ARTS
are alive at Trezevant
WE MAKE ART MORE
This year, we invested $3.4 million in the arts community, including grants to 90 organizations and artists. Since our inception, we have distributed over $100 million to support the operations, programs, and people that make art in and around Memphis.
Learn more about our grantees, programs, and opportunities to contribute to ARTSmemphis.
Board of Directors
Bruce
L.
Estella
G.
George
Trezevant Foundation Trustees
Scott
Kent
Paul McLain 20
Donors 24
The
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A Tribute to Trow
Whenever I listen to someone talking about Trezevant, I always hear that this is a great place because of its people. I want to use this space in Trezevant Living to underscore that theme by sharing about one of those incredible people: Trow Gillespie.
Paul Trowbridge Gillespie, Jr., passed away in early September. It’s safe to say that he was a model Memphis citizen. He loved and cared about Memphis, and it showed in everything he did — especially here at Trezevant.
Since 2004, Trow served on either the board of directors or trustees — well over 20 years of service. Notably, a lot of that time was spent as a trustee of the Trezevant Foundation. When I came to work here in 2015, the Foundation’s assets were less than $3 million. Today, we’re approaching $20 million, in large part because of Trow’s hard work and dedication to our community.
Trow’s mother and stepfather were Trezevant residents. He grew to love this place because of their
experience here. But his dedication to Trezevant and to the mission of the Foundation were more expansive, I believe. It grew from who he was and how much he loved this city.
I am far from the only person to sing Trow’s praises. Scott Crosby, who worked with Trow closely over the years and who currently serves as chair of the Foundation trustees, said Trow was “eminently dependable and capable. Trow always led by example, either by being the first to pledge his financial support, or by getting right into the muck of how to best govern a process or initiative. At Trezevant he left his mark. It is deep, and he will be sorely missed.”
Paula Jacobson, executive director of the Foundation, says Trow is a big reason she’s here at Trezevant today.
“I had just retired and wasn’t ready for a new project, but it was Trow’s infectious energy and love for Trezevant and its commitment to seniors that helped me change my mind,” she said. “I joined as a trustee and was soon asked to fill the position as executive director, with Trow right there as my leader and teacher.”
One of my own most powerful early recollections of Trow — and I heard variations on this more than once at his service — was that he made me feel like I was the most important person in his life. It was really amazing to me. There are just a handful of board members and trustees who have served long terms at Trezevant. Only rare individuals command the attention and respect that Trow inspired. All of us were graced to know him — and Trezevant is surely a better place because of his service.
— Kent Phillips, CEO
Kent Phillips
Scott Crosby and Trow Gillespie
ROSA JORDAN: Nurse and Artist
By Abigail Morici
In nursing school, Rosa Jordan found her calling and her passion. The hands-on experience brought out her people skills; her nursing career also unlocked her creative side. Just as she started to care for patients, the former dental assistant started writing poetry, taking acting classes, and, one day, painting. “All the creative juices started flowing,” Jordan says.
That has remained true throughout her nursing career, especially during her 22 years at Trezevant’s Allen Morgan Health and Wellness Center, where she works with rehab and long-term skilled nursing patients.
“You have to think,” Jordan says of her job. “You have to use both sides of the brain, not just one. You have to be very creative when working with different types
of residents. We talk to them, earn their confidence, and then they say, ‘I know her. She’s the funny nurse.’ Or, ‘She’s the nurse who’s going to take care of me.’”
It’s this kind of adaptability that overflows into her creative pursuits. At times, she’s learned from doing activities and spending time crafting with residents — that’s how she learned to weave baskets, which she later sold at the Cooper-Young Festival. Ever curious, she’s taken metalsmithing and beading classes, too.
But her painting is what caught the eye of gallerist Debra Edge, who owned the D’ Edge Gallery in downtown Memphis.
“When I started painting, I was just doing basic
Paintings: (above) “Family Times”; (right) “String Instrument”
Photographs by Jamie Harmon
stuff,” Jordan says. She wanted to see what she imagined “in living color and different movements and styles.” With some encouragement, she shifted her work into the abstract. “I wanted my people to look good, you know? I don’t want them to be too disfigured, and so I started painting my people tall, and then somebody said that it looked like a quilt.”
That comment stood out to her and brought back memories of watching her own grandmother stitching together piece work. “Things just come into place,” Jordans says. “I started in the basement in a little corner,” Jordan says, but before long, she became one of the featured artists along with the famed George Hunt. “I was with [D’Edge Gallery] for about 20 years.”
Since the gallery’s closure, Jordan hasn’t shown her work nearly as often as she used to — until this past May, when she had a show at Trezevant.
“I loved it,” she says, adding that seeing people delight in her art is always a joy, especially when conversations are spurred. “I love when you find someone who loves the same thing as you and they want to know, ‘How did you create this? What inspired you to do this this way?’”
But Jordan doesn’t make art for the praise, or for the shows. Art makes her a better nurse, she says. As she puts it, “You have something going for yourself. You have to be able to bring something to the table to make the patient come back to you. I nourish them, and I love it.” •
Rosa Jordan, a nurse at Trezevant, showed her art here this year.
MUSIC Manifesting
THE MEMPHIS
JAZZ WORKSHOP AND OTHER
MUSICIANS THRIVE THANKS TO THE TREZEVANT COMMUNITY.
by Alex Greene
Residents often find Trezevant to be an oasis for the arts. The calendar here teems with concerts, plays, films, visual art events, and more. But it’s not just about enjoyment of the arts: The Trezevant community often plays an active role in developing musical talent and the arts.
