Philanthropy means “love of humankind.” By that definition, Burnell R. “Burnie” Stehman stands out as one of the most generous philanthropists in the history of Baylor Scott & White Irving Foundation.

Burnie’s philanthropy is exemplified by his deep affection for the community of Irving, where he moved in 1991 with his wife, Shirley. The couple would quickly become committed to helping the local nonprofit hospital serve a fast-growing population in this bustling suburb.

“We lived in a community of around 60,000 people in Pennsylvania and we had three medical centers there—but we didn’t have an association with any of those facilities. When we moved to Irving and there was only one community hospital serving a city of more than 150,000 at the time, we thought that was surprising,” Burnie recalled.

The Stehmans quickly discovered that Irving Healthcare System, today known as Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Irving, would play a crucial role in their lives during a time of need.

The Heart of the Matter

In late 1991, Burnie and Shirley moved to Irving following a corporate transfer from Boston, Massachusetts. Not long after the move, Shirley experienced a myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack. During her transport to Baylor Scott & White – Irving, she coded—experiencing a sudden and life-threatening drop in her vital signs—while in the ambulance. The paramedics on board managed to revive her. She coded again while in the hospital’s elevator on the way to surgery.  But, once more, the care team stabilized her vitals. She survived and lived 28 more years.

“Dr. Doug Overbeck was this young-looking cardiologist who was growing a moustache at the time so he’d look a little bit older,” Burnie recalled with a laugh. “He did so much for Shirley and he really showed us how much people at the Irving hospital cared.” It was after her experience that Burnie chose to become involved in fundraising by joining the foundation’s board of directors. He added, “There was such a difference because of the community’s historical involvement with the hospital from the start. People went door-to-door raising funds to build the hospital. I always thought there was the potential that it could be quite a place for excellent care, so I wanted to get involved to help make that happen.”

The Stehmans’ gratitude for Shirley’s initial care sparked a four-decade-long involvement with the foundation. Their dedication has resulted in hundreds of thousands of patients receiving enhanced care, not only in cardiology, but also in oncology, surgery, chaplaincy services and more.

A Heart for Business

Stehman says that one thing that impressed him most was seeing that all the dollars given by donors to the Irving Foundation are invested, managed and used locally. Donations remain in the community to benefit residents in the area.

Burnie also contributed to the foundation’s wise management of funds by serving on the board’s finance committee for his eight years of service as a director. In that role, he helped select investment consultants, approved investment policies and oversaw progress through quarterly reporting.

Stehman’s professional interest and acumen in finance was honed across nearly 50 years in that industry. Fresh from two years of military service after earning a finance degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, Burnie landed his first job in finance with Weeden & Co., a boutique Wall Street firm that dealt with tax-exempt securities. After 23 years there, he moved to Boston to work as a vice president for Fidelity Investments’ Taxable Money Market Group. It was a role he held for the next 22 years.

“I was so lucky to join Fidelity back in 1979 when it had about 300 employees. Today, it’s more than 80,000,” Stehman recalled. “I managed cash balances for the State of North Carolina and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and it was such fascinating work.” Fidelity brought the Stehmans to Irving to work at its offices in Las Colinas and their new hometown was a perfect fit. So much so that in 1998 when Fidelity moved his division to New Hampshire, Burnie decided it was time to retire and enjoy life in Irving—with summers spent at a vacation home on Cape Cod.

A Heart of Gratitude

Any conversation with Burnie typically begins and ends with gratitude. “I count my blessings,” he said, adding, “I’ve had such a good life and have been able to work and volunteer doing things I enjoy. The Irving hospital has been my favorite endeavor since moving to Irving.”

That “good life” began in the front bedroom of his family home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where he was born 94 years ago. He lived in Lancaster through his high school years but then ventured to our nation’s capital where he worked as a clerical assistant for the Washington Herald. “I moved to Washington because I wanted to be an FBI agent, but then I found out I needed a law degree. I knew I had to work for that degree because my parents could not afford college,” Stehman said. His FBI plans were derailed unexpectedly, though. He and his brother had worked to build an outdoor fireplace at his family’s home in Pennsylvania and he’d spent so much time smoothing the concrete with his hands, he’d obliterated his fingerprints. “Not having any fingerprints would have made it impossible to be considered for the FBI,” he laughed.

He eventually moved back to Pennsylvania after legendary retailing firm F.W. Woolworth built a new building in his hometown. Burnie and his brother both secured jobs there. Burnie’ s job as timekeeper helped pay for his college degree.

For Stehman, even hardships and illnesses have led to a focus on beneficial lessons learned and to gratitude for the compassionate caregivers who helped him and his family heal.

A Heart for Giving

Burnie’s most recent contribution named a beautiful new unit at Baylor Scott & White – Irving. The Stehman Family Intensive Care Unit will care for thousands of the hospital’s most critically ill patients, but Burnie has a heart (pun intended) for a specific segment: open-heart surgery patients. That surgery helped his family and many other heart patients in Irving, so the gift designated in his estate plan will be for cardiology services. His first gift was made in December 1991 and his generosity has been nonstop since.

Another notable early gift was to create Cappuccino Corner, a specialty coffee bar in the hospital lobby that operated for many years and supported the Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center’s patient support programs. Long before Starbucks routinely were found in medical centers, Irving’s hospital had a barista and made specialty coffees for guests.  “Shirley and I both had experiences with cancer care at the hospital and we thought the team there was marvelous, so we were happy to help the cancer center in this way,” he noted.

Across subsequent years, they named a room in the critical care unit, provided funding for the Stehman Spiritual
Resource Center where the chaplains’ offices are located, and recognized the current hospital president Cindy Schamp and her team by naming the administrative suite in their honor. Built in 2019, the Stehman Family Fireside welcomes guests who arrive at the medical center’s front lobby with a beautiful niche that houses a fireplace and comfortable chairs and tables.

“The hospital is ‘A Number 1’ on my list,” he noted, “and my plan has been to support it during my lifetime and then in my estate.” By letting the foundation know of his plans for both insurance policy and bequest giving in his estate, Stehman became a member of the Clinton H. Howard Society. Members of this legacy giving group are recognized on a plaque
in the hospital’s main corridor, which is updated annually.

“Burnie is one of the kindest and most generous people I’ve met across nearly four decades of leading hospitals. His heart for giving is not only exhibited in his contributions, but also with his knowledge of nonprofit finance and his advocacy. His involvement as a volunteer and donor has allowed us to serve thousands more of our neighbors. It’s also helped create one of the most-recognized hospitals for quality and safety in the DFW mid-cities. I’m so grateful for Burnie and his family,” said Cindy Schamp, president of Baylor Scott & White – Irving.

The bequest gift to name the Stehman Family ICU represents a family’s love for and belief in the city’s only nonprofit hospital. It is a gift of gratitude made with heart to benefit the entire Irving community.