Donor Stories
Hear the stories of friends who have made an impact through their acts of giving to our organization.
A Lifetime of Commitment: An Interview with Jenny Weber
When Rev. Jenny Weber (G-ETS 1997) was approached by Garrett to create a student scholarship in her name 13 years ago, she didn't have all the money she needed. Few lifelong pastors do.
Rev. Lou Whitmer Names Garrett-Evangelical Beneficiary of Annuity Fund
Rev. Lou Whitmer didn't follow a traditional path to ministry, graduating from college and then going onto seminary. In fact, she didn't even apply to Garrett-Evangelical's Course of Study Program until she was in her early fifties.
Rev Beverly Biehr Supports Garrett-Evangelical by Taking Out Two Annuities
When Rev. Beverly Biehr (GTS 1970, G-ETS 1997) and her husband, Harold, decided to take out two annuities at Garrett-Evangelical...
Bishop Fritz Mutti Uses a Planned Gift to Augment His Scholarship Fund
It wasn't hard for Bishop Albert Frederick "Fritz" Mutti, III (GBI 1963) to decide who to make the beneficiary of his retirement fund.
The Time Was Right to Take Out A Gift Annuity at Garrett-Evangelical
Joel Parrott (GTS 1965) had received information about gift annuities at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary for several years...
Bob & Muriel Griffin Take Out 30th Gift Annuity as a Way to Support Student Scholarships
In December of last year, Bob (GBI '61) and Muriel Griffin took out their 30th gift annuity at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. They have been...
Former Garrett-Evangelical Business Officer Creates Internship Fund to Honor His Late Wife
Jack Turner created the Jack and Sandy Turner Endowed Mission Internship Fund at Garrett-Evangelical for several reasons. To begin with, he wanted to...
Garrett-Evangelical's Vibrancy Inspired Steven Poole to Create an Endowed Scholarship
Steven Poole (G-ETS 1986) was at a crossroads when he decided to create an endowed scholarship at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary.
Reverend Bill Tomlinson Supports Seminary Education
Reverend Bill Tomlinson (GBI 1954) said he feels strongly that a Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary education is important...
Reverend Harlene Harden Creates Scholarship at Garrett-Evangelical to Assist Women of Color
In this complicated social moment of affirming the value of Black lives, Garrett-Evangelical Alumna Reverend Harlene Harden also seeks to affirm Women of Color's Sacred Call to Ministry.
Beverly Judge Invests in Garrett-Evangelical's Future with a Planned Gift
Throughout her career, Beverly Judge (GTS '67) has done a lot of thinking about stewardship and charitable giving.
Orpha Laurie: Leaving a Legacy
Like many couples, Orpha Laurie and her husband, John, discussed their wills and their wishes for charitable bequests at times...
A Pacesetting Gift to Endow CBE
Holly Craig and Gerald Parker have been partners for many years - marriage partners and partners in making the world a better place.
Reverend Glen Hulbert Wants Others to Experience Garrett-Evangelical
Rev. Glen Hulbert (GBI 1954) fondly remembers the years he spent studying for his master of divinity degree at Garrett Biblical Institute.
Dorothy and Wayne Bondurant: Called to be in Mission
Dorothy and Wayne both grew up in Christian homes, accepted Christ as their Savior at an early age, and heard a lot about missions...
Gift Annuities: A Good Way to Invest in Garrett-Evangelical
Taking out a gift annuity at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary just made good sense to Elizabeth Johnson. To begin with, the...
Janet Lutz—a tither all her life
Janet Lutz (GTS 1969) grew up in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where the Methodist Church played an important part in her life. She attended church...
Thomas Lane Butts: a Powerful Preacher and Loyal Supporter
Thomas Lane Butts, a 1957 Garrett graduate, is a gifted writer, storyteller, and preacher. He was featured more than any other person...
Kyle and Alice Spitzer Share Their Story
Our relationship with Garrett-Evangelical began a number of years ago when we were asked to serve on the Council of Laity as...
David H. Koss leaves a lasting legacy
In May of 2009, the graduating classes of Garrett Biblical Institute (GBI) and Evangelical Theological Seminary (ETS) celebrated...
Joan Sercl Shares Her Story
"Our country needs pastors more than ever right now. The need has never been greater," said Joan Sercl. That's why Sercl continues...
Meet John Paul Jones, Jr.
When Reverend John Paul Jones, Jr. (ETS 1948) learned how much money it cost to attend seminary, he knew that the price tag would be...
