麻豆果冻传媒 nursing scholarship honors devoted volunteer and community member
Marilyn P. Ledbetter鈥檚 life was a testament to compassion, commitment and service.
Now, her legacy will continue through a newly-established scholarship at Tennessee
Tech, created to support upper-division nursing students who embody the same values
she cherished.
Marilyn passed away on July 20, 2024, at the age of 85. In tribute to her lifelong dedication to helping others, her husband, Ronald R. Ledbetter (`66 biology), established the Marilyn P. Ledbetter Scholarship Endowment 鈥 a meaningful gift that honors Marilyn as a loving wife, mother, friend and devoted community member.
鈥淐reating a nursing scholarship in her name just made sense,鈥 Ron said. 鈥淪he volunteered at Cookeville Regional Medical Center. I volunteer there as well and am on the scholarship committee there. I鈥檝e been to the Whitson-Hester School of Nursing scholarship awards ceremony, and the students are so impressive. This scholarship makes perfect sense to me, and I know it will have a lasting impact.鈥
Ron and Marilyn met while working at the William S. Merrell Pharmaceutical Company in Cincinnati, Ohio. They married on April 26, 1969, and they had one son, Mark R. Ledbetter. Marilyn was a dedicated member of Chapter L of P.E.O, the Coterie Book Club, First Presbyterian Church of Cookeville and Mastersingers, where she once performed at Carnegie Hall.
Following her retirement, Marilyn continued her lifelong commitment to service by volunteering at the Cookeville Regional Medical Center gift shop. Ron continues her legacy today by volunteering at the CRMC pharmacy and serving as chairperson of the CRMC Auxiliary Scholarship Committee.
Ron says he has been consistently moved by the dedication and empathy of Tech鈥檚 nursing students and graduates 鈥 especially those who cared for Marilyn. The Marilyn P. Ledbetter Scholarship will support upper division nursing students at Tech, with preference given to students from Overton County 鈥 reflecting Ron鈥檚 close ties to the region and enduring commitment to community care.
Kim Hanna, dean of Tech鈥檚 Whitson-Hester School of Nursing, praised the gift as an inspiring example of philanthropy with purpose.
鈥淩on has been a dedicated advocate for nurses and nursing students throughout his many years of service on the CRMC Auxiliary Scholarship Committee,鈥 she said. 鈥淗is legacy is defined by compassion, a deep commitment to quality patient care and unwavering support for healthcare professionals. His love for the CRMC community shines through in all he does. I deeply commend him for his continued dedication to helping our nursing students achieve their goals of becoming registered nurses.鈥
Ben Clark, director of student success for the WHSON, added, 鈥淚 know nurses who would not be nurses if it weren鈥檛 for Ron鈥檚 work with CRMC Scholarships. Our students have been lucky to have Ron leading reviews of their applications, and he鈥檚 done an excellent job of identifying the students who most need financial assistance to get through school and begin their nursing careers.鈥
Ron says the Marilyn P. Ledbetter Scholarship is simply a way to help people.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 something that was always important to Marilyn,鈥 Ron said. 鈥淪he was just the type of lady who liked to give back. She was a very thoughtful and giving person, and she was very supportive of people trying to achieve their goals.鈥