Long before Fred and Lillian O’Neal became founding members of Tanner Health Foundation’s Heritage Society, they had already made the kind of commitment it was created to honor — a promise that their support for health care in this community would continue for generations. 
For Fred, that commitment began more than four decades ago.
“I started at Tanner in 1979 as an orderly while I was in college,” he said. “The people I started working with many years ago were very important to me because they taught me a sense of duty and responsibility — and care.”
From his early days working in the hospital to now serving as a board member for Tanner Health, Fred has witnessed firsthand the evolution and impact of the organization.
“We are pretty much a Tanner family,” he said.
His wife, Lillian, built her own career serving patients as a labor and delivery nurse — a dream she carried for years before returning to pursue it.
“From high school, my dream was to become a nurse,” she said. “But my father talked me into getting a business degree to help manage our family business. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, met my husband and the dream was delayed. As life blossomed and our kids were doing their own things, I decided to do me and become a labor and delivery nurse.”
Her years caring for patients reinforced the importance of having strong, accessible health care close to home.
“Serving in the field, I’m able to see firsthand the value of having a quality healthcare system close to home,” she said. “Localized access to preventive care services improves outcomes for patients.”
Together, the O’Neals have experienced Tanner through nearly every chapter of life. Their son was born at Tanner in 1992, and their daughter followed in 1997 and is now a physician. Fred’s mother received hospice services through Tanner — an experience he describes as one of the most meaningful in their family’s journey.
“They extended such a level of care in a dignified manner,” he said. “It made her difficulties manageable in a way that we could understand and actually go forward.”
For Lillian, those experiences reflect the full scope of care Tanner provides.
“It’s an honor to be a part of a healthcare system that offers care to its community from conception to the final transition of life,” she said.
Through moments of birth, illness, service and leadership, the O’Neal family’s connection to Tanner has only deepened. That connection ultimately led to their decision to formalize a planned estate gift through the Heritage Society.
“I just felt that my contribution was my way of returning something that’s been given to me — a great opportunity to work, a great opportunity to serve others and to care for others,” Fred said. “It just fell right in line with my philosophy of giving.”
For the O’Neals, establishing their legacy gift was also a way to ensure future generations benefit from strong local health care.
“The Heritage Society is an investment in assuring quality health care that will serve our community for generations to come,” Lillian said. “It’s a gift that keeps on giving.”
The Heritage Society honors individuals and families who document a future gift to Tanner Health Foundation through their estate plans, ensuring that their commitment to community health care continues beyond their lifetime. Members are recognized during their lifetime while securing meaningful, long-term support for patients and families across the region.
“Fred and Lillian’s leadership represents the heart of what the Heritage Society stands for,” said Nichole Fannin, executive director of Tanner Health Foundation. “Their legacy is one of service, gratitude and a belief that strong local health care strengthens the entire community.”
To learn more about the Heritage Society or to document a planned gift, visit https://tannermedicalfoundation.myplannedgift.org/heritage-society or contact Tanner Health Foundation at 770-812-GIFT (4438).