Donor Stories
Kenny, Ruth, Kent, & Scot Greenwell
Growing up in Loogootee and being part of a farm family, Kenny Greenwell admired good citizens and family members who always seemed to be giving. Some of these good citizens had large families but still found time to give back to their community. After volunteering on a couple of fund drives at Loogootee St. John Catholic Church, Kenny started focusing on “time, talent or treasure” as three ways of giving.
Kenny remembers community leaders and his uncles and aunts volunteering in various organizations. His father Pat, owner of Greenwell Hardware, used to support needy citizens by giving them small loans until they got their monthly check or paycheck. His brother Keith later owned the store and then became a St. Vincent DePaul member to help others. Other family members always contributed their “time, talent or treasure” to the community. Kenny recalls the effort to establish the Loogootee Industrial Park and family donations to that fund to revitalize the old brickyard property.
Kenny has admired the Martin County Community Foundation and the individuals and families who have established endowment funds as memorial remembrances or pay it forward donations. The Greenwell’s were one of the original five-year donors to the Loogootee Basketball Family Scholarship Fund lead by Jack and Rita Butcher as well as donors to other funds. The honorary funds tell wonderful stories; some are good stories resulting from tragedy.
Ruth worked locally in Martin County and was Administrator of Popular Valley Nursing Center, now Martin County Nursing Center. She has used her social work and management talent in volunteer work at Red Cross, as a Court Appointed Special Advocate, and addiction support. She also volunteers at libraries. One of her proud moments was giving a homeless veteran a temporary home, seeing her prosper and make it on her own.
Kenny, a U. S. Navy Veteran, spent most of his career at the Crane Naval Support Activity. Roughly half of the Martin County land is occupied by the U. S. Navy. Kenny supported the preservation of history at Crane, is a Board Member/Director at Crane Credit Union and has served as an ambassador for government projects. He is a member of several military and civic organizations. Kenny also considers himself a renegade volunteer since he strives to provide homes for people who do not qualify for bank loans. After reaching the age for 401K required minimum distributions and seeing the potential for Lilly Endowment Gift matches, he discussed the benefits with family members. The results are one unrestricted fund and one donor advised fund. Both got a big boost from the Lilly Endowment Gift VII Initiative.
Kent Greenwell has been active in church, Knights of Columbus, and community organizations in West Lafayette. Scot has always been a time and talent giver in community theatre and now supports many productions in the Indianapolis area. Having them as participants in the donor advised fund will encourage continued involvement in family philanthropy.
The Kenny and Ruth Greenwell Family Fund was established as an unrestricted fund so that board members could always choose to support areas of greatest need. The KKS Greenwell donor advised fund was established so the family can support specific, qualified non-profit entities. Both funds have benefited from the Lilly Endowment Gift VII and accept donations.
Sarah (Bowling) Fuhrman
When Sarah (Bowling) Fuhrman entered Kindergarten at Loogootee Elementary School, she was joined by an extraordinary group of classmates. Sarah, who was born with cystic fibrosis, quickly bonded with her classmates and was accepted and loved. On May 24, 2005, Sarah passed away at the age of 22. The lessons learned from knowing Sarah are remembered and cherished by her friends and family.
The life lessons learned by the Loogootee High School Class of 2001 were in part impacted by having Sarah amongst them. One of the results of the relationships that were forged is the “Sarah Bowling Fuhrman Memorial Fund for Youth” endowment at the Martin County Community Foundation, founded by five of her friends to provide classroom grants to their alma mater as well as to establish a permanent legacy to Sarah. These friends were Sarah’s classmates and closest friends: Andrea (Sorrells) Huff, Jessica (Davis) Sheetz, Ashly (Erler) Fisher, Sarah (Graber) Knepp, and Stacy (Mathias) Sickbert. One day they sat down to share memories of what it was like knowing Sarah from an early age, growing up with her, and how knowing her impacted them.
Ashly recalled an early memory of Sarah. “In third grade, I asked Sarah what was ‘wrong’ with her and she looked at me and said ‘I have a disease call cystic fibrosis, but if you can’t say that, then say ‘sixty-five roses.’ To me, explaining a disease that is so serious can be a hard thing to do, but Sarah found a way to make it sound ‘ok,’ like she did so many times in her life.”
Sarah defined herself and her life in a remarkable way by living an active and vibrant life. She was involved in Dance, Lionettes, Student Council, and Twin Rivers medical careers. She continued on to graduate from high school, go to college, become a pharmacy technician, attend Vincennes University’s nursing program, plan a wedding and get married. Sarah was a wife, daughter, granddaughter, sister, aunt, niece, cousin, and friend.
She was a perfect example of making the most of life. “You could always count on her for a laugh. Her sweet, charming, loving personality earned her the title of ‘Miss Personality’ from her senior class,” said Sarah Knepp. Andrea added, “She was fun-loving, and I think she inspired many of us around her to achieve and look at life as a most precious thing, and that is a lesson many people never have the opportunity to learn.” This was especially true for those who had the opportunity to really know her. Stacy expressed this when she said, “She taught us to love life, and we treasure that lesson.”
God never gives us anything we cannot handle. Sarah proved that to her friends by living her life with cystic fibrosis with more grace, style, spunk, and dignity than ever expected. “She did such a wonderful job of this that it was difficult for us to comprehend how sick she really was,” expressed her friends. “We never fully understood that Sarah would pass away. We thought she would live forever, and in our hearts and through this endowment, she does.” Jessica noted that “Sarah was the bravest person I’ve ever met. Nothing, and no amount of money, will bring Sarah back to us. But by establishing this endowment we know she will be remembered, and her story will become a legacy to her, Sarah, our friend.”
Many times when someone is terminally ill, the disease or sickness defines who they are. In most stories, there is a defining point for the individual and those who love them, when destiny becomes reality. So many times the things that we wish to do and the goals we hope to achieve are just a dream to those whose lives must end so hastily. In the end, most people find that the feelings of loss are consoled in knowing that all along, the day would come for a person, like Sarah, to leave.
