From a Legacy of Love Came a Legacy of Giving

Marvin “Buster” and Jeanie Orr have a love story many might envy. They met and fell in love while attending East Mississippi Junior College in September of 1955. After a car accident left Buster on crutches, Jeanie felt sorry for him and would carry his food tray in the school cafeteria. This simple act of kindness sparked a legacy of love that now spans nearly two-thirds of a century.

Today, the Orrs have two adult children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, and in June, they will celebrate their 66th anniversary.

 “The Lord has certainly blessed Jeanie and me with a long time together and good health,” Buster says. “God is pleased when couples live a life that is a honeymoon. If you have a ‘honeymoon story,’ you’ve lived a good married life.”

The couple’s strong faith has inspired a legacy of giving, too. Buster’s long and successful career as a business executive combined with Jeanie’s love of life and people have resulted in a generous history of philanthropy.

Since 1970, the Orrs have faithfully supported the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) and many other ministries and nonprofit organizations. 

“I started giving $20 a month,” Jeanie remembers. “All those years, we were connected with them. But every year, we would increase our giving. We got involved in every part of Pat Robertson’s ministry.”

Their love and support for Regent University began in the late 1970s, shortly after Dr. M.G. “Pat” Robertson founded the school formerly called CBN University.

“We were already connected with CBN when they built Regent University,” Buster recalls. “When we attended some of the events in Virginia Beach, we listened to some of the kids that gave their testimony about how they came to Regent and what the university meant to them. We decided that we would set up a trust, a scholarship for kids that needed help or assistance to attend Regent University.”

The couple began blessing students by establishing and funding The Marvin “Buster” and Jeanie Orr Endowed Scholarship in 2006. They also helped the University’s “Shaw Chapel” become a reality in 2013, donating the beautiful stained-glass window behind the pulpit in memory of their late son-in-law. 

“We really enjoy receiving letters from different students, telling us how that scholarship has helped them,” Buster says. “When you help organizations like Regent, many times you don’t even know who you’re helping, but God does. It’s such a joy and an honor to know we helped some students have a better life because they could get a good education.”

Jeanie adds, “It’s God’s money, and we’re spending it for Him to spread the gospel and give education to kids who can’t afford it.”

“The fund has grown so much since then,” Buster continues. “There were times we put more in than other times. But when we had a good year, we would give more. This past year, I think Regent gave seven or eight students assistance from that scholarship.”

The Orrs aren’t seeking recognition or accolades for supporting Regent University. Buster and Jeanie say they’re simply good stewards of what the Lord has given them.

“Jesus has the honor, not us,” Jeanie insists. “He’s just using us to distribute it where it’s supposed to go.”

“He’s been busy just putting blessings in our hands,” Buster adds immediately. “We couldn’t do the things we do unless He blessed us to do those things.”

Among the many different Christian colleges and universities worthy of support, their reasons for choosing Regent are crystal clear. The Orrs believe the Lord blesses us so that we may bless others. They’ve decided to support organizations focused on education, spreading the Word of God, and helping people accept Jesus Christ as their Master and Savior.

“They teach these young people a foundation that will give them a happy and successful life,” Buster states. “I know God is a blessing. There’s no other reason He would bless like that if He weren’t pleased.”

“The more I watched, the more I learned that it was a God-centered, Christ-teaching, truth organization,” Jeanie explains. “That’s exactly what we were looking for and what God wanted us to give to and support.”