Mary Mahoney Professional Nurses Organization Endowment: A legacy of giving
Historical background
In 1993, the Mary Mahoney Professional Nurses Endowment was founded by Dr. Lois Price Spratlen. During the first six years, (1993-1999), the goal was to raise fifty thousand dollars (50,000.00) by the occasion of the Mary Mahoney Professional Nurses Organization’s (MMPNO) 50th Anniversary in 1999. The goal was reached and the organization has progressed in the growth of the Endowment.
Prior to the founding of the Endowment, MMPNO had established a legacy of giving. During the first 50 years more than 60 scholarships were awarded and other financial assistance was provided to support the education of African Heritage students pursuing careers in nursing.
The Endowment Fund has provided funding on a more sustained basis for financial support than previously existed. During the first five years the Endowment, value exceeded $100,000.00. Scholarships from the returns on the Seattle Foundation Endowment investments were first awarded in 2004.
Since 1999 the Endowment has continued to grow.
Initially the Endowment had two individuals and three couples who invested as Named Donors. This assisted the organization to grow the Endowment faster. The original Named Donors were: Dr. Kathryn Barnard, Mr. Paul A. Merriman, Dr. Robert and Mrs. Marilyn Monahan, Dr. Lois Price Spratlen and Dr. Thaddeus Spratlen, and Dr. Arthur R and Dr. Elaine A Thompson.
Our organization is grateful to each donor for his or her investment and belief in the future of students of African Heritage, and for supporting the growth of the Endowment.
Named Donors
Dr. Kathryn E. Barnard, RN, PhD, FAAN (Emeritus, Deceased)
Dr. Barnard was UW Professor Emeritus in Infant and Child Nursing and founding Director of the Center for Infant Mental Health and Development. She was a longtime colleague of the late Dr. Lois Price Spratlen and strong supporter of her work in promoting educational opportunity and diversity.
Mrs. Mary Lee Bell, MPA, BSN, RN, and Mr. Henry P. Bell (Deceased)
Mrs. Bell is a retired Personal Health Services Supervisor from Seattle-King County Department of Public Health. She spent more than 39 years advocating for and providing services to diverse populations. She was an early pioneer in establishing teenage parenting continuing education programs. This led to the establishment of one of 10 teenage health clinics in the United States in the Seattle Public Schools system. She is a graduate of the University of Washington and Seattle University.
Mr. Bell was a graduate of the University of Washington. He was a Teacher/Educator in the Seattle Public Schools for more than 35 years. He taught Technology/Industrial Arts to more than 800 students. He valued interaction with students and was admired by them as well as faculty.
Mrs. Bell and her late husband spent their careers supporting students of diverse backgrounds to have healthier lives through education and services. Mrs. Bell has been a member of MMPNO since 1960 and she credits the Founders who encouraged and gave her confidence as a student and in her early professional career.
Mrs. Shirley Gilford, RN, BSN, and P. Lloyd Gilford, BA, MA (Deceased)
Mrs. Gilford is a 1958 graduate of the University of Washington School of Nursing and the second recipient of a MMPNO scholarship. She is a retired Seattle Public Schools nurse who continues as a member of MMPNO. Her mission is to continue to invest in African Heritage students and improve the health of all.
Lloyd Gilford was an architectural engineer whose career was with the Boeing Company for 35 years. Shirley and Lloyd shared a lifetime commitment in investing in the education and success of African Heritage youth.
Dr. Gail Chapman Hongladarom, PhD, MN, RN, and Dr. Ty Hongladarom, MD (Deceased)
Dr. Gail Hongladarom graduated from the University of Washington with a Master of Nursing and a Doctorate of Philosophy. She retired from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center where she was an Associate Director of Cancer Control Program. Currently, she is President of Designer’s Choice Organization.
She has authored and published articles and books on cancer care nursing, cancer control, women’s health, injuries related to falls and ethnic cultural differences. Her lifetime career has been to promote the health of communities.
Dr. Ty Hongladarom graduated from the University of Washington School of Medicine. He served in the United States Military in both the Vietnam and Desert Storm Wars. He was Commander of the Aeromedical Evacuations Squadron at McChord Air Force Base. He started the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department
Mr. Paul A. Merriman
Mr. Merriman is the founder and retired board chairman of Merriman Capital. He is also a nationally-known author and speaker dedicated to educating and empowering investors in managing their financial resources. Since his years as a student at Western Washington University in the 1960s, he has been a friend of Drs. Lois Price Spratlen and Thaddeus Spratlen.
Dr. Robert L. Monahan, PhD (Deceased) and Mrs. Marilyn Monahan
The late Dr. Monahan and Mrs. Monahan retired from Western Washington University, where he was a Professor of Geography and she was a departmental administrative assistant. They shared a lifelong commitment to education of diverse populations and helping others. They collaborated with Dr. Lois Price Spratlen in establishing the MMPNO Endowment in 1999.
