Leaving a Legacy


Dr. Dewey “Wilson” Cooke, Jr., taught faithfully at North Greenville for nearly three decades.


A professor of mathematics and the institution’s earliest computer courses, Wilson first came to North Greenville in 1969.


His 28 years of service at the school yielded many fond memories. As he told the “NGC Alumni Newsletter” staff in 1997, “My fondest memory is that I had the pleasure of working with a great many real nice people.”


Wilson also boasted that he’d worked for every president the college had ever had up to that point, with the exception of Dr. Murphree Donnan.


Even after retiring, Wilson continued teach- ing part-time at North Greenville. He and his late wife, Ruth Cooke, lived in Tigerville, SC. Tey were active members of Tigerville Baptist Church.


Several of the Cookes’ surviving family mem- bers graduated from North Greenville: their sons Steven Cooke (’76) and Kenneth Cooke (’83), as well as their grandson Ryan Cooke (’13) and his wife, Kristyn Cooke (’13, MBA ’16).


Wilson passed away on Dec. 25, 2018, at the age of 85.


Dr. Joe Frank Hayes, Sr., a prominent NGU leader and donor, involved with the university for more than 40 years.


Even while leading a successful career as president and owner of Hayes Food Products Inc., Joe served on the university’s Board of Trustees for four decades, beginning in 1969. In 1992, he was selected by his board peers to be a Lifetime Board Member. He also assisted in organizing North Greenville’s Council of Advisors.


In the 1970s, Joe funded the renovation and expansion of North Greenville’s gymnasium. Te renovations were dedicated on Nov. 13, 1975, as Hayes Gymnasium. He later earned induction into the college’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996.


Joe and his wife, Eleanor Hayes, actively supported a range of university projects over the years, from athletics and undergraduate scholarships to Baptist Collegiate Ministries’ traveling music ensemble, Joyful Sound. Te Hayeses were the sole benefactors of Joyful Sound’s annual recording project, also provid- ing funding for the ministry’s transportation and equipment.


In the late 1990s, NGU honored the couple with the naming of the Joe Frank and Eleanor Hayes Ministry Center, which currently houses the Office of Enrollment Services. Ten at the 1998 spring commencement, the university awarded Joe a Doctor of Humane Letters for his distinguished volunteerism and financial support.


Te Hayeses also provided the lead gift to construct the Hayes Christian Fine Arts Cen- ter. Completed in 2001, the center provides studio, classroom, rehearsal, and recital hall space. Tey also provided the benches for the Todd Prayer Chapel in 2012 and a rose garden named in honor of their son in 2014.


Joe passed away on Jan. 16, 2019, at the age of 90.


Dr. Ralph Hendricks was a longtime donor and friend to NGU.


In 1985, Ralph’s first wife, Virginia Hendricks, passed away suddenly. However, prior to that, the couple had discussed ways they could give back to the Lord by helping young people in the Simpsonville, SC, area. Based on this shared desire, Ralph decided to create the Ralph and Virginia Hendricks Foundation in his wife’s honor, with the mission of providing college scholarships for students.


In 1986, Ralph married Marion Hubbard. Te two continued working through their foun- dation to provide hundreds of students with scholarships to attend local universities like NGU. In 1997, the Hendricks family went on to establish a scholarship at NGU that offers tuition assistance for graduates of Hillcrest and Woodmont High Schools, in particular.


In 2005, NGU’s Hendricks Athletic Center was opened as a football operations center.


Ralph received NGU’s 2013 Board Leadership Award, given to a trustee whose support of NGU serves as an example to others. Tat same year, the university awarded him an honorary Doctor of Christian Leadership.


Ralph passed away on Feb. 17, 2019, at the age of 101.


28 | NGU.EDU


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