But this story has a twist to it. Sarah’s friends came to know her before they knew cystic fibrosis. They came to know, in full, Sarah’s hopes, dreams, goals, happiness, sadness, laughter, love, passion, joy, tears, and interests. They saw first-hand what made her heart glow and the intensity which she brought to every day. As they grew, they saw her hopes, dreams, goals, and interests become a reality. Growing is a learning experience filled with the good and the bad of every situation. As a team, the friends walked through every open door that life handed them with the determination of a child. Although the inevitable was stated many times, it wasn’t a reality. Sarah defined cystic fibrosis; the disease did not become her, yet she became the disease. She did what she said she was going to do with a smile on her face and a passion so big.
Sometimes in life, the body is weaker than the soul. This is true in many different ways. Whether someone has a heart full of intentions that never get met, or someone never getting the courage to do something they have always wanted to do. Sarah was a different story. She had, and demonstrated, the courage to take the world by the hand. Sarah beat the disease on her own terms.
How this story ends isn’t really an ending at all, yet an open door. Just as the group of friends carried each other through good and bad for all those years, the five still carry Sarah with them. This touching story began as a journey of six girls coming together and forming a bond that would last a lifetime and continues on as just that. The girls say “Thank you Sarah, for allowing us to be a part of your life.”
Donald & Janett Walton
In 2015, the family of Donald and Janett Walton established an endowment fund with the Martin County Community Foundation. It is appropriately named the Donald and Janett Walton Endowment Fund for the Betterment of Martin County. As an unrestricted fund, it will honor these two community leaders by providing funds in perpetuity to enrich and better the lives of those who call Martin County home.
Sadly, neither Donald nor Janett are with us today. Donald passed away in 1998 and Janett in 1999. But there are “signs” in Martin County that take on extra meaning when understood. Some are actual road signs, other “signs” are more subtle and one can only appreciate them when a fuller explanation is received and understood.
At West Boggs Park there is a road sign which reads, “Donald Walton Lane.” East of Loogootee is the thriving White River Co-op where one can see trucks and other vehicles coming and going daily as the business of agriculture is conducted by this high-tech and important component of the Martin County economy. A little further down Hwy. 50 is the Martin County 4-H Fairgrounds; most of us cannot remember a time when it wasn’t there. Loogootee has a school system that has repeatedly ranked as a four-star school with a record of producing students that make our community proud. We who live in the present may forget that these seemingly disconnected entities didn’t always exist, but were made what they are today by people, like Donald and Janet Walton, who sacrificed to make them reality a long time ago. They “planted the shade trees which we enjoy sitting under today.”
Donald and Janett, in addition to supporting each other, served to make our community better. Donald served on numerous boards associated with his beloved agriculture profession. He was truly a visionary man. Janett was the treasurer of the Loogootee School Corporation for 27 years and was an intricate component in making the school system what it has become.
It seems that the accomplishments already mentioned would be enough for two people to have done in a lifetime, but there was much more. They also operated a productive farm in the West Boggs Creek area that it is still owned by the Walton family. The Loogootee United Methodist Church was a mainstay in their lives too, and it benefited from their common sense approach of applying their faith to life. Other groups that this dynamic couple belonged to include the Loogootee Masonic Lodge, the Republican Central Committee, Dairymen, Inc., the West Boggs Park Board, the Order of the Eastern Star, and the Sunshine Home Economics Club.
Some members of the Martin County community that Donald and Janett touched in their lifetimes include their farming neighbors and many farm hands that they employed over the years. Former neighbor and friend Beth Smith Lett had this to say about the Waltons,
“When I think about Donald and Janett Walton, I remember a happy, hardworking, and frugal couple who valued the Walton farmland belonging to past generations. However, their greatest love and enjoyment was raising their two daughters, Cheryl and Brenda. They lived in the Boggs Creek Valley where neighbors seemed like extended family. Sharing work and workers during hay and harvest seasons were expected and enjoyed. Although dairy farming required long hours, Donald and family could always be found at school, church and community activities. Of special note were the many Martin County and 4-H Fairs that were better because of this family of four.”
Amongst their many farm hands was Tim Dant. He recalled this about the Walton’s,
“I was a young man and needed a job. Well I got far more than just a job when working for the Walton’s; I got an education. I learned so many things working on the Walton farm. First, was how to operate machinery, as well as appreciate how to take good care of it. Donald also taught me how to help deliver the calves and pigs, and tend to them so they would grow and thrive. From a personal perspective they treated me as one of the family. They allowed me to work around my sports schedule at school, and always encouraged me to attend church and school. Donald helped me start my first savings account at the Credit Union, I still have it today. I sat at their dinner table regularly and enjoyed Janett’s great cooking. Looking back, having worked on the Walton farm was one of the best experiences of my life. Ironically enough, my sons have each worked on the same farm. So even the Walton land that I worked and learned on has provided opportunities for a second generation.”
Faith, family, hard work, and positive community involvement are the building blocks of a strong society. To have had these two people live their lives amongst us and share their talents has helped shape our county for the better.
The Martin County Community Foundation is deeply honored to have been chosen to provide this memorial to Donald and Janett Walton.
Tom & Sue Strange
When Tom and Sue Strange, of Loogootee, established an endowment fund with the Martin County Community Foundation in 1999, it served two purposes. The first purpose was to provide a legacy for their daughter Terri Sullivan Callaway, who passed away in 1998. The second purpose was to address what they see as a looming issue for us all, namely, a shortage of nurses to care for the sick and elderly. The endowment fund the Stranges established provides financial support to a student entering the nursing field. Their hope is that with this additional incentive, more young people will enter the nursing field.
According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, “the United States is in the midst of a nursing shortage that is expected to intensify as baby boomers age and the need for health care grows.” In an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on June 14, 2000, Dr. Peter Buerhaus and colleagues reported that the U.S. would experience a 20% shortage in the number of nurses needed in our nation's health care system by the year 2020. This translates into a shortage of more than 400,000 RNs nationwide. But the shortage had already begun. According to American Hospital Association's June 2001 TrendWatch, 126,000 nurses were needed then to fill vacancies at our nation's hospitals. The need has increased such that in 2016 the American Nurses Association reported that by 2022 there will be a need for an additional 1.3 million nurses. There are nursing positions going unfilled all across the health care spectrum, in doctor’s offices, nursing homes and in-home health care services, as well as hospitals.
