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Scholarship honoring health care professional marks 25 years, over $25,000 in awards to nursing students

The Judy Moore Memorial Scholarship, established to honor a health care professional devoted to nursing in southwestern North Carolina, is marking 25 years and over $25,000 in awards to students from Macon County pursuing a nursing education.

The scholarship was established in November 1997 by Moore’s fellow nurses, patients and community leaders. Moore’s life demonstrated her twin priorities of pursuing an education and caring for people.

Cathy Poteet, Moore’s daughter and a nurse at Emory Healthcare in Atlanta, said her mother was compassionate, selfless and hardworking.

“We couldn’t just run to the store quickly,” said Poteet, because her mother’s former patients would often stop her to tell her how much they appreciated her care.

With her degree from Crawford Long Hospital School of Nursing, Moore was the adult health program coordinator at the Macon County Public Health Center. She oversaw tuberculosis control, the Macon County Breast Cancer/Cervical Cancer Control Program, and provided adult health screening physicals at the health department and at the community action program for disabled adults.

Moore also served as a weekend supervisor at Britthaven of Franklin (now Macon Valley) long-term care facility and, in 1996, earned a degree as an obstetrics-gynecology nurse practitioner from Emory University. She died unexpectedly that year at the age of 57.

“When the accident occurred and took Judy from us, it was such a sudden and unexpected loss,” said scholarship administrator and former colleague Ann Hyder. “The staff of the Public Health Center rallied to do something to keep her memory alive.”  

The Judy Moore Memorial Scholarship Endowment was established to provide scholarships to students studying nursing, with a preference for students who are residents of or employees in Macon County. Applicants are judged on scholastic and leadership ability and demonstrated financial need.

“I am proud to have served nursing students over the years in memory of Judy through this scholarship,” said Kimi Walker, Scholarship Committee Chair and former recipient. “Receiving this award helped me so much with the financial burden of attending classes, driving to clinical and purchasing all the required books. Everything is quite expensive and even now I can remember the blessing it was to have this scholarship.”

To make a donation or apply to the Judy Moore Memorial Scholarship Endowment, visit nccommunityfoundation.org/JudyMoore.

Media contact

Hannah Hogewood, Marketing & Communications Manager

hhogewood@nccommunityfoundation.org, 919-256-6901