Beebe, Carey, and Willcuts Hall – George Fox History

Beebe, Carey, and Willcuts form a housing area affectionately referred to as, “the Suites.”

Beebe

Beebe Residence Hall is named for Richard H. Beebe (1928-1989), who graduated from George Fox College in 1951. Beebe worked as superintendent for a school disctrict in Eugene, OR after serving for 20 years as its principal. He also helped found the Eugene Friends Church and served on the Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends for 16 years as its presiding clerk. Beebe served for 15 years as George Fox as chairman of the Student Life Committee of the Board of Trustees, and was named George Fox alumnus of the year in 1985.

Beebe Hall was the last of the three suite-style residence halls (including Carey and Willcuts) to be built, and was dedicated in 1991. Construction cost about $700,000.

Today, the three-story building houses 40 students in 10 two-room suites, and also includes post office boxes for students.

The dedication ceremony for Beebe Residence Hall

Carey

Carey Hall is named after Gervas Carey (1883-1965), who was the sixth president of the college, from 1947-1950. Carey was born in Indiana in 1883, and had degrees from Malone College, Friends University, and Princeton Theological Seminary. He was a Friends pastor and served at Newberg Friends Church from 1927-29 and 1938-42. From 1940-46, he taught biblical studies classes at Fox. Carey served as president during a difficult time in the history of the college: money was tight and the college had yet to secure accreditation. Nonetheless, Carey served the university with dedication and did his best to raise funds and recruit reputable faculty.

The residence hall was finished in 1980, and its construction cost about $320,000. It was the first of the three suite-style residence halls (including Beebe and Wilcuts) to be built in the Canyon. Today, the two-story building houses 32 students in 8 two-room suites.

Willcuts

Willcuts Residence Hall is named after Jack L. Willcuts, who graduated from GFC in 1944. Willcuts was superintendent of the Northwest Yearly Meeting from 1966-71 and 1979-86, and was a George Fox board member for 20 years. Willcuts was born in Kansas in 1922 and served as a minister at both West Chehalem Friends and Reedwood Friends. Jack served as a missionary in Bolivia from 1947-51 and from 1954-58, and was the 1970 Alumnus of the Year. In 1975, he was granted an honorary doctorate from Fox.

The residence hall was finished in 1991, as the second suite-style residence hall (including Beebe and Carey). Its construction cost about $550,000. Today, the three-story building houses 40 students in 10 two-room suites.