As a result of the shortage, those nurses who are providing care to patients are working longer hours under heavier workloads. Sue Strange herself worked for many years as a nurse and felt a real responsibility to make this looming crisis better understood and rectified. “Nursing is a very rewarding profession,” she said. “To help and care for people when they’re not well . . . it takes skill and it gives you a good feeling that you can help them and help the community.” Sue noted that nursing was not a high-paying field when she entered it some years ago, but “the pay has gone up over the years to where it should satisfy young job seekers needing a good income.”
Since the inception of the Terri Callaway Scholarship Fund in 1998 and through 2017, 14 students from Loogootee High School have received financial assistance from this fund to enter the field of nursing. A scholarship endowment fund of this type provides part of a long-term solution to the nursing shortage that affects us all. This is an excellent example of local individuals recognizing a need in the community and taking proactive steps to correct that need in a very personal and effective manner.
Thank you Tom and Sue for your giving hearts.
Jim & Jane Marshall
Jim and Jane Marshall spent most of their lives in the small town of Shoals, Indiana. They met in school and later married, beginning their life together in this cozy community. As part of their estate planning, the Marshalls decided to give back to the community where they had lived, worked, and prospered. The Marshall Community Fund, funded by their bequest, was set up through the Martin County Community Foundation. This unrestricted endowment provides for community grant making to enrich the lives of all the citizens of Martin County. Jim and Jane shared wide-ranging philanthropic interests. By using the Community Foundation, they felt assured that causes they held dear, plus new and unknown needs, would be nurtured for generations to come. The Martin County Community Foundation recognized the Marshall’s love for Martin County in 2016 when Jim and Jane were selected as the Philanthropists of the Year.
Following college graduation in 1964, Jim served in the United States Army at Fort Benning, Georgia. There he used his engineering talents to design such projects as helicopter landing pads and bridges. Jim and Jane returned to Shoals in 1966, and in 1999 Jim began working at Midwestern Engineers using his Civil Engineering degree throughout Martin and surrounding counties and states to design all types of projects. The couple had several business interests as well. Marshall Motors was founded in 1939 by Jim’s father and was an Evinrude dealership for several decades. Jim and Jane purchased the dealership in 1966 but eventually had to give it up. They also owned a canoe and kayak business and Marshall Rental and Storage.
Jim and Jane each pursued their community interests by participating in several local organizations down through the years. Jim was a charter member of the Shoals Business Association. He was chairman of the “Big Catfish Contest”, held in conjunction with the Shoals Catfish Festival, before he turned that duty over to the Shoals Fire Department. Jane was a member of the Psi Iota Xi sorority for 26 years having served in every officer position except treasurer. She was also a lifetime member of the Martin County Historical Society.
For hobbies, Jim had a love of all things fishing, while Jane was interested in genealogy and had a history of painting landscapes in acrylics. The couple used to own a cabin on the scenic White River and spent many of their weekends there. Jim and Jane’s love of history and genealogy also led them to become co-founders of the Martin County Historical Society Fund in 2009.
The Marshall Community Fund is a fitting and lasting legacy for this couple whose entrepreneurship, volunteer service, and community spirit have benefited Martin County for many years. The Martin County Community Foundation is honored to have been chosen by Jim and Jane to carry out this legacy. In accordance with the donors’ wishes, the MCCF will administer the Marshall Community Fund to support local projects and organizations that enrich lives in Martin County. The Marshalls hoped that their example will be followed by many others who share their vision of making this a better place for all who call Martin County home.
Michael B. & Beth A. Lett
“Philanthropy can be as simple as smiling at someone.” The wise words of a Loogootee farm girl, Beth Lett, should be inspirational to us all. Beth is a great example of what it means to be a philanthropist. Beth is a retired school teacher who has spent a majority of her life within Martin County. She grew up on a farm with five brothers and sisters who all attended college and who she still stays in touch with to this day. Beth studied education at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. She later married attorney Michael Lett. She has one son and one grandson whom she enjoys spending free time with when she is not exploring the world.
Beth travels internationally and loves to experience the variety of cultures around the world. Presently she is active in her church as a choir member, co-chairman of funeral dinners, and a visitation team member. She also serves in the local Youth First program. Her past support includes the Martin County 4-H Council, CAPE, and the Martin County Community Foundation.
When Beth was asked why she decided to establish a fund with our community foundation, many things came to mind. First and foremost, Beth wanted to honor her husband, Michael Lett, who served Martin County as an attorney for years before his passing. He was a kind-hearted, respected man who is missed dearly. Mike served as the county attorney and offered many pro-bono legal services. He was instrumental in the construction of the Martin County Security Center, a legal advisor for Martin County Habitat for Humanity, and a past president of the Chamber of Commerce.
Both Michael and Beth had giving attitudes, even when it was easier to be pessimistic as Michael became ill. This attitude was not a trait that simply appeared one day. Beth grew up in a family that was always giving. She observed philanthropy at a young age. Her parent’s active volunteerism inspired her to continue her philanthropic duties. This is where she learned the many ways to be a philanthropist. “Philanthropy is giving donations to a community foundation, but it is also giving a smile to the person you walk by on the street.” This is such a true and respectable quote that Beth lives by. Her smile and kind personality light up a room, and can inspire anyone she speaks with to become more active within Martin County.
Her parents instilled in Beth the belief that one must work to be successful, and this is exactly what both Michael and Beth did. As stated earlier, Michael served as an attorney for many years while Beth shaped the minds of young individuals in the classroom. Mrs. Lett taught for 34 years. The early years of her teaching career were in Bedford and in Kentucky, but the majority of her teaching years were in her hometown of Loogootee where she now resides. As a teacher, Beth touched hundreds of young lives. She met them at the door with a smile that encouraged them to live and learn. Her students have spread near and far, but the feeling of worth and value Beth supplied is still near and dear to their hearts.
