Chrissie and Mark Stamey – Part of the Chinquapin Family

The Stameys are long-time supporters of Chinquapin. Their involvement dates back nearly three decades and they have made the school central to their lives, as they understand the real value Chinquapin creates for the wider Houston community.

Chrissie and Mark learned about Chinquapin from their good friend, Jim Murdaugh, who asked Chrissie to join the board. Another friend, Byron Willeford, was also on the board at that time. Over the years, “The Usual Suspects” — the Stameys, Bowens, Willefords, Brittons, and Petersons — have all supported the school through many different fundraising activities, various donations, and board memberships. The Bowens were the first of this group to have their housekeeper’s kids attend Chinquapin. This spurred the Stameys to suggest the school to their housekeeper, whose daughter, Nicole, was at the time nearing the end of elementary school.

Nicole’s mother worked extremely hard to provide for her daughter, but after the sudden death of her husband – Nicole’s father – the Stameys and the Chinquapin community was even more important for Nicole to stay on track and graduate.

The Stameys became grandparents seven times while Nicole was a student at Chinquapin, and when they established Texas 529B college accounts for their grandchildren, they consciously decided to do the same for Nicole. She was, after all, like family. This selfless act meant that when Nicole graduated from Chinquapin, there were funds for college at the ready.

Nicole attends Houston Baptist University where her tuition is $16,000/semester. But, thanks to $11,000 in grants and scholarships per semester Nicole has earned, PLUS $5,000 in funds she is able to take from the 529B account the Stameys established for her all those years ago, college is affordable for her. Nicole is now a sophomore at Houston Baptist University and, Mark proudly reports, is doing “fabulously well”. She is able to focus on her studies and not stretch herself too thin by having to piece together part-time jobs in order to pay for college.

We salute the Stameys for their big hearts and for their commitment to the Chinquapin community!