Mary Osborne, BSN, MN, RN
Mary Osborne has been a member of MMPNO since the early 1970’s. She grew up in Brooklyn, New York. She completed her BSN, MSN, and Certificate as a Nurse Practitioner at the University of Washington. Her early years of employment were in New York City, Detroit and East Lansing.
She spent nearly two years in western Nigeria, where she served as a research associate. This provided her an opportunity to visit village mothers, their infants and young children. It also allowed her to share Western nursing tips and learn traditional healing practices.
During her early years in Seattle she worked at Virginia Mason, Cabrini Hospital, and Harborview Medical Center. In retirement, Mary spends time with her five children and eight grandchildren. She has enjoyed working with MMPNO over the years, especially on the community screening events. She is incredibly grateful for the time spent as a nurse, which was her first and best dream job.
Rachel S. Pitts, BSN, RN
Sponsored by Dr. Marla Salmon
Mrs. Pitts, BSN, RN, is one of the 13 founders of MMPNO. She is an active member and a Named Endowed Donor through the generous sponsorship of Dr. Marla Salmon.
She graduated in 1944 from Brewster Hospital School of Nursing in Jacksonville, Florida. Upon graduation she migrated to Seattle. In Seattle she worked at Harborview Hospital and later at Seattle-King County Health Department where she was a leader in the fight against SIDS. She was also loaned to the University of Washington at the request of an infectious disease physician to work on a viral study that lasted for two years.
Rachel spent her entire nursing career caring for others with selfless determination and a strong faith for healing and peace. Dr. Marla Salmon, a Professor of Global Health and former Dean of the School of Nursing at the University of Washington, sponsored Rachel as a Named Endowed Donor. Dr. Salmon is committed to equity and justice. She supports nurses of color in their academic pursuits.
Mr. Roger and Mrs. Annette Rieger of the Tudor Foundation
Mr. Roger Rieger and Mrs. Annette Rieger are the owners of the Tudor Foundation, a family foundation and business created and managed by Roger and Annette as a vehicle used primarily for providing charitable donations.
For more than 30 years, Roger and Annette have made charitable donations to underserved communities and provided financial support to individuals in lower socioeconomic levels. Both have made significant impact that changed and enriched many lives through their generosity and charitable donations of scholarships and mentoring. It is their hope that their investment will improve and enrich the lives of others for generations to come.
Dr. Lois Price Spratlen, RN, PhD, FAAN (Emeritus, Deceased) and Dr. Thaddeus Spratlen, PhD
Dr. Lois Price Spratlen was University of Washington Professor Emeritus in Psychosocial Nursing and UW Ombudsman Emeritus. She was the founder of the MMPNO Endowment and member of MMPNO for more than 40 years from the early 1970s until her death in 2013.
Dr. Thaddeus Spratlen is Professor Emeritus in UW’s Foster School of Business. Their lifetime commitment to education, equity and justice for all is reflected in their MMPNO contributions as well as to other scholarship endowments and educational programs.
Mrs. Elizabeth Thomas (Deceased)
Sponsored by Dr. Richard Dion, MD, and Ms. Margaret (Peggy) Dion
Mrs. Thomas was the first African American Advanced Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in Seattle. She was the nurse for one of the earliest Head Start programs in the Central Area, following Lydia Goolsby and Dr. Richard Dion, who was the medical advisor. Dr. Dion recommended Mrs. Thomas for a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner position with Head Start. After she was not accepted because the program was full, Dr. Dion contacted his colleagues and the program made an extra space for her. She was the perfect candidate as her career proved throughout her practice at Odessa Brown Clinic and in the community.
Dr. and Mrs. Dion’s desire to honor the outstanding career and the work of Ms. Thomas led them to sponsor an endowed scholarship in her name.
Dr. Arthur R. Thompson, MD, PhD and Dr. Elaine A. Thompson, RN, PhD
Dr. Arthur Thompson is the retired head of the Puget Sound Blood Center in Seattle. Dr. Elaine Thompson is Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington School of Nursing. Dr. Arthur Thompson’s work in hematology has impacted the lives of many families with genetic diseases. Dr. Elaine Thompson’s UW teaching and research career was in mental health with a focus on families and children. Their many contributions have supported the health of diverse populations and contributed greatly to the ongoing work in their fields.
Mr. Lawson L. Turner and Mrs. Mary E. Noble Turner (Both Deceased)
Sponsored by Mrs. Frankie T. Manning, MN, RN
This Endowed Donor contribution was made by member Frankie Manning in memory of Mrs. Mary E. Noble Turner and Mr. Lawson L. Turner, wonderful parents who lived lifetimes of loving, sharing and nurturing for their 10 children. Their lives were dedicated to helping their children and others to achieve success. The value of religion, education, honesty and service leave a legacy that will be carried on for generations to come.