Ray Robison

Ray Robison, a long time Bedford attorney, decided to honor and remember his deceased parents by giving to the future of Lawrence County. Ray started an unrestricted fund in the name of his parents, Ralph W. “Shorty” and Bette R. Robison.

Ray established the Ralph W. “Shorty” and Bette R. Robinson Fund for Community Grantmaking as an unrestricted fund to honor his parents because they had varying interests. “Unrestricted funds are used to make grants for a variety of charitable purposes,” explained Robison, a former member of the LCCF Board of Directors and the Grants Committee. “That means that as needs change, funds can be redirected each year to meet them. The fact that each year a different cause is funded would give my parents a great deal of satisfaction, particularly my mother.”

Bette Robison was a retired engineering technician for the Naval Surface Warfare Center-Crane and an active member of senior citizen groups in Bedford and Mitchell. She was also a member of the Altrusa Club of Bedford.

Ralph “Shorty” Robison was a truck driver and enjoyed outdoor activities like hunting and fishing. He and Bette taught Ray that honesty and hard work were the way to get things done. They also encouraged Ray to do his part for the community and to make it a better place.

Robison said funds such as this one honor the memory of someone’s life and at the same time provide resources to touch future lives. “It’s a way to honor my parents and I know the money will be there forever. It will be benefiting groups long after I’m gone,” Ray said. “I just think it’s a nice way for people to honor their parents and grandparents.”

Ray established the fund during a Lilly Endowment Inc. GIFT V matching funds challenge which increased the value of the endowment.