HAMLET — Friends and family of the late James Ralph McFayden of Ellerbe gathered recently at the Cole Auditorium to celebrate the establishment of a scholarship in his memory with the Richmond Community College Foundation.
The James Ralph McFayden Endowed Scholarship will benefit any student from Richmond County who enrolls in a curriculum program at RichmondCC.
McFayden was born in Richmond County and graduated from Ellerbe High School in 1942. He then entered Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina, where he was cadet captain in the ROTC. His education was paused at the age of 18 when he joined the armed forces as a Flying Cadet.
During World War II, he was stationed on Tinian Island in the South Pacific and was a sergeant in the 58th Bomb Wing, 444th Bomb Group, 677th Squadron of the 20th Air Force. He was a tail gunner on the “The Talie Ho,” a B-29 Superfortress, and flew 13 combat missions over Japan. After the war, he flew POW supply missions. He also returned to Presbyterian College and graduated with a Business Administration degree. In 1948, he married Dorothy Phillips.
In 1950, he founded Ellerbe Poultry Company, a hatchery and grow-out operation that brought a new industry to Richmond County. After a merger with White Poultry, he sold his company to Perdue Farms in 1985. He founded Systems Planning Inc., a financial consulting and planning business. He was associated with various agri-business companies along the Eastern Seaboard both as an investor and as a member of the board of directors.
McFayden passed away April 4, 2008, at the age of 82.
At the scholarship celebration, several family members spoke about the values that he passed down to them and how he shaped their lives.
“I hope this scholarship will give opportunities to many students in the years to come so that they too can pursue their dreams,” said grandson Alex Bryant.
“Ralph’s character, generosity, love and faith will live on forever in the hearts of all of us,” said family member Michael Beale. “It is our prayer that this scholarship will assist a young person in Richmond County to live the American dream just as Ralph did upon his return from the Second World War.”
Dr. Hal Shuler, associate vice president of Development, thanked the family for establishing this scholarship with the College Foundation and for investing in the lives of future generations who come to RichmondCC seeking the means to have a better life.
To donate to or establish a scholarship with the RichmondCC Foundation, visit richmondcc.edu or call 910-410-1807.