A prime example is resident Barbara Christensen. She is a harpist who once served as the director of the Memphis Harp Ensemble and still plays the instrument to this day. Her garden home on the Trezevant campus has become a hub for musical happenings — indeed, she’s hosted concerts there for 15 years. And that’s not uncommon in the Trezevant community, where so many residents’ lives in the arts continue to enrich those around them.
She loves to tell the story of Jerald Walker, whose life was forever changed by the good people at Trezevant. “He was a high school student who was composing full symphonies. He was on his third symphony when
he asked somebody here, ‘How do I get my music heard?’ And they said, ‘Well, gather together your own orchestra, and then we’ll hear it.’ He gathered together 20 people, and they came over to Trezevant and played one of his symphonies. This was in May of his senior year in high school, and he had just learned that the college that was giving him a full scholarship, which he needed, didn’t have funding to fulfill its commitment. A resident stepped up with a check that allowed him to attend college.”
(Today, Walker has graduated from the University of Memphis and is working on a graduate degree in conducting. He also performs around Memphis as a member of Ensemble X, a quartet whose mission is to present classical music written by Black composers, as well as contemporary music to reach a broader audience.)
Another case in point: the Memphis Jazz Workshop. A few meetings around a table at Trezevant played a
Photograph by Jamie Harmon
Stephen (Steve) Lee, the founder and artistic director of Memphis Jazz Workshop, credits the Trezevant community with the launch of the organization now in full swing.
Together, Steve Lee and Trezevant resident Barbara Christensen created a plan to bring world-class jazz music education to Memphis students.
Photographs (this page) Bob Bayne (opposite page) Jamie Harmon
“Trezevant celebrates the arts. One of the ways is through support of the Memphis Jazz Workshop.”
central role in the launch of this new, swinging, impactful organization. Indeed, as founder Steve Lee himself says, “It was born there.”
The nonprofit, founded by Lee (a local music educator) in 2017, has become one of the city’s great success stories, recruiting veteran local players to teach jazz performance and interpretation to teens. The results have been stunning, as proven every time a student of the Memphis Jazz Workshop (MJW) appears in concert. That might occur at the many concerts MJW presents, even at Trezevant, or in one of countless bands incorporating MJW students or alumni. One such band is the Central High School Jazz Band, this year’s winners of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Essentially Ellington competition, recognizing them as the best band of their kind in the world.
The MJW, in short, is happening.
Support from Trezevant’s art-savvy residents has helped advance other artistic initiatives. Christensen takes pride in the fact that “Trezevant celebrates the arts. One of the ways they’re doing it is through ongoing support of the Memphis Jazz Workshop, but there are many, many other ways. I have examples of musicians that have really benefited from being here, and most people don’t know about it. This was a platform for them to perform and for the residents to get to know them and to support them. One student right now, violinist Basil Alter, is finishing up his master’s degree at the Royal Academy of Music in London, and most of his education has been funded through supporters at Trezevant.”
It helps, of course, that Trezevant fosters a lively interest in the arts through in-house concerts, exhibits, and screenings, not to mention transportation to events throughout the city. And it was at one such event that Christensen encountered a new-to-her face on the scene with a passion for music education. “I got a phone call from Joyce Cobb one Thursday night. She invited me to meet a young musician.” Cobb introduced Barbara to Steve Lee.
“He said, ‘I know we can do more with music education.’”
“Then Joyce left, and I thought, ‘I don’t have anything in common with this jazz musician who just moved back from New York!’ So I said, ‘What are you doing here in Memphis?’ and he said, ‘I know we can do more with [music] education.’”
That piqued Christensen’s attention, and as they spoke, she realized that Lee was on a mission. “He said, ‘The jazz education I’ve seen going on in New York, it’s got to be here. And I just know we can do better.’” It was exactly what had been on Christensen’s mind. She proposed a meeting at Trezevant between Lee and other interested parties she knew, saying, “Let’s come around my kitchen table next week.”
both financially and personally. As Lee notes, “During that time, we also started doing performances at Trezevant. In recent years, these kids have been performing at Trezevant Manor at least four or five times a year.”.
Celebrating the arts creates a more vibrant and connected community, at Trezevant and beyond. The Memphis Jazz Workshop is just one example of what can happen when creative, visionary people bring their broad range of skills to bear.
Steve Lee remembers that moment vividly. “When I met Barbara, I told her I was working to start a nonprofit, teaching jazz to Memphis kids in the city. After that, we started meeting at her house, and she introduced me to others who had a passion for music education.”
That’s when a chance encounter with a major philanthropist at Trezevant lifted MJW to the next level. It was a decisive show of faith that was invaluable to the fledgling organization. Soon, residents began to support these young musicians
Barbara Christensen and Steve Lee both say that the other changed their lives. For Barbara, a huge benefit of living at Trezevant has been getting involved with the arts and specifically fostering the musical work of the Jazz Workshop. She says that the past 10 years have been the best and most meaningful of her life. Being able not only to appreciate the arts, but to open pathways to opportunity for young musicians, has been extraordinarily rewarding. The effects will be felt for years to come, as the young musicians go on to teach and inspire others.
