b. January 14, 1947

by Charles K. (Ken) McCotter, Jr., Christ Episcopal Church, New Bern, NC, 2016

Beverly Eaves Perdue, a member of Christ Church, served as the 73rd governor of North Carolina from 2009 to 2013. Christ Church in New Bern has a long and rich tradition of providing leadership in public service and education to New Bern and the state. Bev exemplified that tradition by a career of public service highlighted by her election as the first woman governor of North Carolina.

Bev is one of five governors of North Carolina from Craven County, four of whom were Christ Church members. Abner Nash, a Revolutionary War patriot, second governor serving in 1780-81; Richard Dobbs Spaight, a signer of the U.S. Constitution; and his son, Richard Dobbs Spaight, Jr., governor in 1835. The fifth, Benjamin Williams, another Revolutionary War patriot, lived in Craven County for many years; however, he was elected governor in 1798 from Moore County.

Born a coal miner’s daughter in Grundy, Virginia, Bev earned a BA degree in history from the University of Kentucky, and a Masters of Education and a PhD in educational administration from the University of Florida. She then taught school in Florida and Georgia.

Her championing of public education continues a long tradition at Christ Church that began in the mid-eighteenth century when the first rector, the Rev. James Reed, led the movement to establish the first public school in the colony.

Bev and her family moved to New Bern in 1974, because her brother, Rick Moore, M.D., was in practice here. They joined Christ Church and worshiped with Rick and his family. Bev’s early career in New Bern included twelve years as a gerontologist. She also ran a major national health care model project at the Craven County Hospital, now Carolina East Medical Center.

Bev began her political career in 1987, serving in the North Carolina House of Representatives and the state Senate. Elected lieutenant governor in 2000, she served two terms. During her years of elective service Bev championed public education. After retiring from the governorship, Bev founded a non-profit organization to accelerate digital learning and served as a Resident Fellow at Harvard University’s Institute of Politics and a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy.

Bev has two sons, Garrett and Emmett. In 1997, Bev married Bob Eaves. Bev describes her marriage to Bob as “the miracle of my life and part of God’s plan.” Bev and Bob have eight grandchildren from her sons and Bob’s son and daughter.

Recently Beverly Eaves Perdue reflected: “The milestones of my life have been contemplated at Christ Church—kneeling at the prayer rails while praying as I look at the historic stained-glass altar window of Jesus blessing the children.” In Bev’s words “Anything is possible with faith and humor and the willingness to lose as much as you win – dream big and push forward.”