Dottie Grief Named 2026 Friend of the Year by Friends of the Brentwood Library
Dottie Grief receiving the Friends of the Year award with FOBL President Tricia Allison and President-Elect Bridget von Weisenstein
The Friends of the Brentwood Library (FOBL) is proud to announce that Dottie Grief is the 2026 recipient of its Friend of the Year award.
Grief’s dedication to the Brentwood community and its library is deep. A patron of the library as far back as 1981, she began in service to the library in 2008 as a part of the Library Foundation, where she helped drive major fundraising events such as “Evenings with Authors.” She also served as the first president of the Bliss Investment Club, a role she took at the request of then Library Director Chuck Sherrill.
Serving as chair of the Brentwood Library Board from 2017 to 2022, Grief oversaw some of the most significant milestones in the library’s history, including the $4.2 million Holt family bequest and the renaming of the John P. Holt Brentwood Library.
Grief was known to all as an individual who could bring people together and ensure ongoing progress in the effort to strengthen the library and its mission within the community. During her time as chair, she spent countless communicating with city commissioners to ensure they were informed about library successes, vital statistics, and stories about how the Friends of the Brentwood Library had made significant and positive impacts.
“Dottie brings a sharp blend of intellect and a massive heart to everything she touches,” said Bridget von Weisenstein, FOBL’s incoming president. “She was so respected by her fellow board members that they famously created a button asking: ‘What would Dottie do?’ I know I will keep that mantra close by as a constant reminder of her wisdom and grace.”
During FOBL’s general membership meeting earlier this month, Grief offered a few gracious remarks about her Friend of the Year recognition.
“This award would not have come to me without the teamwork of many of you here tonight,” said Grief. “I hope that my work with the library continues, and that this wonderful facility with all of its enrichment continues for generations to come. And I do believe, with the Friends’ help, it will continue,” she said.
Outside of her civic work with the library, Grief is a licensed attorney with over 40 years of experience serving the Nashville and Brentwood, Tennessee area. Her practice focuses primarily on elder law, probate, and business law.
For more information about the Friends of the Brentwood Library and how to get involved, visit https://www.fobltn.org/.
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