BLUEFIELD, Va.—While the hand-made quilt was a necessary commodity for warmth in every remote house in Appalachia in the early 1900s, it also served as a decorative piece or an expression of love or remembrance of a person, time or place.
Bluefield College dedicated a century-old Appalachian quilt during a ceremony on campus April 20. The quilt will hang as a decorative piece inside Easley Library and serve as an expression of love and remembrance of the late Eva Vest Easley, who donated it to BC 44 years ago.
Bluefield College president David Olive (left) and BC vice president Ruth Blankenship (right) share remarks during a dedication ceremony for a century-old Easley family quilt (background) donated to the school in 1968.
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Crafted in 1901 by Manerva Boyd Pack Easley, mother to Frank Smoot Easley, one of the founding fathers of Bluefield College, the quilt was a mainstay in the Easley family until 1968. At that time, Eva, one of many in the family who continued to support the college, donated the piece to the school.
“This quilt was made as an expression of love by Manerva for her son, Frank, and it was given to Bluefield College as an expression of love by Eva,” said Ruth Blankenship, vice president for advancement. “And today, all of you are here as an expression of your love for Eva to help us dedicate the quilt in her memory.”
More than 50 friends and family members attended the dedication ceremony.
“This college would not be the same without the Easley family and without Eva Easley,” said Olive.
Since Bluefield’s founding in 1922, the Easley family has played significant roles in the development and growth of Bluefield College. A member of the Easley family has served consistently on the school’s board of trustees since its formation.
Before her death in 2008, Eva had been a longtime member of the board. She was named an honorary alumna in 1988 and received the school’s Mildred Sullivan Award for service to the community in 1995.
“Eva was an amazing lady,” said Blankenship. “She impacted so many lives and has been referred to as the ‘hostess with the mostest’ for the ways in which she entertained a parade of Baptist ministers, missionaries and denominational leaders who visited Bluefield and Bluefield College.”
Using gifts to BC in memory of Eva, the college constructed a display case to preserve and permanently exhibit the quilt inside Easley Library.
The quilt dedication was part of Bluefield’ss yearlong “Celebration of Appalachia” symposium, featuring lectures, concerts, exhibits, discussions, movies, theatre, tours and other educational and entertaining events.
Chris Shoemaker (cshoemaker@bluefield.edu) is director of marketing and public relations at Bluefield College.