2008–2009 Annual Report of Donors
The Jean and Alexander Heard Library thanks and recognizes the many supporters who gave generously to the library during the past fiscal year (July 1, 2008–June 30, 2009). To learn more about supporting the library, to let us know about any omissions or errors on this donor list, or to request removal of your name from this and all future mailing lists, please contact Beth Boord at (615) 343-4717 or beth.boord@vanderbilt.edu.
Working poet Luther bequeaths papers to Heard Library
By Cindy Thomsen
Award-winning poet Susan Militzer Luther, PhD’86, laughs at the stereotypical view of poets sitting in meadows all day, gathering flowers.
Luther is very much a working poet. Her work has appeared in many anthologies and journals, and she has published two books, Breathing in the Dark and Greatest Hits: 1975-2000. She has also taught in university settings and served on the editorial board of POEM magazine.
To support the Jean and Alexander Heard library, Luther has made a bequest to the library as well as leaving it her personal papers and books. The collection includes her own books, books inscribed to her by their authors and journals, many of which are no longer in print.
“Giving is important,” she says. “It’s important to preserve the history that we have and to preserve it in a place that will be accessible to those who might want to study what our literature was all about.”
Vanderbilt’s reputation is extremely important to Luther and she considers its library as one of the South’s finest. She knows that her books and papers will be well cared for there.
“Creativity can so easily be lost if it’s not housed where it will be respected and treated well,” Luther adds.
“As we draft and sign the agreement for a gift of personal papers, it is among the most careful acts we execute, because we know that it is a permanent bond going forward through the generations,” Dean of Libraries Connie V. Dowell says. “We also know it is one of the greatest honors bestowed on any library by its donor.”
Chancellor’s Council
(Gifts of $10,000 or more)
Byrd S. Helguera, MLS’66, and J. Leon Helguera*
David, Fred and Steve Mann*
Dean’s List
(Gifts of $5,000-$9,999)
John Cunningham, BS’79, and
Daphne Cunningham
Gay Greer BSN’74, and
John Greer, BA’72, MD’76, FE’82
Mary Caroline and Tod Hunt
Mary Weems McCallum, BA’68,
Robert and Virginia McCallum Family Foundation
Robert Thomson, BA’48*
W. Ridley Wills II, BA’56, and Irene Jackson Wills*
Martha and Ed Young*
Member’s Level
(Gifts of $1,000-$4,999)
Lee Adler, BA’85
Julie Blagojevich, MA’07, and Robert Blagojevich
Beth Boord and Henry Ambrose
Ray Buckberry, JD’64
Margaret Callihan, BA’77, EMBA’04 and
Matt Callihan, BA’77
Neal Carter, MA’55*
Ann Jennalie Cook, PhD’72, and
Gerald George Calhoun
Marty Conrad, BSN’78, and James Conrad
Connie Vinita Dowell, MLS’79, and Stephen Miller
Anna Durham, BA’49, and
Walter Durham, BA’48, MA’56
Janet and Gottlieb Friesinger
Elaine Goleski, MA’80, and Howard A. Smith
Patricia Hart, BA’57, and Rodes Hart, BA’54,
Patricia and Rodes Hart Foundation
Barbara Haugen, BA’72, and Gary Haugen
Clyde Hayner*
Marilyn and Kem Hinton*
Bill Hook, MA’85, PhD’92, and Theresa Hook
Sarah G. Little, BA’40, and
Joseph A. Little, BA’40, MD’43, HO’43
Samuel C. Loventhal, BA’36, and Clare Loventhal
Lynn May, BA’60, MEd’82, and Jack May,
Joseph and Lynn May Foundation
Rachel McCord, BA’89, and Mark McCord, BA’89
Jo Ann Rayfield, MA’64, PhD’69
Brook Smith*
Ann Talcott, BA’67
Betty Teoman, BA’68, and Cornell Teoman
Laura Trickett Riley, BA’74, and
Steve Riley, BA’74, JD’78
Cecelia Tichi
Robert Thompson, BA’80
Alice van Buren*
Flo Wilson and William Longwell
Patricia Ward*
Matt Wilson, BS’96, MEd’00
Caroline Hunt Zaw-Mon, BS’01, Next Generation Fund of the Roy A. Hunt Foundation
Donating late wife’s Southern literature collection was easy decision
By Cindy Thomsen
Readers of Southern literature know that it is a very special genre, and no one was a bigger fan of it than the late Frances Newman Thomson. During her life, she collected more than 400 books by Southern authors. A portion of her collection has been donated to the Jean and Alexander Heard Library by her husband, Robert Polk Thomson, BA’48, a history professor at Peabody for 23 years.
