Dr. Oglesby is a proud Blue Bear

Dr. Erby Rudolph Oglesby, a native of Granite Quarry, North Carolina, was Valedictorian of his high school graduating class in 1949 and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Livingstone College in 1953, where he was an honor student.  In 1957, he earned his D.D.S. from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, and received a Fellowship from Fitzsimmons General Hospital in Denver, Colorado in 1964 to study Restorative Dentistry.  He also received a M.S. degree in Removable Prosthodontics from the University of Missouri at Kansas City, Missouri in 1971.

Brother Oglesby has had an extensive career in dentistry and the military.  He served in the United States Army as a dentist for twenty years and retired as a Colonel.  He served overseas in France, Germany, and Vietnam.  He was the only African-American Commander of a Dental Company in the U.S. Army from 1974-1977 at Ft. Devens, Massachusetts.  He was an adjunct Clinical Professor at the dental school at Tuft University.  After his military career, he practiced Family Dentistry in Asheville, North Carolina for twenty-four years.

He has always been active in the communities in which he lived.  In Asheville, he served as Vice Chairperson of the Asheville City School Board, Chairman of the Board of Social Services in Buncombe County, served on the Board of Directors of the Asheville Symphony, Daniel Boone Boy Scout Council, the YMCA Board, and the First Union National Bank Western Regional Board.

In Kernersville, he is a volunteer with the Shepherd’s Center and serves on the Institutional Review Board of Winston-Salem State University.

Brother Oglesby served as the Sunday School Superintendent, Sunday School teacher, member of the gospel choir and Chairman of the Trustee Board at the Hopkins Chapel AME Zion Church in Asheville, North Carolina.

He is an active member of the United Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where he serves on the Finance committee, Laymen’s League, Assistant Sunday School Teacher and Bible Study.

Brother Oglesby is a life member of the NAACP, the American Dental Association, and the North Carolina Dental Society.  He is a member of the International Optimist Club, Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, the Livingstone College Science Associates (1992), a recipient of the 60 year member pen of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., and he was inducted into the Livingstone College Leaders Hall of Fame (2010).

He is the recipient of many military and civic honors: The Legion of Merit, The Army Commendation Medal, The Bronze Star, The National Defense Medal, The Republic of Vietnam Campaign, The Vietnam Service Medal, The Vietnam Unit Citation, The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Man of the Year (1980), The Business Associate of the Year of the Greater Asheville Chapter (1985), and The Chamber of Echoes Man of the Year (1988).

He and his wife, Treva, celebrated 53 years of marriage in April, 2013.  They have five adult children and four precious grandchildren.

He enjoys reading, traveling, listening to smooth jazz, and spending time with his grandchildren.