OXFORD, Miss. – As a senior accounting clerk at the
University of Mississippi, Dolly Beasley helps creditors
get paid, but Beasley herself was handed some “cold cash”
recently.
Amid lights and television cameras on the Oxford campus,
the UM physical plant employee was presented a $369.40
check by Andy Wise, chief consumer investigator at WMC-TV,
Channel 5 in Memphis. Beasley had been eagerly awaiting
Wise’s visit for three weeks since she checked the
station’s Web page and learned the state of Tennessee
treasury department owed her some money.
“This is so exciting!” said Beasley, whose maiden name was
Kail when she resided in Maury City (Crockett County),
Tenn. “Not everyone who searches for cold cash gets money
back, so to me this is a wonderful surprise.”
Wise said Beasley’s fortune is a prime example of why it
pays viewers to browse the WMC-TV Web page.
“She (Beasley) watches Channel 5 regularly,” Wise said “On
a whim, she decided to check out our Cold Cash link. To her
pleasant surprise, she discovered Dolly Kail listed among
those due money collected by Tennessee’s state treasury.”
Though Beasley’s new check will be issued by the treasury
department, her original payment in that exact amount from
Colonial Life and Accident Insurance was received more than
seven years ago.
“I remember when I broke my knee cap and the insurance
company mailed me a check for $369.40,” Beasley said.
“Since I didn’t miss any work due to my injury and I didn’t
need the money, I thought the insurance company had made a
mistake and I sent the check back to them.”
Beasley’s co-workers couldn’t be happier over her good
fortune.
“Dolly is truly a giving person who joyfully does so much
for those around her,” said Cynthia Evans, chief cost
accountant and Beasley’s immediate supervisor. “It’s most
fitting that her generosity should be rewarded in such an
unexpected manner.”
Terron Jones, physical plant director, praised Beasley as
“a bubbly personality” and “a valuable person” in the
department. “I honestly can’t think of a person who
deserves something like this more than her,” Jones said.
When asked what she planned to do with the extra money,
Beasley said she intends to buy a birthday gift for her
husband, Jim Beasley, who works at the local Whirlpool
manufacturing plant.
“He’s had his eye on a new fish finder,’ said Beasley, who
has worked for UM since November 2007. “I told him I’d buy
him one with the money whenever I received it.”
When not working, Beasley enjoys baking desserts and
sharing them with her family and friends. The couple has
two grown children and two grandchildren in Fayetteville,
Ark., and Alamo, Tenn.
Wise said the “Cold Cash” segment featuring Beasley airs at
6 p.m. Monday (April 21) on WMC-TV. It can be viewed later
by visiting this link .