“About 100 of the volumes are first editions, and 29 or 30 of them are inscribed,” Thomson says of the books going to Special Collections. The collection will be known as the Frances Newman Thomson Southern Writers Collection.
Walker Percy, Anne Tyler, Reynolds Price and Gail Godwin were among Mrs. Thomson’s favorites. As they were building the collection, the couple would get to bookstores early enough to find first editions.
Giving his wife’s books to the Heard Library was an easy decision for Thomson, who earned his Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin in 1956.
“The library was a very important part of my life,” he says. “I spent about half of my life in that building, starting from the time I was an undergraduate student in 1945. It pleases me to be able to give the Special Collections something that will strengthen it.”
“Delightfully understated and remarkably well-read, Professor Thomson has been such a pleasure to get to know,” Dean of Libraries Connie V. Dowell says. “He has taken such joy in sharing his wife’s love of these authors with others that he makes us feel as if we are giving him a gift. His generosity is very much appreciated.”
Contributors
(Gifts of $500-$999)
John Alden, BA’65
Bob Atkinson, BA’66
Maggie Brooke, BSN’80, and William Brooke
Felix Caldwell, BA’76
Tom Gregor*
Anna Letcher, A’06
Richard C. McCarty
John McMinn, MAT’71, MLS’73
Pat McMullan, BA’74
Brigette Porter, BA’61, MA’64, and
Dick Porter, BA’54, MA’58
Ann Pratt, BA’52, MA’54, and
William Pratt, MA’51, PhD’51
Casey Reed, BA’73
Gene Shanks, BA’69, and Susan Shanks
Lisa and Henry Shipman
Tennessee Intercollegiate Legislature Foundation
Joe Trahern, BA’58, MA’59
Emily Townes, BA’50, and
Alex Townes, BA’50, MD’53, HO’56
Ashley Wiltshire, JD’72, and Susan Wiltshire*
(Gifts of $100-$499)
Jeffrey Adams, BS’84
Rosa Yujung An, BA’07
Ivan Arguelles, MLS’68
Mary Atkinson, BA’71
Ann Babington, BA’70
Robert Bahnsen, MA’57
Clay Bailey, MA’91, PhD’99
Sarah Baker, BS’97
Robert Bayuzick, PhD’69
Gary Beasley, BA’90, JD’93
Andrea Beldecos, BA’81
Jane and Ronald Beneke
Ed Benson, BA’67, and Jamie Benson
Barbara Bowen
Joe Brenner, JD’72
Betty Brown, BA’66, MLS’67
Lyn Brown, BA’60
Kim Bryant, BS’91
Steve Caldwell, MDiv’71, and Lindy Caldwell,
Hardluck Acres
Linda Carter
Giacomo Chiozza
Lisa Christenson, BA’89
Paul Conkin, MA’53, PhD’57, and Dorothy Conkin
Nena Couch, BA’72, MMus’75, MLS’83
Paula Covington, MLS’71, MA’94, and
Bob Covington, JD’61
Marillyn Craig, MLS’68
Eileen Crawford, MTS’94
Anne and John Czura
Anne Zuberer, MEd’87, and
Kevin Davis, MA’88, PhD’89, JD’93
Ruth Dietrich, BA’45
Mimi Dennis
Michelle and Marshall Eakin
Kimberlee Maphis Early, MDiv’81, and
Robert Early, BA’71, MDiv’76
Bramblett Elam, BA’72
Kristi Erickson, BS’07
Marilyn Fels, BA’50, and Rendig Fels
Aldrich Finegan
Toby Lee Fitzgerald, BA’65, and
Oscar Fitzgerald, BA’65
Tory Fitzgibbon, MBA’00, and
Will Fitzgibbon, BA’90
Robert Foster, BE’71
Sandy Gerow, BA’65
Brenda Griffin, BA’65, and
James Griffin, BE’64, MS’66
Frank Grisham, BDiv’52, MLS’58
Paul Hardacre
Frances Hardie, MLS’68, PhD’80
Judy and Mickey Harris
Liz Hauer, BSN’55, MLS’66, and
Chris Hauer, BDiv’55, PhD’59
Chris Heard
Mary Sara Hoffschwelle, PhD’93
Elizabeth Holsten
Tim Hoover, JD’97
Rahn Huber
Martha Ingram
Amy Jarvis
Amanda Jenkins, A’90, and
Lewis Jenkins, BS’88, JD’95
Karen Kaiser, BA’89
Sally Kanaday, BA’65
Edward Kelly, BA’67, JD’70
Patty Kendall, BA’79, MEd’82
Grace and F. W. Kleinschmidt
Rhonda Laird, MEd’93
Mary Charles Lasater, BS’74, MLS’75
Phyllis and Melvyn Leffler
Stan Lindgren, BS’85
Kelly Akers Linton, BA’81
Mrs. Charles T. Love
John McCarthy
Vernon McGaw
Alex McLeod, HO’64, FE’68, EMBA’88, and
Dotsie McLeod
Babs Mersereau, BA’79, and
Skip Mersereau, BA’79
Mid West Spring & Chassis Service Ltd.