With all this being said, it is easy to see why such great things are said about the Lett family. They have given three very important things- time, talent, and treasure. Beth established an unrestricted fund called the Michael B. & Beth A. Lett Fund for Martin County. This fund addresses the changing and emerging needs within our county. Beth mentions how “Philanthropy is within the Community Foundation. I am proud of our community because the needs are being helped by philanthropic organizations like this one that understand our county.” Martin County is something to be proud of, as is the Community Foundation. Thank you, Beth, for your years of service on our Board, for establishing a fund that focuses on Martin County’s future, and for sharing your giving attitude with everyone around you.
John Lannan
John Lannan is a great example of what it means to get involved. John either helped people with, or donated towards, many funds within the Martin County Community Foundation. These include the Spirit of St. Martin’s Fund, Whitfield Men’s Educational Club, Arvin Whitfield Cemetery Fund, and St. John’s Cemetery Fund. He was also the co-founder of the Spirit of St. Martin’s Church Fund and the Whitfield Men’s Educational Fund. And John, along with his siblings, founded the Joseph and Mary Lannan Family Fund in honor of their parents.
John was originally from Daviess County where he attended Montgomery High School. He furthered both his basketball career and education at Vincennes University, all while working on his farm. He later received his master’s degree in an integrated math and physics educational program. He taught in Indianapolis before returning to his hometown of Loogootee. He worked at the Naval Ammunition Depot Crane (now NSA Crane) for the Engineering Department while his wife, Mary Jo, went back to school to become a registered nurse. Mr. Lannan had four children and four grandchildren. With the little free time he had, he volunteered with the American Cancer Society and the Martin County Sewer and put his efforts toward an anti-bullying/bullying prevention program.
When asked about his motivation to give back to the community, John said, “The future of the community is in the hands of the younger people, and they will impact so many people in many ways.” John grew up with thirteen brothers and sisters, which meant financial challenges, but the community was always able to help him with the things he needed such as providing access to education, Christmas gifts, and volunteer opportunities.
John is a prime example of giving forth all you can to better our community. John participated in the meetings that led to the creation of the Martin County Community Foundation in 1999. He recognized the positive impact such an organization could have. We are forever grateful for his vision and dedication to helping our Community Foundation, and our community, thrive.
Alyssa & Eddie Kerns
Alyssa and Eddie Kerns are the parents of Carter Lee Kerns. Carter was the victim of an accidental death just one day before his first birthday. Carter is no longer held in their loving arms, but that doesn't stop the love felt for him. Love was showered on their only son, and his passing leaves a loss impossible to replace... and that love for him will never end. Broken hearts were felt by all that knew Carter, Alyssa and Eddie. The loss of a child is every parent’s worst nightmare. Though it would have been easy to be bitter and upset, Eddie and Alyssa decided to carry around positivity and spread it to others. In return, the life they have built is nothing less than good.
Eddie is a life-long resident of Loogootee and decided to bring his wife here to begin their family as well. Eddie is a local insurance agent. Alyssa works with Eddie as an insurance agent and has bachelors and masters degrees in nursing as well as a Master of Business Administration degree. The two of them love spending time outdoors in their free time. Whether it be hiking, gardening, or boating, they are in for the next adventure. In addition to their busy lives, Alyssa has served as Treasurer of the Martin County Historical Society. It is apparent Eddie and Alyssa have already achieved such a great life, but something was still missing after Carter’s passing.
In 2016, the Kerns adopted three boys and their sister as well. They were able to adopt brothers and their sister, all of the same biological family! In the kids’ free time, they enjoy the outdoors, watching TV, and playing video games. The Kern’s are truly inspirational to many. Carter Kerns is an irreplaceable being, but the outpouring of love this family has for their adopted children is indescribable.
The Carter Lee Kerns Memorial Fund was established with the Martin County Community Foundation as a means to honor the memory of Carter. Its purpose is to enhance the lives of children and families in Martin County. The first “Carter’s Legacy 5K” run was held on May 16, 2015 to further honor Carter’s memory and build the endowment fund. The Kern’s have put together a 5K every year since to honor their sweet, little boy.
Because the Fund is permanently endowed, distributions to help the community will be made essentially forever. Anyone interested in honoring the memory of Carter by donating to this Fund can contact the Martin County Community Foundation. All gift amounts are confidential and tax-deductable to the fullest extent allowed by the IRS. The Kern’s desire to help children across our community is an absolute blessing.
Wanda Harding
Giving can be defined as the act of letting go or doing something that a person does not have to do. In Martin County, we are blessed to have many donors who practice giving on a regular basis. Their donations benefit our community in a way that is unforgettable. They give to their families, friends, and their community not just once but repeatedly. The Martin County Community Foundation searched for someone who practiced giving effortlessly to try and understand the motivations and desires that make giving a natural part of who they are. We remember Wanda Harding to be precisely just this person.
Wanda Harding had an undeniably kind soul. She made giving a big part of her life. While humble and concerned that talking about her history of giving would create misconceptions, Wanda shared enough with our Community Foundation before her passing that created a story worth sharing for all to read.
First and foremost, Wanda did not donate for recognition; her giving came from her heart and was an expression of appreciation for what she had received. This resulted in a strong desire to give back to our community. When her husband, Leo, was still living, they both practiced giving back to their community through involvement in many ways. Leo was instrumental in nurturing the Shoals Community. His volunteer spirit and active leadership on numerous boards are legendary and dear to our hearts.
Only days after his death, in 1994, the Shoals Adult Booster Club recommended renaming the baseball field “Harding Diamond” in recognition of Leo’s 32 years as a volunteer baseball coach. The Shoals School Board approved without hesitation.
