Shreveport’s Shriners Hospital Celebrates Historic Donation

Quite an amazing day at Shriners Children’s in Shreveport. They have received a donation from the estate of the late Hollis Ray Waller who was a philanthropist and a lifelong sportsman. The Shreveport native had a passion for the mission of Shriners and wanted to make a difference.

His wishes have now been carried out. His lifelong friend has presented Shriners with an extraordinary gift that represents the largest ever received by the pediatric specialty facility in its 103-year history. The exact amount has not been disclosed, but it is described as 8 figures.

Of course, that means it’s at least $10 million dollars.

Waller died in 2022 at the age of 71. You would never know by how he lived that he was such a wealthy man. He lived a modest life and pursued several hobbies. He was a graduate of Byrd High School and attended Northwestern State University.

Waller was an avid reader and loved all kinds of outdoor activities including shooting sports, fishing, and a lifelong love of golf. In his later years, Waller collected vinyl albums.

Waller wanted his estate to help children who were struggling with challenges that were out of their control.

“Shriners Children’s Shreveport is deeply honored and grateful to receive this incredible gift from the estate of Mr. Hollis Ray Waller,” said Stuart Sullivan, Chief Philanthropy Officer of Shriners Children’s. “His gift represents not only the largest donation in the 103-year history of the first facility in our system, but also reflects Mr. Waller’s sincere desire to impact countless young lives in need of our specialty care. Mr. Waller’s gift will make a lasting impact on our mission here in Shreveport and beyond, and we couldn’t be more grateful for his generosity and support of our mission.”

Shriners says Waller’s gift will be used to “support the operational expenses of the Shreveport Shriners facility, helping to ensure that children from throughout the Shreveport area and far beyond will benefit from its life-changing care.”

This gift is expected to impact the lives of children and their families well into the future.

Cade Havard presented the check and says “Ray Waller was my best friend for 57 years. Ray lived a simple life in the city he loved and spent practically the entirety of his life. He had varying interests, plans and goals through the years, but one thing he never wavered on and he put in place over 40 years ago was his desire to leave his estate to Shriners Children’s Shreveport. As his friend, it was my duty but also my honor to see that his wishes were fulfilled.”

Shriners Children’s Shreveport serves six states including Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Alabama. In 2024, the facility saw more than 16,000 patients, completed 841 lifechanging surgeries, and nearly 4,000 new patients.