Arthur Mills, MA’73
Emily Moon, BME’69
Brownie Moore, BA’63
Scott Moore, BA’74
Lincoln Mui, BA’68
Matthew Newman, BA’56
William Parker, BA’72
Libby and David Patterson
Chad Payne, BA’93
Jon Post, BA’85
John Rich, BA’51, and Norma Ann Rich
Mac Riddick, MA’65
Ruth Robbins, BA’57, MA’67
Susan Rock, BA’69
Ann Rowe, D’58
Emma Roy, BA’50, and Rob Roy, BA’49, MD’52
Ava Sellers, MA’45
Karen Schulz, BA’90
Boone Schwartzel, BA’72, and Rose Schwartzel
Liz Shayne
Sandra Lee Shea, PhD’80
Sandra Simpson, BA’90
Ben Smith, BA’01
Daniel Smith, BA’53
Kathy Smith
Jo Ann Staples, MA’73, PhD’75, and
Phil Staples, MA’74, PhD’75
Paul Stevenson, BA’84
Jane Sullivan, BS’76, MLS’77
Lee Swank, A’68
Louise Taylor, MA’61*
Tennessee Theological Library Association
James Tuck, BA’40, LLB’47
Lydia Turnipseed, BA’91
Gene Vaughan, BA’55, and Susan Vaughan
Celia Walker, MA’85
Phil Walker, BA’77
David Ward, BA’68
Sarah Davis Warner, BS’98, and
Andrew Warner, BS’98
Dudley Brown White, BA’53, and John White
Mary White, BA’70, and Jim White
Tina Whitman, BA’82
Liz Winton, BA’47, and Calhoun Winton, MA’50
Beulah Woodfin, BA’58
Jean Wright, BA’49, MLS’51
Robert Wright
Allen Beard Young, BA’85
Ruth Zibart, MA’42
Zaw-Mon liked finding her own place in the library
By Cindy Thomsen
When she was an undergraduate studying history at Vanderbilt, Caroline Hunt Zaw-Mon, BS’01, spent a lot of time at the library. It made quite an impression on her.
“I loved that there are all these places that are just tucked away,” Zaw-Mon says. “You can find your own place.”
When she graduated, Zaw-Mon’s family created the Hunt Family Book Fund to support the purchase of history books for the library. The Roy A. Hunt Foundation, named for her great-uncle, also contributes.
“I think it’s nice to find a specific area of need to support,” Zaw-Mon says. “It’s a great way to be involved, and you can really see the change and results coming from your gift.”
Since leaving Vanderbilt, Zaw-Mon has earned two master’s degrees and has spent a lot of time in other libraries. “One of the greatest aspects of any university is the library, and I think that Vanderbilt’s is a wonderful resource for students and researchers,” she said.
The Hunt Family Book Fund enabled the Heard Library to purchase a treasure trove of 499 titles in the six years since the fund began.
“The Hunt Family Book Fund has been a huge help ensuring we maintain a strong collection in American military history, with emphasis on the Civil War, World War II and the Cold War,” says Peter Brush, history and Asian studies librarian. “Our patrons have a strong interest in these areas. I am especially grateful for Caroline Hunt Zaw-Mon’s generosity and support, given the pressure on library acquisition budgets due to the economic situation.”