Other organizations, such as East Fork Water, came into being with Leo’s guidance. The value of having clean water in homes and on farms throughout Martin County cannot be undervalued. Leo was a big reason that East Fork Water exists today. Needless to say, Leo’s gracious giving motivated his kind wife, Wanda, to follow in his footsteps.
They say that “behind every good man is a good woman.” The reality is that they were usually walking side-by-side, encouraging each other along the ride. Wanda was involved in many community endeavors. Her list of community organizations included, the Shoals Library Board, Psi Iota Xi Sorority, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Shoals Adult Booster Club, Loogootee Women’s Club, Martin County Council on Aging, Daughters of the American Revolution, and the East Fork Water board. After Leo passed away, Wanda continued to support the multiple organizations Leo had helped form, in addition to the new organizations she had dreams of starting.
Wanda was one of the first people to be approached about the Martin County Community Foundation in 1999 by the then President, Carla Harner. The idea that Martin County could have a community foundation that supported a community she and her husband loved so much was music to Wanda’s ears. This encouraged Wanda’s first endowment fund in 1999, The Leo Harding Memorial Fund. Its purpose is to support the baseball field Leo so loved.
How appropriate it was that the first fund be named for Leo Harding. One can imagine that he would be proud that Wanda was willing to continue their spirit of giving through the establishment of this fund. Wanda is also the founding donor of the Leo Harding Family Fund, an unrestricted endowment that helps fund our grant cycle, and the Shoals Library Fund, a designated endowment from which funds are distrubuted annually to support the library. As we always say, “For Good. Forever. For Martin County”. Wanda truly put the emphasis on all three of these actions.
“Wanda Harding set a very good example for all of us in her giving of time and resources to further the mission of the Martin County Community Foundation,” said Tony Nonte, Board President at that time. Her service to the Martin County Community Foundation is unforgettable. In 2014, Wanda was recognized as one of Martin County’s Philanthropists of the Year.
In addition to Wanda and Leo’s generous doings, they also raised a family to be very proud of. There are five children, five grandchildren, and one great grandchild. Wanda and Leo had at least one child in school for 40 consecutive years proving they recognized the value of a good education.
It is true that Wanda and Leo had good fortune, but by working together, they achieved success on many levels. Family, business, and community are areas of their lives that will be recipients of their mutual success forever. The word “giving” defines Wanda Harding very well. Martin County Community Foundation is forever grateful for all her good works and philanthropic donations. A true cycle of care grows because of the Harding Family’s contributions.
The Gregory Family
Traveling through the hill country of Rutherford Township, one can find the Gregory Family Farm about two miles north from where the White River divides Martin and Dubois counties. The farm has been owned and operated by Dan and Barb Gregory since the 1970’s. Although geography has Dan and Barb’s farm close to the edge of the county, there can be no question the Gregorys’ hearts lie deep within Martin County’s borders.
In addition to the demands of the farm, Dan and Barb invest a lot of time participating in community and church organizations: St. John’s Church, St. Vincent DePaul, 4-H, Farm Bureau, and Extension are just a small sample of the Gregorys’ county involvement. All of Dan and Barb’s efforts in the community stem from a desire to help others. For the Gregorys, helping others who are less fortunate is a family legacy. Within the Gregory family, there are two sons, one daughter, and seven active grandchildren to keep Barb busy as Dan serves as Martin County’s Commissioner and on many boards (including seven years on our community foundation board).
The legacy starts with Dan’s parents, Joe and Hazel Gregory. Their values were forged by what many say were the most trying times of the 20th Century. They grew up in the Great Depression. Joe was the son of a tenant farmer who struggled to meet the basic need of the family. Hazel was the daughter of a trucker who took local livestock to market. “Dad learned the lessons of hard work and being frugal with money,” says Dan. “He learned that people needed to give and also receive as part of life and living.” When World War II broke out, Joe enlisted in the army. He saw combat surveying for the field artillery in North Africa, Italy, France, and Germany. Hazel went to work in a factory making ammunition for the war, and later worked in the Gary, Indiana, steel mills. The two married when the war ended.
Although the Great Depression and World War II were things of the past, the young couple still had trials to face. After finding work as a truck driver in Chicago, Joe was hit head on by a car being pursued by the police. Joe’s truck caught fire and he suffered severe burns to his legs. He spent 114 days in the hospital recovering. In the meantime, Hazel cared for her injured husband and her young family. It was an extremely difficult time. Several people gave support through this ordeal. Joe and Hazel never forgot the feeling of receiving the good deeds of others.
Joe later moved the Gregory Family to southern Indiana where he found work in a trucking garage as a tire changer. (This was when 100 lb tires were changed with hand tools.) Dan recalls, “When dad was in his prime, he could make you feel sorry for the hammer he used to change tires.” Joe led the way for the employees of the garage to join the teamsters union, an activity that didn’t make him popular with local business owners. Convinced that the union was good for all of the garage workers, he persevered. Today, many people have pensions and benefits because of the union Joe continuously encouraged.
Joe and Hazel had a dream of owning a family farm. After some looking, they found a place just north from where the White River separates Martin and Dubois counties. “When they moved her from Haysville, Dad said he had a mortgage, a wife, three kids, a collie with pups, an ax, and $14.00 to their name” says Dan. Joe continued to work at the Garage so more earnings could go back into the farm. Joe would work the farm in the mornings. Hazel would take over the farm in the afternoon when Joe went to the garage.
Joe and Hazel became known in Martin County as successful, prosperous people. Dan reflects on his parents’ early years, “Saving was important to them, as they had the experience that an accident could happen at any time, and they wanted to be prepared. They never forgot that people helped them in their time of need. Often, I saw them donate money to causes to help others. Charity was something they felt privileged and obligated to do.” The Gregory Family has been active in the foundation for 20 years.
Dan and Barb chose to honor and continue the Gregory Family legacy of helping others by establishing the Gregory Humanitarian Fund with the Martin County Community Foundation. “From $14.00 to forming a family fund in a foundation gives us a great example to live by,” says Dan, “The earnings on this fund will be helping people long after we are all gone. There is great comfort in knowing our family has chosen to do this.”
