Living Legacies | 2026

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AAPUBLICATION NEWYORK YORK PUBLICATION OF OF THE THE CENTRAL CENTRAL NEW COMMUNITY FOUNDATION COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

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CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNIT Y FOUNDATION

LEGACY STORIES

02 | NICHOLAS & AGNES RENZI

2026

03 | MARJORIE DEY CARTER

05 | TERESA MOTZ

Dear Friends, Our mission calls us to help individuals and families create permanent charitable support for Central New York. That support lives on for generations through hundreds of charitable funds, each with its own story. Together, they form a powerful testament to what is possible when generosity is paired with foresight.

As we look toward our 100th year in 2027, we are especially mindful that milestones like this are built not only on the work of today, but on the visions of those who planned for tomorrow. Legacy giving is an act of trust. It reflects a deep connection to place, a gratitude for opportunities received, and a desire to ensure that future generations can thrive here.

MELANIE LITTLEJOHN President and CEO

In our fifth edition of Living Legacies, we honor and celebrate the stories of individuals who were determined to leave this community stronger than they found it. Some gave out of gratitude. Others out of resilience. Others still to forge pathways for those they will never meet. Each story is different — but all share a common thread: a belief that we are stronger when we invest in one another.

As we approach our Centennial, we are not simply celebrating longevity. We are strengthening the foundation beneath us. We are inviting more people to see themselves as part of this region’s long-term story. And we are reaffirming a core belief: everyone has something to give — whether today, tomorrow, or as a lasting legacy.

The next 100 years will be shaped, in part, by the courage and planning of those who choose to leave a legacy today.

To those who have already made that commitment, thank you. Your vision stretches far beyond a single lifetime.

And to those considering it, we hope these stories inspire you to imagine the difference your legacy could make — not just in the next year or decade, but for generations to come.

The spirit of generosity that is common among our donors and nonprofit partners encompasses more than just tangible resources and monetary gifts. When we engage in philanthropy, we are telling the world what is important to us through the causes we support. Sharing your story and giving voice to the life lessons and experiences that have shaped your own generosity is a gift in itself.

To learn more about options for preserving your charitable legacy, contact: JAN LANE LEGACY@CNYCF.ORG OR VISIT 5FORCNY.ORG

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Pictured: Nick and Agnes Renzi stand together atop Mount Marcy.

NICHOLAS & AGNES RENZI When Nicholas and Agnes Renzi moved to Cortland in 1971, they didn’t just settle into a new town — they became part of its fabric. Over the next five decades, they poured their time, talent and resources into the place they proudly called home. Their lives were marked by humility, gratitude and a deep belief that strong communities thrive when neighbors care for one another.

Today, that belief lives on through a transformational bequest that will support Cortland County residents for generations.

Nick grew up in the Bronx as the son of Italian immigrants who instilled in him the importance of hard work and giving what you can. A talented student, he earned a scholarship to City College of New York before completing his master’s degree in mechanical engineering at Columbia University. Those opportunities shaped the rest of his life, fueling a deep appreciation for education and a desire to help others access the same.

His career with Pall Corporation ultimately brought him to Cortland, where he rose to senior vice president overseeing operations in Cortland and Puerto Rico.

Agnes was equally devoted to service. A certified braille transcriber, she spent more than two decades making books accessible to children who are blind, lovingly translating elementary school texts through the National Braille Association. Certified by the Library of Congress, she completed thousands of hours of painstaking, quiet work that improved the lives of young readers she would never meet.

Together, Nick and Agnes lived their values: family first, community always and gratitude expressed through action.

The Renzis’ generosity touched Cortland in ways both visible and unseen. During his lifetime, Nick contributed $1 million to establish the Renzi Cancer Center at Guthrie Cortland Medical Center and another $1 million to the Guthrie Cortland Renzi Health Campus. He also funded community enhancements such as the

Pictured: Nick Renzi

Westminster chimes dedicated at the Cincinnatus Area Heritage Society in 2021.

Agnes passed away in 2020; Nick continued their charitable work until his death in 2025. In keeping with their shared wishes, he directed in his will that the Central New York Community Foundation steward their final act of generosity.