(Gifts under $100)
Diane and Frank Agostino
Peggy Allen, BA’46, and
Ward Allen, BA’47, MA’49, PhD’63
Carol and David Anderson
Diane Banks, MA’99, PhD’04
Mary Barker, MA’65
Gloria Barr*
Erin Bazar, BA’08
Bruce Beeber, BA’72
Becky Bembry, BA’87
Chris Benda, MA’03
Nell Benton, MLS’81
Catherine Bowling, BA’60
Virginia Boyd, MLS’66
Yvonne Boyer, MLS’88, and Leonard Folgarait
Lee Bridges
Juliet Bridgesmith, MEd’01
Elbert Brooks
Daniel Brown, BA’80, and Myra Brown
Malcolm Brown*
Billy Bryant, MA’48, PhD’54, and
Mary Nelle Bryant
Melanie and James Byers
Dr. and Mrs. Ernest Campbell, PhD’56
Lisa and John Campbell
Leah Cannon
David Carlton
David Cassel*
Carlos Castrillo, BA’06
Margaret Cather, MLS’56
Marc Claypool*
Martha Jane Clift, N’56
Barry Compton, G’76
Elizabeth Cormier*
Jason Crabb, BA’97
Phillip Crooke
Tiffany Davis, BA’93
Stacey Day*
Eugenia and Charles Delzell
Robert Diehl, A’77
Ellie Durham, BA’09
Peter F. Drucker Literary Trust*
Anne Edmunds, BA’94, MEd’99
Susan Erickson
Janice Farringer, BA’71
Bonnie Flowers, MS’87, and
Jeff Flowers, BS’85, MS’87
Melanie Ford, BS’77, and
Randall Ford, BME’77, MS’78
Constance Fulmer, MA’65, PhD’70
James Galbreath
William Gerhardt, BA’96
Malcolm Getz
Elizabeth Goodner, BA’54
Virginia Grantham
Teresa Gray
John Gregory, EdS’55
Vance Gregory, BA’65, and Sharon Gregory
Betty Grimes, BA’50
Tom Gunn, MLS’72
Melissa Guyler, BE’94
Jennifer Handy, BA’07, and Chris Handy, BA’07
Charlene Harb*
Julia and Erwin Hargrove
Penny Harrington, JD’82, and Michael Hodges
Alan Harzman, BS’97
Terri Hershberger
Clay Hipke, BA’82
Judith Hodges
Bonnie Holaday
Susan Holly, BA’70
Jane Howard, A’49
Mila Johnston, EdS’77
Don Jones, MLS’80
Richard King, JD’71
Rick Keener, BA’56
Doug Knight*
Julia LaFevor, BA’55
Madlon Laster, MA’63, and
James Laster, MA’63, PhD’73
Betty Latture, MLS’75
Maureen Leahigh, BA’77
Guat-Siew Lee, HO’76, and
Clifford McKee, BA’54, MD’57, FE’60
Joe Lee, BMus’98*
Robert Lee*
John Lyda
Connie MacDonald, BA’57, and
Malcolm MacDonald
Sara Jane and Casey Manus
Brian McEwen, BA’74
Linda McIntosh
Sandra and Sam McSeveney
Elaine and Scott McWilliams
Rob Montgomery, BA’75
Margaret Morford, BA’71, MLS’72, and
Don Morford, FE’77
Stella Morgan*
Juanita Murray
Ava and Lee Nackman
Amir Mohd Nasir, BE’09
Andromedia Noel, BA’41
Margaret Parker*
Richard Patchak, BA’93
Gena Patterson*
Jim Patty
Faxon Payne, BA’45, MD’48, HO’57, and
Frances Payne
Mary Margaret Peel, BA’71, and
Joe C. Peel, BA’65, MA’69
John Poindexter, BA’46, MA’48, and
Judith Poindexter
Nancy Quillman, BA’71*
Nancy Ransom, MA’71, EdD’88, and
Harry Ransom, BA’43
Annette Ratkin, BA’48, MLS’75
Robert Rich*
Charlene Ring, MA’65
Luis Rivera-Pagan*
David Regen, PhD’62
Michael Rose*
Sam Sapp, A’70
Jack Sasson*
Pauline Scanlon*
Lillian Sharp, BA’52
Robert Sharp, BA’52, MA’54
Thom Shelton, BA’82
Reid Sinclair, MA’54, PhD’65
Carl Smith*
Carol and Carl Smith
Jennie Smith*
Leo Soong*
James Stathis*
Damaris Steele, BA’41
Amy Stewart-Mailhiot
Frank Stone, MDiv’52, DMin’53
James Smith Summerville*
Bob Sweeney, BA’73
Helen Tanner, BA’51
Frances and Bobby Taylor*
Charles Thomas, BA’86
Janet Thomason
Tom Truss, BA’48, MA’50
Evelyn and Joel Udell
Betsy Underwood*
Thomas Vandever, PhD’71
Steven Vann, BS’80
Andrew Van Schaak*
Mary Jane and Conrad Wagner
