COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (Feb. 1, 2005) —Bill Pease often said that he believed his eternity would be measured by the memories of the individuals whose lives he enhanced.

Thanks to a recent bequest in his will to Tennessee Tech University’s School of Agriculture, many more individuals’ lives will be strengthened by the good intentions of he and his wife, Dorothy.

"For Mr. Pease to remember his alma mater in this generous way is a testament to not only his good nature and spirit, but to the strength of our Agriculture program and our faculty's strong connections with their students and alumni," said TTU President Bob Bell.

A 1949 Agriculture graduate of Tennessee Tech, William M. Pease came to the university from DeKalb County by way of St. Louis and Detroit. He served in the U.S. Army in the South Pacific during World War II and distinguished himself with several service ribbons and bronze stars. He spent much of his career as a publisher and editor, most recently at Pease-Riggs Publications Inc., in Nashville. His wife, Dorothy McClanahan Pease, also had connections to the university. Her father, Charles P. McClanahan, taught education at TTU from 1921 to 1925.

"The Peases had no children of their own, but they did have a sincere desire to help young individuals succeed," said Tiff Rector, TTU’s director of planned giving. "This is one of the reasons why Mr. Pease designated the university a 'residual beneficiary' in his will. Simply put, he left the remaining portion of his estate to the university after remembering loved ones with specific gifts."

TTU received $310,000 last July and $293,400 just before Christmas, for a total bequest of $603,413.72. All proceeds from the bequest will be used to establish a perpetual scholarship endowment for TTU’s School of Agriculture students.

"The William Mason Pease and Dorothy McClanahan Pease Memorial Scholarship Endowment will have a wonderful impact on the School of Agriculture," said Rector.

"Judging by the number of young men and women who stand to benefit from the scholarship, Mr. Pease's legacy will live on for generations."

--Karen Lykins
This information posted 01 February 2005