The estate of Mattie Lee Smith Lee Byrd, a former Elon librarian, has established the Smith, Lee and Byrd Fund with a $209,000 gift. The fund will provide loans to help deserving students attend Elon University, beginning this fall.
A native of Duplin County, N.C., Mrs. Byrd worked as a reference librarian at Elon’s McEwen Library during the 1970s. She spent her career in education, working as a librarian at Graham High School, Williams High School and Turrentine Middle School in Alamance County, N.C. She also worked as a French teacher and math teacher in Alamance County schools.
The Smith, Lee and Byrd Fund will benefit generations of Elon students in the future, says Bea Sanford, director of planned giving. “By providing this student loan fund, Mrs. Byrd is continuing her longstanding tradition of encouraging others to seek an education,” says Sanford.
Mrs. Byrd died in May 2000 at age 86.
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