The music’s wonderful. But it sounds even smoother when you’ve had a hand in bringing the melody together. •
Top left: Recently, the Jazz Workshop put on a show at Annesdale Mansion. Top right: Barbara Christensen with Basil Alter. Opposite page: Barbara Christensen and Steve Lee. Below: Christensen and Jerald Walker. Photographs (opposite page & above left) Bob Bayne
SPACIOUS ELEGANCE
HOW RON AND RUTH THOMPSON
FOUND THE PERFECT PLACE AT TREZEVANT TO CALL HOME.
by Jane Schneider
When you enter the elegant apartment home of Ron and Ruth Thompson, at Trezevant, the first thing you sense is serenity. The spacious rooms are bright and airy, each tabletop thoughtfully arranged, and with the use of earth tones for their upholstered pieces, the couple’s vibrant artwork commands center stage.
In the entry hall, wallpapered in a handsome beige-and-white botanic stripe, there’s a whimsical still life by Memphis painter Mary Sims that features a capuchin monkey and bouquet of bird of paradise stems resting on a Chinese red wicker chair. Around the corner is an eye-catching abstract painting entitled Those Were the Days, by the Memphis Twin
The entrance to the apartment beckons with a paintings by Mary Sims and by Terry and Jerry Lynn.
Photographs by Ross Group Creative
painters, Terry and Jerry Lynn.
These are but a few of the many treasures that make up the couple’s home. As we visit in the den, the conversation turns to their dog, Cody, an affable 11-year-old Goldendoodle who is “the smartest dog we’ve ever had,” says Ruth. “He’s just the best.” Cody wags his tail, taking the praise in stride. Just like his owners, Cody has made a significant life change, but he’s doing just fine, thank you, in part due to his tranquil surroundings.
The Thompsons’ apartment boasts a generous living and dining room lined with windows, a comfy den and a closet stocked with 5 o’clock refreshment. The kitchen is a manageable size and comes well-appointed. Each of two large bedrooms on either side of the unit have their own bathroom and walk-in shower. Of course, getting to this cozy place took planning and care.
This page: The bright, airy rooms are anchored by the powerful art collection.
Opposite page: The dining room offers beautiful light.
Time to downsize
Their journey to Trezevant began roughly a year ago, when the Thompsons acknowledged that the time had come to leave their beloved family home of 39 years. It was where they had enjoyed a happy marriage, raised their two children, pursued professional careers, and shared the company of several dogs. But as time passed, maintaining the house began to feel less doable.
“We had a 6,000-square-foot home, and the house and yard had gotten harder to keep up,” notes Ron.
They knew they needed to downsize, but the idea of moving closer to one of their children didn’t really make sense, as both live relatively nearby and return home frequently. Their son and his family live in Oxford, Mississippi, and their daughter and son-in-law reside in Little Rock.
“We’re both from Memphis; this is our home,” Ruth
says proudly. She graduated from Hutchison and then-Memphis State, while Ron completed Christian Brothers High School and Christian Brothers University (CBU).
So, the Thompsons decided to visit several nearby retirement communities and compare options. While all offered attractive amenities, the places they explored all left them wanting. As they checked out places further afield, they soon realized East Memphis was really where they wanted to stay. And Trezevant offered the right mix of ingredients for the couple: flexibility, convenience, a full continuum of care, and a lively community filled with social activities that beckon residents to join in the fun. There’s even assigned garage parking and valet service, for those days when simply walking out to the front entrance to retrieve the car makes the most sense.
“They also have car service for medical appointments,” notes Ruth, which helps make life easier. When family or friends come to visit, a guest
wing on campus is available for overnight stays. But there was also a secret ingredient they didn’t expect. “We couldn’t have done this move without Paige,” says Ruth. Sales and marketing associate Paige Patrick has been alongside the Thompsons every step of the way, addressing the little details that arise when you’re moving into a new home.
Meeting residents’ needs
The Thompsons knew they would need to leave behind some of their belongings when downsizing into a retirement community, but they didn’t want to give up the spacious feel of a house entirely. While the couple liked the two-bed, two-bath unit Paige showed them first, they really wanted a roomier layout more tailored to their needs. Not a problem.
“We encourage our residents to customize their units, so no two units are the same. We have a construction crew on-site,” says Patrick. That full-time crew includes plumbers, electricians and a
maintenance staff.
While the renovation took five months to complete, the final results were just what the couple had envisioned. By removing the wall to an adjoining one-bedroom unit, the footprint of their apartment was significantly enlarged — from 1,300 to 1,950 square feet. With the addition, they gained his-and-hers walk-in closets and a laundry room. “I like all the added storage,” Ron says, motioning to the closets. But even better is his office, where he displays such keepsakes as his pilot’s license, complete with a photograph of the twin-engine plane he flew to receive it.
For many years, Ron ran his own firm, Thompson Engineering, a company his father founded in 1948. When he joined his dad after graduating from CBU with an engineering degree, they did mechanical engineering for the automotive and manufacturing industries. Being able to fly his own plane meant reaching work sites much more easily and without the hassle of waiting on connecting flights at the airport.
Helping hands
collection of Asian antiques.
To visit the Thompsons today, it’s hard to believe they’ve only called Trezevant home since the summer of 2025. “She got tired of cooking my breakfast!”, jests Ron when asked what prompted the move. But Ruth, his wife of five decades, is quick to point out, “I don’t mind fixing breakfast. I just got tired of cooking him dinner every night!” One of the delights of their new home is Ruth’s freedom from the kitchen. “It’s a pleasure to come down for supper,” she says. “The food here is good, and they offer a nice variety of choices.”
