Justice establishes scholarship trust at UPIKE

Roger Justice was at his grandson's graduation at East Ridge High School when, in his words, "A little bird started going around in my head."

"I noticed that some students were receiving scholarships from charitable trusts," Justice notes.

Intrigued, Justice contacted the University of Pikeville. After talking to UPIKE officials, Justice decided to establish a trust to benefit graduates of East Ridge High School attending the university.

Helping the younger generation of Eastern Kentucky had been on Justice's mind for some time. "As you get older, you decide you want to go home," he says.

Although Justice has lived in Lexington for decades, home used to be in Pike County. He headed for Chicago soon after graduating from high school and also lived in Memphis before returning home. After three years of service in the Army, he once again returned to Eastern Kentucky, obtaining a job at UPS.

By the time Justice retired in 1990, he had been in the thoroughbred horse business for six years. "I just love horses. It's a good business," he says.

Still, Justice is contemplating getting out of the horse business and moving back to Pike County to be closer to his 3-year-old great-grandson. It's that pull to go home that led him to establish the scholarship trust at UPIKE.

"I feel good about that," Justice says. "I just want to help the young people of Eastern Kentucky, as much as I can, to get their education. I want to help Pikeville grow and the kids from Pikeville grow."