In Memoriam Trustees

Ben R. Rechter

Ben R. Rechter of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away May 7, 2021. Mr. Rechter was a Harpeth Hall trustee from 1984-1990. Mr. Rechter attended Hanover College and Indiana University and received honorary degrees from Fisk, Belmont, and Meharry Medical College. Over the span of nearly 50 years, Mr. Rechter was well known for his dedication to the Nashville community. A true visionary, he played an integral role in projects that helped shape Nashville into the city it is today. In addition to Harpeth Hall, Mr. Rechter served on numerous boards, and he worked behind the scenes and personally touched and impacted many lives. Some of the organizations and projects he was involved in included: Fisk University, United Way of Middle Tennessee, The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, Nashville Symphony, Nashville Public Television, and The National Museum of African American Music. Mr. Rechter’s wise counsel extended to both family and business, and for many decades he played a central leadership role at Rogers Group, the family business begun by his grandfather. He is survived by his wife, Joan, two brothers, one sister, two sons, daughter Jennifer Rechter Paisley ’88, six grandchildren including K.K. Rechter Sibert ’14 and Brenna Paisley ’24, and two great-grandchildren.

The Rev. G. Frederick Dettwiller II

The Rev. Frederick Dettwiller of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away October 22, 2021. The Rev. Dettwiller served on the Harpeth Hall board from 1991-1997. A leader in Tennessee's business and religious communities, he was an active individual who accomplished much and touched many lives. After graduating from Vanderbilt University, he founded his first beer distributorship and ultimately became the owner of one of Tennessee's largest beer distributors, DET Distributing. He chaired the Nashville Convention Center Commission and as well as the committee that recommended Nashville build Bridgestone Arena. Additionally, he chaired the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority and the Tennessee Aeronautics Commission. As a champion of civil rights and education, he chaired the Tennessee Human Rights Commission, the Tennessee State University Foundation Board, and Tennesseans for Better Schools. The Rev. Dettwiller entered the priesthood in 2004 after a lifetime of involvement in the Episcopal Church. He began his church service as a deacon of St. Phillips Church in Nashville, then as the pastor of the Church of Our Savior in Gallatin, Tennessee. The Rev. Dettwiller is survived by his wife, Kathryn King Dettwiller ’65, who taught at Harpeth Hall from 1977-1981, one son, daughters and step-daughters including A.K. Dettwiller ’96, Helene Dettwiller Vaughn ’98, Christin Mathes Robbins ’90, and Kim Dettwiller Burton ’82, and 11 grandchildren.