Steven Walder, BA’84
Nelda Watts, MLS’71
Shirley Marie Watts, BMus’57, MA’61, MLS’67
Caroline Webb
M.K. Wesslen, MA’92
Luci Whatley
Lynn Whitehouse, MLS’72
Karen Whittier, BA’84, MEd’91
Roger Wiesmeyer*
Richard Winant, MLS’73
Roberta Winjum
Clark Williams
Amelia Wilkes, BA’65, and James Wilkes
Tiffa Wilshusen, BA’74, and Bill Wilshusen, BA’74
Ava Wilson
Liz and Jon Wilson
Charlotte Wolfe, BA’58
Virginia Youngblood, BA’45
Margaret Zibart, BA’71, and Michael Zibart, BA’69
Robert Zirbel
Wilma Zonn*
Memorial Gifts
Given in memory of:
Howard L. Boorman
Marshall Eakin
Virginia Grantham
Paul Hardacre
Phyllis and Melvyn Leffler
Sandra and Sam McSeveney
Ruth Zibart, MA’42
Maston Callison
Steve Caldwell, MDiv’71, and Lindy Caldwell,
Hardluck Acres
Miriam M. Cowden
Billy Bryant, MA’48, PhD’54, and
Mary Nelle Bryant
Lisa and John Campbell
Tiffany Davis, BA’93
Mimi Dennis
Marilyn Fels, BA’50, and Rendig Fels
Patricia Hart, BA’57, and Rodes Hart, BA’54,
Patricia and Rodes Hart Foundation
Martha Ingram
Sarah G. Little, BA’40, and
Joseph A. Little, BA’40, MD’43, HO’43
Vernon McGaw
Elaine and Scott McWilliams
Mid West Spring & Chassis Service Ltd.
Andromedia Noel, BA’41
Faxon Payne, BA’45, MD’48, HO’57, and
Frances Payne
John Poindexter, BA’46, MA’48, and
Judith Poindexter
John Rich, BA’51, and Norma Ann Rich
Ann Rowe, D’58
Emma Roy, BA’50, and Rob Roy, BA’49, MD’52
Gene Shanks, BA’69, and Susan Shanks
Liz Shayne
Damaris Steele, BA’41
Helen Tanner, BA’51
Gene Vaughan, BA’55, and Susan Vaughan
Caroline Webb
Dudley Brown White, BA’53, and John White
W. Ridley Wills, II, BA’56, and Irene Jackson Wills
Virginia Youngblood, BA’45
Calvin Fite Jr.
John Gregory, EdS’55
William Goldstein
Steve Caldwell, MDiv’71, and Lindy Caldwell
Sofia Hoover
Tim Hoover, JD’97
Michele D. Kahn
Matthew Newman, BA’56
Eleanor Morrisey
Charlene Ring, MA’65
Sam C. Pointer, Jr.
Rick Keener, BA’56
Louise Smith
Frances Hardie, MLS’68, PhD’80
Lexie Parks Weaks
Amelia Wilkes, BA’65, and James Wilkes
Honorary Gifts
Given in honor of:
Dorothy Ruth Parks Evins
Chris Benda, MA’03
Eileen Cunningham
Bill Hook, MA’85, PhD’92, and Theresa Hook
Paul M. Gherman
Richard C. McCarty
Yvonne Boyer, MLS’88, and Leonard Folgarait
Ruthann and Malcolm Getz
Gay Greer BSN’74, and John Greer, BA’72, MD’76, FE’82
Frank P. Grisham
Shirley Marie Watts, BMus’57, MA’61, MLS’67
Jean and Alexander Heard
Elizabeth Holsten
J. Leon Helguera
Pat McMullan, BA’74
Matt Wilson
Anne Edmunds, BA’94, MEd’99
Anne Richardson Womack
Tennessee Theological Library Association
Sarratt Society
These individuals have remembered the Jean and Alexander Heard Library in their estate plans.
Thomas B. Brumbaugh
Eleanor Jones Burt, BA’47, MA’50
Linda L. Carter
Ann Jennalie Cook, PhD’72
Anna C. Durham, BA’49, and
Walter T. Durham, BA’48, and MA’56
William David Eppes, BS’40
Byrd S. Helguera, PB’66, and J. Leon Helguera
Anthony Bresenhan Kaye, BS’95
H. Roger King, PhD’65
Charles William Lewis, MLS’70, PhD’78
Susan M. Luther, PhD’86
Debbie J. Osgood, BS’79, MBA’80
Betty Parker, MA’56, and Franklin Parker, EdD’56
Patricia A. Ward
W. Ridley Wills II, BA‘56, and Irene Jackson Wills
* These individuals contributed their personal papers, materials or libraries to the Jean and Alexander Heard Library in 2008-2009.