HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 10-20-20; 4-b - Resolution Honoring and Remembering Reverend Robert E. Seymour
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date:October 20, 2020
Action Agenda
Item No. 4-b
SUBJECT: Resolution Honoring and Remembering Reverend Robert E. Seymour
DEPARTMENT: BOCC
ATTACHMENT(S):
Resolution Honoring and Remembering
Reverend Robert E. Seymour
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Janice Tyler, Aging Director, 919-245-
4255
Greg Wilder, Clerk to the Orange County
Board of Commissioners, 919-245-
2300
PURPOSE: To adopt a resolution honoring and remembering the life and service of Reverend
Robert E. Seymour to the people of Orange County.
BACKGROUND: Reverend Robert “Bob” Seymour passed away on Sunday, October 11, 2020.
From his dedication to improving the lives of older adults and those less fortunate in the
community, to his leadership in advancing social justice and inclusion, to being a champion for
racial equity, Reverend Robert “Bob” Seymour was a strong advocate for Orange County and
North Carolina.
Robert Seymour was born in Greenwood, South Carolina. He completed his undergraduate
degree at Duke University, a Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School and a Ph.D. from the
University of Edinburgh in Scotland. In 1956, while serving as a minister in Mars Hill, NC, Bob met
his wife, Pearl. In 1959 the Seymours moved to Chapel Hill for Bob to serve as the first pastor of
the Olin T. Binkley Memorial Baptist Church, which under his guidance became a church
committed to social justice and inclusion. With Bob as a champion for social justice, Binkley was
one of the first interracial congregations in North Carolina that challenged racial segregation. Bob,
along with many parishioners including UNC Basketball Coach Dean Smith and former Chapel
Hill Mayor Howard Lee, was a driving force behind the civil rights movement in Orange County.
Reverend Seymour was compassionate and an advocate for those less fortunate in the
community. From that passion, Bob helped organize the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service in
1963 and served as its first president. He was also an advocate for affordable housing. In 1984
he was instrumental in helping start Orange County Habitat for Humanity. In honor of his service,
the first building in the Crescent Magnolia senior community was named the Beloved Community
in honor of him and his life’s work of pursuing justice and fairness in Orange County.
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After serving as pastor of Binkley Church for 30 years, and as Bob was entering his retirement
years, a new interest in aging services arose. In 1990 Reverend Seymour was appointed to the
Orange County Advisory Board on Aging, and Bob quickly became an advocate for aging
services. Reverend Seymour served on the Orange County Task Force for Senior Needs in
Southern Orange County, and became the guiding force in the inception, planning and design of
a new senior center. He was instrumental in securing a temporary location for a new Chapel Hill
Senior Center on Elliott Road in Chapel Hill.
With Bob doing much of the behind the scenes work, a County bond was proposed and passed
to build a state of the art senior center. In 2005 the Orange County Board of County
Commissioners voted to name the new senior facility on Homestead Road the “Robert and Pearl
Seymour Center” in honor of the Seymours for their dedication and commitment to serving the
older adults in Orange County. In 2007 the Seymour Center opened and has served a diverse
population for the past 13 years. Until the COVID pandemic, Bob visited the Center at least once
a week for exercise class and a weekly massage. He was very proud that the Center was a place
that everyone, regardless of socio-economic status or race, was welcomed.
Reverend Seymour will be remembered for loving people; for being compassionate and generous;
and for his boldness when needed. Bob was a prolific writer, which became even more of a
passion in his later years. He published several books including Aging Without Apology: Living
the Senior Years with Integrity and Faith and “Whites Only” A Pastor’s Retrospective on Signs of
the New South.
Reverend Robert “Bob” Seymour leaves behind a legacy of service; many friends; and is an
example of a life well-lived with meaning and purpose. He is survived by his children, Frances
and Rob, their spouses, and several grandchildren.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with this item.
SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: There is no Orange County Social Justice Goal impact associated
with this item.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: There is no Orange County Environmental Responsibility Goal
impact associated with this item.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board adopt and authorize the
Chair to sign the resolution honoring and remembering Reverend Robert E. Seymour.
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RES-2020-064
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
RESOLUTION HONORING AND REMEMBERING
REVEREND ROBERT E. SEYMOUR
WHEREAS, Reverend Robert “Bob” Seymour, a community leader, activist, pastor, advocate for aging
services, servant to those less fortunate and a resident leading the way for diversity, equity and
inclusion in our community, passed away on October 11, 2020 at the age of 95; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Seymour was known for his life of service to the people of Orange County; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Seymour was born in Greenwood, South Carolina, completed his
undergraduate degree at Duke University, a Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School and a Ph.D.
from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Seymour and his wife, Pearl, came to Chapel Hill in 1959 where he served as
the first pastor of the Olin T. Binkley Memorial Baptist Church, which under his guidance became a
church committed to social justice and inclusion, and with Bob as a champion for social justice, Binkley
Church was one of the first interracial congregations in NC that challenged racial segregation; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Seymour was compassionate and an advocate for those less fortunate in our
community, and from that passion helped organize the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service in 1963
and served as its first president; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Seymour was an advocate for affordable housing, serving an instrumental role
in helping start Orange County Habitat for Humanity, and in honor of his service, the first building in
the Crescent Magnolia senior community was named the Beloved Community in honor of him and his
life’s work of pursuing justice and fairness in Orange County; and
WHEREAS, as Reverend Seymour was entering his retirement with 30 years of service at Binkley, he
was appointed to the Orange County Advisory Board on Aging, and quickly became an advocate for
aging services, serving on the Orange County Task Force for Senior Needs in Southern Orange
County and becoming the guiding force in the inception, planning and design of a new senior center;
and
WHEREAS, in 2005 the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to name the new
senior facility on Homestead Road in Chapel Hill the “Robert and Pearl Seymour Center” in honor of
the Seymours for their dedication and commitment to serving the older adults in Orange County; and
WHEREAS, in his retirement years Bob continued to be a prolific writer, including publishing Aging
Without Apology: Living the Senior Years with Integrity and Faith and “Whites Only” A Pastor’s
Retrospective on Signs of the New South; and
WHEREAS, Bob’s love for people, his boldness, generosity, and compassion for others will be greatly
missed;
NOW, THEREFORE, we, the Orange County Board of Commissioners, on behalf of the residents of
Orange County, express our deep appreciation, gratitude and respect for the services rendered by
Reverend Robert E. Seymour to the County and beyond over the course of his lifetime and honor him
for his service.
This the 20th day of October, 2020.
_________________________________
Penny Rich, Chair
Orange County Board of Commissioners
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