Penny-Pinching Widow Donates Millions to Charity
- Posted on February 14, 2011 at 5:18pm by
Meredith Jessup
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Washington state resident Helen Dyrdal was not a wealthy woman… or at least no one thought she was.
Her friends remember her as a coupon-clipping retiree living with broken furniture and tattered clothes, frugal in every way. But when she passed away last March, her neighbors quickly began to realize she had left behind more than fond memories. Much, much more.
Helen was widowed and didn’t have any children or other relatives. Her best friend, Goldie Ericson, was charged with handling the 91-year-old’s estate when she passed. Following her death last March, Ericson starting opening Helen’s financial statements. “There would be things like $336,000,” Goldie told KOMO News in Seattle, “and they kept rolling in.”
In the end, it turned out penny-pinching Helen had saved up more than $3 million. “It was total and complete surprise,” Goldie said. “It was as though I had stumbled onto something that I had no knowledge of, ever.”
The bigger surprise came later, however, when Helen’s will announced that all her money was to be donated to charities.
Half a million dollars went to Providence Hospice of Seattle. “It‘s our largest single donation we’ve every received,” the group’s spokesman said. “(It will) fund part of our pediatric hospice, which cares for children that are terminally ill.”
Helen’s local Renton, Wash., Salvation Army chapter also received $500,000 to help their family services.
Goldie said her friend Helen was very private in life, but is sending a clear message with her charitable gift. “She said, ‘I want people to recognize that I am a good person at heart.”
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dontbotherme
Posted on February 15, 2011 at 1:21pmGod Bless her loving heart! She knew what to do with her wealth to make the world a better place.
Report Post »Pyx
Posted on February 15, 2011 at 10:35amHelen Dyrdal said, ‘I want people to recognize that I am a good person at heart.”
We do Helen. We do. Blessings.
Report Post »eileen for freedom liberty
Posted on February 15, 2011 at 10:29am2012 – ‘BACK TO THE FUTURE’!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
America…my dad used to always relay to me when mentioning someone who lived in the ‘rich’ neighborhood…that ‘those people aren’t rich…they are the poor ones’! Spending all that they had to impress with their big cars, and big houses and deep, deep in debt for doing so!
What he said back then, still rings true today…you can‘ t judge a ’book by it‘s cover’! The penny pinchers are where the money is…a good deal of the time! They have accumulated…because they have not spent!
Thanks dad! Although you’ve been gone for awhile…I still remember what you said and the lessons to be learned by your wisdom!
~~~
BANISH THE UNION ‘GOONS’ – IS YOUR STATE “RIGHT TO WORK”?
http://www.nrtw.org/rtws.htm
Report Post »Robotics_Geek
Posted on February 15, 2011 at 6:03pmAmen! That’s what my parents told me too! I am 36 years old and have a paid off house, two cars – paid off and NO DEBT! I pay cash for what I need and my wife and I don’t worry about losing a job or a long illness because we have prepared! Word of wisdom to young married couples: Don’t try to accumulate in the first two years of marriage what it took your mom and dad to accumulate in 20 or 30! Pay off ALL DEBT FIRST! Then you can buy the matching living room set…with CASH! You’ll even get a better deal!
Report Post »Enuff Zenuff
Posted on February 15, 2011 at 4:17amVery heartwarming story!
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