Another benefit is the prompt response one receives from the maintenance staff. They recount the story of a fellow resident who discovered water on her kitchen floor from a problem with her disposal. She made a call at 9:00 a.m., and by 11:00 the same morning, the issue had been resolved with a new disposal. Now that’s service.
“We’re really happy here at Trezevant. We really are.”
To
view a video tour of the Thompsons’ Trezevant apartment, scan the QR code:
Like the photo, all the apartment’s decor was brought over from the couple’s family home. To help facilitate the move, Ruth hired interior decorator Missy Steffens of M. Steffens Interiors, who did much to lighten the load. Steffens first visited the couple at their family home to get a feel for their furnishings, asking pertinent questions to determine which pieces the couple wanted to move into their new residence, and which would stay behind. Taking careful measurements of chests and tables, sofas and chairs, Steffens visited the Trezevant apartment armed with dimensions and a vision.
“She would go to the apartment to figure out what would fit where,” says Ruth. “She’s really good at that!” With Ruth’s guidance, Steffens selected the tasteful wallpapers in the couple’s bathrooms and kitchen. She was even able to have a huge dining room cabinet resized; it now fits snuggly on a wall outside the kitchen, where it holds an interesting
One pleasant surprise has been rediscovering folks at Trezevant the couple knew from years past. Since Ruth sold Persian carpets alongside her father, Zavin Kish of Zavin Kish Oriental Rugs, she’s become reacquainted with several former clients.
It turns out that, like Ron’s dad, Ruth’s father also had an entrepreneurial spirit. Born in Armenia, Kish lost both parents at the age of 5 during the Armenian genocide of 1915. After living through a difficult childhood with a variety of family members, he eventually emigrated to the U.S. and moved to Memphis at age 19 for a job. He went on to create a good life for himself. After selling rugs for 30 years with Goldsmith’s, he opened his own carpet business. “Her dad was an inspiration for me,” says Ron.
Perhaps it’s that innate resilience that helped the Thompsons transition to the next chapter of their life. Best of all, the change is working. “We’re really happy here at Trezevant,” says Ruth. “We really are.” •
Top: Missy Steffens of M. Steffens Interiors visited the couple’s house, then helped determine what would move to Trezevant; the effect is grounded and familiar.
Above left: The apartment was renovated to better fit the couple’s style and specifications.
Right: Ruth used to sell Persian carpets alongside her father. The apartment includes beautiful examples.
A Time to
Sing Again
THE TREZEVANT CHOIR COMES INTO ITS OWN
by Alex Greene
Given her life’s journey, it’s hard to imagine a time when Trezevant resident Karen White was not singing. “I had degrees in voice and opera from the Eastman School of Music, my bachelor’s and master’s, and then got the Fulbright and went to Europe, sang, came back, and ended up at the University of Alabama, teaching voice and opera,” she recalls.
And there she stayed for decades, alongside her late husband Ed, who was director of opera at Alabama from 1975 to 2001. “I was teaching right up to Covid, and then we came here [to Trezevant]. My husband
passed away soon after, and then I just didn’t sing for about four years,” she says. For someone who has spent a lifetime honing her voice into a fine instrument, four years can seem like an eternity.
But the Trezevant community, being especially tuned into the arts, knew that the spark of her talent was still there, waiting to be revived.
“I had several people who approached me and said, ‘Would you please start a choir?’ And I said, ‘Well, that’s not my thing.’ I’m not a choir director, I don’t know anything about choral music except what I
sang in church.”
As White explains, compared to the vocal music she studied and taught, choral music is a different beast altogether. For a choir, she explains, “You need a conductor, somebody who has the stick in his hand and can bring in the different parts at different times, and who can hear the choral sound, which is usually four voices. You need someone who can hear that harmony. It’s a totally different training.”
Nonetheless, the love of singing hadn’t left her, and it was a love she shared with many fellow residents. When the opportunity arose to do some very informal singing, she couldn’t resist. “Three years ago, we had a Christmas singalong and the chaplain here hired a group to come in to lead us in singing — and they were not very successful. I said to her, ‘You know, we could do this in-house so easily, because we have some good voices, some good singers here. We started with just a Christmas carol concert, and had one rehearsal, got all the music out of the hymnal and sang, and they just loved it. Then we decided we would do a spring concert after that.”
White’s involvement in the choir project got Skoog’s attention. “She’s had a very wonderful, prestigious career as a university teacher of voice, and as an opera singer.” There was a personal dimension as well: “Her daughter, Katie White, was a great colleague of mine at Rhodes College. Karen talked to her daughter, and then reached out to me. And last spring, we finally made it happen.”
Dr. William Skoog and Karen White
Beyond White, there was other talent at Trezevant to tap into. “Betty Louis Sheppard plays piano. She’s a sweetheart, and did a great job — very accomplished,” says Skoog. “So she would be the pianist, I’d be the director, and Karen was the administrator. It was a little like Andy Hardy: ‘Hey gang, let’s put on a show! We’ll get some curtains and see how it goes!’”
“When they’re singing the expression on their faces is wonderful.”
It was at that time that she had to face a blunt reality. “That’s when I learned that I don’t know anything about arrangements,” she laughs. “It was difficult! I had a lot to learn. And that’s also when I found Bill.”
