WISE - - The University of Virginia's College at Wise held a ceremony Friday to dedicate the Jim and Betty Humphreys Tennis Complex in memory of the Wise County couple and the lasting legacy they left at the College and the region.
 

The tennis complex, which opened in June 2000, was made possible by the generosity of the Humphreys and Thomas families. The facility, which was designed to serve UVa-Wise, high schools, and the local community, stays busy throughout the year.
 

At the ceremony, friends and family described Jim Humphreys, a lifelong athlete and successful business and community leader, as a compassionate, generous, and caring man with a friendly competitive nature. Betty Humphreys was touted as an exceptional UVa-Wise professor and role model who inspired her students to be leaders in both their careers and communities. Her lifelong work with the Future Business Leaders of America inspired generations of Southwest Virginia students.
 

"Mom was professional, she was an optimist, and she was a Christian," the couple's son, Jim N.L. Humphreys said.

He told the crowd that his parents' decision to move to Wise County to work at the College was one of the best choices they made. He also thanked those gathered for honoring his family with the tennis complex dedication.
 

"We thank you for this tribute to Jim and Betty and for their unparalleled legacies at this College and this community," Chancellor Donna P. Henry said to the Humphreys and Thomas families.
 

Henry told the family and friends of Jim and Betty Humphreys that she and her family notice as they walk across campus in the evenings that the tennis complex is always in use.
 

"Competitive athletics is an important part of the UVa-Wise experience," Henry said. "At UVa-Wise, as at all Virginia public colleges, athletics — everything from facilities, staff, travel for competitions, and supplies — is funded through private monies only. This spectacular facility is made possible through the benevolence of the Humphreys and Thomas families."
 

Generous donors are essential to small colleges such as UVa-Wise, especially as the College is in the final transition to NCAA conference affiliation, Henry explained.
 

"We are proud to note that UVa-Wise has not only the best athletic facilities in our new conference, but some of the best in the nation," Henry added.
 

Marcia Gilliam, chair of the UVa-Wise College Board, recalled the many times she played tennis with Betty Humphreys.
 

"Betty excelled in tennis, just as she did in everything she did in life," Gilliam said. "Her elegant and graceful manner on the court was apparent to anyone watching her game while beautifully dressed as if she were on center court at Wimbledon."
 

Gilliam said she never had the opportunity to play tennis with Jim Humphreys, but said she heard many stories of his talents and playing ability that matches his wife's.
 

The tennis complex gives students and the community the chance to improve their game at any level of play, she told those gathered.
 

"Jim and Betty Humphreys are allowing and challenging us to do what they so loved doing…playing competitive tennis with friends and foes in a beautiful setting and on wonderful courts," Gilliam said.
 

Natives of Lee County, Virginia, Jim and Betty Humphreys moved to Wise County in 1966 when Mr. Humphreys joined the faculty as head basketball coach of what was then Clinch Valley College. He served the College from 1966 to 1977 in several positions including associate professor of education, director of admissions and financial aid, and dean of students before leaving to work at the Humphreys Group.

Mrs. Humphreys joined the faculty in 1968 and was an associate professor of business at the time of her death in 2014. A renowned teacher, role model, and FBLA coordinator, she inspired her students to become community and business leaders. The couple, lifelong athletes and tennis enthusiasts, left a legacy of extraordinary support for UVa-Wise.