It is with great sadness that we announce the passing this week of Kendrick B. Melrose, son of Melrose Center namesake Dorothy Lumley Melrose. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time.
It was eight years ago last month that Mr. Melrose presented Library Director/CEO Mary Anne Hodel with a $1,000,000 check from the Kendrick B. Melrose Family Foundation, providing the spark that made the Melrose Center a reality. In subsequent years, the Foundation provided two additional $500,000 donations, further supporting the Orange County Library System’s efforts to a provide state-of-the-art technology space for community creatives.
In his speech during the 2012 presentation ceremony, Mr. Melrose recalls his mother saying that the purpose of life is to serve others. The Melrose Center serves as a remarkable example of how influenced he was by that philosophy. We are exceptionally fortunate that Mr. Melrose decided to honor the memory of Dorothy Melrose and her love of the Orlando Public Library with these generous gifts. Since the Melrose Center opened in 2014, it has been our privilege to connect Orange County Library System customers to resources and technology they might otherwise be unable to access. We owe that privilege to Kendrick Melrose.