That would be Dr. William Skoog, the recently retired professor of music at Rhodes College who served as chair of the music department from 2009 to 2018, then continued as director of choral studies until last year. And Skoog, for his part, was eager to be involved, saying of Trezevant, “It’s a very, very vibrant and alive community. It’s wonderful.”
Among those in the Trezevant community, Karen
At first, Skoog says, over 30 residents signed up for the project. “By the third rehearsal, we had 20. And I promise you, I was behaving!” It was simply a matter of the singers finding their comfort zone, and reading music didn’t come naturally to everyone. “Every choir is different,” says Skoog. “You just want to meet them where they are and help them be the best they can be on any given day. And here’s what I will tell you: they were terrific.”
That was in the spring of last year, and all agreed it was a great success.
Now, the choir, with an expanded membership, is planning their second concert on Thursday, December 11th at 3 p.m. The music will include “some Hanukkah pieces, some Christmas pieces, some secular, some sacred — a good mixture,” says Skoog.
And for White, it also represents a good mixture of people. In her eyes, that’s what makes the choir so rewarding. “The audience here just loves it,” she says. “They love to see their friends singing. And the people in the choir are ecstatic. When they’re singing, the expression on their faces is wonderful.” •
Photographs by Jamie Harmon
Paul McLain: Tending to the Flock
ABy Jon W. Sparks
lthough he’s still new to the job, Rev. Paul McLain feels as familiar as a parishioner’s favorite hymn. As the lead chaplain and director of spiritual care services at Trezevant, he arrived having already visited, thanks to his friendship with Julie McKenna, his predecessor in the role.
McLain was formerly at Calvary Episcopal Church as the associate for pastoral care. He has found his experiences here already to be deeply rewarding.
“I have a lot of respect and admiration for Trezevant as a community of lifelong learners,” he says. “There is a lot of intellectual curiosity among the residents. These are people in their sixties, seventies, eighties who are still searching, still looking for things to do, ways to grow.”
McLain treasures his time holding services in St. Edward’s Chapel, with its striking sculptures designed by Brian Russell. The artwork was even the topic of the first sermon McLain preached at the chapel. His duties as chaplain are various — he not only holds services but encourages residents to attend their home houses of worship if they can. Thanks to a willing corps of volunteers, he can provide a rich array of spiritual services to residents of all faiths. In fact, it’s a truly ecumenical enterprise, from the Wednesday lay Catholic Eucharistic service (McLain likes to wear his Pope Leo socks on that day) to providing connections and resources to the Jewish community.
In the months he’s been serving at Trezevant, McLain and his wife Ruthie have been getting to know the residents and hearing their stories. There is much joy in remembrances, but also many questions of faith that arise. “One of the big questions I get asked by a lot of elderly folks is, ‘Why am I still here?’ We explore that inquiry deeply. Maybe they’re still here for their families, to be a wisdom bearer. They may not be able to do everything they once did, in church or in other activities, but they can pray and build relationships.”
One of his key teachings is how to be a cheerful receiver. “We always think God loves a cheerful giver,” he says, “but sometimes pride will keep you from accepting the gifts of others. Being on the receiving end is humbling, but it’s also beautiful that you’re giving a chance for someone else to give a gift and make that connection.”
Wearing the clerical collar, he says, opens the way for people to approach him, whether residents or staff. “I’m a minister to the entire community here. They may call me Father Paul, Brother Paul, Reverend Paul. I’m their pastor, and that means a lot.” •
Rev. Paul McLain is the new lead chaplain at Trezevant.
Photograph by Jamie Harmon
Memphis' LifeCare Community
Custom apartments and garden homes, vibrant neighbors, and Lifecare contracts that support every stage. All in the heart of Memphis, where tradition and peace of mind meet.
Together We Are Trezevant
We are grateful for the generosity of our many donors-residents, families, friends, and the larger community-who understand the needs of our seniors and support the programs that provide the highest level of care. Your annual gifts to the Trezevant Foundation help provide the highest quality of care and life for our seniors. In addition, we are grateful to the many donors whose generous gifts will ensure the renovation and enhancement of Allen Morgan Health and Rehabilitation Center. This important upgrade will ensure the best rehabilitation and nursing care for our residents and friends.
Please consider a gift to strengthen Trezevant’s commitment to outstanding care for our residents. You may also consider a deferred gifts as a meaningful way to leave a lasting legacy of kindness and support and ensure our stability and sustainability for years to come.
To learn more about ways to give, please contact Paula Jacobson, Executive Director Trezevant Foundation at 901.251.9242 or pjacobson@trezevantmanor.org.
These donor lists include all annual donations and commitments to the Together Trezevant Campaign received between April 15, 2024, and July 31, 2025.
