Dr. Eddie V. Easley

EASLEY WINSTON-SALEM - Dr. Eddie V. Easley died Wednesday, January 13, 2010 at Wake For est University Baptist Medical Center after an extended illness. A native Virginian, Professor Eddie V. Easley spent most of his professional life in Iowa and North Carolina. Born in Lynchburg, VA, on November 16, 1928 to the late George Eddie and Berta Carpenter Easley, he spent his early years in Amherst County, VA with his mother in the home of his maternal grandparents after the separation of his parents. He attended the Amherst County public schools, graduating from high school as the Valedictorian at the age of 15. Easley continued his education at Virginia State College (now Virginia State University) where he joined the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and was actively involved in student government affairs. Upon graduation from Virginia State, he resided in Washington, DC for a brief period where he was a civil service employee in the Veterans Administration Agency and the Navy Hydrographic Office. From Washington, DC, he journeyed to Ames, Iowa, to pursue graduate studies at Iowa State University (ISU). His graduate work was interrupted with two years of military service with the Quartermaster Research and Development Agency based in Fort Lee, VA. While stationed at Fort Lee, he met Ruth Hortense Burton, a student at Virginia State University, who eventually became his life-long partner in marriage. After returning to ISU, he earned his PhD degree in 1957 in Economics and Statistics. He accepted a faculty position at nearby Drake University in the College of Business Administration, becoming the first African-American to be hired by the University in a tenure-tract position. He rose from Assistant Professor to Full Professor during his 26-year stay at Drake and served as Chairman of the Marketing Department from 1966 to 1984. He was chosen as Drake's Teacher of the Year in 1968, and received the Faculty Service Award in 1977. His time at Drake was separated with a year of teaching and research at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In 1984, at the suggestion of a former colleague and friend, and sensing the need to be closer to his aging mother in Virginia, he accepted a position in the Wayne Calloway School of Business and Accountancy at Wake Forest University. He taught full time for 15 years battling cancer the last four years of his tenure. During his last year of teaching, he developed and taught the school's first course in Sports Marketing. The elective course continues to have an over supply of students each time it is offered. Outside of the academic walls, Easley's contributions were felt in many areas. In the Des Moines community, he served on the City's Board of Zoning Adjustment; the Marketing / Communication Cabinet, United Way of central Iowa; Advisory Committee, Broadlawn's Hospital; Advisory Committee, Des Moines School Board; Mental Health Commission, Polk County, Iowa, and Governor's Committee to plan a Future's Conference for the state of Iowa. In Winston-Salem, he served two terms on the YMCA Board; Charter Member, Boys Camp Board; and was a volunteer in the Cancer Patient Support Program, Wake Forest Medical Center. Recently, he received a 2,000 hour service award for his volunteer work at the Medical Center. Professor Easley was awarded three Ford Foundation Fellowships at various times for summer study under the auspices of University of Chicago, Carnegie-Mellon, and University of Michigan, respectively. He is listed in Outstanding Educators of America, Who's Who in America, and holds membership in Beta Gamma Sigma, business honorary society, and Omicron Delta Kappa, men's leadership honorary society. He was named Alpha Phi Alpha's Brother of the Year by his chapter in Des Moines and was the recipient of his Winston-Salem chapter's Jewel Award in 2005. Easley has been an active church member since his youth in Amherst, Va., where he joined the Piney Grove Baptist Church. Recently, he was a member of Wake Forest Baptist Church where he participated on the Finance and Outreach Committees. He is a Life Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. , where he has been President of two alumni chapters and Faculty Advisor to two college chapters. He is an Archon of Gamma Kappa Boule' of Sigma Pi Phi fraternity where he has served as Social Action Chairman and most recently as the Grapter. His hobbies were gardening, playing bridge, and reading, mostly nonfiction. He was an avid participant in the YMCA exercise activities and has a wide circle of friends associated with the Y. His friendship base also includes many former students with whom he stayed in touch. His immediate family includes Ruth, his wife of fifty-three years; three children, Jacqueline (Odell McGhee) Des Moines, Iowa, Michael, Tampa, Florida, Todd (Cheryl), Denville, NJ; four grandchildren, Carey Lucia McGhee, a student at Jackson State University; Ty Ellington McGhee, Des Moines, Iowa; Kendall and Perri Easley, Denville, NJ; an aunt, Olivia Couch, Pittsburgh, PA.; and a host of cousins and special friends. In lieu of flowers, please direct contributions to the Comprehensive Cancer Center, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27157. Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 16, 2010, with family visitation at 10:30 a.m. The Services will be at Wait Chapel on the Wake Forest University Campus. Entombment will follow in the Forsyth Memorial Park Mausoleum Chapel. Online condolences may be sent to www.hooperfuneral home.net.