He saw the value of education: The W. R. Davis Scholarship and Educational Funds
From left, Selection committee member Bea Basnight holds the biography of Walter R. Davis as she poses with Pastor Susie Fitch-Slater and Nancy Beach Gray from Bethany Church of Wanchese. Missing this day is Caroline Basnight, Bethany Church scholarship committee member.
By Nancy Beach Gray
Outer Bankers love to tell a good story. The mention of Walter R. Davis’s name can spark the telling of tales that seem too tall to be true. Davis said that even he considered his life beyond belief. He was an extremely wealthy man whose generous acts were both finely scripted and wildly spontaneous. Although he died in 2008, his name and philanthropic spirit will live on in perpetuity through the Outer Banks Community Foundation.
Davis established an educational fund at Bethany Church of Wanchese in 2000. The scholarship was unique in that not only did it offer awards for students bound for college, but it also provided funds for helping children at all levels in their education. Many students benefited from the scholarship, but after years of dormancy, Bethany Church pursued putting the fund’s capital under the management of the Outer Banks Community Foundation.
In keeping with the spirit in which it was created, there will be two aspects of the fund. The W. R. Davis Scholarship Fund will award traditional college scholarships, and the W.R. Davis Educational Fund will support students in lower grades by financing everything from field trips to needed supplies.
Walter Davis was a friend of the Basnight family in Dare County for decades, and they carry forth his legacy even now.
Entrepreneur and OBCF Board of Directors member Michael Basnight remembered that Davis did not finish high school, but he saw the value of education for others.
“He was a man who was always impacting and improving lives,” said Basnight. “Yes, he was tough, pushy, a risk taker, a decision maker, but he had a compassionate heart and didn’t seek the spotlight for himself.”
Retired educator Bea Basnight recalled that Davis lobbied for a new elementary school building, bought spelling books and a year’s worth of ice cream for the entire fifth grade, sent a boy with Down syndrome to camp every summer, brought comedian Bill Cosby to Manteo to entertain school children, and purchased three school activity buses. And that was just a drop in the bucket.
Davis bestowed hundreds of thousands upon UNC Chapel Hill, NC State, Duke, Elizabeth City State, and Roanoke Bible College. He did not limit his educational giving to institutions. It is said that he financed more than 1,300 college students, although he did not keep a paper trail, and many scholarships were given as cash on the spot when an everyday worker shared a dream of going to college.
Former UNC system president William Friday said, ”When it came to making an impact, his investment in the lives of young people to give them a chance in the world was by far his most significant contribution.”
Born and raised in Elizabeth City, Davis hitchhiked down to Midland, Texas, in a pair of shoes given to him by a pool shark. There, he made his fortune in the oil business at the same time his new friend and neighbor, George H. Bush, did. He eventually returned to North Carolina, where he wielded political influence, albeit under the radar. He had the Midas touch, but said later in life, “I have often wished I had the courage to stop making money and become educated. I’ve thought about that many times, I just didn’t think I had the groundwork to switch.” His fascinating life would make a great book. In fact, it did. The Walter Davis Story, One Man Who Made a Difference, is an unbelievable tale that is quite true.
“We’re deeply grateful to Bethany Church of Wanchese—and to Mr. Davis—for giving the Community Foundation the opportunity to continue this remarkable legacy,” said Michael Basnight.
Thanks to these new funds, generations to come will benefit from Davis’s generous spirit.
The Community Foundation manages 80 scholarships. Scholarship funds have been generously donated over the years by individuals, families, businesses, nonprofits, civic groups, and government agencies to help local students pursue higher education.
It has never been easier to create or contribute to a scholarship fund. For more information about creating or contributing to a scholarship fund, please visit OBCF.org or call (252) 423-3003.
The Outer Banks Community Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization committed to fostering philanthropy and supporting local causes. Through its charitable funds and grant programs, the Foundation strives to enrich the quality of life for residents of the Outer Banks.
