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LONGTIME BLUEFIELD COLLEGE SUPPORTER AND CURRENT MEMBER OF THE BC BOARD OF TRUSTEES WISTAR TRENT, 67, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, PASSED AWAY WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13 AFTER A COURAGEOUS BATTLE WITH CANCER.
Chris Shoemaker
April 13, 2016
A Bluefield College alumnus, Trent attended BC from 1966 to 1968. While a student, he was vice president of the Student Government Association and a member of the Dorm Council and Baptist Student Union. He also was elected to Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and participated in intramural sports.
After earning an associate’s degree from Bluefield, Trent studied history at Virginia Tech before beginning a more than 40-year career in banking and commercial finance. He worked for Bank of America, the CIT Corporation and SunTrust Bank, managing credit risk, loan portfolios, new business product development, platform design and commercial relationship management for both large and small businesses. In addition to his direct banking experience, Trent owned a consulting firm that provided credit services to secondary lenders in the small business market before retiring in recent years.
Outside of his work, Trent was a former Assistant Scout Master for the Boy Scouts of America and a past Board member and treasurer of Tuckahoe Little League. He also was a volunteer for the Junior Achievement Program and a member of First Baptist Church of Lynchburg, Virginia.
An avid golfer, historian and reader, Trent was in his third year of service on the BC Board of Trustees, having served on the Facilities Committee and the Finance Committee, including being elected chair of the Finance Committee just before his bout with cancer. Beyond his service to the Board, Trent was a generous supporter of Bluefield College and its students, particularly in the area of student scholarships. In addition to gifts to the BC Fund for Scholarships, he was a major supporter of the recent renovation project for Harman Chapel.
“The college community is saddened by the passing of Wistar,” said BC president Dr. David Olive. “During his time of service on the Board, he shared keen financial insight and advice and was an influential member of the Finance Committee. He and his wife, Shannon, were good friends of the college and very generous in their support of the college’s mission.”
Dr. David Bailey, who served on faculty while Trent was a student at BC and who served alongside him as a member of the Board of Trustees, described him as an “outstanding student” and “thoughtful” trustee. Dr. Tom Brewster, chair of the BC Board, also spoke of Trent’s dedication to Bluefield College.
“Wistar was respected by all for his wisdom, knowledge and integrity that he brought to the Board of Trustees,” said Dr. Brewster. “His greatest gift was the compassion that he had for the mission of Bluefield College.”
In addition to his wife, Shannon, Trent is survived by two adult sons, David and Branch. Family and friends will pay tribute to the life and influence of Trent during a memorial service on Saturday, April 16 at 10 a.m. at Bliley’s Funeral Home, 3801 Augusta Avenue, Richmond, VA 23230 (www.blileyfuneralhomes.com).
From the News and Advance April 15, 2016
Trent, Wistar H.
posted 8 hours ago April 15th, 2016
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Wistar Harris Trent, age 67, passed away peacefully on the morning of April 13, 2016, in Richmond, Virginia.He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Shannon R. Trent; son, Branch (Abigail); son, David (Katy); and grandson, Everett. He is also survived by sister and brother-in-law, Shirley and Fred Thomas of Lynchburg; brother and sister-in-law, Claude and Eloise Trent of Charlottesville, and several nieces, and a nephew. He was preceded in death by his parents, Claude and Georgia Trent of Lynchburg.Wistar attended Bluefield College and received a B.A. in History from Virginia Tech in 1970. He was a lifelong historian and avid golfer. Wistar retired after more than 40 years of experience in the banking and commercial finance industry. He was formerly active with the Boy Scouts of America as an assistant scout master and with Tuckahoe Little League as a coach, manager, and board member. Wistar was a member of the board of trustees of Bluefield College. His sense of humor, integrity, creativity, steadfastness, and calm presence will be much missed by his family and all who knew him.Services will be held at Bliley Funeral Home, 3801 Augusta Avenue, Richmond, Virginia, Saturday, April 16, 2016, at 10 a.m. A graveside service will be held mid-afternoon on Saturday in the McDowell Presbyterian Church cemetery, McDowell, Va. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials may be made to the Bluefield College Scholarship Fund, 3000 College Avenue, Bluefield, VA 24605 or to a charity of your choice. Bliley Funeral Home, Richmond, Va., and Obaugh Funeral Home, McDowell, Va., are in charge of arrangements.
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Cynthia Creasy (Hauer)
Wistar was a great guy! I lost track of him post graduation, but have always remembered him with respect. Wistar was a kind, steady, smart and thoughtful guy. It was great to rediscover him in recent years on Facebook, and a pleasure to know him again. I was looking forward to seeing him at our reunion.