Rocky Mount, N.C.— North Carolina Wesleyan College is pleased to announce receipt of a bequest totaling $290,000 from the estate of William H. “Bill” Bailey, Jr., and a trust established by his brother, the late Luther Bailey, a long-time resident of Nash County.

“The Bailey family has generously supported Wesleyan since the earliest days of the College’s founding in 1956,” said Malcolm W. Woodall, Wesleyan’s vice president of development. “It is apparent that the late Luther Bailey and his brother, William Bailey, recognized that gifts to Wesleyan would enable the Bailey family to continue to assist young people seeking higher education. When individuals draw up a plan to leave an estate to Wesleyan, as the Baileys did, they insure that their assets will be used to accomplish their personal goals and that their bequest will be used wisely.

“The Bailey’s estate funds are not designated for a specific purpose, so Wesleyan’s board of trustees will determine the most appropriate use of the gift. Some potential considerations could include scholarships and new technology for Wesleyan’s library expansion project, among several other possibilities. The College is indeed grateful for this very significant gift.”

William Bailey, Jr., born in Stantonsburg, N.C., grew up in Rocky Mount, where he lived until his death this past June at age 90. He served in the U.S. Navy and in the Navy Reserve, and maintained an active interest in veterans’ organizations. He had worked as an independent florist, an employee of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, and in various capacities for Belk-Tyler and Belk department stores.