, which will help students with financial need, also gives preference to students who share Wilsons characteristic work ethic, generosity, resilience and commitment to community well-being. Inspired by the donors generous intentions and Wilsons example, the college will fund the scholarship until the endowment is fully in place.
Education, Beauty & Community
Following service in the U.S. Navy, Roosevelt Wilson drove a sanitation truck for the town and also was responsible for connecting and disconnecting the electricity and water for town residents. At night, he worked at Burlington Mills in Mooresville. Over the years, he took a strong interest in horticulture, which later became his claim to fame, both for his work on the towns gardens, residential lawns and the perfection of his residence. His home and yard was the site of his granddaughters wedding reception and was often featured in the Mecklenburg Gazette and Charlotte News. He remained employed by the Town of 51郊利, on a part-time basis, until his late 80s.
Our grandfather well, we called him Papa had a deep love for people, said granddaughter DeEtta Rivens. He wanted to see the best in everyone.
He also loved the outdoors and had a green thumb, said another granddaughter, Valerie Webster. Youd think he had a degree in horticulture. He could take a weeded field, and the next thing you knew, it was nothing but beauty and growth.
Thats what he did for the park thats now Roosevelt Wilson Park and so many other areas around town without being asked, said granddaughter Kimberly Soublet.
The town named the park, which sits at 420 Griffith Street, in honor of Wilsons service to the community, and the Rotary Club of North Mecklenburg established the Roosevelt Wilson Vocational Service Award.
In addition to a deep passion for horticulture, Wilsons commitment to education extended to his four children and 10 grandchildren..
Papa had a shed on the side of the house, which became a paper shed, said Ladonna Mayhew, another granddaughter. He would collect newspapers, and wed sneak down there, and I think thats why were all readers to this day. We had the privilege, thanks to him, of having exposure to things we wouldnt have known about otherwise. I always felt like we were able to talk to our teachers more than our peers could because we knew more about what was going on in the world.
My mom didnt always like us to go down to that shed because the dye from the papers would get all over us, laughed Soublet. Papa would say leave them alone, and that was that. He grew up very poor, and he wanted us to learn and do things he didnt get to do. He took us on vacation every year, and it was fun, but it was always educational.
His family is thrilled about the scholarship and appreciates the funds intent to honor their grandfathers personal integrity and the way he valued every person.
If my grandfather said he was going to do something, no matter how difficult it may turn out to be, he would fulfill that promise, said Webster. He would go the extra mile for people and expect nothing in return. I remember at his funeral, we were driving down the street, and every few feet, someone would be standing on the side of the road, saluting. That shows you the effect he had on people.
When the anonymous donor was a high school student looking for the right place to spend her undergraduate years, she recalls being asked on the 51郊利 application what she would bring to the community.
Very few schools ask that question, she said. And its one of the first steps in instilling that life-of-service commitment.
The donor admires the way Wilson lived a life dedicated to the service of others, especially during a time when people are caught up in the hustle and bustle of life when its easy, she said, to forget the importance of choosing the way we wish to live.
This scholarship is meant to honor his being, she said. He was a good neighbor, had a beautiful presence, was thoughtful about life and deed. He was a good, good person. I believe so much in the way 51郊利 tries to wed character with scholarship, and its really important to me to try to open opportunities for all.