LEGEND
(B) - Board of Directors (C) - Chapel Fund (CC) - Capital Campaign (E) - Employee (P) - Pet (S) - Scholarship Fund (T) - Trustee
HONORARIA
SYLVIA ADAMS
Emile Bizot
Sally Hergenrader
Anna McNeill
Jimmye Pidgeon
JOHN ALBRITTON
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
Rodgers Menzies (S)
SUE ATWOOD
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
GERRY AUSTIN
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
JOY AUSTIN-FILES
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
CIRETHA BARTON
Betty Jane Robinson
BECKY BAYLESS
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
SAM BEACH
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
JEANNETTE BIRGE
Dan & Nora Conaway
PATTY BLADON
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
Jimmye Pidgeon
PEGGY BODINE
Barbara Bacharach
Emile Bizot
Martha (T) & Jim Boyd
Gay Daughdrill Boyd
Gee Gee Chandler (CC)
Nora & Dan Conaway
Barbara Dale Crafton
Sally Hergenrader
Ann Knox
Missie McDonnell
Anna McNeill
Alice Anne & TV Miller
Marion Morgan
Jenny Richardson
Jet Thompson
Virginia Trenholm
Rinnie & Keith Wood
DORIS BOONE
Emile Bizot
Sally Hergenrader
Anna McNeill
Rodgers Menzies (S)
Madge Saba
MARTHA BOYD
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
Marion Morgan
LESLIE BREWINGTON (E)
Elinor Reed
BETTY BREWSTER
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
WORTH BROWN
Rodgers Menzies (S)
SUZY & GRATTON
BROWN
Maxine Patterson
CHRIS BURROW (E)
Elinor Reed
BILL BUTLER
Barbara Bacharach
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
Rodgers Menzies (S)
CHIPSY BUTLER
Barbara Bacharach
Emile Bizot
Sally Hergenrader
Anna McNeill
JANET CANALE
Anna McNeill
Rodgers Menzies (S)
KAY CAREY
Barbara Bacharach
Emile Bizot
Sally Hergenrader
Anna McNeill
BETTY CARTER
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
JOAN CHESNEY
Linda Douty
Anna McNeill
Rodgers Menzies (S)
RANNA CHRISTENSEN
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
MERRILL ANN COLE
Barbara Bacharach
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
NORA CONAWAY
Jeannette Birge
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
Marion Morgan
FOY COOLIDGE
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
NORMA COWELL
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
BILL CREASON
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
Rodgers Menzies (S)
JUDI CREASON
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
Rodgers Menzies (S)
MARY PAT CUSTER
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
DINING SERVICES
Barbara Bacharach
JOAN DRAPER
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
JUDY DRESCHER
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
MARILYN DUNAVANT
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
Marion Morgan
SUE FERGUSON
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
ANTONY FIELD (E)
Sherry & Alan Samuels
PRESH GILL
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
BILLIE GOODLOE
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
FRIERSON GRAVES
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
Jimmye Pidgeon
JENNY GRAY (E)
Elinor Reed
SUZANNE GRONEMEYER
Barbara Bacharach
Emile Bizot
Sara Holmes
Anna McNeill
HENRY HARVEY
Rodgers Menzies (S)
JOE HAWES
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
SARA HECKLE
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
Marion Morgan
MAGGIE
HOLLABAUGH
Barbara Bacharach
Emile Bizot
Sally Hergenrader
Anna McNeill
Rodgers Menzies (S)
Madge Saba
JOHN HOLMES
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
SARA HOLMES
Emile Bizot
Sally Hergenrader
Missie McDonnell
Anna McNeill
Rodgers Menzies (S)
JULIA HOWELL
Rodgers Menzies (S)
BUZZY HUSSEY
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
Rodgers Menzies (S)
EVA MAE HUSSEY
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
Jimmye Pidgeon
HELEN JABBOUR
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
CARL JACKSON (E)
Elinor Reed
HELEN JASEPH
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
JOYCE JOHNSON
Emile Bizot
Barbara Dale Crafton
Anna McNeill
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Alice Anne & TV Miller
LUCY CARRINGTON
JONES
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
NORA KALTAKDJIAN
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
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Sunny Ross
CAMILLE
LEATHERMAN
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
Jimmye Pidgeon
ALICE LESLIE
Barbara Bacharah
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
CATHERINE LEWIS
Emile Bizot
Janet & Dee Canale
Anna McNeill
Rodgers Menzies (S)
DAVID LINDSTROM
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
JIM LINDSTROM
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
PAM LOWERY
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PERRE MAGNESS
Emile Bizot
Sally Hergenrader
Anna McNeill
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ELAINE MALLOY
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
JOHN MANSFIELD
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
Rodgers Menzies (S)
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Marilyn Dunavant (C)
Missie McDonnell
Anna McNeill (C)
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Ann Powell (C)
Virginia Trenholm
June Wood (C)
REV. PAUL MCLAIN (E)
Kent & Laurie Monypeny (C)
ANNA MCNEILL
Barbara Bacharach
Emile Bizot
Joyce & Ted Johnson
Missie McDonnell
Jimmye Pidgeon
Karen White
June Wood
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Camille & Bobby Leatherman
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Elinor Reed
Sherry & Alan Samuels
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Barbara Bacharach
Emile Bizot
Nora & Dan Conaway
Anna McNeill
Madge Saba
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Elinor Reed
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Anna McNeill
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Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
