Sue Trammell Whitfield has a passion for Texas and its history. Her great-great-great grandmother, Harriet Shipp Wyres, came to Texas from Alabama in the 1820’s, before it was a republic. Sue descends from a long line of intelligent, creative, adventurous and generous men and women.
Her grandparents Walter and Ella Fondren began the family tradition of generous philanthropic investments. Walter, a farmer boy from Tennessee and Ella, a farm girl from Kentucky were married in Corsicana in 1904. This union was graced with three wonderful children and great financial success. Sue describes happy times spent with her grandmother, Ella Fondren, affectionately called “Momo”. Ella is one person that led her to where she is today in thought and action. Her grandparents showed her the Fondren way of “giving back to Texas”.
Sue serves on the board governors of her family’s foundations, The Fondren Foundation and The Trammell Foundation. Busy running her own company, she also donates her time and resources to numerous charities including The Woman’s Fund and The Women’s Home of Houston.
Sue is a graduate of The University of Texas, where she majored in Fashion Design and Textiles. She later endowed this department, now known as the Department of Human Ecology, with a major gift to help guide students toward cutting-edge advancements in textiles, industry and science.
Health education and medical science remain her special areas of interest. Serving on the board of various committees within The Health Museum, and three years as President of the Board of Governors, she was at the helm during its time of transition with purposeful leadership. The Fondren Foundation honored Sue by funding The Sue Trammell Whitfield Traveling Exhibition Hall, a creative educational tool and integral part of the Museum’s vision.
For the past thirty years, Sue has actively gathered her own family history and is currently publishing a book about her aunt, Mary Jane Trammell. Sue’s greatest love is for her family: her late husband, Whit, and their children, Susan, Bill, Celia, and Trammell, her three lovely granddaughters and three handsome grandsons.
Sue Trammell Whitfield is truly a “Houston Treasure”.