Fostering the Volunteer Spirit
It is a relationship that began with a sick dog. For both the Tickles and the Whartons, the journey to heal a beloved canine ultimately led to a strong partnership of philanthropy and two named hospitals.
Both the John and Ann Tickle Small Animal Hospital and the Charles and Julie Wharton Large Animal Hospital are a testament to the transformative power of the human-animal bond, including the important role of caretaker. And that is one role that the UT College of Veterinary Medicine has done better than most through their Veterinary Medical Center. And as we celebrate fifty years of UTCVM, we cannot do so without telling the story of these two hospitals and the families whose names are etched into the very walls.
For both the Tickles and the Whartons the female half of the partnership were the ones to first step foot into vet School. The late Julie Wharton had driven her sick dog Sugar Pie all the way from Texas to Tennessee — by herself — to get the dog the care it needed. Ann Tickle’s trip wasn’t quite as long, but both women were blown away by the compassionate and quality care they encountered.
Before Bob Denovo was interim dean of UTCVM, the small animal internal medicine specialist worked long shifts in the small animal hospital. Denovo remembers the case that crossed his path with the Tickles. The body of a ten-month-old Westie named Palmer had been sent from Bristol for necropsy. While Palmer had passed away, he had a brother, Nicklaus, who was still very much alive.
“I look at Charles as someone who genuinely loves animals and really takes an interest in their care and also the education of veterinary students.” – Dr. Steve Adair
“It was Ann who really started the relationship with the vet school,” said John Tickle, a 1965 engineering UT grad.
“It was important to find out what happened to Palmer because we needed to make sure his brother Nicklaus was going to be ok,” explained the 1965 education graduate and wife of John Tickle for thirty years.
Ann Tickle remembers leaving the hospital with Palmer’s remains only to be stopped in the parking lot by a man in a lab coat running after her.
“Are you Mrs. Tickle?” Denovo asked.
“It was Bob Denovo,” Ann tells the story, “He wanted to be sure to let me know what they found in the autopsy before I left. Here was a doctor who has taken the time to find me and tell me exactly what happened. That was the beginning of a relationship that would lead us time and again to coming back to UT for our pet care.”
For Ann Tickle, philanthropy is born of passion and connection to a cause. It is the result of relationships built on trust. It is trust built through compassionate care and empathetic practitioners. That is what the Tickles found in Bob Denovo, small animal internal medicine specialist Claudia Kirk and so many others at UTCVM.
“I realized that everyone in the facility seemed to be dedicated to what they were doing not only to the patient, but to the owner as well,” Ann said.
The Tickles also credit the former Dean of the college with the continuation of their philanthropic relationship with UTCVM. Jim Thompson had a vision for the College of Veterinary Medicine could be and shared that vision with individuals like the Tickles, the Whartons, and others.
“He is the one responsible for keeping us inspired and challenged,” Ann said.
Thompson engaged the Tickles and the Whartons in how they could ensure a brighter future for the college.
“So, when the decision was made to commit money to the University of Tennessee and decide how it would be dispersed, we decided a portion must go the Veterinary School. I see that as a part of the University that is exceptional. What they do for the state and the community is absolutely off the charts. The way they are training their students is impressive above all else.”
For the Whartons the start was similar. Instead of Westies, it was a sick bulldog that first brought Charles and his late wife Julie Wharton to the vet school. Veterinarians in Houston, Texas, where the couple lived tried to diagnose why Sugar Pie was unable to keep food down, but they had exhausted all their resources so the couple brought the dog to UT where Julie met DJ Krahwinkle, a longtime veterinarian. One of Julie’s earliest memories of the veterinary college was Krahwinkel sitting on the floor playing with their dog.
“Once DJ gets his hooks into you, you are a UT Vet fan for life,” Wharton says about the connection between Krahwinkle and his late wife through the careful care of Sugar Pie.
Once again, compassionate care led to friendship, trust, and later philanthropy.
But the Wharton’s philanthropic relationship didn’t begin there. It began the year he graduated, and he hasn’t missed a year since 1965. Even when he left his engineering job to pursue his Master’s degree, Charles sent a $5 check to the University with a letter apologizing for not having the means to send more. And it has continued to today, including his current wife, Lori Wharton, and her love of animals and the veterinary college’s outreach program, Companion Animal Initiative of Tennessee. Paying back to a university that has done so much is important to the Whartons.
“I got one of the nicest letters back from UT that year I only gave $5 thanking me for my support,” Charles remembers.
Ann Tickle remembers a similar occurrence of great gratitude in the face of humble means. Her first gift to UTCVM was at the suggestion of her husband John. “Write a check, and I will match the amount,” he told her.
“Even a small gift was extremely important to them. It was graciously received and acknowledged. The size didn’t seem to matter. Still, it was an important gift,” Ann remembers.
For the Wharton’s the care they received for their bulldogs then transitioned to care for Tennessee Walking horses and a friendship with Dr. Steve Adair.
“We always think about donors and their money,” says Adair, “But I look at Charles as someone who genuinely loves animals and really takes an interest in their care and also the education of veterinary students.”
One such way that has had impacts over the years has been the Whartons’ investment in faculty development. Adair himself has been a recipient of that support.
“Having private individuals care enough about the college provides the extra we need to keep us on the cutting edge, keep faculty up-to-date, equipment updated, to make sure we have the facilities to do the most advance medical research and clinical cases and to provide the best possible patient care,” says Adair.
Charles Wharton married Julie in 1967 and together they developed a passion for the majestic Tennessee Walking Horses and a passion for changing some of the industry’s practices. The Wharton’s own beloved horses received their veterinary care at the UT Veterinary Hospital.
When you review the fifty-year history of the UT College of Veterinary Medicine, both the Whartons and the Tickles are at the heart. But more importantly, their support and investment over the years are ensuring the next fifty and beyond.
Interested in supporting our mission with a gift to UTCVM?
Contact Laura Zimbrick with the UTIA Office of Advancement at 865-974-4340
“Even a small gift was extremely important to them. It was graciously received and acknowledged.” – Ann Tickle
Explore More on
Compassion
MORE FROM THIS ISSUE
