'HE SACRIFICED FOR THIS': Modest millionaire

[Judi Lynn]

June 20, 2005, 1:13AM

'HE SACRIFICED FOR THIS'
Modest millionaire
Teacher Whitlowe Green led a frugal life, but when he died, a monumental gift to Prairie View wasn't all he left behind
By SALATHEIA BRYANT
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

http://images.chron.com.nyud.net:8090/content/news/photos/05/06/20/green2.jpg

Steve Campbell / Chronicle
The $2.1 million gift to Prairie View A&M from alumnus Whitlowe R. Green, was the largest gift from a single donor in the university's history.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Whitlowe R. Green wore second-hand clothing, purchased out-of-date meats, shopped at auctions and stopped talking to a relative for two years because of a $6.76 debt.

It was that level of thriftiness, legendary with those who knew him, and financial savvy that paid off for the former Houston Independent School District economics teacher who was making $28,000 a year when he retired in 1983.

Green, who died of cancer at 88 in 2002, left more than $2.1 million to Prairie View A&M University, the largest single-donor gift in the university's history.

Even with his reputation for being frugal, the donation's amount shocked family members.
(snip)

Born in Bastrop, Green came of age during the Great Depression and racial segregation. Both would define the teacher, known to accept used appliances from neighbors and talk often about leaving money to his alma mater, Prairie View, so students could get an education.
(snip/...)

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/3232378
(Free registration is required)

[oscar111]

1. OUT OF DATE meat: dont eat it

not worth the risk.

he lived, but the odds are against you.

save money elseways.

[unblock]

6. depends on how "out of date" it is

and what kind of meat.

one day past the "sell by" date is fine.

[Warpy]

7. No, the trick is cooking it until it falls apart

which will destroy even botulinum toxin. Poor folks have been eating outdated meat forever. It's how they can afford it, period.

Things that aren't destroyed by thorough heating are some of the viruses, hepatitis B among them, but those don't exist in meat.

[cornermouse]

2. I'm sorry, but that's just really sad.

Can you imagine not talking to someone for two years over $6.76?

[LisaL]

3. It is really sad.

[unblock]

5. i'm sorry, but can you imagine not just f*cking paying the $6.76?

petty works in both directions....

[nonconformist]

10. The miserly old coot was the one who owed the money

Then denied he owed it, then stopped talking to his cousin for two years over it. $6.

According to the article, he also vehemently denied owing money for groceries did owe for but it said "after the relationship cooled" (obviously there was a falling out over that as well) he payed the money.

Seems like a pattern.

[unblock]

12. whichever, imagine not forgiving that debt.

then again, my brother once bounced a check for about $110 to me, it was for his share of my other brother's wedding present. that was about 15 years ago and he still hasn't made good and i'm still ticked.

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[China_cat]

4. Sorry, but that's not frugal

that's miserly. It's nice that some kids will get an education but damn, I'm so tired of spin where mercenaries are whitewashed as 'civilian contractors' and misers are called 'frugal'.

[nonconformist]

8. Did he leave his family anything?

I didn't read the rest of the article because I don't want to register, but I noticed that it said his family members were shocked at the donation amount. I'm curious if they were left anything.

This story depressed me. I can't imagine being so insanely frugal and obsessed with money that you stop talking to a relative over $6. That just seems like a sad existence to me.

[kliljedahl]

9. Don't want to register? Try this

http://bugmenot.com/



Keith’s Barbeque Central

[nonconformist]

11. Thanks... I usually have hit-or-miss luck with bugmenot

Worked then though, thanks for the reminder.

And for the curious - it doesn't say if he left his family anything, but I think it's implied that his entire fortune was donated to the school. Sad.