Cofield Remembered with Scholarship

Ole Miss family creates fund to remember generous friend, fraternity brother

Friends and Kappa Alpha fraternity brothers of the late Glenn Cofield have created a scholarship fund at the University of Mississippi to pay tribute to his life. They include Tim Phillips (left), William Douglas, O’Keefe Graham, KA president Taylor Anderson, Cal Mayo and Andy Phillips. Photo by Bill Dabney/UM Foundation

OXFORD, Miss. – The late Glenn Cofield, of Memphis, Tennessee, was known for waiting by cash registers at the grocery store, paying bills for large families and then leaving before anyone could thank him. He was a community servant who wanted no accolades.

“Everyone should know how giving Glenn Cofield was and how much he cared for others,” said O’Keefe Graham, of Oxford, chapter adviser for Kappa Alpha Order at the University of Mississippi.

Following Cofield’s murder in June at age 57, members of the KA family and others have established the Glenn Cofield Memorial Scholarship Fund as a tribute to their fraternity brother and friend.

Ole Miss alumni and friends are encouraged to support the new scholarship, said William Douglas, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, Cofield’s pledge brother and longtime friend.

“Glenn never forgot where he came from, regardless of how successful he became,” Douglas said. “He cherished memories of his childhood and always tried to stay connected to the people he grew up with in Oxford.”

Glenn Cofield

Cofield was a “star athlete, faithful friend and lover of life but, most importantly, Mr. Oxford High,” according to his obituary. As an Eagle Scout, he developed skills he would utilize for the rest of his life. After high school, he enrolled at Ole Miss to pursue a degree in accountancy.

Following graduation, Cofield began his career at Arthur Andersen as an accountant in Houston, Texas. He, with his wife Natalie, later moved to Memphis to work for his father-in-law, Thomas Scott Fisher, as chief financial officer of Samelson Leon before joining Barnes Pettey Financial Advisors, where he became branch manager.

He enjoyed a successful career as an independent financial adviser for more than 25 years before his death on June 7.

Ole Miss was never far from Cofield’s mind. His sons Scott and Houston are both UM alumni and KAs, and his youngest son, Andrew, is a freshman.

“Glenn was the biggest fan of Ole Miss that I knew,” Douglas said. “The only things he put above Ole Miss were his family and his faith.

“He was passionate about Ole Miss athletics and academics and was especially proud of the Patterson School of Accountancy.”

That’s why the memorial to his alma mater seemed appropriate to those who established the fund: Cofield’s friends Douglas, Cal Mayo, Tim Phillips and Andy Phillips, all of Oxford.

“KA is so honored to help facilitate this scholarship for a fifth-year accounting student, no matter his or her affiliation with the Greek community; for it to be a need-based scholarship tells you what you need to know about Glenn’s character,” Graham said.

“When I asked Glenn to take an active role in the KA chapter because the young men could learn so much from him, he said it was a huge honor. I’m so very sad for our chapter that we didn’t get to have Glenn involved as much as we hoped to.

“I think he would be honored with this scholarship because it symbolizes so much of what Glenn and KA stand for.”

In Memphis, Cofield was a deacon and head usher at Independent Presbyterian Church and an active board member of Juvenile Intervention and Faith-Based Follow-Up. He also served as a co-founder and board member of Paragon Bank, board member of the Memphis Country Club, past treasurer and president of Carnival Memphis, member of the FedEx St. Jude Golf Tournament Committee of 100 and a board member of the Institute of Management Accountants.

The Glenn Cofield Memorial Scholarship Fund is open to accept gifts from individuals and organizations. To contribute, mail a check, with the fund’s name written in the memo line, to the University of Mississippi Foundation, 406 University Ave., Oxford, MS 38655; or give online at https://give.olemiss.edu.

For more information, contact Denson Hollis, executive director of development, at dhollis@olemiss.edu or 662-915-5092.