Museum announces newest Wall of Fame honorees
By Dennis Hill
Published in News on September 21, 2015 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Carol Gross, left, shows her father, Dr. James Zealy, his Wall of Fame plaque after the induction ceremony at the Wayne Museum Sunday. The plaque will hang in the museum for years to come. Also pictured, Austin Williams, 15, and Alexander Rouse, 9, Dr. Zealy's great-grandchildren.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
2015 inductee Bob Hill turns around and waves at the crowd as he is recognized during the Wall of Fame ceremony.
The Wayne County Historical Association inducted seven people into its Wall of Fame on Sunday -- five of them posthumously.
But two, Bob Hill and Dr. Jim Zealy, were on hand for the occasion at the Wayne County Museum.
Inducted posthumously were Vassie Balkcum, Raymond Bryan Sr., Dorothy "Dot" Casey, Dr. Lonnie Hayes and Neil Joseph. Members of each inductee's family were present.
Known for his deep, rich voice, Balkcum made a name for himself in radio broadcasting -- working his way up from a Goldsboro High School part-timer to president of the Eastern Carolina Broadcast Co.
Under his leadership, WGBR gained a reputation in the industry for high quality sound and production. He was also involved in bringing the new FM system of broadcasting to Goldsboro, adding WEQR to the company's programming.
In the radio industry, Balkcum served as president of the Tobacco Radio Network and the North Carolina News Network. He became president of the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters and, in 1992, received the group's Distinguished Service Award.
He served as president of Goldsboro's Rotary Club, the Chamber of Commerce, and also chaired the city Planning Commission for 10 years. He also was chairman of the Wayne Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees. He died in 2011.
Bryan was president of T.A. Loving Co. and was involved in other business ventures with his brothers. He owned and participated in many enterprises such as Cameron Village in Raleigh and the Cameron Brown Co. He received the Distinguished Citizenship Award from the North Carolina Citizens Association in 1975 and a doctor of laws degree from Campbell University in 1979.
Bryan was a founder of the Goldsboro United Fund and received the highest honor given by the Salvation Army for services on its board. He also served on the board of trustees of Meredith College.
Bryan was a director of Wachovia Bank and a director and member of the executive committee for State Capitol Life, which later became Durham Life Insurance Co. Other directorships included Carolina Power and Light Co., Atlantic and East Carolina Railway of Washington, D.C., and the Associated General Contractors of America in Charlotte.
In 1940, he served as president of Carolinas AGC and became vice-chairman of the North Carolina State Ports Authority. An active alumnus of North Carolina State University, he received the Alumni Annual Meritorious Service Award in 1956 and the Watauga Medal in 1977, before passing in 1982.
Dot Casey was director of Wake Forest University women's athletics program for 14 years. As director, she guided the Deacons through Title IX and from the physical education program into the highly competitive world of college sports. Her first women's teams at Wake Forest competed at the AIAW Division II level; her final squads were contenders for national honors on the NCAA Division I level.
She held several key committee positions in both the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women and the NCAA. In 1993 she was the first woman elected, along with Marge Crisp, to the Wake Forest University Hall of Fame. In 2013, she was inducted into the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Hall of Fame for her noteworthy contributions to intercollegiate athletics. Formerly a member of Old Town Club, the women's championship trophy there is named in her honor. She died in 2013.
Hayes was a graduate of Howard University School of Medicine and the first black physician to be awarded hospital privileges at Wayne Memorial Hospital. He provided medical care to the most underserved, often seeing 50 to 60 patients a day.
For more than 30 years, Hayes provided health care to the indigent, as well as the community at large for $10 per visit. His charge for surgery was only what insurance would pay. If a person came seeking care who had no money, he would see them for vegetables, cakes or for nothing at all.
Dr. Hayes was an avid sports fan and a supporter of local athletes. He opened his office on Saturdays to perform all the sports physicals for free and anonymously provided funds so many athletes could have proper shoes or could attend camp.
He believed in the value of college and anonymously sponsored "The Medgar Evers Scholarship" through the Dillard Alumni Association for many years. After retirement, he became an advocate and supporter of autism and autism research.
Hayes has been recognized by the Dillard Goldsboro Alumni and Friends, Rebuilding Broken Places and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority for his selfless support of his community. He died in 2006.
Bob Hill also made his name in radio, starting as a student at Goldsboro High School and later WGBR. A product of the Goldmasquers' radio and drama department, he served in the Marines and later earned a bachelor's degree from East Carolina College. At WGBR, he held positions as an engineer, disc jockey, news reporter, account executive, general sales manager and vice president of sales. Retiring in 2012, he continues to serve as a consultant to WGBR.
For 56 years, Hill hosted the program, "SoundScope," at WGBR -- conducting more than 14,000 interviews with personnel from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base which highlighted the people and their jobs. He developed a slide presentation for SJAFB newcomers, a briefing he conducted for 39 years.
In the community, Hill was a member of the Goldsboro Jaycees, Elks Lodge and is a 50-year member of the Kiwanis Club. He was Kiwanian of the Year in 1969, and was the first distinguished lieutenant governor of the Carolinas District in 1971. He organized a new Kiwanis Club in New Bern, and continues to drive the Kiwanis Train at Herman Park.
Hill was chairman of Goldsboro-Wayne Airport Authority for more than 17 years and served as president of the Tuscarora Boy Scout Council in 1973, launching the new 1,000-acre Tuscarora Scout Reservation. He was awarded the Silver Beaver by the Tuscarora Council in 1974 and the Torhunta District Distinguished Citizen Award in 1980.
In 2014, Hill was honored with the North Carolina Order of the Long Leaf Pine.
Neil Joseph immigrated to the United States from Lebanon at the age of 14 and eventually operated a lady's clothing store downtown for 45 years. The store proved to be extraordinarily successful and drew customers from all over eastern North Carolina.
Joseph was involved with many charitable civic organizations. He was a 50-year member of the Kiwanis Club and a president. He served three terms as president of Goldsboro Merchants Association. In 1926 he took part in the removal of the railroad tracks from Center Street.
Other activities included serving as a director of the city's Chamber of Commerce, serving as president of the N.C. Symphony Orchestra for Goldsboro and chairman of the finance Committee for St. Mary Catholic Church.
In 1956, Joseph was recognized on the national level when President Dwight Eisenhower appointed him Honorary Consul of Lebanon to serve the southern part of the United States, which he did for 25 years. He received three medals for service in Lebanon including the Presidential Medal of Merit. He died in 1986.
Dr. Zealy practiced dentistry in Wayne County for 45 years. During that time, he made significant contributions to the health and lives of those in the community.
Among his honors are the Citizenship Award of the North Carolina Dental Society and, in 1992, the Distinguished Service Scroll from the North Carolina Dental Society.
Perhaps his most notable contribution was a successful push to have Goldsboro include fluoridation in the community water supply. He later obtained a dental operatory for Wayne Memorial Hospital while serving as the hospital's chief of dental staff. Zealy served as president of the Wayne County Dental Society and twice as president of the Fifth District Dental Society.
Dr. Zealy served as board member of the Wayne County Public Health Department and received Wayne Community College President's Award for Distinguished Service.