Liberty Funds, Walkway Benches Dedicated

The Liberty Garden of the N.C. Bar Center was the scene of a dedication ceremony on May 6 in recognition of recent gifts to the North Carolina Bar Association Foundation Endowment.

Liberty Funds were dedicated in honor of Frank R. Liggett III and George R. Ragsdale, who founded the Raleigh firm of Ragsdale Liggett in 1972. The firm has since grown to include 20 lawyers.

Liggett and Ragsdale are graduates of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the UNC School of Law.

Remarking on the Liggett and Ragsdale Liberty Funds were David Liggett, son of Frank Liggett III and a partner in the firm, and Joe Cheshire, who began his career with Ragsdale Liggett.

Liberty Garden Walkway Benches were dedicated in memory of Ann Elizabeth Hanks of High Point and Daniel D. Khoury of Manteo.

Hanks, who died March 11 of this year, served as chair of the Estate Planning & Fiduciary Law Section in 2003-04. Khoury, who died on Sept. 7, 2011, chaired the Real Property Section in 1990-91.

Craig Dalton and Linda Johnson provided remembrances of Ann Hanks while Alice Mine and Nick Ellis remembered Daniel Khoury.

Liberty Garden stone pavers were dedicated in honor of Shaun A. Ingersoll of Raleigh, Michelle Rippon of Asheville and Joel Cline Harbinson of Taylorsville.

Glass panels on the Liberty Fund Wall of Honor display the etched image of each lawyer who is being honored as well as their hometown, dates of birth and death (if applicable).

Liberty Funds are established through gifts of $10,000 to the NCBA Foundation Endowment. Liberty Garden Walkway Benches are funded through gifts of $5,000. Lakeview Plaza pavers are funded through gifts of $250 to $1,500.

All Liberty Fund contributions are placed in the NCBA Foundation Endowment and build the Endowment’s value, which is currently about $10.3 million. In 2015 more than $300,000 in grants will be awarded statewide for legally related pro bono, public service and educational projects of the bar. Grants also benefit other non-profits including legal services.

NCBA President Catharine Arrowood presided. The invocation was delivered by Beth Langley, chair of the Development Committee, and the pledge of allegiance was led by Mahlon W. DeLoatch of the NCBA Board of Governors.

Also appearing on the program were President-elect Shelby Benton, who provided a history of the Liberty Garden, and Phyllis Pickett, Endowment Committee chair, who discussed the NCBA Foundation Endowment.

NCBA Executive Director Allan Head directed individual dedications of the Liberty Funds.