Inara Brubaker Shares Her Story
Inara Brubaker came to United Methodism and to the United States in a remarkable way. Her life journey is a story of an individual overcoming...
Victoria Rebeck Shares Her Story.
When I arrived at Garrett-Evangelical in 1987, I was transferring from another seminary in order to study with Rosemary Radford Ruether.
Joe Trecek—a Faithful Friend
What inspires a layman in Iowa to support a seminary in Illinois for more than 30 years? According to Joe Trecek, perhaps it was God speaking...
David Harsh Shares His Story
Meet David and Ann Harsh, whose outright and planned gifts are playing an important role in the seminary's future. David received his...
Meet Rev. Dr. Margaret Zee Jones
What do you do to continue growing after a successful 30-year career in academic medicine? For Rev. Dr. Margaret Zee Jones, the answer...
Meet David and Pat Meyer
My wife Pat and I both grew up in Iowa, though on opposite sides of the state. Pat was a small-town girl, whereas I was a city boy from...
Meet Ron & Sara King: Faithful Leadership Donors
"Watch out for those Single Young Adult Groups," Ron King cautions. "You may end up doing things you never planned!" Ron speaks from experience.
Meet Chrys Hyde, Church & Community Volunteer
If you want something done right, just ask a busy person. That old adage proved true when Garrett-Evangelical asked Chrys Hyde...
Trustee Robert Phillips Backs Garrett-Evangelical's Commitment to Ecological Justice and Environment
Trustee Robert K. Phillips can't overstate how important he thinks Garrett-Evangelical's renewed commitment to ecological justice and environmental sustainability...
Garrett-Evangelical Graduate Supports Seminary Through Gift Annuities
Rev. Deborah Johnson (G-ETS '81) heard her call while working in campus ministry at Iowa State University. She had grown up in...
An "Unlikely" Seminary Student Establishes Scholarship at Garrett-Evangelical
Dr. Alice Brasfield, G-ETS '69, considered herself "one of the most unlikely of candidates" when it came time to apply for seminary in the late 1960's. To begin with, she had been...
Gift Examples
Bequest
Joe and Anna have been faithful supporters of our organization. They believe it is important to help further our mission.
Using a Beneficiary Designation to Make a Gift
Joanne and her late husband Hal had been longtime supporters of our organization. Recently, Joanne's children encouraged her to update her estate plan.
Gift of a Bank Account When No Longer Needed (POD)
Keith has been a faithful supporter of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and makes regular gifts to support our work. Recently, Keith talked to our staff and expressed his interest in naming Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary as a beneficiary of his estate, but he wanted to keep the process as simple and inexpensive as possible.
Transferable on Death (TOD) Gifts
Harold and Jeanne married after meeting at an event Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary held for our donors. They wanted to leave a legacy gift that would support our mission and ensure that we remain financially strong well into the future.
A Bequest to Further Good Work
Nancy and David were dedicated volunteers. Over the years, they had seen many individuals helped by the good work of their favorite nonprofit organization. They wanted to create a legacy to provide future resources to continue its mission.
Bequest of Insurance
Marla and Wayne purchased a life insurance policy many years ago to create security for their children's future. As the children grew up, married, found good jobs and accumulated significant assets, the insurance was no longer needed for its original purpose.
A Bequest to Save Taxes
Thomas was a widower who had a great love for our organization. As an individual who had directly benefited from our work, Thomas wanted to thank us with a gift from his estate.
Using a Blended Gift to Reach Your Charitable Giving Goals
Jay and his wife Amy wanted to support our organization with a significant gift of $100,000. They wanted to spread this gift out over several years but also wanted to make a gift of $25,000 this year.
Tax-Free Sale
Howard and Lynn were both age 55 when they purchased some vacant land a few miles outside of town. They thought real estate would be a good investment that could be sold later for a profit.
Fixed Income for Retirement
After working for decades as a pediatrician in a small town, Patricia is ready to retire. Patricia has enough saved for retirement, but she is concerned about the impact a drop in the stock market would have on her retirement savings.
Capital Gains Tax Bypassed
Peter and Gail were nearing retirement. Over the years, with the help of their financial advisor, they made solid investments in securities and built a sizable portfolio. While their investments increased substantially in value, their potential capital gains tax bill was rising.
Peace of Mind Gift Annuity
Many years ago, Clara bought a home. Since she was very pleased with her home, she bought stock in the company that built the home. Over the years, Clara's stock has increased in value.
Sale and Unitrust
Gene and Carol purchased stock in a small medical service company several years ago. The company has done well. A larger company is now discussing the possibility of buying the smaller company. This sale would require that Gene and Carol sell their stock, subjecting them to capital gains. Gene and Carol are looking for a way to save taxes.
