Brevard businesswoman, philanthropist Myra Haley dies at Merritt Island home
Support local journalism: Find offers for new subscribers here: Special Offers — FLORIDA TODAY.
Want to read our e-Edition? Here are some tips for getting the best experience.
Myra Igo Haley, a longtime Brevard businesswoman and philanthropist, died unexpectedly at her Merritt Island home over the weekend. She was 63.
"She was one of the most successful businesswomen in Brevard County," said Darcia Jones Francey, who served with Haley on multiple non-profit boards. "She gave to so many causes and helped so many people. She was a true philanthropist, because she never asked for anything in return, no matter what she gave."
Born in Indiana, Haley moved to Brevard County in 1992 with her family. Her father, Miles D. Igo, purchased undeveloped land in Suntree, owned at that time by the Fairfield Company. He and his daughter incorporated as Suntree Partners.
She had a shrewd head for business, and spent much of her career in real estate development. Suntree Partners was responsible for many of the neighborhoods north of Wickham Road along Spyglass Hill Road, as well as multiple Suntree business complexes.
Read more: Myra Haley nominated as Volunteer Recognition Awards Citizen of the Year for 2014
In addition to making a name for herself in business, Haley also wanted to help make her new home a better place to live.
"I knew I wanted to be involved somehow in the community, I just didn't know how," she said in a 2014 story in FLORIDA TODAY.
It didn't take her long to figure it out. In the past 30 years, Haley has served as a director for the Health First Foundation Board, member of its Founder's Society; chairman, Board of Trustees, Holy Trinity Academy; Board of Trustees, Eastern Florida State College; and Board of Directors, King Center for the Performing Arts, Eastern Florida State College Foundation; and the U.S. Space Walk of Fame.
She has given millions of dollars to causes including the Brevard Cultural Alliance, Junior Achievement, The Haven for Children, Meals on Wheels and Habitat for Humanity of Brevard.
"There were countless organizations and people she helped," Jones-Francey said. "She never told anyone. She just did things very quietly. When she saw a cause she liked, she gave to it. That's a true philanthropist. You give from your heart, and you don't ask for anything in return. She gave without strings."
Haley was on the Board of Trustees for Brevard County Community College, now Eastern Florida State College, in 2013 when the college began offering four-year degrees.
"I think it's a great idea. Some of the students are leaving the area to get their degrees and they're staying wherever they go," she said at the time.
“Myra’s passing is a loss to everyone at the college," said Dr. Jim Richey, EFSC president. "She played an important role in the growth of EFSC and was always focused on what was best for students. She was a true public servant whose work greatly benefited higher education and our entire community. Her contribution will never be forgotten.”
Haley's work also greatly benefited secondary education.
"It's about helping others," she said in a 2012 story when the Local chapter of National Association of Fundraising Professionals named her Outstanding Philanthropist in 2012. "It's not about just yourself. That's what I'm trying to teach my children, also."
She served as chairwoman of the Board of Trustees for Holy Trinity Episcopal School, where her son and daughter were students, and in 2009, gave $1.5 million to the school's endowment, which helps children who want to attend the school but can't afford the tuition.
"Myra was extraordinarily generous with us all, not only with her treasure, but with her time," said Catherine Ford, former headmaster of the academy. "She served on Holy Trinity's Board of Trustees for six years and was very committed to the school. I remember that when Meredith or Mason's class would be assigned to bring treats to the faculty and staff to the Lower School, Myra would arrive with tray after tray from Petty's, and she would personally schlep those trays upstairs for everyone to enjoy Despite offers to help, she would insist on doing it herself. She was very committed to Holy Trinity."
Haley supported national health care entities such as Johns Hopkins University and the Mayo Clinic, but she also supported Brevard County's Health First.
“Myra Haley was not only a generous donor and volunteer to Health First over the years, she was also a very good friend," said Michael Seeley, president, Health First Foundation. "She served on the Foundation Board of Trustees, co-chaired the Grape Escape Event to enhance heart and vascular healthcare, and was a tireless champion for nursing excellence."
"Through her family foundation, Myra set up a special endowment to ensure an annual scholarship in perpetuity for Health First cardiac nurses seeking advanced nursing degrees," he said. "Always thoughtful and big-hearted, Myra was a true philanthropist and will be greatly missed.”
Haley is survived by her children, Meredith and Mason Haley. No public service is being planned, but memorial donations can be made to Johns Hopkins, the Mayo Clinic or any of the local organizations she supported.
Suzy Fleming Leonard is a features journalist with more than three decades of experience. Reach her at sleonard@floridatoday.com. Find her on Facebook: @SuzyFlemingLeonard or on Instagram: @SuzyLeonard
Support local journalism: Find offers for new subscribers here: Special Offers — USATodayNetwork.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Philanthropist Myra Haley, who gave millions to local causes, died
