The Todd House:
Continuing a Legacy of Faithful Service

The Todd House, a women’s residence located on the historic campus of Memphis Theological Seminary, is a symbol of the legacy of two people who were beloved and respected members of the Memphis Theological Seminary faculty and staff and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church for over five decades. The house was named for Dr. Virgil Todd and his wife, Irene in recognition of their years of service to MTS. The house is used by eligible students to rent for a semester or on an overnight basis.

The 4-bedroom, 1940s duplex-style house recently underwent an extensive renovation. Robert Robeson, trustee of the Billy D. Harbison Living Trust and a member of the Todd family, donated $100,000 to MTS to refurbish the Todd house and for continued upkeep and maintenance in MTS’ Student Housing. Improvements included an upgrade of the kitchen, mounting a stabilizing beam in the center of the house to provide a more open floor space, and installing central air.

These improvements were a godsend to commuter students like Betty Jo Lea, who commutes weekly by Greyhound bus from Little Rock, AR to attend classes at the seminary. The first Resident Manager of the home, Rutsuko Matsumoto was an international student from Japan who also worked part-time with the seminary’s Admissions Department to help recruit students to MTS. She was the first face that female commuters met upon entering The Todd House.

Dr. and Mrs. Todd

Dr. Virgil Todd joined the faculty of the seminary in 1952 as an instructor of Hebrew and Old Testament Studies. He was one of the seven faculty members who relocated to Memphis when the school moved to the city in 1964 from McKenzie, TN. Irene Todd was also a valued member of the seminary staff, serving as executive secretary and treasurer. “She ran the place, basically…and that was before computers,” recalls the couple’s son, Don Todd.

Dr. Todd is remembered by many as a respected biblical scholar, educator, and pastor. “I was blessed to be able to study with Dr. Virgil Todd. It was clear when you walked into his classroom how much he loved the Old Testament, especially the prophets,” says MTS President Dr. Jay Earheart-Brown. Todd adds his father was a popular teacher among seminary students, but he wasn’t one to let them slide, either. “He didn’t like to give an ‘A’; you had to really deserve it.”

“He (just) loved teaching, and he loved what he taught,” Todd remembers.

Dr. Earheart-Brown says the generous gift from the extended family of Dr. and Mrs. Todd for the renovation of Todd House “will make sure that the Todd legacy lives on at MTS, by providing comfortable and affordable commuter housing to another generation of students.”