A teacher who retired to Nashville, left a surprising inheritance to the Brown County Public Library — more than $2.3 million dollars. The library board announced this week that the gift from the estate of Tesh Wickard is the largest in the library’s history. Wickard taught business courses at Hauser High School.

Officials at the library say that Wickard would stop by the library every morning, reading newspapers and magazines by the fireplace. “Tesh valued the importance a library plays in the community. This kind gesture is a gift to all of Brown County, not just the library,” said Stori Snyder, director of the library.

The donation is set up as an endowment, with the interest going each year to the library. The spending of the gift will be overseen by both the library board and an endowment board. The money can only be used for maintenance and building expenses such as carpeting, roof replacement, heating and air-conditioning or reserve emergency funds. Officials say that one of the first projects planned is to modernize and revamp the checkout area at the front of the library.

Wickard died in October 2014 and the endowment was set up last summer. A celebration event will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on April 23rd with a presentation at 2 p.m.