Frugal woman donates $35.6 million to local diabetes and cancer research

[Herman Munster]

http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/news/nation/15780921.htm

Eugenia Dodson came to Miami from Minnesota in 1924 at 20, got work as a beautician at the Flagler Street Burdines, married well, invested wisely after her husband died, lived frugally to almost 101 and now has surprised everyone by donating $35.6 million to local diabetes and cancer research.

Throughout her life, ''Gene'' Dodson, as she preferred to be called, consciously built up her fortune to donate to diabetes research to honor her two brothers, who died of its complications, and cancer research after she lost part of a lung to cancer. She lived below her means in a small condo near the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, refusing to spend money for in-home care until a debilitating fall when she was nearly 100. ''She denied herself the trappings of wealth; she was dead-set on doing good for humankind,'' said Donald Kubit, co-trustee of her trust at Northern Trust Bank.

And she refused publicity; her donations came out of the blue after her death last December. ''She didn't want any recognition in her lifetime, so she directed her lawyer to keep it confidential,'' Goodwin said.

[Skittles]

1. she truly was a good woman

my type of gal

[aquart]

2. Nutty as a fruitcake.

Sorry, but using half of one of those millions to live decently would have been A-OK.

She could also have made sizable donations while still breathing.

[Herman Munster]

3. you have to understand the generation she was from

this was before the new deal, before social security. There was no social safety net of any kind. After living and experiencing the depression, lots of people became frugal types. They saved because they knew they were one unlucky break from living on the street.

[aquart]

6. Uh huh.

Despite all those millions, she still worried about being poor? Nutty.

She wanted to do good, which was fine and I admire her instincts. But her whole life was about saving money to be spent after her death. Nutty.

[pnwmom]

9. Plenty of rich people lost everything in the Depression.

She did a wonderful job of stewarding that money, and there is nothing in the article that indicates she was living in a hovel. She just didn't have a need to spend a lot on herself, and she wasn't a show-off.

She left a large legacy for medical research, instead of spending it on herself. Doesn't sound nutty to me at all. Sounds generous and kind.

[hughee99]

4. It seems to me that if a person

was comfortable with the lifestyle they lead, then what's the point of spending all that extra money for things that you don't really need or want. I suspect she probably didn't want to make the donations while she was alive, because while she wanted to do good things with the money, she didn't want the attention that it would have brought her. I don't think that makes her nutty, though I didn't know her, so she could have been nutty as well. Nothing wrong with that.

[Sal Minella]

5. Which would have meant photos in the newspapers, which she didn't want

The real test of motivation for doing a good deed is whether you want to be given recognition or not -- she made public recognition for her good deed impossible. Yay for her.

[aquart]

7. Yet Frank Sinatra managed to donate anonymously.

Most people knew nothing of his generosity until the funeral.

Charities know how to handle anonymous donations. They know how to keep secrets. Many people keep their giving a secret.

Good woman. Batshit crazy.

[pnwmom]

10. And what would the great benefit have been to society if she had donated

while she was alive? The researchers still need the money.

I'm wondering why you seem so intent on diagnosing her as crazy. An old lady lives frugally, saves money all her life so she can leave a worthwhile legacy.

We should be applauding her, not judging her.

[pnwmom]

8. Why is it nutty to live in a condo? And why did she have to make the

donations while she was live in order to do good? She didn't want to act like a rich lady. Good for her.

[Selatius]

11. Whether it was "nutty" is irrelevant to HER CHOICE to live that way!

If you can't accept her choice, that's your own problem.