Remembering Paul Broyhill, a true friend of children

Paul Broyhill, 97, died October 5, 2021. His legacy of leadership, compassion, generosity, and kindness is spread world-wide where the name “Broyhill” is synonymous with quality and style.

We first met over a late-night dinner at a French restaurant in Reynolda Village in Winston-Salem. It was a Friday night in July

‘83 and what was supposed to be a get-acquainted visit turned into a three-hour time of introduction, reminiscing, and looking ahead.

Paul Broyhill was a man of action and he urged me to be that same way as the new president of Baptist Children’s Homes. I called him often and visited when I could.

The Broyhill Family Foundation was the vehicle through which grants were made to BCH (the first was for a swimming pool at Mills Home in 1955). But, the work of the Foundation was felt in powerful ways throughout Caldwell County, homebase for Broyhill Furniture Industries.

For decades, Paul was an active—and influential—member of First Baptist Church, Lenoir. It was here—and especially through the guidance of his parents J. E. and Satie Broyhill—that Paul became convinced of “the need to give back.” And, give back he did! We at BCH have been the grateful recipients of Paul’s generosity and that of his parents before him.

The crowning touch of Broyhill generosity to BCH is the Broyhill

Children’s Home, located in the hill country of Clyde, North Carolina in Haywood County. As recently as the week I am writing

these words, we received a substantial grant from the Foundation

to fund one of our projects.