Billy Wood Leaves Gift of a Lifetime to SMC; Largest Planned Gift in College’s History

Samantha Sorenson

Contributing Writer

This fall, Spartanburg Methodist College received the largest planned gift in its history from the estate of the late Billy Wood. Totaling approximately $1.1 million, the gift is a fitting culmination of a lifetime of generosity to the College.

“He and Betty (his late wife) were committed to helping others, and his gift to the College is an example of that,” said Susan Collier, Billy’s niece. “While he was loath to spend money on himself, he was quick to spend money for his faith, his family, and for educational causes. He was impressed with the College.”

Throughout his life, Billy was known for his volunteerism. He and Betty supported a variety of causes, ranging from programs at their home church, Southside Baptist, to children’s shelters, Mobile Meals and others. At the heart of their giving was a desire to make what Billy called an “everlasting impact.” Wood’s estate gift to SMC continues that legacy.

Billy first connected with the College through his job with Duke Energy. SMC was one of his accounts, and his campus visits and subsequent interactions with faculty, staff, and students impressed him.

In a 2017 interview with Frontiers magazine, he recalled that the people of the College “were all courteous and kind.” He admired that the administration was known for “taking a dollar and stretching it further than any other college nearby.” The institution’s dedication to helping students appealed to his heart, while the College’s prudent financial stewardship appealed to his discerning nature.

What followed that initial introduction was nearly five decades of financial support and personal advocacy. Billy and Betty made their first contribution in 1977 with a gift to the Annual Fund. Unrestricted gifts to the Annual Fund enable the College to direct resources to areas of greatest need. Billy trusted SMC’s leadership to allocate the money wisely, and he used Duke Energy’s matching gifts program to maximize the impact of his personal donations. 

Their commitment went beyond financial support. Betty and Billy invested their time, effort and care in the College. It was not unusual to see them at special events, and they were quick to encourage others to support the College and its students.

Billy believed the College was growing stronger as the years passed. Helping others remained deeply important to him, and near the end of his life, he focused on what he called the “important choices” or “the things eternal,” Collier said. For Billy, that meant living a life of generosity that would continue beyond his lifetime.

Billy’s estate gift, combined with his and Betty’s contributions over the decades, brings their total lifetime giving to almost $1.5 million — support that has helped, and will continue to help, transform the lives of SMC students. Like many of their gifts before it, the estate gift will be directed to the area of greatest need, allowing the College to continue putting its “Students First, Students Always” philosophy into action.