Al & Helen Friesenhengst
In 2005, the Martin County Community Foundation received the largest single gift it had ever received. It came from the estate of Al and Helen Friesenhengst. This gift created the Al and Helen Friesenhengst Endowment Fund for Martin County . This unrestricted fund began to make money grants to area charitable organizations in early 2007.
When meeting with Al and Helen’s daughter, Mary Nickless of Loogootee, she shared a scrapbook giving us a glimpse into the lives of these two remarkable citizens. This story will attempt to capture parts of their lives that few of us knew.
Scrapbooks are great for capturing memories. Smiles from a wedding day are remembered in the pictures, and the stories in word. The stories seem to end when the people in the scrapbook are no longer with us. But Al and Helen Friesenhengst’s legacy will never end, and the smiles they shared in a scrapbook will be mirrored by the countless number of people that have been, or will become, recipients of the generosity of this couple.
The oldest of five siblings and the son of German immigrants, Al’s enormous talents would ultimately propel him to a successful career as an entrepreneur that few rival. While still in high school, Al earned the respect of his fellow students by being elected as president of the student council, participating in drama club, and receiving numerous awards. Al graduated from Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio in 1936. He had received a scholarship enabling him to do so. The value of this scholarship and the education in business it provided, which he vigorously applied, became multiplied thousands of times over throughout his career.
Along with his wife Helen, who was his business and life partner, they accumulated retail store outlets in seven Southern Indiana towns, including Shoals and Loogootee. Al and Helen passed on their business savvy to numerous employees, many of whom eventually purchased and operated those stores after Al and Helen began to exit the businesses. There are many pictures in the scrapbook of events honoring employees and the passing of ownership of the stores to them. In all cases, Al and Helen and the employees are smiling broadly indicating the mutual respect and admiration they shared for each other.
Besides the business side of Al and Helens life, there is a whole range of community life that they were involved in. From investment in rental housing, assisting in securing funding for industry expansion and community infrastructure improvement, and economic development the Friesenhengst brought instant credibility to many projects that are still thriving today. Al was the first President of the Shoals Lions Club and the sponsor of the Troop 80 Boy Scouts for 10 years, and Past Master of the White River Lodge No. 332 F & AM of Shoals.
Stephen A. Deckard, a former MCCF Board Member, and Publisher of The Shoals News, stated, “This nice gift to the Community Foundation is certainly a continued example of the involvement of Al and Helen for the good of Martin County. Al and Helen were acute business people who always supported the important endeavors of the community. They saw, within the foundation, an avenue to keep good programs sustained. Martin County people were very important to the Friesenhengsts and this unrestricted fund gift will benefit many generations. Their hard work and positive attitudes will be honored and remembered forever.”
Faith played an enormous role in Al and Helen’s life too. They shared their beliefs with many through the United Methodist Church organization. As a gifted speaker and motivator, Al traveled thousands of miles to help nurture and inspire his fellow Christian brothers. Helen also was a tireless contributor of time and talent to her faith.
Beyond the borders of Martin County are many others on whom this couple has had an influence. Through their many generous gifts, several young people have already received financial assistance through scholarships. Al and Helen knew well the value of education and successfully strove in passing on their good fortune to others.
Al and Helen also excelled in their family life. They adopted two sisters and raised them as their own. People who do this are the most caring and giving of us all. Mary and her sister Nancy (deceased) grew up in a home filled with love. Also their children’s children, 4 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren, gave Al and Helen some of their greatest joy.
The scrapbook records Al’s death in 2000 and Helen’s death in 2005. Many times a person’s story stops there, but with the twenty charitable organizations that have received monetary gifts and the numerous lives they touched while with us, Al and Helen’s successful legacy and influence will extend forever.
The Martin County Community Foundation is thrilled and honored that Al and Helen remembered it with this gift and pledges to act in accordance with the amazing examples they set.
Bill & Pat Daily
“We have been very fortunate and want to give back to the community.” Those were some of the words used by Bill and Pat Daily when asked for the reasons they decided to create the Bill and Pat Daily Fund with the Martin County Community Foundation. This endowment was activated from the distribution of the Daily’s Charitable Remainder Trust. The fund is designed to support local, regional, and national beneficiaries that were important to Bill and Pat. Each of those charities will receive annual fund distributions in perpetuity. Even after Bill passed, Pat still lived by the words, “We were given to, so we should give back.”
Bill and Pat were long-time Loogootee residents and Pat continued to live in Loogootee after Bill’s passing. She had six children, eighteen grandchildren, seventeen great grandchildren, and her constant canine companion for 12 years, Rex. In Pat’s free time, she enjoyed attending mass and staying involved. Bill was a retired insurance field representative while Pat was a registered nurse. Professional success translated into success in all areas of this couple’s life. What continued to shine through in their reflections on life is how faith, family, community and helping others were the yardstick they used to measure their success.
The endowment fund they established reflects their lifelong philanthropic interests, especially Pat’s interest in helping children. Bill and Pat created this fund to provide continued support to the charities and institutions they had given to and supported for many years. Long after they are gone, their endowment will continue their annual giving to those non-profits they believe in. Educational and religious values are evident in the entities they chose to endow, and all of the charities have in common a mission of helping make a better life for the people they serve. Geographically, their giving has a broad reach, touching people close to home as well as many far away. The Martin County Community Foundation exists to help donors fulfill their charitable wishes, as well as to benefit the local area through permanent endowments. That’s why donors like the Dailys may include charities located elsewhere in the country as beneficiaries, along with their favorite local charities.
The Board and staff of the Martin County Community Foundation are honored that Bill and Pat Daily chose to use the Community Foundation to carry out their philanthropic wishes, establishing a very personal legacy that makes a lasting difference. Bill and Pat Daily were wonderful examples to learn from and emulate.
Ken Crane
“Everything I know, I learned from the Cornfields of Indiana.”
