Nauture & Nurture | Campaign News

The Blanchard Family Legacy:
Creating the Blanchard Society of Fellows and Scholars

Throughout history, men and women have striven to make a difference during their passage through the world and create a legacy that will make future generations proud. All too often, those same well meaning individuals bypass estate planning, and, consequently, the courts often dictate familial financial legacies. Charles and Bernard Blanchard, through the creation of a charitable unitrust and a gift annuity, have planned ahead for their family, the Nicholas School and the Duke University Marine Lab with a commitment of $1 million to create the Lawrence E. Blanchard Society of Fellows and Scholars.

In the early 1900s, three brothers from Hertford, N.C., graduated from Trinity College, now Duke University. Although not a unique occurrence, it was certainly unusual for the time. This passage was made all the more remarkable when all three brothers occupied the same room in Epworth dormitory for 12 consecutive years. Joseph Carroll Blanchard graduated in 1901, Julian Blanchard in 1905, and Lawrence E. Blanchard in 1909.

The brothers instilled a deep love of education and Duke in their children. When Lawrence’s children were ready for college, both sons chose to follow their father’s path and attend Duke. Lawrence Jr. (Larry) graduated in 1942 and married Frances Hallum, a graduate of the Women’s College in 1943. Charles (Charlie) graduated from Trinity in 1947. Both Larry and Charlie served as presidents of the student body while undergraduates at Duke. Charlie continued his passage at Duke Law School, graduating in 1949. In the coming years, Charlie married Bernard Manning Berkeley, a graduate of Hollins College, had two daughters, and established a successful law firm in Raleigh—Blanchard, Jenkins, Miller & Lewis PA.

The passage continued into the next generation when Lawrence E. Blanchard III, the son of Lawrence Jr., graduated in 1972 and Anna Neal Blanchard, the daughter of Charlie, graduated in 1980.

Soon after Anna Neal graduated, Charlie met Dr. Michael Orbach, then a professor at and now director of the Duke University Marine Lab in Beaufort, N.C. Charlie and Bernard own property in the Beaufort area and became interested in the programs at the Marine Lab. Soon, Charlie was invited to join the Marine Lab Advisory Board, a position he continues to hold to this day. Bernard became interested in the work of Dr. Richard Barber, especially his research on El Niño. Bernard and Charlie continue to have a deep interest in the coastal environment of North Carolina.

In 1987, Charlie and Larry, along with their mother, the namesake of Anna Neal Blanchard, decided to memorialize their father and husband with a gift to Duke University. The Lawrence E. Blanchard Endowment was created to assist students at the Marine Lab, and 16 students have received support from this fund. Although this endowment was a wonderful tribute, Charlie had always hoped to do something even more significant. “My father was a great man, and I wanted everyone to know how much education meant to him and the entire Blanchard family.”

Through that desire, a plan was conceived. Charlie and Bernard recently restricted a portion of their charitable unitrust and created a gift annuity for the Lawrence E. Blanchard Society of Fellows and Scholars. When the trust matures, the Blanchard Scholarship for undergraduates or the Blanchard Fellowship for graduate students will be the premier award of the Lab, much like the Angier B. Duke Scholars in Arts and Sciences.

“The Blanchard Fellows and Scholars will make an enormous impact at the Marine Lab,” said Orbach. “Marine science and policy is inherently interdisciplinary, requiring broad knowledge, analytical skills and the ability to synthesize and communicate complex information effectively. While the quality of the education received at the Marine Lab continues to grow, so do the costs. The Blanchards’ generosity allows us to continue to train the environmental leaders of the future.”

If you would like additional information about charitable unitrusts, bequests, planned gifts or other funding opportunities, please contact Anita Brown, director of advancement, at 919-613-8019 or anita.brown@duke.edu.