Charles Eugene Seay -- Philanthropist

Charles Eugene Seay was born in Dallas, Texas on November 28, 1914 to Dr. Dero Seay and Pauline Bolanz Seay and died peacefully in his sleep on February 7, 2009 at the age of 94.

He grew up in Dallas and attended Highland Park schools. In his senior year in high school he attended Kemper Military Academy where he graduated in 1932. He enrolled in the University of Texas at Austin in 1932 and graduated in 1936 with a B.B.A. degree. While at UT he was a member of The Texas Cowboys, Friars, Beta Gamma Sigma and Phi Delta Theta which he served as president. In addition, he was active in intramural sports winning the intramural wrestling and handball championships.

In 1936 he entered the life insurance business in Dallas as an agent for Southland Life Insurance Co. He was successful in sales earning numerous memberships in the Million Dollar Roundtable.

In 1937 Charles married Sarah (Sadie) Meadows of San Angelo, Texas who was a classmate at UT and they began their family life together in Dallas.

In 1943 he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and served two years at Sheppard's Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas.

At the close of WWII they moved back to Dallas and he reentered the life insurance business as an agent working for Southland Life Insurance Co. and Southwestern Life Insurance Co. Later in his career in addition to selling life insurance he began to invest in life insurance stocks having become astute at reading financial statements. In the early 1960s he formed Seay Sharpe and Co., a successful brokerage firm in the Dallas area specializing in family owned life insurance companies. He became one of the country's experts in life insurance company investments.

As his business began to grow he became interested in giving to his community and his first major gifts were to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital specifically for dyslexic children and to the Park Cities YMCA for the Seay Natatorium. He later began giving to his alma mater, UT Austin, with major gifts to the business school for chairs and professorships, to the UT school of Psychology for a new building on campus and for professorships and numerous gifts to UT Southwestern Medical School. He contributed to the UT Alumni Center and helped establish The George E. Seay Presidential Scholarship in Law at the UT Law School in honor of his brother. One of his last gifts to UT Austin was the major gift by him and his wife to UT Southwestern Medical School for the Seay Molecular Building on the medical school's North Campus. In all, Charles and Sarah Seay gave over $31,000,000 to UT Southwestern Medical School. In all, Charles and Sarah Seay gave over $31,000,000 to UT Southwestern Medical School.

The Seays were supportive of the Seay Behavioral Center at Presbyterian Hospital of Plano, The Charles Seay Jr. Hand Center at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital, Timberlawn Psychiatric Research Foundation and Operation Kindness, an animal care shelter in Dallas. The Seays gifts to the arts included major gifts to The Dallas Symphony Orchestra, The Dallas Museum of Art and The Dallas Center for the Performing Arts. Mr. Seay was interested in mental and physical fitness and made major gifts to the Highland Park Independent School District for The Seay Tennis Center and to the Park Cities YMCA for a teaching pool for swimmers. He was a swimmer and an avid golfer for all of his life and was Runner-up for the Dallas Country Club Golf Championship two straight years. He also played tennis regularly with gusto. In the early 1990s The Park Cities YMCA created an award named The Charles E. Seay Outstanding Leadership Award that is given annually to a YMCA supporter. He has been given service awards by Children's Medical Center, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital, Timberlawn Psychiatric Research Foundation and by UT Southwestern Medical School. He was named A Distinguished Alumnus of Highland Park High School in 1990_ and A Distinguished Alumnus of UT Austin in 1994. Charles Seay was a member of The Dallas Country Club, Brook Hollow Golf Club, Coon Creek Hunting and Fishing Club, The Idlewild Club and The Crescent Club. Charles Seay was a man of great energy and personality.

He loved people and was blessed with leadership skills. He worked hard his entire life and used his various gifts to build a business and an estate and then gave his time, talent and treasure to make our community a better place for everyone. He has left a significant legacy for future generations to emulate.

 

THE LINEAGE:

(Charles Eugene Seay was the husband of Sarah "Sadie" Lee Meadows.  Sarah was the daughter of Claude William and Susan Martin Moore Meadows and granddaughter of Thomas Oscar and Sarah Adelie Thomas Moore.  Sarah was the third child of Stanley Thomas.  Stanley was the seventh child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)