In a Rolling Hills, California, cemetery there is a tombstone bearing the inscription “Everything I know I learned from the cornfields of Indiana.” Anyone seeing this would have to ask what thought was behind it. After all, this cemetery is thousands of miles from Indiana cornfields. It belongs to Ken Crane, one of Martin County’s most successful entrepreneurs ever. The story behind the tombstone message spans many decades of life and experiences, and this epitaph was one that Ken proudly repeated many times in his life. The lessons of hard work, teamwork, respect for others, and a love for family were all incubated and nourished here.
Ken left Indiana in the 1940’s on advice that the southern Indiana climate was not conducive to a healthy life for him. Suffering from severe allergies, Ken took the doctor’s advice and headed west, not stopping until he reached the Pacific shore. There, Ken started working at RCA. He also collaborated with his brother-in-law, who had a radio store, to begin offering TV’s for sale. TV was just starting out with its future unknown...and a sense of not knowing how people would ever afford it. Yet, Ken was intrigued by this new invention...and that is when, with a loan of $3,500 from his parents, he bought the store and became one of the first Magnavox dealers in California. One successful store led to another and another until there were eight Ken Crane Home Entertainment Centers in southern California. These successful stores made Ken a very wealthy man; yet, he never forgot his roots and would proudly proclaim his business sense and prowess were learned here… in the cornfields of Martin County.
At Ken’s funeral, several people who were longtime friends and business associates spoke. At the very end a Hispanic man walked up to the microphone, obviously very nervous. After a few seconds, he said “My name is David. No one here knows me, but I have a story to tell." He proceeded to say that he was the limo driver (hired by the cemetery) who brought the family to the services today. David relayed a story that he remembered his father telling him . . . when he (David) was only a child, his father, a Hispanic laborer dressed in his work clothes, took David out one day to buy the family's first TV. They went from store to store looking for a TV but no one would even wait on them. That was until they came into Ken Crane's, and Ken himself waited on them, arranged financing, and had their first TV delivered the next day. He said that when he came to the house to pick the family up, he saw the name on the street sign and wondered then if it were the same Ken Crane he had heard his father talk about. Then he heard the family talking in the car on the way to the cemetery about Ken and knew that it was the same Ken Crane. David said that he would have normally just waited outside in the car, but he felt compelled to come in and sit in the very back of the church. He said that after hearing so many people say such nice things, he got the courage to get up and tell his story.
Ken Crane passed away in Rolling Hills in November of 2004. The Martin County Community Foundation received a large gift in his memory from his family along with this message, “Since Dad always gave credit to the Martin County cornfields that gave him his roots, literally and figuratively, and made him what he became, a wonderful husband, father, and successful business man….we can think of no better way to honor both he and our mother than to give back to the community in which his heart and soul never left.”
It is with honor that the Martin County Community Foundation established an endowment fund named the “Crane Family Fund for Martin County.”
Brent & Melissa Courter
“Brent and Melissa Courter are very busy but still manage to give back to their community in so many ways,” says Curt Johnson, MCCF Director. Brent and Melissa Courter are not lifelong residents of our community, but they have made Martin County their home. Melissa is originally from Mitchell, IN. She studied pharmacy at Purdue University and practices at Memorial Hospital. Brent grew up in Freelandville near North Knox High School. He studied finance at Indiana University and serves as a local financial advisor for many community members at Edward Jones. The couple met in 2000 on a blind date set up by their colleagues. They now have two daughters, Kyleigh and Breanna, with a busy history of softball, cheer, volleyball, and showing their sheep in 4-H. Kyliegh is studying bio-chemical engineering at Purdue University where she is also a cheerleader. While their free time is little to none, the couple uses what time they do have to attend the girl’s activities and going boating, hunting, and traveling.
Brent and Melissa are involved in our community in many ways. Melissa serves on the local Youth First board to help with fundraising, is a member of Tri Kappa, and held a seat on our very own Martin County Community Foundation Board as the Secretary. Brent is on the Vincennes University Board, East Fork Water Board, Loogootee School Board, and was on the Martin County Community Foundation Finance Committee. Melissa stated, “If we are here, we might as well be involved,” and we are so thankful they are. They established an endowment fund for community grantmaking and have identified specific MCCF funds as beneficiaries upon their passing, including the MCCF General Unrestricted Fund. This unrestricted fund allows the foundation to grant money to qualifying charities through our grant cycle. Through the Courter’s generosity, their beneficiaries will receive a steady, renewable source of income to use in perpetuity to support their missions and that MCCF will use to support the needs of the community now and in the future.
When asked what motivated them to establish their fund, Brent listed three reasons. First and foremost, giving back to the community is also giving back to their church, which for them is the Redemption Christian Church. Second, Martin County has blessed the Courter’s by giving their business to Edward Jones and this is a way to pay it forward. Lastly, others have shared with the Courter’s the importance of giving back to the community, and they are following in the footsteps of their successors. Their funds have created a way for the Courter’s to leave their legacy within Martin County and help out for good, forever. Thank you, Brent and Melissa, for giving your hearts, time, treasures, and efforts to our community and the Martin County Community Foundation.
John & Liz Chattin
John and Liz Chattin, graduates of Shoals High School, are lifelong residents of Martin County. John grew up along the White River and Liz says, “He knows every inch of it. If there is a change in the ripple, John is able to pick up on it.” They both worked locally; John worked at National Gypsum and the Martin County Highway Department and Liz at NSWC Crane. In their free time, John and Liz enjoy traveling and have been to over forty states thus far. When they are not traveling, John is an avid gardener and extremely generous with the bounties of his garden. He is always prepared to help anyone who needs it. Liz participates on multiple boards across the county. Martin County and its foundation hold a special place in the Chattins’ hearts. Their continuous work within the community goes unspoken too often.
Liz became a board member of the Martin County Community Foundation (MCCF) in 2014. She served as the MCCF Board President as well as President of the Community Foundation Partnership. She also serves on the Shoals Public Library Board of Trustees. She has served this board for over eight years and held a secretary position for four of them. What motivates her to serve our county as graciously as she does is purely the fact that she wants to see Martin County kept up and she envisions their good deeds making a lasting impression. Improvements to the county are needed far and wide, but Liz believes they are in reach and strives to keep Martin County’s reputation at an all-time high.
