We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking "Accept", you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.

Learn More

Donors

Donors (1)

Filter

Image	Donor
	John Moorhead John and Betty Waggoner Moorhead enrolled at Tennessee Technological University (TTU) in the fall of 1955. John was influenced to attend TTU after playing football at a high school in Cartersville GA, on a team coached by a TTU alumnus, Frank North. John was already at TTU practicing football when he first met his future partner, Betty Waggoner. As was customary at the time, football players assisted incoming freshmen women to move their belongings into the dormitory. While John was busy helping, he met Dorothy Ruth Smith, a classmate of Betty's while she attended Hillsboro High in Nashville, Tennessee. Dorothy and Betty were about to become roommates at TTU. Dorothy suggested that John hang around to meet Betty Waggoner when she arrived. He did and that meeting led to a relationship that lasted for more than fifty-nine years. Along with Dorothy, Betty became a cheerleader in 1956/57. After completing two years at TTU in Pre-Med Technology Betty went to Mid-State Baptist Hospital in Nashville where she completed a year of training and earned certification from the American Society of Clinical Pathologists. John earned selection to the All-Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Football Team in 1956 and joined his roommate, Rudy Schmittou, on the All-OVC Team in 1958. John also was co-winner of TTU' s Most Valuable Player Award along with Jimmy Hagan (basketball) in 1959. John was inducted into the TTU Sports Hall of Fame in 2009. While participating on the track team, John was a member of the Mile Relay Team that set the new TTU record in 1956 and that won the OVC Mile Relay and set the new OVC and TTU records in 1959. Later, he was a member of the relay team that set a new record in that event in the 1959 Southern AAU Track Competition. His versatility was confirmed when he scored the highest number of points ever in an OVC Track Meet by any one participant. He also won the Long Jump event in the OVC Championship in 1958. Following graduation on June 5, 1959 John was commissioned in the U.S. Army. The following day, June 6, 1959 he and Betty were married and thereafter left for active duty which lasted for the next twenty-four years. As it turned out, John's football days were not over as he was recruited to play Army ball and helped lead his team to the 5th Army Championship at Fort Riley and to the 8th Army Championship in Korea. Betty worked sporadically but tackled the difficult task of raising two sons and served as a volunteer at several locations during their Army career. She earned an enviable reputation with the wives of the battalion that John commanded in Hawaii. Hawaii was Betty's favorite assignment. She loved the beach and was an avid amateur artist. Many of her paintings are displayed in the Moorhead home, as well as, in the homes of friends and relatives. Betty was an avid runner and ran in several 5K, and 10K events, a half marathon, and the Honolulu Marathon in 1980. As a side note, Betty won the Pajama Race before the first game at TTU in 1955, during her freshman year. Following retirement from the U.S. Army in 1983, John and Betty settled in Clarksville, TN, just outside Fort Campbell, KY, where John had served for six years. Both became active as real estate professionals, but John decided to take a different path. Betty continued in Real Estate and proved to be highly successful. She was very active with the Board of Realtors, serving on committees and volunteering with local charities and was once selected as Realtor Associate of the Year. John left Real Estate and became the Mortgage Loan Manager at Fort Campbell Federal Credit Union in January 1987, advanced to Executive Vice President in July, became Chief Executive Officer in June 1992, a position he held until he retired in June 2005. While leading the credit union, it earned the Distinguished Defense Credit Union Service Award an unprecedented five times and grew to become one of the largest Federal Credit Unions in Tennessee and Kentucky. Betty was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2008, a progressive disease that led to her death on July 16, 2014. John attributes his success in both the military and in the business world to the solid foundation he earned while attending and getting his degree from TTU. After taking up residence in Clarksville, TN, John and Betty often discussed the desire to give back to TTU in some way when and if they could. John is pleased that this endowment will fulfill that goal.

John Moorhead

John and Betty Waggoner Moorhead enrolled at Tennessee Technological University (TTU) in the fall of 1955. John was influenced to attend TTU after playing football at a high school in Cartersville GA, on a team coached by a TTU alumnus, Frank North. John was already at TTU practicing football when he first met his future partner, Betty Waggoner. As was customary at the time, football players assisted incoming freshmen women to move their belongings into the dormitory. While John was busy helping, he met Dorothy Ruth Smith, a classmate of Betty's while she attended Hillsboro High in Nashville, Tennessee. Dorothy and Betty were about to become roommates at TTU. Dorothy suggested that John hang around to meet Betty Waggoner when she arrived. He did and that meeting led to a relationship that lasted for more than fifty-nine years. Along with Dorothy, Betty became a cheerleader in 1956/57.

After completing two years at TTU in Pre-Med Technology Betty went to Mid-State Baptist Hospital in Nashville where she completed a year of training and earned certification from the American Society of Clinical Pathologists.

John earned selection to the All-Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Football Team in 1956 and joined his roommate, Rudy Schmittou, on the All-OVC Team in 1958. John also was co-winner of TTU' s Most Valuable Player Award along with Jimmy Hagan (basketball) in 1959. John was inducted into the TTU Sports Hall of Fame in 2009.

While participating on the track team, John was a member of the Mile Relay Team that set the new TTU record in 1956 and that won the OVC Mile Relay and set the new OVC and TTU records in 1959. Later, he was a member of the relay team that set a new record in that event in the 1959 Southern AAU Track Competition. His versatility was confirmed when he scored the highest number of points ever in an OVC Track Meet by any one participant. He also won the Long Jump event in the OVC Championship in 1958.

Following graduation on June 5, 1959 John was commissioned in the U.S. Army. The following day, June 6, 1959 he and Betty were married and thereafter left for active duty which lasted for the next twenty-four years. As it turned out, John's football days were not over as he was recruited to play Army ball and helped lead his team to the 5th Army Championship at Fort Riley and to the 8th Army Championship in Korea. Betty worked sporadically but tackled the difficult task of raising two sons and served as a volunteer at several locations during their Army career. She earned an enviable reputation with the wives of the battalion that John commanded in Hawaii. Hawaii was Betty's favorite assignment. She loved the beach and was an avid amateur artist. Many of her paintings are displayed in the Moorhead home, as well as, in the homes of friends and relatives. Betty was an avid runner and ran in several 5K, and 10K events, a half marathon, and the Honolulu Marathon in 1980. As a side note, Betty won the Pajama Race before the first game at TTU in 1955, during her freshman year.

Following retirement from the U.S. Army in 1983, John and Betty settled in Clarksville, TN, just outside Fort Campbell, KY, where John had served for six years. Both became active as real estate professionals, but John decided to take a different path. Betty continued in Real Estate and proved to be highly successful. She was very active with the Board of Realtors, serving on committees and volunteering with local charities and was once selected as Realtor Associate of the Year.

John left Real Estate and became the Mortgage Loan Manager at Fort Campbell Federal Credit Union in January 1987, advanced to Executive Vice President in July, became Chief Executive Officer in June 1992, a position he held until he retired in June 2005. While leading the credit union, it earned the Distinguished Defense Credit Union Service Award an unprecedented five times and grew to become one of the largest Federal Credit Unions in Tennessee and Kentucky.

Betty was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2008, a progressive disease that led to her death on July 16, 2014.

John attributes his success in both the military and in the business world to the solid foundation he earned while attending and getting his degree from TTU. After taking up residence in Clarksville, TN, John and Betty often discussed the desire to give back to TTU in some way when and if they could. John is pleased that this endowment will fulfill that goal.