Frank Langford

Meet Frank Langford, longtime Dixon member, middle Tennessee expatriate, and an advocate for the arts. Frank recently made a provision in his estate plan that includes a generous donation to the Dixon, naming him to the Dixon Legacy Society. Here he shares his perspectives on planned giving.

Tell us about yourself.

I was born in middle Tennessee but migrated to Memphis for college. I loved the city so following graduation and receiving a graduate degree in Florida, I made Memphis my home. My family was in the lumber and timber business, but I found my own direction. Memphis is rich in cultural opportunities, including the Dixon, and I have found wonderful friends here through my associations with arts organizations and Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal Church.

What first interested you in the Dixon?

Years ago, I moved to Central Gardens and met neighbors Lucy and John Buchanan when he was hired as the new Dixon Director. They, along with Linda and Herbert Rhea, introduced me to the Dixon. I found many of my friends were Dixon supporters and became involved due to their encouragement. I found the Dixon to be a magical place. My enthusiasm continues thanks to the wonderful leadership of Kevin Sharp. His vision is compelling.

In your Dixon experiences, have there been any surprises, either negative or positive?

In my first experiences I found the Dixon to be less welcoming than I expected. But through the strength of the many programs, started by John and continued by Kevin, I see the Dixon as a treasure where all feel at home. Dale Skaggs has captured the Dixon spirit in the gardens, and I now count him among my friends. I miss his garden walks and look forward to the Dixon reopening.

If you could be Director of the Dixon for one day, what would you seek to accomplish?

I would continue to follow Kevin's path, introducing all newcomers to Memphis to the Dixon. I believe that when someone "puts one foot in the door, he or she will be hooked!"

When you travel, do you visit museums and public gardens?

All cities have treasures, many of them cultural. When traveling, I seek to find them often taking foot tours of the areas. I visit libraries, galleries, museums—all to see what they bring to the city and its visitors. The best ones make visitors feel welcome and encourage cultural lifestyles, in the same way as the Dixon.

You have made a generous provision for the Dixon in your estate plan. What inspired you to make that gift?

We all go through changes in our lives. I think it is to consider what is important to you, the donor. Your priorities may change as your life progresses. My original estate plan was too broad with less money going to more charities. After much thought, I diversified my finances to align with my interests, leaving more impactful gifts to fewer organization where I respected their future plans, which fit into my hopes for their futures and the future of our community. The organizations that will receive deferred gifts from my estate are well managed and are crafting programs to benefit people of all ages and circumstances. I am very comfortable with the changes I made to my estate plan and certainly the Dixon remains a part of that smaller group of recipients of my estate.

How would you encourage other donors to make planned gifts to the Dixon?

It is important to help people to be aware of the ways that they can support the Dixon generously with a gift from their estates. And it is important that such arrangements be made now, bringing peace of mind and the joy of leaving a legacy to the donors.

What are your hopes for the Dixon's future?

As the Dixon grows its audience well beyond the county, my hope that it will be better recognized for the jewel that it is—for the diversity of programs and the beauty of the collections. the Dixon should be a destination point for all visitors. Community leaders should see the value in what the Dixon has to offer.

What are your hopes for the city of Memphis?

I would bet that there are more varied cultural opportunities in Memphis than most people realize. These can draw people to the community to see its beauty and the beauty of its assets. People who have made Memphis their home while building their financial futures should discover and help to sustain the city's treasures. Although many do, all who can offer support should make necessary arrangements for that support to be widespread and generous. And we need to retain our human talent. We lose far too many intelligent, creative people to other cities. Our people are also our asset.

Your planned gift establishes your legacy. Based on your general philanthropy, do you have a message to share with our members, supporters, and leaders?

Everyone must do this. Support what you love and have enjoyed. Consider what has brought pleasure and enriched your life and the lives of your friends and loved ones. These organizations can only survive with continued support. Support them for now and for the future and that should certainly include the Dixon.

Thank you, Frank, for sharing your experiences while re-crafting your estate plan to support the Dixon. For more information about how you can help to sustain the future Dixon with an estate gift and join the Dixon Legacy Society, please contact the Office of Planned Giving at (901) 312-1243 or sjohnson@dixon.org.