John worked many 7-day weeks during his 32 years of employment leaving him with very little free time. He is, however, a very giving and unselfish man. Several years ago, John received a civilian meritorious award from the Indiana State Police Commissioner and an Outstanding Citizen Award from the Martin County Sheriff's Department for going above and beyond in the lifesaving rescue of a man that had fallen from a railroad bridge into the cold, high waters of the White River. When John heard of the incident, he was able to get his boat running, find the worker in the water, and carry him to safety. This is one of multiple saves John has performed over the years. As stated earlier, “John knows every inch of the river”, and the county is beyond grateful that he does.
Martin County has been good to John and Liz, and they built a beautiful life here. As a result, they wanted to do something to give back to their community. Having seen first-hand the value of permanent endowments through Liz’s work on the MCCF Board, John and Liz decided to establish a fund that would benefit charitable causes locally, now and in the future. The John T. and Elizabeth J. Chattin Community Fund is a permanent endowment that will help meet the ever-changing community needs that often cannot be anticipated at the time a gift is made. This unrestricted fund is a way the Chattin’s can watch the county stay kept up and thriving. By starting the fund now, they will be able to watch their fund grow and positively impact the community they love. Their fund helps leave a legacy within the Chattin family name. Their efforts and donations toward our beloved community are something we, as a community, will cherish forever.
Jack & Rita Butcher
Jack Butcher is a name heard around the state of Indiana, and for great reason. While Jack is a humble, caring resident of our small town of Loogootee, he also holds the honorable title of Indiana’s Winningest High School Basketball Coach. In 1991, Jack was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. His 45 years of coaching constituted an impressive era of high school basketball for Loogootee.
Jack was born and raised in Martin County and promised himself he’d always return following graduation. He grew up fishing, hunting, and doing what he loves most- playing basketball. Jack later married Rita (Jones), and they decided to raise their family here. Jack and Rita have been married for 63 years. They now have seven kids, 16 grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. The love of family is clear as you walk in the front door of their home and see dozens of pictures of kids and grandkids under a large sign that says “Family”. In Jack’s free time he enjoys playing golf, while Rita spends her free time walking and volunteering in humble ways with their church. The couple still resides in Martin County where their roots lie.
The path to the successful life Jack built was not always an easy one. Jack Butcher led Memphis State to the 1957 National Invitation Tournament title game after spending two years in the U.S. Army. He was drafted by Red Auerbach’s Boston Celtics in 1957, but politely declined the offer after deciding that his destiny was coaching Loogootee High School Basketball. As coach, the Lions won 20 sectional titles, eight regionals and two semi-states. Jack ended his coaching career with 806 wins and four undefeated seasons. Coach Butcher is known for molding the small-town boys of Loogootee into a united team that played fundamental, winning basketball. Though Jack’s “coaching days” ended a long time ago, John and Rita Butcher continue to be cherished in Martin County.
The Rita and Jack Butcher Loogootee Family Scholarship fund was created in 2011 and converted to an MCCF endowment in 2014. The scholarship will forever honor the Loogootee “basketball family” that supported the Butchers so much for all those years. Jack also wanted to honor his wife, Rita, who he says was always so supportive of him as a husband, father, player, and coach. He knew he was never going to change the world, but decided he could pay it forward and contribute in positive ways.
Because receiving a scholarship was so critical to furthering his education and basketball career, Jack desired to return the favor to residents of Martin County. Rita and Jack wanted to encourage students to have a good attitude, a good work ethic, to perform well academically, and to participate in either sports and/or extracurricular activities. The scholarship is designated for a high school senior at Loogootee High School who has been accepted in a college, university, vocational, or trade school. They created this scholarship because the family is past, present, and future supporters of Martin County and Loogootee basketball. The Butchers desire “to give back for all our blessings.” Jack Butcher will forever be known for his records and achievements, but he and Rita also hold a legacy with Martin County that aims to continue making our home a better place.
Richard & Ann Burch
Ann (Jones) Burch and her husband, Richard Burch, have been Martin County residents all their lives. Both are graduates of Loogootee High School. Richard pursued a career in Civil Engineering at Purdue University while Ann pursued a career as an Ophthalmology Assistant at Indiana University. Following college graduation, Ann and Richard became newlyweds. They began building their family after returning to Martin County. They have three children - Allyson, Emma, and Clint, and three grandchildren.
Ann lived a happy life before she passed away from a battle with cancer in early 2017. Ann gave her time, energy, and talents back to the community in many ways, some of which included: serving as a volunteer each of the 13 years of the Butcher-Gee Golf Scramble, as a member of the Miss Martin County Queen Committee from 2004 to 2016, as a member of the Loogootee Library board, and as a member of the MCCF Grant Committee. “Ann was simply community-minded,” Richard states. She is missed dearly by many for the impact she made on her family and within our community.
In addition to her community involvement, tennis was a passion of Ann’s. It dates back to 1978 when Ann was on the inaugural Loogootee Girls Tennis team. Her passion and love of tennis were passed on to her kids Allyson (class of 2006), Emma (class of 2008), and Clinton (class of 2011). All of whom were participants in the Loogootee Tennis Program. Ann was even an honorary at a girl’s Smash Cancer Tennis Tournament in May of 2016. Tennis offers students positive lessons in their growth and journey toward becoming adults. Knowing the impact tennis has on the lives of students, Ann and Richard decided to establish a scholarship to reward someone who has dedicated their precious teenage years to the sport that Ann so adored.
The Ann Jones Burch Tennis Scholarship will support Loogootee High School graduating students that participated in tennis; were active in other school activities; and are good, well-rounded, civic-minded citizens. Many of Ann’s friends, acquaintances, and family members, as well as local businesses, have given to the scholarship enabling it to grow it in her honor. It was one of the fastest-growing funds in our community’s history. Ann’s passion for tennis will live on through the athletes benefiting from this scholarship, and her legacy will last forever within our community.