Family gives Roosevelt letter to Discovery Park
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JACKSON, Tenn. — Saturday evening, a piece of World War II history went from a family treasure to a prized artifact soon to be on display at West Tennessee’s newest museum. During a gala at the Carl Perkins Civic Center, the Allison family officially gave a letter signed by President Franklin Roosevelt to Discovery Park of America in Union City. “There’s a lot of family history out there, and really your family history most of the time ends up in the attic or in somebody’s shoe box,” Suzanne Allison said. The heirloom is a letter of condolence mailed by the President to the family of two brothers who died on the U.S.S. Arizona during the bombing of Pearl Harbor. They were distant uncles of Chris Allison. “So folks will know the sacrifices families have actually made to keep this country strong and free,” Chris Allison said. The letter has been in the family for more than 70 years. They are one of 23 sets of brothers who died on the ship and the only ones from Tennessee. Chris and Suzanne’s daughter Ashlee said she will miss having this special piece of history in her home, but she hopes it makes others interested in the past. “Let your mind explore everything, because once you do it’s amazing how cool it is to actually get to learn and see this stuff,” Ashlee Allison said. Jenny Kirkland along with her husband, Robert, financed the multi-million dollar museum. She said she is excited about the gift. “We are absolutely thrilled, and it’ll certainly be an asset to our association, to our Discovery Center,” Kirkland said. “We have a showcase ready for it for display.” Robert and Jenny Kirkland were honored at the gala with the Tigrett Award for outstanding philanthropy.
