Maurice John Koury

BURLINGTON - Mr. Maurice John Koury, 86, passed away at Alamance Regional Medical Center on Monday, March 7, 2016, at 5:35 p.m.
Mr. Koury was born in Burlington on April 12, 1929, the son of Lebanese immigrants. He attended Blessed Sacrament Catholic School through the eighth grade. He entered the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in July, 1945 following his graduation from Burlington High School. That same year, his brother, Ernest, set up a hosiery mill in the basement of their parents' home. By the time Maurice graduated from UNC in 1949 with a B.S. in Chemistry, the hosiery mill had moved into a factory, which was in the process of being enlarged. Maurice joined his brother in managing Carolina Hosiery Mills, Inc., after his tour of duty in the U.S. Navy from 1952 - 1954. Maurice and Ernest remained business partners over 60 years. In later years, they expanded their business interests to the development of hotels, motels and shopping malls.
Maurice Koury's four years at Carolina were the beginning of a life-long commitment to public higher education in general and Carolina in particular. His significant devotion of time and personal resources toward academic and athletic initiatives benefiting UNC students cannot be overlooked. Koury served two terms on the University's Board of Trustees, during which time he chaired the Board's student affairs and development committees. He additionally served two terms as president of the Educational Foundation and was the long-time chair of the Educational Foundation's Endowment Trust. Under his stewardship, the Foundation has built one of the nation's largest privately funded endowments for athletic scholarships. Koury previously served on the Bicentennial Campaign Steering Committee, the Kenan-Flager Business School Board of Visitors, the Medical Foundation Board, and the Morehead Scholarship Selection Committee.
Koury played a major role in securing funding for the Dean E. Smith Center and made a generous leadership gift to the George Watts Hill Alumni Center. His contributions to the College of Arts and Sciences include the establishment of the Edna J. Koury Distinguished Professorship, which honors his mother. Other UNC entities like the Department of Athletics, the School of Medicine, the Kenan-Flagler Business School and, of course, the School of Dentistry have also benefitted from his generosity.
Koury's generosity is symbolized throughout campus: Kenan-Flagler's Koury Auditorium, Koury Natatorium, Koury Library in the George Watts Hill Alumni Center, Koury Residence Hall, and, now, Koury Oral Health Sciences Building.
Maurice Koury's awards and honors from Carolina include the William Richardson David Award, the highest honor given by the trustees, an Honorary Doctors Degree, and the Distinguished Service Medal of the General Alumni Association. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh has honored him with the Bishop F. Joseph Gossman Award (2000) for extraordinary service to Catholic education, and he and Mrs. Koury were honored in 2011 with the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice, which is the highest award of the Roman Catholic Church bestowed by the Holy Father to the Laity. Elon University has honored him with the Frank S. Holt Jr. Business Leadership Award and an honorary degree. Maurice Koury exemplifies vision, quiet determination, strong ethical character, and personal modesty.
Mr. Koury served as Chairman of the Local Advisory Board of First Union National Bank, Board Member of the Burlington YMCA, Board member of the Burlington-Graham ABC Board; former chairman of the Local Advisory Board of Scottish Savings & Loan; and founding director of The Trust Company of the South in the Mid-90's.
Mr. Maurice Koury has remained dedicated to the things he loves the most – his family, the rewards of hard work, education and his church. He gives himself thoroughly to any cause he undertakes. Maurice spent countless hours on fundraisers for Blessed Sacrament School. Education was a high priority to Maurice, and he worked annually keeping the school funded for the children.
Survivors include his wife, Ann Kirkpatrick Koury; a brother, Ernest A. Koury, Sr. and wife Marie of Burlington, NC; and sisters, Pauline Koury Akras of Florida and Salve Koury Bolus of Raleigh, NC. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Edna Koury; and two brothers, Dr. George Koury and Marshall Koury.
A Christian Wake Service will be conducted Thursday, March 10, 2016, at 6:30 p.m. at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church with the family receiving friends from 5 to 8 p.m. at the church.
A funeral mass will be conducted at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church on Friday, March 11, 2016, at 11 a.m. Burial will follow in Pine Hill Cemetery.
A special thanks is extended to Sarah Alston, Lacy Madkins, Jackie Harvey and Barbara Young for their countless hours of love, care and dedication they gave throughout Maurice's illness.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Blessed Sacrament Catholic School, 515 Hillcrest Avenue, Burlington, NC 27215 or to Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, P.O. Box 619, Burlington, NC 27216
Rich & Thompson Funeral and Cremation Service in Burlington is assisting the family.
Condolences may be offered at www.richandthompson.com