A volunteer group of active and retired nurses who show up for our own — in white uniforms, with a lamp and a white rose.
Honoring nurses with dignity, respect and gratitude — and preserving their legacies.
The East Tennessee Nurse Honor Guard
is comprised of active and retired nurses who generously volunteer their time to travel throughout the region to honor and pay tribute to fellow nurses at the end of life.
It is our privilege to serve families during one of life’s most difficult moments. Through our presence and ceremonial tributes, we strive to provide comfort, dignity, and peace while honoring the nurse’s life, career and legacy of service.
The East Tennessee Nurse Honor Guard is a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, EIN 99-2540341. All of our members serve on a volunteer basis, and there is never a charge to the family for our services.
Nurse Honor Guard chapters are established to formally recognize and honor nurses for their dedication, compassion, and service to others. One of the most meaningful traditions is the Nightingale Tribute, a ceremonial tribute named in honor of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. It symbolizes the nurse who is watching over their patients even in the dark of night. The ceremony centers around the symbolic lamp, representing the light of nursing, the knowledge and compassion nurses share, and the enduring legacy of those who have dedicated their live to the profession.
When we present the Nightingale lamp to the nurse’s family, we honor the completion of their watch and affirm that their life, service, and dedication truly mattered. The lamp symbolizes the light they carried and the lasting impact they made on the lives of those they served.
The white rose presented alongside the lamp, represents purity, peace, reverence and remembrance - an enduring symbol of the compassion and dignity that define the nursing profession.
More than a profession, nursing is a calling, to serve others with skill,
compassion and unwavering dedication during some of life’s most
vulnerable moments. A nurse’s commitment does not end when their
career or life comes to a close. Once a nurse, always a nurse.
Our members wear traditional World War I-era nursing uniforms as a meaningful tribute to the history, heritage, and traditions of the nursing profession. Each element of the uniform carries symbolic significance and reflects the professionalism, dedication, and
service of those who came before us. The white uniform represents purity and the integrity of the nursing profession. The cape, with its blue and red accents, symbolizes professionalism and service, while the red symbolizes the American red cross used to render aid during times of war. Our white gloves are worn intentionally, representing the skill, precision, dignity and honor with which nurses carry out their responsibilities. Each movement is performed with purpose and respect. The nursing cap represents the education and training required to enter the profession. The stripe on the cap symbolizes
the successful completion of the education, clinical preparation and
competencies required for graduation and entry into nursing.
Together, these traditional elements serve as a visual reminder of the
proud history of nursing and the enduring commitment of nurses to serve others with compassion, competence , dignity, and honor.
The Nurses Honor Guard tradition began as a meaningful way to recognize and celebrate the lives of nurses who devoted themselves to caring for others. The East Tennessee Nurse Honor Guard, based in Knoxville , Tennessee, was founded by Mollie Kennedy in 2021 and is composed of active and retired FNPs, RNs and LPNs, as well as Senior nursing students in good standing, who are in the East Tennessee region. . Our members proudly honor the men and women of our community who have dedicated their lives to service and compassion.
Our members are dedicated to honoring individuals who devoted their lives to the nursing profession. At the request of a nurse's family, the Honor Guard provides a ceremonial tribute recognizing a lifetime of service.
We acknowledge that nurses possess a unique gift for nurturing and uplifting others. Our mission is to support families and communities during their time of loss, honoring those who shared these gifts throughout their lives as well as honoring our profession. We are humbled to serve during such a solemn moment and to celebrate the career and legacy of our fellow nursing colleagues.
The East Tennessee Nurse Honor Guard is based in Knoxville, Tennessee, a community with a rich history and a landmark known around the world. In 1982, Knoxville hosted the World’s Fair, and the iconic Sunsphere was built as its centerpiece. Today, the Sunsphere remains a proud symbol of Knoxville and the East Tennessee community.
Through imagination and creativity, we incorporated the Sunsphere into our logo to represent the community we are proud to serve, while the nursing cap and cape represent the nursing profession and the tradition of the Nurse Honor Guard.
Together, these elements represent both sides of our mission: our commitment to the nurses we honor and our connection to the East Tennessee community we call home.
Active and retired nurse practitioners, registered nurses and licensed practical nurses from across East Tennessee.
Members are pinned with the official East Tennessee Nurse Honor Guard pin at the their first service and then at milestone services to include 25, 50 and 100 services.
A place to say thank you to the people whose kindness keeps this guard going.
The East Tennessee Nurse Honor Guard would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to Dwayne Frye with Frye Wood Design, for his incredible talent, craftsmanship, and care in engraving the beautiful boxes we present to families during our Nightingale Tributes.
We are also deeply grateful to Deba Thrasher with Sew What Embroidery for her skill and expertise in embroidering the blankets we present during our Living Tributes.
A heartfelt thank-you to our SWEETheart, Cathy Felker, for always remembering us with her sweet treat bags. Her thoughtful gesture never fails to brighten our day—just as she does whenever she is around.
We would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Brenda Weaver, our talented seamstress, who generously shares her time and skill to create our beautiful capes. Her craftsmanship helps us present ourselves with the dignity, professionalism, and unity that our Nurse Honor Guard represents. We truly appreciate the time, talent, and care she puts into helping us look our very best. Thank you, Brenda!
We would also like to thank our member, Vicky Lowe, who so graciously gives her time and creativity to make the beautiful bows for the roses we present during our ceremonies. Her thoughtful touch adds even more meaning and beauty to the tradition of presenting a rose to each recipient. Thank you, Vicky. We love you and appreciate all that you do for us!
Either of us is glad to hear from you — about a service, about joining, or about starting a chapter in your own community.
Please leave a voicemail and you will be contacted within 24 hours.
Members meet on the third Tuesday of every month.
Call us and we will take it from here. We coordinate directly with your funeral home, and there is never a charge to the family.
