By: Genma Holmes
Photos Credit: Genma Holmes, Morganne Norwood, The Burley Family
Some people plant gardens. Others share ideas, support their families or help their communities grow. For nearly 106 years, Hazel Suggs Burley has done all of these things.
Mrs. Burley, who will celebrate her 106th birthday on October 3, 2026, received the Merit Award from the Horticultural Society of Middle Tennessee on April 16, 2026, at the home of Keith and Deby Pitts. The award recognizes her lifelong dedication to gardening, community beautification, and service. Her work has left a lasting mark on North Nashville and beyond.
A Family Rooted in Education and Service
Her story began in the Roaring Twenties. She was the oldest of four children born to Joseph Edward Suggs and Mable Hemphill Suggs. Her father served in the military, coached football at Tennessee State University and survived the Normandy invasion. Her mother, a TSU graduate, traveled through Robertson County teaching families how to can and preserve their farm produce.
Her parents ran a neighborhood grocery store together. It was more than a place to buy food and supplies. Her mother used the store to encourage people in the community to vote and become involved in civic life. The family had strong roots in entrepreneurship.
Education was also a key part of the Suggs family. Mrs. Burley was in the last class to graduate from the original Pearl High School building on 16th Avenue in Nashville. She went on to Tennessee State University, where she graduated cum laude with a degree in English. She joined the Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society and became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.
She met Howard L. Burley Sr. at TSU. When he received a scholarship to attend Howard University’s School of Pharmacy in Washington, D.C., their relationship continued long distance. After a year apart, Hazel and Howard married and moved to Washington.
While Howard studied pharmacy and worked as a guard at a medical museum, Hazel worked at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. After Howard gained experience at several pharmacies in the Washington area, they returned to Nashville. He opened Consumer’s Drug Store at Main Street and Cleveland, which served the community for 60 years.
Hazel and Howard built their lives around family, faith, education, entrepreneurship and service. They were married for 71 years until his passing in 2012 at age 95. They had two children: Viola Burley Leak, an educator and visual artist, and Howard L. Burley Jr., M.D. Their son and his wife, Dr. Rhonda Cunningham-Burley, gave them two grandchildren, Raina and Rachel Burley.
Seven Decades of Gardening With a Purpose
Throughout her life, Mrs. Burley has stayed deeply committed to her home, family, church and community. She joined organizations that supported mothers and child development and remained devoted to Gordon Memorial United Methodist Church.
Her interest in horticulture began in 1951, when she joined a garden club with other professional women and homemakers. Like many African American garden clubs at the time, the group used gardening to promote education, service, civic improvement and community pride.
When I sat with Mrs. Burley, she shared stories about the many projects the Ardent Gardeners Association supported during the decades when she was an active member. Members made floral arrangements for many organizations and brought fresh flowers to institutions across the community.
The gardeners decorated Tennessee State University, Fisk University and Meharry Medical College. During Christmastime, they transformed Hubbard Hospital with holiday decorations and flowers, bringing beauty and cheer to patients, families and hospital staff.
They also served veterans. By creating thoughtful floral arrangements, the gardeners showed appreciation for those who served the country and reminded them that their sacrifices were valued.
One project that meant a great deal to Mrs. Burley was teaching young girls at the Tennessee Vocational Home to plant hundreds of tulips each year. This activity was about more than planting bulbs. It taught patience, responsibility, teamwork and the hope that comes from planting something and waiting for it to bloom.
Mrs. Burley also took students on field trips to visit gardens, helping them see more of the world beyond their neighborhoods. Through these trips, she introduced young people to horticulture, art and culture, showing them that gardens can be places of beauty, learning and new opportunities.
Her dedication to young people showed her belief that education goes beyond the classroom. A flower bed could be a laboratory. A garden tour could be an art lesson. Planting tulips could teach discipline, and watching them bloom in spring could show the rewards of patience and care.
Creating Beauty and Tranquility
Two of her garden club’s lasting contributions are the Doris Campbell Busby Garden and the Ruth McAlpine Fountain at General Hospital and Meharry Medical College. The club designed the garden to bring beauty and peace to the hospital grounds, giving patients, families, staff and visitors a quiet place to reflect.
The garden and fountain are also an important part of Nashville’s horticultural history. They show how Black garden club members used their skills, resources and teamwork to improve public spaces and support key community institutions through fundraising and volunteering.
For Mrs. Burley, gardening was never just about growing pretty flowers. It was about making something meaningful for others. Whether she was decorating a hospital, honoring veterans, planting tulips with young girls or introducing students to art and culture, she used gardening as a way to serve.
A Legacy Rooted in Service
Mrs. Burley’s Merit Award is about more than her years of gardening. It honors the spirit behind her work and the many people she has inspired.
Her daughter, Viola Burley Leak, says her mother is an example of persistence, education, family unity, financial planning and networking. These values have guided Mrs. Burley through more than a century of change and helped her build a purposeful life.
Mrs. Burley says she owes her long life to the support of her family, friends, church and community. She also notes that good genes play a part—her mother lived to 106, and her father to 95.
She has added to her family legacy by practicing good health habits and always wanting to learn. She subscribes to many health journals and pays attention to information that helps her live well.
As Hazel Suggs Burley gets ready to celebrate her 106th birthday, the Merit Award from the Horticultural Society of Middle Tennessee is a fitting tribute to a woman whose life still inspires others.
Her story shows us that the most important gardens are not always the biggest or the rarest. Their real value is in the comfort they give, the young people they inspire, the places they brighten and the history they help keep alive.
For over a century, Hazel Suggs Burley has planted seeds of beauty, knowledge, faith and service. Today, her life’s garden is still in full bloom.
TSU alumni, friends and supporters are invited to make a special gift to the TSU Foundation in
recognition of this extraordinary occasion. The goal is to raise $10,600 this year for the Hazel
Suggs Burley Scholarship Fund. We ask that you make a commemorative gift of $10.60, $106.00
or $1,060. Every contribution, at any level, makes a difference and brings us closer to honoring
her legacy in a meaningful way.
There are three ways for you to make your gift in support of the Hazel Suggs Burley Scholarship
Fund:
• Online
Use this secure link to pay directly to the TSU Foundation. http://bit.ly/48Oofv3
• Call
Contact the TSU Foundation at (615) 963-5481
• Mail
Checks should be made payable to the TSU Foundation. Please indicate your gift designation in
the Memo (Hazel Suggs Burley) section of your check and mail to:
TSU Foundation
3500 John A. Merritt Blvd.
Campus Box 9542
Nashville, TN 37209
Lastly, we also encourage you to share your birthday wishes and memories on social media using
#HazelBurley106 and #TSUTigers throughout the year.
