Oseola McCarty was born on March 7, 1908 in Wayne County, Mississippi.  She moved to Hattiesburg, MS as a child.  She had to quit school in the sixth grade to care for her ailing aunt.  McCarty never married and never had children.  She supported herself by working as a washerwoman, the same trade of her grandmother.  She worked as a washerwoman until her arthritis forced her to quit in 1994, at the age of 86.

It was announced in July 1995 that she had established a trust through which at her death, a portion of her life's savings would be left to the university to provide scholarships for deserving students in need of financial assistance.  The amount was estimated at $150,000.  According to an entry in Wikipedia, “With the assistance of a local attorney, for whom she had done laundry, and [her] bank's trust officer, using slips of paper and dimes, to represent 10% shares, McCarty set out the future distribution of her estate.  She set aside one dime (10%) for her church, one dime (10%) each for three relatives, and the remaining dimes (60%) for Southern Miss.  She wanted others to have the opportunity for the education she never received.

McCarty received scores of awards and other honors recognizing her selfless spirit including a Presidential Citizens Medal presented to her by President Bill Clinton during a special White House Ceremony.

McCarty died from liver cancer in 1999 at the age of 91.  She will be fondly remembered for her selflessness which will continue to enable others to be blessed with a college education.

Her generosity points to the selflessness of the Greatest Benefactor: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).

Because of God’s love and our desperate need for salvation from sin, Jesus left the glories and splendor of heaven to come to this earth to live as a man and then to go to the cross to die for the sins of this world.  Read Philippians 2:5-11, a passage that beautifully describes what He gave up in order to save us.  He became “poor” so that we could be “rich” – rich with all of the spiritual blessings that are found in Him, blessings such as forgiveness from sin, peace that surpasses all understanding, and the hope of eternal life in a beautiful place called Heaven.

God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).

Jesus became “poor” and suffered and died so that YOU could become “rich” with spiritual, eternal blessings.  He’s the Great Benefactor and you can be the recipient of His blessings if you will only accept them on His terms.

-- David A. Sargent

* Information gleaned from “Oseola McCarty” entry on www.wikipedia.com

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

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