Dr. John R. and Betty B. Eggleston

For more than 33 years, Dr. John R. and Betty B. Eggleston devoted their lives to the children of the Danville area. Dr. Eggleston, who served in the South Pacific during World War II and studied in Baltimore, St. Louis, and London, set a new standard for medical practice in his beloved Southside Virginia. This highly esteemed pediatrician treated his patients like family. After examining a child from the Faith Home orphanage in 1954, Dr. Eggleston called a relative in Tennessee about adopting the 2-year-old boy. John Eggleston Mayfield’s life was changed forever. He found a family. His family later adopted a second child from the Faith Home through a reference from Dr. Eggleston.

In appreciation, John E. Mayfield started a scholarship fund in memory of the Egglestons in 2002 with a $25,000 gift to The Community Foundation. This bookstore owner in Ashland City, Tennessee wanted to show his gratitude through a tribute to the legacy of the Egglestons and their kindness. Family members and others have added their donations. Since then, the Dr. John R. and Betty B. Eggleston Fund has provided thousands of dollars in scholarships to students attending Danville Community College, Virginia Commonwealth University, Elon University, and Virginia Tech.