Dr. Frank L. Eagles

1938 - 2025

Dr. Frank L. Eagles, 87, President Emeritus of Wilson Community College, died Tuesday, August 19, 2025 at his home.

The Memorial Service will be held Saturday, 11:00 AM, at the First United Methodist Church, followed by a reception in Asbury Hall. Burial at the family plot in Maplewood Cemetery is to be private. The family will be at 2204 Canal Drive.

The son of the late Elizabeth Butler and Benjamin Franklin Eagles, he was born January 7, 1938 in Wilson. He lived his entire life here with the exception of his elementary school years when he and his parents lived at their farm in the Edgecombe County village of Crisp, the home of the Eagles Family for generations.

Eagles was associated with Wilson Community College for thirty-six years, the last twenty-one as president. When he joined the staff in 1967, the campus consisted of one building and one being completed. The school had only recently become a two-year technical institute after serving several years as a one-year industrial education center (trade school). When he retired, the campus boasted fifteen buildings and was a three-tiered community college (trade school, technical institute and community college). During his tenure, he was President of the North Carolina Association of Community College Presidents and for four years was liaison to the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges.

He was a 1956 graduate of Charles L. Coon High School, received his teacher certification from Atlantic Christian College (Barton) and held a doctorate from NCSU, a masters from ECU and a bachelor of science from UNC-CH, where he became a member of Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity. He served six years in the US Army Reserves with six months active duty. Early in his career, he was associated with BB&T for three years and was a high school teacher in Zebulon for three years while completing his master's degree at ECU.

The First United Methodist Church has lost a loyal and devoted member. During his more than fifty years there he served in many capacities. He was Chairman of the Administrative Board, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and Chairman of the Finance Committee that raised over two million dollars to rebuild the sanctuary after the 1984 fire. Later he was Chairman of the committee that oversaw the one million dollar renovation of the Blackburn Education Building. He was one of four chief ushers for over forty years. From 2010 to 2018, he was a board member of the North Carolina Methodist Home for Children. On Scout Sunday in 2010, the church presented the Cross and Flame Award to him for his longtime service to youth, only the fifth person in the church to receive it.

He had a long and valued association with the East Carolina Council of Boy Scouts, joining its Executive Committee in 1994 and continuing in that position for more than twenty-five years. For many of those years, he was chief fundraiser for the Wilson District including chairing its "Good Scout Award Banquet" each year except 2011 when he was the honoree. He was president of the Council from 2003 to 2005 and twice attended the National BSA Convention as a committeeman. Awarded the Scout's highest volunteer recognition, the Silver Beaver, he followed both his father and brother who had served as presidents of the Council and recipients of the Silver Beaver. In 2018, he was honored again by the Council as the Eagle Scout Class Honoree. He was extremely proud of the fact that both of his sons are Eagle Scouts.

A member of the Wilson Rotary Club for almost fifty years, he was its longtime historian. He was president from 1990-1991, was given the Honorary Paul Harris Award in 1995, was Rotarian of the Year in 2001 and again in 2016. He chaired its Annual Auction for more than 25 years, helping to raise funds for many community projects. His father was president of the Club in 1925-1926 and his son, Ben, served as president of the Club's one hundredth anniversary year, 2016-2017.

His love for Wilson and his profession was evident in his many years of service to numerous community organizations. During his career, he was Campaign Chairman and President of Wilson United Way, President of Preservation of Wilson, Chairman and longtime board member of Hope Station, and served twenty-five years on the Wilson BB&T Board of Directors, two of them as chairman. Governor Hunt appointed him Chairman of the North Carolina Internship Council, a position he held for two years. He served six years on the Wilson Chamber of Commerce Board, which awarded him a lifetime membership in 2020. He served nine years as a director of Greenfield School and six years on the Barton College Symphony Board. He had been a director of Wilson Country Club, a director and vice-president of the Dunes Club at Atlantic Beach and was a charter member and twice president of the Club Quadrille.

After his 2003 retirement from the college, he worked with a number of community organizations and gave his time, energy and resources to them. He enjoyed duplicate bridge and became a "life master" and spent many carefree hours at the Wilson Elks Lodge. He loved his family, his friends, his church, his career and his hometown and tried to live so that his community would be a better place. He valued the qualities of a Christian gentleman and strived to live as one.

In recognition of his contributions to his community and many years of service to students of this area, the College upon his retirement named its business center for him, his friends and colleagues contributed $20,000 to the Frank L. Eagles Scholarship and he was presented the prestigious North Carolina award, the Order of the Long Leaf Pine by the governor.

He is survived by his wife of more than fifty years, Dorothy Poole Eagles; his son, Benjamin Logan Eagles and wife, Virginia, their daughters, Kate and Libby; his son, Bradley Burwell Eagles and his sons, Wells and Carr. He was predeceased by two sisters and three brothers.

Those wishing to make a memorial gift might choose the special fund established by his family at First United Methodist Church, PO Box 1423, Wilson, NC 27894.

Arrangements by Wilson Memorial Service, 2811 Fieldstream Dr, N, Wilson, (252) 237-7171; www.wilsonmemorialservice.com