Martha Rivers Ingram, notable Nashville businesswoman and philanthropist, has died, reports News Channel 5. She was 90 years old.
Ingram was born in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1935. She married E. Bronson Ingram in 1958 and moved to Nashville three years later.
After her husband’s death in 1995, she became the Chairman of Ingram Industries. She also served on the boards of Baxter International, Ingram Micro, Regions Financial Corporation, and Weyerhaeuser Company.
Ingram was also instrumental in the Nashville arts scene and helped create the Tennessee Performing Arts Center and the Schermerhorn Symphony Center.
Ingram was elected to Vanderbilt University’s Board of Trust in 1995 and served as its chair from 1999 to 2011. She was also a trustee of Vassar College, Ashley Hall and Harpeth Hall School.
TPAC shared on social media, “There would be no Tennessee Performing Arts Center without Martha’s vision, determination and belief in what the arts could mean for Nashville and this great state. More than four decades ago, she imagined something that would enrich lives for generations, and then she made it happen.”
It continued, “Every performance, every standing ovation, every student discovering the arts and every memory made within our walls is part of the extraordinary legacy she leaves behind. Our hearts are with the Ingram family and all who loved her. We are forever grateful for Martha’s remarkable life and the gift she gave our community.”
Visit Music City shared on social media, “A Music City Walk of Fame inductee, Martha was instrumental in the creation of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, helped establish the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, co-founded the Tennessee Repertory Theatre, and spent decades championing Nashville’s arts community. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the Ingram family and all who knew and loved her. Her impact on Music City will be felt for generations to come.”
Former Tennessee Governor Lamar Alexander shared on social media, “Very few have accomplished as much and contributed as much to help Tennesseans as Martha Ingram did. She was the leader of elevating the performing arts, of the Vanderbilt University Board of Trust, and of one of our state’s most successful business enterprises. She did all of this with grace, a smile, and compassion for others. To the Ingram family, I extend my greatest respect for her life and my sympathy.
Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Aug. 13 at St. George’s Episcopal Church. A funeral service will be held there at 10 a.m. Aug. 14, followed by a private graveside service.
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