Walter Hugh Pattillo, Jr.

Dr. Walter Hugh Pattillo, Jr., Professor Emeritus, Professor of Biology, Dean and Scholar was the son of the late Walter H. and Ruth Catherine Pattillo, was born on January 1, 1930 in Bayboro, (Pamlico County), North Carolina. He transitioned peacefully into eternal rest on May 6, 2018.

Dr. Pattillo was named in honor of his great- grandfather Rev. Walter A. Pattillo, a Granville County minister and his  grandfather a school Principal Walter A. Pattillo, Jr. and his father a school Principal Walter H. Pattillo, Sr. and was affectionately referred to by family and friends as "Hugh" and "W. H.".

His childhood years were spent in the local schools of Bayboro, N.C. with his sister Leatrice and later entered Palmer Memorial Institute where he was quite active scholar and an athlete and star basketball player who perfected his famous "two hand set shot" and graduated valedictorian in 1948 from Palmer the nations first African American prep school founded by the famed Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown in Sedalia, North Carolina.

In 1952, he earned a B. S. degree in chemistry and biology (magna cum laude) from Hampton Institute (now University) and entered Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa and received in 1954 a M. S. degree in zoology and in 1956 a Ph.D. degree in zoology (parasitology). On June 14, 1956 he was commissioned a First Lt. in the U. S. Army, Medical Services Corp and served as Chief, Parasitology Section, 10th Medical Laboratory, Landstuhl Army Medical Center, Germany (USAREUR) from 1956 to 1958 where he was honorably discharged. 

Walter began his professional career serving in a variety of capacities in the higher education profession. His first teaching assignment was an an Assistant Professor of Biology and Research Associate in the George Washington Carver Foundation at Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama from (1958 to 1961). In 1965, he  pursued post-doctoral study at Vanderbilt University  in histochemistry. 

In 1961, Dr. Pattillo joined the N. C. C. U. family as a Professor of Biology, Acting Chairman then only the second Chairman of the Biology Department (1964 to 1976 and again from 1986 to 1993) and then served in various administrative capacities inclusive of his appointment as Assistant Undergraduate Dean (1976 to 1978)  then Dean of the Undergraduate School of Arts and Sciences (1978 to 1986). He also served as chairman, NCCU Faculty Senate (1990-1992) where he worked to ensure faculty participation in University governance matters. He retired from N.C. Central University in 1993 and was later named Professor Emeritus by North Carolina Central University for his years of dedicated service.

Dr. Pattillo was an active researcher in biology and was the author of numerous scholarly articles published  in refereed journals. His most enduring impact in the biomedical field as a science and research administrator for numerous grants totaling over 5 million dollars that helped to provide updated facilities, refined and sophisticated equipment, release time for faculty and researchers, supplies, stipends for students, travel for students and faculty to national meetings. He also served as Program Director (1972 to 1992) for the Minority Biomedical Research Support  projects sponsored by the National Institutes of Health that strengthened NCCU's course offerings in biomedical subjects with grants that supported projects in chemistry, biology and physics and to increase the number of minority students entering biomedical research and health related fields. Between 1972 to 1979, a total of 51 students worked as research assistants or associates in the MBRS and of those , 41 students entered graduate study, medical school, dental school or other health careers. He later served as Program Director for the Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) from (1990 to 1993.)

He was passionate about his work. He was devoted to his family and loyal to his friends.

He held professional memberships in the Beta Kappa Chi Scientific Honorary Society, Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges, Society of the Sigma Xi (Elected to full membership following receipt of M. S. degree and publication of M.S. research results, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society (Iowa State University), President of the N.C. Academy of Sciences, Inc. (1973 to 1974) and Chairman, Board of Directors, Sixteen Institutions Health Sciences Consortium (1984 to 1985).

He was also a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

He was preceded in death by his parents and daughter Cheryl Anne Pattillo Mosley.

He is survived by his devoted and loving wife, Constance "Connie" Thomas Pattillo whom he met while attending college; son Walter C. Pattillo and son-in-law Louis Mosley and three grandchildren (Chelsea and Troy Mosley (Buffy)and Kyra Bynum Pattillo all of Atlanta, Georgia and a host of relatives, neighbors, students and devoted friends; and a host of other close relatives and friends.

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