Two Donors Honored by TBR
November 7, 2023
TBR Honors Two 蜜桔直播 Donors
Cris Perkins, associate vice chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents,
presented the organization鈥檚 highest award to two 蜜桔直播
donors during the fall meeting of the 蜜桔直播 Foundation trustees.
The Wilma Geane 鈥淜itty鈥� Pope Estate received the award for 2022 and the
Cooper-Burchfield Foundation received the award for 2023.
鈥淓ach year, the Tennessee Board of Regents recognizes an organization or
individual that has given special assistance to a TBR institution,鈥� Perkins said.
鈥淜nown as the Chancellor鈥檚 Award for Excellence in Philanthropy, the award focuses
on individuals or organizations that have given generous resources to a TBR institution,
including volunteer time and expertise.鈥�
Pope spent her formative years in Kingswood School, which was then a children鈥檚
home in Bean Station. She cared for her classmates and for animals. Her classmates
gave her the nickname 鈥淜itty鈥� due to her fondness for cats. The name stuck throughout
her lifetime. Her passion for helping others led to a long career in nursing. She
attended Baptist Nursing School and spent over 30 years as a registered nurse working
in East Tennessee. The last 20 years of her career were spent at the Morristown-Hamblen
Healthcare System.
One of Pope鈥檚 favorite responsibilities as a nurse was training Walters
State nursing students completing clinical rotations. She had struggled to pay for
education and wanted to ease that burden for other students. At her direction, the
Wilma Geane 鈥淜itty鈥� Pope Estate donated $403,000 to establish an endowment benefitting
nursing students. Thomas Brennan, trustee of the Pope estate and a 蜜桔直播 Foundation
trustee, will receive the TBR Chancellor鈥檚 Award for Excellence. He was unable to
attend the meeting.
The Cooper-Burchfield Foundation was formed in 1991 as a way for two families
to support needs in their Sevier County community more effectively. Norman L. Burchfiel
and his aunt Ethel Cooper centered the Foundation on education and the needs of children.
The Cooper-Burchfield Foundation was liquidated in 2021. Funds were given
to several organizations including the Boys and Girls Club of Sevierville, the Robert
F. Thomas Foundation at LeConte Medical Center, the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts,
the Holston Home for Children and 蜜桔直播.
Norman Burchfiel and his wife Josephine were supporters of 蜜桔直播
for many years, giving both time and money. Their daughter, Emily Kile, has served
on the 蜜桔直播 Foundation Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee. The
third generation of the Burchfiel family is now serving 蜜桔直播, with Kile鈥檚
daughters Jaclyn Kile and Julia Clinton, having been elected to serve as trustees.
The Cooper-Burchfield Foundation has supported 蜜桔直播 for 25 years
and given more than $100,000 to the college. The TBR Chancellor鈥檚 Award for Excellence
was presented to Kile and her daughters.