Through their estate and lifetime giving, the Renzis established two endowed funds at the Community Foundation: the Nicholas and Agnes Renzi Charitable Fund, supporting the nonprofit organizations they loved most, and the Nicholas & Agnes Renzi Fund for Cortland County, a more than $14 million endowment that will provide broad support for Cortland residents far into the future.

Endowed funds are structured to last for generations: a portion is granted out annually while the remainder is invested for long-term growth. Over time, the cumulative impact is expected to surpass the original gift many times over — a model that resonated deeply with Nick’s thoughtful, forward-looking approach to service and planning.

“Nick and Agnes believed deeply in giving back to the community that became their home,” said Melanie Littlejohn, president & CEO of the Community Foundation. “Their generosity will empower Cortland County nonprofits to create lasting change. We are honored to steward their legacy and ensure their impact continues in perpetuity.”

The Renzi Fund for Cortland County will expand the Community Foundation’s Community Grants program into Cortland County for the first time, opening new 2

opportunities for nonprofits across health, human services, education, arts and culture, environment, civic engagement and more. It will also support participatory budgeting, inviting residents to help identify local priorities and shape solutions — a reflection of the Renzis’ belief that communities are strongest when everyone has a voice.

“THIS IS A TRUE TURNING POINT FOR OUR LOCAL NONPROFIT SECTOR,” SAID COMMUNITY FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBER AND CORTLAND RESIDENT CATHERINE BERTINI. “THE RENZI FAMILY’S GENEROSITY WILL OPEN DOORS FOR GREATER COLLABORATION, INNOVATION AND STABILITY.” Nick and Agnes’s final gift is a continuation of that gratitude, ensuring that children, families and neighbors will have access to care, opportunity and support long into the future.

Their legacy is one of quiet service and profound impact, a reflection of who they were and what they believed: that a community thrives when everyone is given the chance to succeed. Through their endowed funds, the Renzis’ generosity will echo forward, strengthening Cortland forever.

Cover Photo: Nick and Agnes Renzi stand together atop Mount Marcy.

CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNIT Y FOUNDATION

Pictured: Marjorie Dey Carter, May 1977 Photo provided by the Onondaga Historical Association

MARJORIE DEY CARTER

Syracuse’s first Black teacher passes on her blessings

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Pictured: Marjorie stands alongside her longtime friend and former colleague, Vivian Moore, at her 95th birthday celebration.

Before he became a renowned clarinetist and music teacher, one young boy in North Syracuse learned his most important lesson not from a concert hall, but from his first-grade teacher, Marjorie Dey Carter. When his parents removed him from her class upon discovering she was Black, Carter knelt down, hugged him, and said, “You know I still love you.”

Syracuse. She aspired to be a teacher from at least sixth grade, when an attentive teacher encouraged her curiosity and intellect.

In 1972, Carter became the first Black female president of the Syracuse Teachers’ Association. She was active in local, state and national professional education groups, including serving as a delegate to China and Lesotho, South Africa, to share educational practices.

She retired in 1990 after 40 years of teaching and remained active in the community.

Decades later, he would remember that moment as his first experience of unconditional love — and the foundation for everything he would become.

“Person after person after person told us about the experiences they had with her as students and what an influence she had on them,” said one of Carter’s cousins, Jo Anne Bakeman. “That was very much the norm for the way she treated students and expressed herself.”

Carter passed away April 25, 2024, at age 97 after decades serving the community she loved as an educator and volunteer. The first Black teacher hired by the Syracuse City School District and a trailblazer advocating for teachers and students, she named the Community Foundation as the recipient of her estate to fuel our Community Grantmaking, which provides perpetual support to address the greatest needs of the Central New York community. Nonprofit organizations receive grants through the program to fund innovative projects in the areas of arts and culture, civic affairs, education, health, human services, and the environment.

Carter, a descendant of the Black farming community in South Onondaga, lived in

She advocated for students, working on federally funded programs to improve classroom instruction for youth living in under-resourced neighborhoods in Syracuse, and she was an early proponent for team teaching. She later worked for the district as an instructional specialist.

