Alum Bill Furr left indelible mark on ECU

East Carolina University became a part of Bill Furr ’65 the moment he became a Pirate in 1961. The bond with his alma mater grew even stronger through his life of devotion and service.

The longtime servant leader for ECU, who died in April, left an indelible mark on the university.

Furr served on numerous boards and councils at ECU, including two terms on the ECU Foundation Board of Directors and nine years on the Board of Trustees. He was a founding member of the College of Business advisory council.

“Both of us have always bled purple and gold,” his wife, Emily Furr, said. “We love East Carolina. I just say that’s where everything good in my life began.”

Bill Furr stands beside his ECU-themed golf cart, named PeeDee, which he and Emily Furr had designed to add some purple to the much more blue community at The Cedars in Chapel Hill. (Contributed photo)

Bill and Emily met at freshman orientation. Both were with a group of friends and saw one another across the room. “Long story short, he asked me for a date, and that’s where it all began,” Emily said.

Bill stayed at East Carolina and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business. Though Emily returned home to Kinston to work, the couple continued to date. They married and moved to Charlotte for Bill’s job at DuPont.

Their family moved to New York and returned to Charlotte, where Bill continued his career in textiles. He became co-owner and vice-president of sales at Cumulus Fibres.

Despite the moves, a growing career and raising a family, Bill and Emily stayed connected to ECU. Attendance at football games, wherever the Pirates played, also brought them back to campus and deepened their ties.

“He was very active, always involved with meetings and down (at ECU) doing something,” Emily said. “I was very proud of him to stay true to it, and he did.”

Bill was appointed to the Board of Trustees in 1989. He served as vice-chair in 1995.

Bill proudly represented ECU and broadened the circle of support for the university, influencing others, like Fielding Miller ’84, to serve and support the university.

“Bill was both a great friend and a mentor to me. He encouraged me to become more engaged with ECU and later sponsored my nomination to the Board of Trustees for my first term in 2002,” Miller said. “I will always be grateful for his friendship and for the thoughtful guidance he provided over the years, both personally and professionally.”

Family Ties

 Bill’s love of East Carolina and dedicated service also influenced his son, Tom Furr ’89, who said his father was clear that he could attend any college he wanted, as long as it was ECU.

His father’s time as a trustee coincided with Tom’s years as a student. “It was fun because he’d be down there frequently, and we could see each other,” Tom Furr said.

Tom said ECU truly helped change his father’s life for the good. Bill was a first-generation student, who leveraged his degree to create a successful career. Tom said the university’s efforts to make ECU more accessible through scholarship programs resonated with Bill.

“I feel like he would have done anything ECU asked him to do. He loved to serve. That was always important,” Tom said. “When he could, however he could — with his time, his talents or his dollars — he has been generous with all those to ECU.”

Tom not only shared his father’s alma mater but also followed his example of service. Tom was elected to the Board of Trustees in 2019.

“He loved the university. He was fully engaged and willing to help in any manner that they could,” Tom said. “So, it was nice for me to be able to sort of come behind him and talk about some of the challenges we’re having now versus back when he was around, some that have come full circle.”

Iconic Symbol

Bill was the lead benefactor for the university’s iconic Cupola project. The Cupola was dedicated in 1996 as a “visual centerpiece representing East Carolina’s rich past and bright future.”

“I think the Cupola would be the thing I am most proud of because we wanted it to be a gathering place for the students,” Emily Furr said. “When our granddaughter graduated, there were so many children taking photographs in the Cupola, there in their caps and gowns. I’ve seen brides when we go back standing under the Cupola. And I just think it’s such a neat thing for East Carolina to have that symbol.”

In recognition of his long-time service, Bill received the ECU Alumni Distinguished Service Award in 2013. Also, the Murphy Center lobby is named for Bill and Emily.

Future Success

In recent years, Bill and Emily Furr were engaged in the success of the students and programs of the Honors College. In 2022, they established the Bill and Emily Furr Honors College Distinguished Professorship, supporting the Honors College dean.

“Mr. Furr meant a great deal to the Honors College. He was a steadfast supporter of our students and truly believed in our mission,” Dean Todd Fraley said. “The last time I was able to spend time with him was at our annual scholarship dinner, where he was doing what he loved, sharing a meal and conversation with our students, listening to their stories, offering encouragement and taking genuine pride in their success. We are incredibly grateful for the support of Bill and his entire family. His generosity and kindness have left a lasting legacy that will continue to benefit Honors students for years to come.”

At an event to celebrate their support, Bill and Emily delighted in being surrounded by Honors College students, faculty and staff. Bill peppered students with questions about their classes, dreams and how they were achieving success at ECU.

“That’s kind of who he was,” Tom said. “He was a very social person but loved engaging with anyone that would engage with him, especially if he was with a bunch of really sharp kids in the honors program.”

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