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Barbara Bacharach
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Anna McNeill
Jimmye Pidgeon
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Emile Bizot
Sally Hergenrader
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Jimmye Pidgeon
Faye Southern
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Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
AL NIMOCKS
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
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Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
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SUZY OSBORN
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
Jimmy Pidgeon
TERRI PALMORE
Anna McNeill (CC)
CARROLL ANN PERA
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
JIMMYE PIDGEON
Barbara Bacharach
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
Sally Podesta
SALLY PODESTA
Barbara Bacharach
Emile Bizot
Sally Hergenrader
Anna McNeill
DALE POPE
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
MARION QUINLEN
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
ELINOR REED
Missie McDonnell
JACK RICHBOURG
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
BETSY RUCKS
Emile Bizot
Sally Hergenrader
Anna McNeill
MADGE SABA
Barbara Bacharach
Emile Bizot
Sally Hergenrader
Sara Holmes
Anna McNeill
Marion Morgan
CLAIRE SAINO
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
SHERRY SAMUELS
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
Jimmye Pidgeon
ELAINE SCHUPPE
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
KATIE SCROGGINS (E)
Elinor Reed
DINA SMITH
SHANNON
Barbara Bacharach
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
Jimmye Pidgeon
WAYNE SHANNON
Barbara Bacharach
Anna McNeill
SARA SHELTON
Barbara Bacharach
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
Sally Podesta
BETTY LOUIS
SHEPPARD (S)
Suzanne Gronemeyer
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Elinor Reed
MELVIN GLOVER (E)
Elinor Reed
KATY STANFIELD (E)
Elinor Reed
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Barbara Bacharach
Emile Bizot
Sally Hergenrader
Anna McNeill
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DOROTHY STEVENSON
Emile Bizot
Sally Hergenrader
Sara Holmes
Anna McNeill
LAURENCE STREULI
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
Rodgers Menzies (S)
PEG STRINGER
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
Jimmye Pidgeon
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Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
Jimmye Pidgeon
MARGARET TAYLOR
Emile Bizot
Sally Hergenrader
Sara Holmes
Anna McNeill
Jimmye Pidgeon
JET THOMPSON
Barbara Bacharach
Emile Bizot
Nora & Dan Conaway
Sally Hergenrader
Missie McDonnell
Anna McNeill
Sherry & Alan Samuels
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Karen White
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Barbara Bacharach
Emile Bizot
Sally Hergenrader
Anna McNeill
Rodgers Menzies (S)
RANDY TURNER (B)
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
Alice Anne & TV Miller
Jimmye Pidgeon
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Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
DORSEY WADE
Emile Bizot
Sally Hergenrader
Anna McNeill
KIERSTEN WATKINS
Barbara Bacharach
Emile Bizot
Sally Hergenrader
Anna McNeill
KAREN WHITE
Emile Bizot
Sally Hergenrader
Anna McNeill
SUSAN WHITEHEAD
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
LINDA WIBLE
Suzanne Gronemeyer (S)
BARBARA WILLIAMS
Betty Robinson
MILTON WINTER
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
Madge Saba
MARY WOLF
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
JUNE WOOD
Emile Bizot
Anna McNeill
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Elinor Reed
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HELEN BRANDON
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Jimmye Pidgeon
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June Wood
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Kitty Cannon
Ann Knox
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Elinor Reed
JUNE POOLE COOPER
Barbara Bacharach
Missie McDonnell
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Laurence Streuli
June Wood
RAY CURLE
Sylvia Adams & Randy Turner (B)
Barbara Bacharach
Martha (T) & Jim Boyd
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Kitty Cannon
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Fredda London
Jimmye Pidgeon
Ann Powell
Scott Robinson
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Margaret Taylor
June Wood
MAURICE ELLIOTT
Randy Turner (B)
MOLLY FRANCES
REED (P)
Ann Knox
Cathy & Jack Richbourg
June Wood
SAM GILMORE
Martha (T) & Jim Boyd
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Jimmye Pidgeon
EMILY HAIZLIP
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Martha (T) & Jim Boyd
Foy Coolidge
Jimmye Pidgeon
Ann Powell
Peg Salmon
IDA HOLMES
Sylvia Adams & Randy Turner (B)
Barbara Bacharach
Kitty Cannon
Ann Hunt
Camille & Bobby Leatherman
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Anna McNeill
Ann Powell
Peg Salmon
Dorsey Wade (C)
Karen White
June Wood
RUSTY LOTH
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Marilyn Dunavant (S)
Ann Hunt
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Anna McNeill (CC)
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Jimmye Pidgeon
Sally Podesta
Ann Powell
Jenny Richardson
Karen White
June Wood
MIKE MARTIN
John Albritton
Estella
Mayhue-Greer (B) (CC)
Anna McNeill
Jimmye Pidgeon
VESTIE MINTER
Walker Hays
Missie McDonnell
WALTER MISCHKE
Nora & Dan Conaway
Marilyn Dunavant (C)
Brooke Ferris
Missie McDonnell
Cathy & Jack Richbourg
SAM MORGAN
Elaine Malloy
ANN NICHOLS
Anna McNeill (CC)
Jimmye Pidgeon
Ann Powell
June Wood
SANDY “HELEN”
RIGGS
Janet & Dee Canale
Sara Holmes
Ann Knox
Jimmye Pidgeon
Ann Powell