Pictured: Marjorie in October 1926, at 2 months old.

She graduated from the former Central High School on South Warren Street, where she was among just a handful of Black students in the college preparatory program. She graduated from Cortland State Teachers College in 1950, the first Black student at the school, and was hired to teach first and second grade at the former Syracuse City School District’s Charles Andrews School. She was the district’s first and only Black teacher for four years.

“I knew I had to do the best job I could, as a teacher,” she said in 1990. “[Being] Black, I knew I’d have to take a little extra step. My main concern was giving the kids as much as I could, stretching them as much as I could.”

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Despite her trailblazing career, Carter was quiet and matter-of-fact. “She never tooted her own horn,” Bakeman, her cousin, says.

“Imagine what a big thing that was to be the first Black teacher and to lead the teachers’ union. She had such influence at a time when we needed it.”

According to her cousin, Carter’s bequest was right in character. “I believe she had a sense of her impact,” Bakeman said. “She saw the role of teachers as important. She was active in organizations she felt were important.”

“I believe she saw herself as extremely blessed. She believed she had been extremely fortunate and this is her way of giving back.”

To learn more about options for preserving your charitable legacy, contact:

JAN LANE LEGACY@CNYCF.ORG OR VISIT 5FORCNY.ORG

CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNIT Y FOUNDATION

Pictured: Teresa Motz

LEGACY GIFT CONTINUES MISSION OF HOPE AND HEALING Teresa Motz 5

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Pictured: Teresa contra dancing.

Pictured: Teresa accepts an award recognizing her three earned patents.

Teresa Motz lived with a deep belief that life was meant to be lived with purpose, joy and connection. Hard-working, courageous and joyfully unconventional, she brought people together through laughter, friendship, food, music, dance and shared human experience.

Teresa’s work continues to touch daily life around the world. Her innovations advanced endoscopic imaging and barcode scanning technologies now used in health care, air travel and everyday commerce. She authored professional publications, contributed to international optical standards and earned multiple patents. Even in highly technical spaces, her family recalls, Teresa consistently asked how systems could better serve people — especially those who are vulnerable or too often overlooked.

Above all, Teresa believed in loving people — treating every person with dignity, respect and faith in their potential.

Later in life, a series of serious accidents and inadequate recovery resources dramatically altered Teresa’s physical abilities and outlook. From that lived experience emerged a new mission rooted in trauma awareness, recovery and hope.

She became a passionate advocate for integrated, person-centered support that connects body, mind and spirit — and for language that affirms dignity rather than limitation.

“She wanted to swaddle people in the comforts of home,” her sister Jean said. “Whether assembling dish kits for individuals moving into independent housing or bringing dozens of pies to community meals, Teresa believed small, practical acts could preserve dignity and belonging.”

Raised on a family farm outside Cincinnati as the second oldest of eight children, Teresa learned early the values that would shape every chapter of her life: responsibility, perseverance, ingenuity and independence. Those farm values fueled an extraordinary professional path. After earning bachelor’s degrees in physics and mathematics, she began her career at an aircraft engine manufacturer, where at just age 25 she co-invented an optical inspection device. She later earned a master’s degree in optical engineering from the University of Rochester’s Institute of Optics and went on to work as an optical engineer in the Finger Lakes region.

She coined the term “diff-abled,” reframing disability as difference rather than deficit, and believed deeply in the resilience of those navigating illness, trauma or changed capacity. That philosophy guided her tireless community engagement — from collaborating with hospitals, educators and service providers to organizing community dances, performing original music and comedy, assembling hygiene and household kits, and creating inclusive spaces for art, movement and dialogue.

Before her death in 2024 at age 65, Teresa made plans to ensure that her work would continue. Through a legacy gift to the Central New York Community Foundation,

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she established the Hope and Healing Through Empowering Support (HAHTES) Fund — a field-of-interest fund supporting nonprofits and programs that serve people in Cayuga County, with a focus on individuals with physical or psychological challenges when recovering from traumatic life events.

Through the Community Foundation’s grantmaking, Teresa’s vision lives on: inviting collaboration, elevating those in need of support, and daring communities to make a meaningful difference — together.

