Published September 22, 2025
Melissa Cole, Pensacola State College Foundation
Some love stories span a lifetime—and some extend far beyond it. For Dr. George Marchelos, honoring the memory of his wife of sixty years, Beverly Gillespie Marchelos, means ensuring that future generations of students have access to educational opportunities.
George established the Beverly Gillespie Marchelos Memorial Endowed Scholarship at Pensacola State College (PSC) as a tribute to Beverly’s legacy of love, service, and support for others.
In July, Dr. Marchelos toured the PSC Pensacola campus he attended as a student more than half a century ago. He was accompanied by his best friend of 67 years and fellow Pensacola Junior College (PJC) graduate, Peter Rosasco.
George, a noted historian, educator, and antique appraiser, holds fond memories of his time as an undergraduate at PJC.
“The College is large now compared to what it was when I attended in 1956,” George said. “It was the only institution of higher education in this area of Florida at the time, and the 9th Avenue Campus only had a few buildings because it was brand new. I was actually in the band here and performed under Dr. John Venettozzi in the ceremony that officially opened the campus.”
While at PJC, George met a number of well-known College figures, such as M.J. Menge and Margarette Berrisford. He also formed close bonds with his German and history professors, who encouraged his passions.
Today, George is well-versed in chemistry, history, archaeology, a few foreign languages, and geography. He continues to teach at universities such as Faulkner, Alabama Huntsville, and Oakwood.
George and Beverly’s life of adventure and global travel spanning 157 countries, all 7 continents, and all 50 U.S. states, began right here in Pensacola.
George and Beverly first crossed paths in 1959 on Santa Rosa Island during Pensacola’s Quadricentennial Celebration, where a replica of the first settlement of Pensacola from Tristan de Luna’s 1559 expedition was built in the historical Spanish Village. George was about to enter his senior year at the University of Florida when he came home to visit.
“I bought a ticket, got in line, and was going through a tour of the village where Beverly just so happened to be the young woman, still a student at PJC, leading the group,” George recounted.
As Beverly led the tour with a script provided by her supervisor, George noticed that some of her information was incorrect. He commented, “I don’t know where you got that story, but that’s not the real story.”
Beverly asked George, “Well, what is your story?” to which he began to recount the history of the settlement of Pensacola. Unbeknownst to George, Beverly’s manager overheard his interjection. George was hired on the spot, and the two worked at the Quadricentennial in the Spanish Village for the remainder of the summer.
As George shared the story with PSC Foundation staff, Peter revealed something that he had never disclosed before. “The day that they met,” Peter recalled, “Beverly went home to her mother, and you know what she said? ‘I’ve met the man I’m going to marry.’”
“We had an extremely good marriage, with no regrets. We were very compatible and very lucky because we were so young,” George stated.
True to their first encounter, the two had a shared interest in history that led them on many adventures together, made possible by the skills and knowledge they gained through higher education. After the two completed their programs at the University of Florida, Beverly spent the majority of her career in social work.
“Beverly was just a good person, and she tried to help people as much as she could,” George shared. “She was in psychiatric social work first and later on worked in drug rehabilitation. In both cases, she was passionate about it because she was helping people.”
Outside of her career in social work, Beverly turned her passions into opportunities to change lives.
“She used the garden she’d cultivated at our home to raise money for Operation Smile,” George explained. “Through garden parties and luncheons, she managed to raise enough money to provide surgeries for more than 150 children with cleft lips and facial deformities.”
In their free time, George and Beverly spent thousands of days traveling the world, planning every expedition themselves. From a 55-day trek to Constantinople to travel along the Amazon River, they embraced new languages and cultures with enthusiasm. Their adventures spanned frozen Michigan waterfalls and African safaris, always rooted in a shared love of exploration and community. Their favorite destination was Istanbul, Turkey—George for the history and food, and Beverly for the Turkish massage.
After a decade in Europe, they settled in Alabama, where Beverly led women’s travel groups abroad using her fluency in local languages and customs.
Beverly passed away in September of 2020. When thinking about how to honor his bride, George decided that he wanted to give students the same chance he and Bev had to pursue an education at Pensacola State College. “That opportunity opened doors for us,” George said. “I want to do the same for others.”
The memorial endowment will benefit students in Pensacola State College’s social work programs—a fitting tribute to Beverly’s meaningful career as a social worker and her lifelong commitment to uplifting others.
For George, establishing Beverly’s endowment ensures that her legacy of care continues. While they did not have children of their own, their impact on the lives of others will now ripple through generations of PSC students.
“Beverly had a good personality, sense of humor, and a number of stories that she would tell that were very interesting and made people laugh. She was curious about a lot of things in the world where we traveled and was an extremely good person who had a pure heart,” George detailed. “In sixty years of marriage, my only regret is that she did not live longer.”
“Every student who receives this scholarship will be a part of Beverly’s story—that is what she would have wanted.”
Contributions to this scholarship can be made online by selecting “Beverly Gillespie Marchelos Memorial Endowed Scholarship” from the drop-down menu at: http://foundation.pensacolastate.edu/opportunities-to-support-psc/scholarships/.
Gifts can also be made by check payable to “The Pensacola State College Foundation.” Checks can be mailed to or dropped off at: Pensacola State College Foundation, 1000 College Boulevard, Building 17, Pensacola, FL 32504.
Are you interested in establishing a scholarship to honor a special person or a cause in your life? Contact Mikenzie Francis-Opperman, Director of Foundation Scholarships at (850) 484-1788 or mfrancis-opperman@pensacolastate.edu for more information.