Thyra M. Charles

By Patrick Kavanagh
History of Women in Forest Lawn Lawn Cemetery

Section 40, Single Grave 831
Date of Death: 1/16/1987
(Nurse; Professor)

Mrs. Charles was born in Houston, Texas. Her Father was Frank E. Merriweather.

In 1949, Mrs. Charles received her B.S. in Public Health Nursing from the State University at Buffalo. In 1950 she gained her M.S. degree in Supervision and Administration of Public Health Nursing from NYU. She was the second African American to graduate from a Buffalo Nursing School, and first to get a Masters Degree in Nursing.

Named Associate Director of Public Health Nursing at Meyer Memorial Hospital from 1952-1970; Professor of Nursing at D'Youville in 1970; first African American named Assistant Director of the Visiting Nursing Association of Buffalo.

She retired in 1979. She was co-founder of the registered Nurses Social Club and serviced as its first president.

Ms. Charles was the recipient of many community service awards: Sojourner Truth Award, Black Heritage Service Award, and American Nurses Association Mary E. Mahoney Award. In 1985 the Jesse E. Nash Community Center recognized her for her outstanding community involvement.

See also Uncrowned Queens


Page by Chuck LaChiusa
| ...Home Page ...| ..Buffalo Architecture Index...| ..Buffalo History Index... .|....E-Mail ...| ..

web site consulting by ingenious, inc.