VCU School of Pharmacy receives $1.2 million gift

By Kimberly Selden
VCU Communications and Public Relations

The Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy has received a $1.2 million gift from the wife of a Richmond pharmacist who graduated from the school in 1927.

Beulah McCalley, wife of Archie McCalley, left $1.2 million to the School of Pharmacy on behalf of her husband, who died six years before her. The Archie Owens McCalley Endowed Chair was created with the gift.

According to the School of Pharmacy, McCalley left his estate to his wife, and when she died she wanted to fulfill her husband's wishes and leave a legacy at his alma mater.

"The School of Pharmacy is most grateful to the McCalleys for remembering the school in this way," said Victor A. Yanchick, Ph.D., dean of the School of Pharmacy.  "Their kind act of including the school in their estate plans will move the research and teaching missions of the school forward in ways that would make Mr. McCalley proud.

"I am certain that that the creation of the Archie Owens McCalley Chair will bring great honor and prestige to Virginia Commonwealth University and pride to the McCalley family and the memory of Beulah and Archie," he said.

After graduating from what was then known as the MCV School of Pharmacy, McCalley went on to work for his father who also was a pharmacist. McCalley purchased People's Drug Store in 1939 and ran it for 33 years before selling it to Mal Lafoon in 1972.

"Customers would say that Archie missed his calling. He should have been a preacher," Lafoon recalled. "He was a humble man and unlike many people, he would never toot his own horn."

Born and raised in Richmond, McCalley was an independent community pharmacist, just like his father. McCalley and his wife had no children.