A Forever Legacy in Literacy

Pi Beta Phi Foundation is honored to announce the Barbara Beardmore Adams, Texas Alpha, Literacy Endowment established with a cash gift of nearly $1 million.

Barbara Beardmore Adams, Texas Alpha

After the death of the late Texas Alpha BARBARA BEARDMORE ADAMS’s husband Roy the process of administrating of their estate began. Roy and Barbara lived extraordinary lives. Roy’s work in the oil business took his family abroad, living in five countries, for a total of 23 years. Barbara had forged an interesting career as an early– generation computer programmer in the 1960s, working for Brown and Root, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and Exxon Production Research, but put that on hold to care for her family as they were abroad. All the while, their deep commitment to their community through volunteerism and philanthropy made an impact wherever they went.

Barbara began her studies at Randolph-Macon Woman’s College in Virginia, where she followed in the footsteps of her mother, Oklahoma Alpha BARBARA A. STUBBS BEARDMORE by pledging Pi Beta Phi. The same year Barbara was initiated, the college disbanded all fraternities. Barbara’s studies took her next to the University of Texas, where she affiliated with the Texas Alpha Chapter. After Barbara and Roy returned to their stateside home of Houston, Barbara resumed the volunteer work at Texas Children’s Hospital she had enjoyed before the couple’s travels. Barbara was a part of the Pi Phi team who helped establish the Pi Beta Phi Patient/Family Library at the hospital — a first of its kind. Barbara devoted more than 11,000 hours as a Texas Children’s Hospital volunteer, even serving as President and Financial Officer of the Volunteer Auxiliary. In 2012, she was named the hospital’s Volunteer of the Year. Barbara served on countless other volunteer boards and was a trustee on library boards in Houston and her home state of Oklahoma.

Barbara was a dedicated Pi Phi. She regularly paid dues and contributed to the Foundation since its founding in 1990. Her passion for literacy was likely in great part due to Pi Phi. Barbara’s life is undoubtedly a demonstration of Pi Beta Phi values.

With Pi Beta Phi Foundation named as beneficiaries of the Adams’ estate, their son took great care to learn more so that he could to ensure their gifts would align with his parents’ long-standing interests. The result of was the establishment a new endowment: The Barbara Beardmore Adams, Texas Alpha, Literacy Endowment. This fund will be managed in the same way as the Elizabeth Clarke Helmick Literacy Endowment and will support Pi Beta Phi’s Read > Lead > Achieve ® literacy initiatives. As an endowment fund, earnings from the Adams’ gift will be used to make grants to Pi Phi programs, ensuring Barbara’s commitment to literacy will forever endure.

Barbara had not notified the Foundation of her planned gift prior to her death, so we were not able to celebrate the incredible impact of her gift with her. If you have named Pi Beta Phi as a beneficiary of your estate, now — in the final days of the SHINE THROUGH campaign — is the time to share your plans with Pi Phi. This will enable us to say thank you and to ensure your gift is put to use as you intend.

It’s often said that a planned gift is a tangible example of your values. By naming the Foundation as a beneficiary of her estate Barbara’s passion for literacy will carry on forevermore.