Ginny & John Webb
JOHN ROBERTSON
Sara Holmes (S)
Perre Magness
Missie McDonnell
Anna McNeill
Al Nimocks
Jimmye Pidgeon
June Wood
WARREN ROBINSON
Betty Jane Robinson (S)
ROBERT
STRANDBURG
Martha (T) & Jim Boyd
Ann Knox
Madge Saba
JET THOMPSON
Martha (T) & Jim Boyd
Phillip Crawford
Trish & Will Hayley
Sara Holmes
Helen Jabbour
Camille & Bobby Leatherman
Anna McNeill
Alice Anne & TV Miller
Al Nimocks
Ann Powell
Elinor Reed
Celia Ridley
Betsy Rucks
Madge Saba
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Debbie & Steve Schadt
Faye Southern
Margaret Taylor
Family of Jet Thompson (C)
Dorsey Wade (S)
Alexis West
Karen White (CC)
Milton Winter
June Wood
GRACE UPSHAW
Barbara Bacharach
Lexie & Allen Jones
Gwen & Penn (B) Owen
Elizabeth Pichea
Jimmye Pidgeon
Sally Podesta
June Wood
CAROL WHITE
Missie McDonnell
Jimmye Pidgeon
KAKI WHITLEY
Ann Powell
June Wood
JANE WILLIAMS
Ann Powell
Rosemary & Sandy Williams
June Wood
ANNUAL GIVING
Blackbaud Giving Fund
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Deupree Foundation
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ART FUND
Joan Chesney
CHAPEL FUND
Anna McNeill
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Marion Morgan
Elinor Reed
Peg Salmon
Dina Smith Shannon
Wayne Shannon
Margaret Taylor
Randy Turner (B)
Dorsey Wade
STRANDBURG STRENGTH INITIATIVE
Martha (T) & Jim Boyd
WELLNESS INITIATIVE
Jeanne & Frank Jemison, Jr. FRIEND
($250 - $499)
Chipsy & Bill Butler
Diane Davis
Brooke Ferris
Liz Johnson (E)
John Mansfield
Betty & James McCaa
Alice Anne & TV Miller
Susanna Moldoveanu
Kent Monypeny
Marion Morgan
Maxine Patterson
May Dell Stiner
Gail Williamson
Donna Woolridge
INNOVATOR
($500 - $749)
June Baber
Sam Beach
Doris Boone
Jean Borkert
Alice & Matt Crow
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Kate & Robert Gooch
Julia & Bill Grumbles
Lillian Hammond
Susan Herron & Ben Bledsoe
Carl Hicks
Julie Hoyman (E)
Libby King (E)
Lawson Maury
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Scott Robinson
Diane Sachs
Sherry & Alan Samuels
Melody & Bruce Taylor
Jill & Simon
Wadsworth
Milton Winter
ACHIEVER ($750-$999)
Julie McKenna (E)
Sally Podesta
Nancy Robinson BUILDER
($1,000-$2,499)
John Albritton
Boyle Insurance Agency
Gee Gee Chandler
Jim Cole
Deborah Coleman
Nora & Dan Conaway
Barbara Dale Crafton
Meg & Scott (T) Crosby
Susanne Darnell
Kay Due
Marilyn Dunavant
Henry Harvey
Sally Hergenrader
Janie & Bruce (B)
Hopkins
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Margaret & Grayson
Smith
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LEADER
($2,500-$4,999)
Barbara Bacharach
Becky Bayless
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CIRCLE OF HONOR
($5,000-$9,999)
Johnnie & Rex Amonette
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CIRCLE OF EXCELLENCE
($10,000 AND UP)
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Estate of Steven Thomas
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June Wood CAPITAL
CAMPAIGN
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Richbourg
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Robinson
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Smith
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Wortham
Strut Your Stuff The Back Porch | by Dan Conaway
She was perky that morning.
She knew something was up, a bit anxious over her breakfast, ears up as she looked back and forth between the two of us.
“When are we going?” She seemed to ask without voicing it. “Who else is coming?” Trezevant was having a dog show.
“Is Bessie coming? Manny?” She was wondering silently. “I know Cody’s coming. And Gracie. Honey and Sadie are bound to be there.”
Not a little wiggle and a biscuit, mind you, but an official registration, with names and numbers assigned, and a proper introduction to the spectators.
Everybody already knew her, but she did seem a bit nervous. I mean everybody was there. Everybody. Not all at once, all around the garden, willy-nilly, but an organized parade of the contestants, one at a time, through the Manor lobby, down the concourse, through the gallery hall by Allen Morgan, and on to the Terrace.
She didn’t bark, she didn’t snap or growl. She didn’t look down her nose at any of the others nor they at her. Everyone was on their best behavior. They marched, heads and tails held high, through the gauntlet of residents, families and friends, hearing their names called, the applause, the cheers. They passed by the judges. Observant. Taking notes.
Perhaps not the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, but hey, they don’t have Mempops at Westminster, and we did. Five flavors. They don’t have the breeds we have at Westminster. There are more breeds of dogs in my one dog than Westminster had in the first six rounds.
There is no Best Therapy Dog at Westminster. Murphy took that title home at Trezevant.
They don’t have rescue dogs at Westminster, but two watched our show from the sidelines. And both were adopted before the day was over.
She looked terrific. Her black, white and gray coat had just the right sheen, moving with her as she walked.
Bundles of white hair stood out over her ears like mantles of ermine. Her nose was more pewter than black, held not high in the air, but straightforward in greeting.
Of course, she won Best In Show. Oh, by the way, she had a dog with her.
Nora and Grits took it all. And it was a team effort, right down to the uniform.
Nora had come up behind me a couple of days before and asked that I turn around and take a look.
I spit coffee. She had her outfit for the dog show on, and she was the perfect complement for Grits as her escort. Same colors. Her hair in two white dog-ears, her nose painted with eye shadow.
“People say I look like Grits,” she said. “We’re going for it.”
Most men wouldn’t be proud to say that their wife won Best In Show in a dog show.
They haven’t seen this pair of beauties. •
Nora Conaway and Grits
Photograph by Bob Bayne
