J.C.
“Skeepie” Scarborough III and his wife, Queen, aren’t known as a flashy couple. But their appearance on stage at November’s Founder’s Day observance at North Carolina Central University drew the rapt attention of an almost full-house audience.
Scarborough, a 1960 graduate of NCCU, announced from the dais a special planned gift to his alma mater of $500,000. Both Scarboroughs are NCCU alumni. J.C. received a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education with a minor in biology. He is the owner of Scarborough & Hargett Funeral Home, a Durham institution. He was inducted on Founder’s Day as a Golden Eagle, marking 50 years since his class graduated from the university. Queen Scarborough is prominent in her own right. A career educator, she headed several exemplary Durham public schools as principal, including Shepard Middle School, named for NCCU’s founder, Dr. James E. Shepard. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration 1972, when she reigned as Miss NCCU. In 1975, she earned a Master of Science degree in business administration. The couple’s grandson, Terrell C. Bass, is NCCU’s current Mr. Freshman. J.C. Scarborough grew up on campus — he calls himself a campus brat — because his mother, Hattie Bell Strong Scarborough, worked at NCCU for 35 years. When it came time to go to college, however, he picked Ohio University (Hattie was a Buckeye native), then transferred to NCCU in his sophomore year.
“My mother agreed to the transfer but with two rules,” he recalls. “ ‘ You won’t [live] at home.’ So I moved into Chidley Hall. ‘And two, you will not bother me [at her Hoey Administration Building office] before 4:30.”
“My mother agreed to the transfer but with two rules,” he recalls. “ ‘You won’t [live] at home.’ So I moved into Chidley Hall. ‘And two, you will not bother me [at her Hoey Administration Building office] before 4:30. If it’s an emergency, you will meet me in my office. If it is not, you will meet me in the circle when your father picks me up.’ ” Scarborough’s grandfather knew Dr. Shepard, and his grandmother was a friend of Shepard’s wife, Annie. Scarborough said relationships like those helped him as he pondered making the contribution. Both Scarboroughs said the gift is in return for the way NCCU changed their life and the lives of others.
“This moment, of course, is very significant to me in that we are able to give back to this great university … which has so richly impacted several of our respective family members,” Queen Scarborough said. Her husband told the assembly that “NCCU is filled with legends,” particularly noting employees through the years who helped students who had no money. NCCU is encouraging planned-giving contributions, through wills or trusts. Such giving can protect a donor’s current income, provide security for heirs and offer tax advantages. The Office of Institutional Advancement can provide details. Contact Randal Childs at (919) 530-5264 or at <rchilds@nccu.edu>. The announcement was met with thunderous applause and a standing ovation. On receiving the gift, Chancellor Charlie Nelms said, “Dr. Shepard could have done a lot with this.”
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