BECKLEY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Beckley Area Foundation (BAF) is pleased to announce the establishment of the Virginia & Woodrow Cook Scholarship Fund, created by their daughter, Barbara Bean, in honor of their legacy.
“My husband, Ralph Bean, has dedicated much of his career to economic development in West Virginia,” said Barbara Bean. “We believe nothing is more vital to that mission than an educated citizenry.”
This scholarship pays tribute to Barbara’s parents, lifelong residents of Mullens and Wyoming County, who were deeply committed to education and community service.
Woodrow Cook graduated from Concord College in 1934 with a two-year degree. He served in England during World War II, achieving the rank of Major in the Army Air Corps. After the war, he returned to Mullens, where he built a career as a businessman and actively contributed to his community.
A dedicated public servant, Woodrow was a member of the Lions Club, served as Mayor of Mullens for eight years, and spent seventeen years on the Wyoming County Commission. Notably, during his tenure as Mayor, he accompanied a young Senator John F. Kennedy through the area during Kennedy’s presidential campaign in West Virginia.
Virginia Cook graduated from West Virginia University in 1939 and dedicated thirty-three years to teaching home economics at Mullens High School. She inspired students through her work as a sponsor of the Future Homemakers of America and led adult sewing classes for the community. Her love for flower gardening led her to establish a fund at BAF to support beautification efforts in Mullens.
Virginia’s reflections on life in Wyoming County were published in the Spring 2005 issue of West Virginia Goldenseal magazine in an article titled “89 Years in the Coalfields, A Satisfying Life in Wyoming County.”
Both Virginia and Woodrow were active members of Mullens Presbyterian Church, serving as elders and youth advisors. Woodrow taught the adult Bible class for over forty years, and together they organized community-wide Christmas and Easter programs, fostering unity among local congregations.
They instilled in their children the belief that serving one’s community is a responsibility—one that helps create a better place to live and raise a family.
Through this scholarship, their commitment to education and community service will continue to inspire future generations of Wyoming East High School graduates.
Anyone interested in donating to the Virginia & Woodrow Cook Scholarship Fund can mail contributions, with “Cook Scholarship” in the memo, to Beckley Area Foundation, 1210 S. Kanawha Street, Beckley, WV 25801. Donations can also be made online by visiting bafwv.org. For those interested in starting a fund or leaving a legacy gift, please call BAF at 304-253-3806 or email info@bafwv.org.
