(L): Beulah Davis (R): Tom Davis standing by the Jerry West statue at the WVU Foundation. Tom and Jerry both graduated from East Bank High School. Tom graduated in 1978, and Jerry was the class of 1956. They both also lived in Cabin Creek.
A planned gift from retired educator Thomas Rymer Davis will provide crucial support for aspiring teachers at the West Virginia University College of Applied Human Sciences. This gift is designed to inspire the next generation of educators to establish their careers in West Virginia, contributing to efforts to address the state's critical teacher shortage.
Davis, of Charleston, dedicated his career to education, working across Berkeley, Clay, Jackson, Kanawha, Ritchie, Roane and Wood counties in West Virginia. He retired from Putnam County Schools but continues to contribute as a substitute teacher, staying engaged in the field he loves.
Davis credits his late mother, Beulah Virginia Burge Davis, for guiding him down a path of education and philanthropy.
“My mother was my greatest inspiration,” Davis said. “She was a lifelong learner, a passionate educator and someone who taught me the importance of giving back to our community. Through this endowment gift, we want to support the future of education in West Virginia while honoring her incredible legacy.”
Although Beulah, born in Stilwell, West Virginia in Wood County, never had a teaching mentor, her son established the Thomas Rymer Davis Education Support Fund to ensure that future educators forever have one through this endowment. The planned endowment will support academic instructional programs within the School of Education that prepare students to become teachers and/or educators in the Mountain State.
The gift aligns with CAHS initiatives that immerse future educators in classrooms statewide, preparing them for long-term careers in education.
“Educators like Thomas and Beulah Davis embody WVU’s mission to inspire and support those who dedicate their lives to teaching,” Nate Sorber, interim dean of the College of Applied Human Sciences, said. “This gift ensures their commitment to education will uplift future generations.”
Nate Sorber, interim CAHS dean, and Tom Davis shake hands at the School of Education.
A lifelong connection to Morgantown
Born at the old Monongalia General Hospital near Mountaineer Field, Thomas Davis has always considered Morgantown his true home. Though his father’s role as a United Methodist minister led the family to move frequently across West Virginia and the Adirondack Mountains of New York, Davis always found his way back to Morgantown.
A graduate of East Bank High School, Davis pursued higher education with determination. He earned a bachelor’s degree from West Virginia State University before fulfilling his goal of returning to Morgantown for graduate studies at WVU, where he obtained a master’s degree in 1989.
His academic journey also led to teaching certifications in elementary education (K-8), special education (MD, LD, BD), social studies (4-8) and school administration. Tom’s professors at WVU instilled in him a lasting philosophy: “If you can dream it, you can achieve it.”
Davis fondly recalls Morgantown’s past — dining at Comuntzis Restaurant, watching students skateboard down High Street and becoming a lifelong Mountaineers fan like his mother. Together, they shared countless memories of cheering on the WVU football team and attending games together into her late 80s.
Honoring a legacy of education
Beulah Davis exemplified resilience and determination throughout her life. Born in the Stillwell area of Wood County, she began her education in a one-room schoolhouse, where she first dreamed of becoming a teacher.
Nineteen years after graduating from high school, Beulah embarked on her college journey as a nontraditional student. She eventually earned an associate degree from Adirondack Community College, a bachelor’s degree from Plattsburgh State University and a master’s degree in education from WVU, where she graduated in 1983.
Beulah shaped the lives of countless elementary students in McDowell and Kanawha counties. Outside the classroom, she was a devoted pastor’s wife, a skilled seamstress and an active community leader who gracefully balanced family, ministry and education.
Beulah passed away in 2022, leaving a legacy of strength, service and dedication to her family and community. Through her foresight and generosity, she will continue to shape lives, inspiring future generations to pursue their dreams and make a lasting impact.
The Thomas Rymer Davis Education Support Fund gift was made through the WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University and its affiliates.