Woman of modest means leaves $750,000 to charities

[John Cottingham <jcott@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The source of this article is The Kansas City Star: 

Posted on Fri, Aug. 06, 2004

Woman of modest means leaves $750,000 to charities

STEPHANIE V. SIEK

Associated Press


ST. LOUIS - The largest bequest ever given to two St. Louis charities came not 
from a magnanimous millionaire, but from a 90-year-old cashier and bookkeeper 
whose greatest wealth was her generous spirit. Well, that, and her trust 
account.

When Mary James died late last year, she directed that all of her $741,908 
estate be split between two charities, St. Louis Variety, the Children's 
Charity, and the St. Louis chapter of American Parkinson Disease Association.

The heads of Variety and the Parkinson Disease Association say the bequest is 
the largest ever given to their organizations by an individual. Both devote 
much of their resources to free services for people without Medicaid or other 
insurance.

Susan Levin, the Parkinson Disease Association's St. Louis coordinator, said 
the money will fund patient service programs, ranging from support groups to 
respite care and exercise classes. The programs make a big difference in the 
lives of thousands of Parkinson's disease sufferers and their families across 
the state, who sometimes pay hundreds of dollars each month for medication 
alone.

"We do not charge for any of our services, and that's why this is such a 
wonderful gift," Levin said.

Levin said the association would not spend the gift right away, but would try 
to stretch it to help as many people as possible - a philosophy Mary James 
might appreciate.

Jan Albus, St. Louis Variety's executive director, said that organization's 
share would be endowed in a fund that purchases medical equipment for mentally 
and physically disabled children. It currently serves about 1,300 children with 
disabilities such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, or the loss of a limb.

"The average child is going to cost us between $40,000 and $50,000 until age 
21," Albus said. "This is just a huge gift."

James' generosity is reminiscent of other attention-getting donations from 
hardworking people of humble means. In 2000, disabled street vendor Alex 
Katrishin donated $1 million to the Hattiesburg, Miss., YMCA. In 1995, 
washerwoman Oseola McCarty donated $150,000 to the University of Southern 
Mississippi for student scholarships.

Mitch West, who managed James' trust account, said that it's not so surprising 
that an ordinary person would amass such an amount over a lifetime.

"Based upon my experience in this business, many people are like Mary. They 
worked and they saved," West said. "She was just a very kind, generous person 
who was interested in people and wanted to do the best she could."

West didn't know why she picked the charities she did.

James was hired as a cashier and bookkeeper for General Motors in 1936. She 
continued working, as a bookkeeper and for the nonprofit Consumer Credit 
Counseling Service, until she was 89. James spent a few years in between caring 
for her mother until her death.

A friend at the credit counseling service, Anna Schnapp, told the St. Louis 
Post-Dispatch in Friday's editions that James never married after losing her 
"true love" in World War II. James loved to read and travel, Schnapp said.

"She was very interested in most everything," Schnapp said. "She was vitally 
interested in life, and she had a happy, long life."

Some neighbors remembered James as a quiet woman who kept to herself. When they 
learned of her gift, many were touched by her generosity.

Lemuel Weaver lived around the corner from James in a working-class 
neighborhood in suburban St. Louis. He had known her since 1993, and 
occasionally helped her with yard work around her small, neat, brick bungalow.

"All I can say is that she was a beautiful person. Beautiful personality, nice 
smile, and didn't mind helping anybody," Weaver said.

"I hate that she's gone, but that's a part of life," he said. "When you know 
good people, the memory (of them) is embedded in your mind."

ON THE NET

American Parkinson Association, St. Louis Chapter: 


St. Louis Variety, the Children's Charity: 

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