UMO Mourns the Passing of Dr. E. Lee Glover, Alumnus, Educator, and Philanthropist
April 7, 2025
Contact: Rhonda Jessup, Director of Public Relations
The University of Mount Olive (UMO) community is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Dr. Edward Lee Glover on April 5, 2025. Dr. Glover was an esteemed alumnus, long-time benefactor, and treasured friend of the University.
A 1959 graduate of then-Mount Olive Junior College, Dr. Glover grew up in Dover, NC. At Mount Olive, he began a transformative educational journey that would lead him to earn his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees and launch a 33-year career as a college biology professor. Dr. Glover often credited his alma mater and his beloved science professor, Mrs. Lorelle F. Martin, for inspiring his path in higher education.
“Mount Olive College started my educational journey and truly altered my life for the better,” he once said.
Dr. Glover’s enduring love and loyalty to the University manifested in his extraordinary philanthropic support over several decades. He was instrumental in the construction and dedication of the E. Lee Glover Center for Religious Studies, a sacred space on campus offering a haven of peace and a place of communion for students, faculty and staff, and the community. Dedicated in March 2018, the center is a symbol of Dr. Glover’s generosity and belief in UMO’s mission.
In 1993, Dr. Glover established the Martin Lecture series to honor his former mentor, Mrs. Lorelle Martin. The lecture has since become a prestigious annual event celebrating scientific inquiry and academic excellence, furthering the legacy of the teacher who once inspired him.
Dr. Glover also made a profound impact through the arts. Beginning in 1971, he began donating works from his personal collection of Jacques Hnizdovsky prints, enabling the University to house the largest Hnizdovsky collection in the world. Through his continued generosity, he elevated UMO’s cultural and artistic presence, with many of his gifted furnishings and decorative arts still showcased in Moye Library.
Dr. Glover remained closely connected to campus life by reading University news and staying in touch with former classmates and friends. His selfless devotion was demonstrated through his establishment of multiple endowments, trusts, gifts of art, and participation in every major capital development campaign.
UMO President Dr. H. Edward Croom shared, “Dr. Glover’s legacy is one of boundless generosity, quiet strength, and deep-rooted commitment to education. His vision and unwavering support have helped shape our campus and touched countless lives. With deep gratitude and respect, we remember and honor the remarkable legacy of Dr. E. Lee Glover—a scholar, a mentor, a patron, and a beloved son of Mount Olive. His spirit will forever live on in the spaces, programs, and people he so faithfully invested in.”
Dr. Glover’s ashes will be interred at Saint James Episcopal Church in Bedford, PA.
