Norman in Cleveland County, Oklahoma — The American South (West South Central)

Anne and Henry Zarrow Hall

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 19, 2025

1. Anne and Henry Zarrow Hall Marker, Side One

Inscription.

Anne and Henry Zarrow Hall. . Zarrow Hall is named in honor of Henry Zarrow, a lifelong philanthropist, and his wife, Anne, who shared a passion for helping others. This building was dedicated in 2011 and houses the School of Social Work. It reflects the traditional architecture of OU's most historic buildings while providing high-technology capabilities, including distance learning and video-conferencing capabilities to link the Norman campus social work program with the OU-Tulsa program. , It is fitting that the School of Social Work's new home is named for two people who are among the most caring and generous citizens in Oklahoma's history. The lives of Anne and Henry Zarrow reflect the values of the program – to provide a better quality of life for our poor, our sick and our other neighbors – young and old – who need a helping hand. Henry Zarrow's remarkable life included a deep commitment to giving to those in need and ensuring access to social and medical services. Zarrow was the first son of Sam and Rose Zarrow, who immigrated to the United States from Latvia. He went to work in the family grocery business at age 6 and opened his own grocery store at age 13, working before and after school. At 22, he started Sooner Pipe and Iron, which later became Sooner Pipe and Supply, the largest independent pipe and supply business of its kind in the world. He began making charitable donations even before he had fully paid for his first truck for the business. He sold the business in 1998. , The Zarrow family and foundation have been exceptionally generous donors to programs and projects on OU's campuses in Norman, at the OU Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City and at OU-Tulsa. Their philanthropy has benefited a range of important areas from scholarships to faculty endowments, from the Harold Hamm Oklahoma Diabetes Center to the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History to campus beautification and the OU Wayman Tisdale Specialty Health Center in Tulsa. Henry Zarrow chaired over 50 charitable organizations, and he and Anne established a center for the homeless in Tulsa.

Zarrow Hall is named in honor of Henry Zarrow, a lifelong philanthropist, and his wife, Anne, who shared a passion for helping others. This building was dedicated in 2011 and houses the School of Social Work. It reflects the traditional architecture of OU's most historic buildings while providing high-technology capabilities, including distance learning and video-conferencing capabilities to link the Norman campus social work program with the OU-Tulsa program.

It is fitting that the School of Social Work's new home is named for two people who are among the most caring and generous citizens in Oklahoma's history. The lives of Anne and Henry Zarrow reflect the values of the program – to provide a better quality of life for our poor, our sick and our other neighbors – young and old – who need a helping hand. Henry Zarrow's remarkable life included a deep commitment to giving to those in need and ensuring access to social and medical services. Zarrow was the first son of Sam and Rose Zarrow, who immigrated to the United States from Latvia. He went to work in the family grocery business at age 6 and opened his own grocery

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store at age 13, working before and after school. At 22, he started Sooner Pipe and Iron, which later became Sooner Pipe and Supply, the largest independent pipe and supply business of its kind in the world. He began making charitable donations even before he had fully paid for his first truck for the business. He sold the business in 1998.

The Zarrow family and foundation have been exceptionally generous donors to programs and projects on OU's campuses in Norman, at the OU Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City and at OU-Tulsa. Their philanthropy has benefited a range of important areas from scholarships to faculty endowments, from the Harold Hamm Oklahoma Diabetes Center to the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History to campus beautification and the OU Wayman Tisdale Specialty Health Center in Tulsa. Henry Zarrow chaired over 50 charitable organizations, and he and Anne established a center for the homeless in Tulsa.

Erected by The University of Oklahoma.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Education • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it

Anne and Henry Zarrow Hall Marker, Side Two image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 19, 2025

2. Anne and Henry Zarrow Hall Marker, Side Two

is included in the University of Oklahoma series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 2011.

Location. 35° 12.444′ N, 97° 26.88′ W. Marker is in Norman, Oklahoma, in Cleveland County. It is at the intersection of Elm Avenue and West Brooks Street, on the right when traveling south on Elm Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 700 Elm Ave, Norman OK 73069, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Central Oklahoma — Frontier Country

and in Greater Oklahoma City.

It is also in the American South,

specifically on the prairies,

and on the Southern Plains.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: David L. Boren College of International Studies Marker (within shouting distance of this marker); Farzaneh Hall (within shouting distance of this marker); Goddard Health Center (about 400 feet away,

Anne and Henry Zarrow Hall Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 18, 2025

3. Anne and Henry Zarrow Hall Marker

measured in a direct line); Historic Robertson Hall (about 500 feet away); Nielsen Hall (about 600 feet away); Burton Hall (about 600 feet away); Bizzell Memorial Library (about 700 feet away); Physical Sciences Center (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Norman.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Ellison Hall (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been confirmed missing).

Anne and Henry Zarrow image. Click for full size.

via Oklahoma Library Association (Public Domain)

4. Anne and Henry Zarrow

The couple wed in 1939. Anne Zarrow died in 2000 and her husband in 2014. Their children – and those of his late brother, Jack Zarrow, and his wife Maxine – now run the family foundation, which has given more than $394 million since 2015.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 9, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 9, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 1,048 times since then and 36 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on July 9, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.