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MURFREESBORO – The Dr. J.D. Weaver Scholarship Foundation has awarded $500 scholarships to 13 students from Bertie, Hertford, and Northampton counties.

The scholarships were handed out during a program held July 16 at First Baptist Church. The recipients were Austin Chadwick, Devona Cooper, Jamila Jordan, Bryce Jenkins, Aalija Powell, Calie Ruffin, Morgan Saunders, Malajah Smith, Shawnah Smith, Bricklyn Trip, Melanie Weston, Miracle Wilder, and Dominic Sawyer.

The Foundation awards scholarships every two years. It traditionally has awarded three, $1,000 scholarships, but chose to help more local students this year.

“The board met and voted to give a scholarship to every student that applied for a scholarship,” stated Dwight Ransome who chairs the Weaver Foundation. “We are trying to help as many students as we can that want to further their education at a college or university. This is our goal at the Dr. J.D. Weaver Scholarship Foundation.”

Ransome stressed the importance of the Foundation to inform the businesses and supporters as to how the board distributes the donations received.

“The Foundation awards the scholarships but we would not be able to do so if we did not receive donations from our supporters and businesses,” Ransome noted.

On behalf of the Weaver Foundation, Ransome offered gratitude to the following donors: Sharon Ransome Smith, Gloria A. Grant, James Wendell Hall (board member), David H. Beard, Zion Grove Baptist Church, Ron Roberson, Solid Foundation, Added Touch Florist (Shirley L. Freeman), Mary Ruffin-Harrell (board member), New Ahoskie Baptist Church, Cherry’s Funeral Home, Sherry Ransome, Dwight Ransome (board member), Southern Bank of Ahoskie, Gardnetta H. Weaver, Dennis Stephenson, Mrs. Joseph Minton, Lillie Owens-White (board member), First Baptist Church Winton, First Baptist Church Murfreesboro, and Hertford County.

Since 1999, the Foundation has awarded over $70,000 in college scholarships to local students.

Born in 1911 and raised in Winton, Dr. Weaver was educated through the local public school system, graduating from Water’s Normal School before going on and earning his Bachelor of Science and Doctorate of Medicine from the prestigious Howard University.

Soon after being licensed to practice medicine in North Carolina and Virginia, World War II broke out and, like many men of what is hailed as the greatest generation, Dr. Weaver served his country. Commissioned as a First Lieutenant in the US Medical Corps, he proudly served with the 372 Second Infantry Regiment for two years.

Over the course of the next five decades, Dr. Weaver served again – this time as the physician for multiple generations of patients. Ahoskie was his base of operations as he operated Weaver’s Clinic on Maple Street.

Driven by a desire to help the entire community, he later joined the practice of the Roanoke-Chowan Medical Center. He also served Roanoke-Chowan Hospital in a number of capacities; was Medical Director of I.B.P.O.E. of W. Grand Lodge; was the physician for the Hertford County Law Enforcement Center; and served as Medical Examiner for both Hertford County and Gates County.

He passed away on Nov. 21, 1998.