STANDING THE TEST OF TIME

Lyston Peebles ’65 has chosen to include Christ School in his estate planning.

The genesis of his gift was his Christ School experience. He learned much about life from long-serving former headmaster David Page Harris – Mr. Dave – and his corps of teachers and staff. They “taught us the values of Christ School and they lived it,” said Lyston. Living in a principle-driven community where hard work, honesty, strong leadership development, personal responsibility, and faith are valued has stood the test of time.

Early in Lyston’s career, his faith in Christ and his love of people led him to work in numerous faithbased non-profits in America and abroad. Most of these efforts were focused on poverty, education, jobs, healthcare, food insecurity, and other ways of trying to provide the help a person needs to flourish in the world. Much of his time and attention was focused in East Africa. Stemming from that time, he adopted two young men who are thriving today and are a joy to him as sons.

For the last 40 years, Lyston partnered with Cherokee Investment Partners, a private equity firm based in Raleigh NC. Lyston launched and directed Cherokee’s social and philanthropic endeavors known as Cherokee Gives Back. “Giving back or paying it forward,” Lyston said, “is the foundational tenet of the firm that directed both our investments and our philanthropies. For me, giving back is where the rubber meets the road in our effort to impact all aspects of life.”

It all started for Lyston when he realized that Mr. Dave, and Father and Mrs. Wetmore before him, were seeking to impact all aspects of the boys’ lives at Christ School, not just their reading, writing, and arithmetic skills. With more time on his hands now, Lyston enjoys keeping up with Christ School on social media and occasionally visiting campus. The teachers and staff that make Christ School unique, the fond memories of his four years here, and the fact that other students have an opportunity to go through the Greenie experience brings Lyston great joy. He said, “Now that is worth dying for (someday)!”

Lyston’s planned gift at Christ School is made through one of the most frequently used tools in estate planning, a bequest. If you would like to find out more about bequests or planned giving at the school. Please contact the Advancement Office (828-684-6232) n