The Retirement Unitrust
Mary grew up on a farm. When her parents passed away, she and her husband Bill inherited the farm. When Mary was a child, the farm was out in the country. Now that the city has grown, the farm is within the city limits. Several developers would like to build homes on the farmland.
Property Turns Into Income
Miranda lived in the family home where she and her spouse had raised their three children. After her spouse passed away, Miranda found it increasingly difficult to care for her property.
Flexible Deferred Gift Annuity
Luis is a 54-year-old executive at a large healthcare company. He purchased company stock during years when the stock price was low, and now the stock has grown substantially in value.
Deferred Gift Annuity
Several years ago, Larry and Allison invested $30,000 in what they believed to be an attractive stock. It turned out to be a very wise decision, as the stock increased in value to $100,000 within three years. Though they were not in need of additional income at the time, the couple decided to cash in on this growth.
Gift Annuity for Real Estate
Jonathan purchased his home many years ago for $80,000. The home is now worth $420,000. Jonathan wants to sell his home and buy a condo for $130,000. If Jonathan were to sell the home and use his one-time $250,000 home exclusion, he could offset part of the gain but would still have to pay capital gains.
Give It Twice Trust
While visiting her favorite nonprofit's website, June came across the idea of a give it twice trust. She contacted the organization for more information. The nonprofit's gift planner explained that a give it twice trust would allow her to first give income to children through the trust, and then the trust would later transfer the trust balance to charity.
Testamentary Charitable Remainder Unitrust: Have Your Cake and Eat it Too!
We have all heard the saying, "You can't have your cake and eat it too." This phrase describes a situation where we want two good things at the same time when that isn't possible. Karen and Stephen felt this way when they were establishing their estate plan. They wanted to pass their estate to family, but they also had a place in their hearts for our charitable mission.
Reduce Your Taxes with an IRA Charitable Rollover Gift
Margaret was a retired librarian. She volunteered at her favorite nonprofit several times a week and also made several donations each year. Margaret saw that her taxes were increasing and wondered how she could continue to do extra things like make charitable gifts with lower income.
Endowment Gift
Pat and Shelly were recently married. They both had been dedicated volunteers at their favorite nonprofit for many years. They wanted to make certain the organization's programs continued even after they were gone.
An Easy Way to Help Our Work with Your IRA
Daniel was a retired businessman who volunteered for our organization. When we decided to add a new program, he was excited to help in a significant way.
Part Gift and Part Sale
Susan and Kevin bought a vacant lot along Lake Michigan many years ago. They had planned to build a second home so that their family could spend their summers along the lake. However, as time went on, Kevin's job kept him in town and the children grew up before Susan and Kevin had the financial resources to build on the land.
Current Gifts
As is the case with many families, there are times each year when Jim and Sharon focus their attention on gift giving. For years, they have created a gift list that includes family members, friends and loved ones. Last year, Jim and Sharon made an addition to their list and began including their favorite charity.
What Will You Do With Your Unspent Retirement Savings?
Michael and Kelly were retired engineers with two adult children. They owned a home, some stocks and IRAs. They met with their financial advisor to discuss a plan to provide for their family and for some of their favorite nonprofit organizations.
Leading for the Future
Luke and Cynthia spent many years volunteering and supporting their favorite nonprofit organization. They wanted to give back in a way that would help fulfill its mission. At the same time, they were looking for a way to care for their family in the future.
Providing for Our Children's Future
Ron and Kathy worked for many years building their nest egg for retirement. While they felt their savings and investments would cover their needs, they wanted to make sure that their three children were provided for in the future.
IRA Rollover: A Gift with Substantial Benefits
Mark was a retired attorney with a significant IRA and substantial income from investments. He had made IRA rollover gifts to his favorite nonprofit organization several times in recent years.
Avoiding Tax on a Business Sale
Albert was the founder and sole shareholder of a small technology company that he started 30 years ago. At 65 years of age, he began thinking about selling the business.
Maximizing Mineral Income
Walter and May recently retired and moved south to a new retirement community. They still own their 250-acre ranch. Because the ranch has very valuable subsurface mineral rights, Walter and May have been approached several times about entering into a mineral lease that would allow for the production of oil and gas.
Gift for a Loved One with Special Needs
Richard is a successful business owner. His younger brother, Robert, was born with special needs. For the past 10 years, Richard has supported Robert, including paying the costs for Robert's adult care facility.
