Encore - Brother Eberly '39 Extends the Helping Hand

Robert Eberly '39

For Robert Eberly '39, the concept of extending the helping hand influenced his earliest years. His mother and father, Ruth and Orville Eberly, taught their son that whatever you gave to a charity would come back to you tenfold. This generosity as well as a strong work ethic and a desire for education were instilled in Robert by his parents and have flourished throughout his life.

After graduating from the Pennsylvania State University in 1939 with a degree in chemistry, Brother Eberly joined the U.S. Navy as a civilian chemist. Years later, he joined his father in the natural gas business. As this bushiness grew, he branched out on his own and co-founded Eberly and Meade, Inc., an independent oil and gas producer, with a partner from Oklahoma.

In 1963, Brother Eberly's father established the Eberly Foundation to share the family's good fortune with others, particularly residents of Fayette County. Through the Eberly Foundation and later with the Eberly Family Charitable Trust, Brother Eberly has been able to foster his primary philanthropic objectives - undergraduate education and collegiate-level research.

In addition to the Eberly Foundation and Trust, Brother Eberly's personal contributions have supported and funded many scholarships to colleges and universities that have a sizable enrollment of students from Fayette County. He has also lent strong support to many national programs, educational institutions and civic organizations as well as the arts and sciences field. The American Red Cross, Penn State, Theta Chi, the Boy Scouts of America and the Y.M.C.A. are just a few of the many recipients of Brother Eberly's helping hand. Of all his accomplishments, Brother Eberly reported that he received the greatest satisfaction from his success of bringing a Penn State branch campus to Fayette County.

In Penn State's most recently completed campaign drive, Brother Eberly served as campaign treasurer and made a very strong statement about education and Penn State when the Eberly Family Trust made the leading gift of ten million dollars. The University honored the Eberly family's generous gift by naming the college of science the Eberly College of Science (read Daily Collegian story about this event - March 19 1990).

Brother Eberly currently serves as chairman of the board of Eberly and Meade, Inc., president and treasurer of the Eberly Foundation, manager of the Eberly Family Trust, and treasurer of Penn State;s national Development Council. He also serves and affiliates with many other civic, philanthropic and political organizations and endeavors. He resides in Uniontown, Pa., with his wife, Elouise. Robert has two sons and five grandchildren.

Read the January 8, 2002 - Daily Collegian story on Br. Eberly

Click link to read the June 1993 Omegaphone

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