“Just Call Me Charlie”—A Legacy of Learning and Giving
Dr. Charles “Charlie” Mercer, ’56 (center) with Murray State University staff
In a recent conversation with the Murray State Office of Development, Dr. Charles “Charlie” Mercer, ’56, asked for an update on his family’s scholarship fund and shared his thoughts on legacy and the future impact he hopes to make.
A proud West Kentuckian, Dr. Mercer’s roots run deep in Calloway County. His grandparents were tobacco farmers, and education was a cornerstone of their family values. His grandfather and three other men built a school in Lynn Grove so that his five daughters could receive an education; a remarkable act that set the course for generations to come. One of those daughters, Charlie’s mother, Flossie Mercer Jones, was guided in high school by her principal Marvin O. Wrather, proof that the family’s Racer Roots go way back.
The Mercers also took part in the local effort to bring Murray Normal School—today’s Murray State University—to life. Later, Charlie’s mother, inspired by commitment to service, became a Red Cross trainee during World War II and went on to a career as an LPN. Her dedication to nursing left a lasting impression on her son.
After meeting his wife, Alice, while working at UAB Medical Center, Dr. Mercer dedicated his life to the education of young people and built a distinguished career in medicine, concluding as Executive Vice Chancellor and Professor of Medicine at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville Medical Center. In 1988, the Mercers established the Mercer Jones Scholarship with the Murray State University Foundation, honoring his mother’s devotion to nursing. The scholarship supports upper-class nursing students with financial need—a reflection of both his family’s compassion and commitment to education.
Over the years, the Mercers continued to nurture and expand this scholarship. Today, they are ensuring its growth well into the future through their estate plans, a lasting legacy for the next generation of Racers.
Dr. Mercer encourages other alumni and friends to do the same: to give back, to build endowments and to invest in future students. He challenged us to continue to do this important work. And as we said our goodbyes, he smiled and said, “Just call me Charlie.”
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