“Through this fund, her compassion, creativity and belief in people will continue,” her family said.

As Teresa often signed her letters — a fitting farewell and an enduring invitation: Pictured: Teresa volunteers at a

fundraising “Love, Warm &event.

Crazies. Hugs Always, Teresa.”

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PRESIDENT & CEO

DEVELOPMENT

SCHOLARSHIPS AND STUDENT SUCCESS

MELANIE LITTLEJOHN, MBA

THOMAS M. GRIFFITH, AEP®, CAP®, CHFC® Vice President of Development

AHMEED H. TURNER Vice President of Scholarships & Student Success; Executive Director of Say Yes Syracuse

NIKKI POLES Executive Assistant

MONICA M. MERANTE, CAP® Senior Director of Philanthropic Services

COMMUNICATIONS

PRAGYA S. MURPHY, CAP®, MBA Director of Development & Impact Investment

KATRINA M. CROCKER Vice President of Communications

ELIZABETH GAGNÉ Philanthropic Services Officer

JULIET R. MALOFF Director of Communications PARIS BABERS Events & Communications Manager

TORI HART Philanthropic Services Officer

REBECCA BALARA Communications Manager

JAN L. LANE, CAP® Senior Philanthropic Advisor

CORY C. SCHAD Digital Communications Officer

FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION

COMMUNITY INVESTMENT FRANK M. RIDZI, PHD Vice President of Community Investment

LIZ HARTMAN, CPA Senior Director of Finance

COLBY CYRUS, CAPM Senior Program Manager KATE DOWNES Program Manager

LISA D. ALFORD JAIME ALICEA

WILLIAM H. BROWER III SUSAN FURTNEY, MPH, FACHE LISA S. GERMAIN BEA GONZÁLEZ

DR. WARREN HILTON JOSEPH LAZZARO, CFP®, CLU® ANGELA LEE

DANA C. FIEL Finance Manager

LEYLA Z. MORGILLO, CFP®

DANA E. LYONS-CANTY Special Projects Officer

H. DOUGLAS PINCKNEY

YEISHA NÚÑEZ-DENSON Accountant

ISABEL FOSS Program Associate

BOARD MEMBERS

MARK S. HALL

JENNY E. GREEN Director of Information Systems & Strategy GERIANNE P. CORRADINO, SHRM-CP Human Resources & Operations Officer

DARRELL D. BUCKINGHAM Senior Program Officer

SALMA MUSE Scholarships & Student Success Manager

CATHERINE BERTINI

KIMBERLY P. SADOWSKI, CPA Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

DANIELLE M. JOHNSON Senior Director of Grants & Programs

DERARETU ABUBEKER Scholarships & Student Success Manager

DUANE B. OWENS

KEVIN E. SCHWAB MARTIN A. SCHWAB, ESQ. KATHLEEN L. WIESE

ELISIA GONZÁLEZ Grants Manager

GENERAL COUNSEL MARY ANNE CODY, ESQ.

QIANA WILLIAMS Senior Program Officer

MEMBERS OF OUR LEGACY SOCIETY AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2025 ANONYMOUS (105) LESTER C. ALLEN DEBRA K. ARANITI EUGENE G. ARMANI PAMELA V. ASHMEAD KAREN C. & PETER J. BARON ANNETTE LINDEMER BECKER RONALD & CAROLE BECKMAN MR. & MRS. GARY & ALICE BELL NANCY BELLOW ANNETTE & LEE BENSON CATHERINE BERTINI STEVEN BLIND SUSAN D. BOETTGER VICKI BRACKENS WILLIAM V. BRENNAN THOMAS A. BRISK+ & GERALD M. MAGER JIM BRUNO & TOSCA BRUNO-VAN VIJFEIJKEN MINNA R. BUCK+ ALICIA & DICK CALAGIOVANNI ANNE M. CARNICELLI KATHLEEN A. CARPENTER JAMES CASASANTA JON M.+ & JEAN M. CASEY MARYELLEN CASEY & BRUCE KEPLINGER TIM & JANET CASSIDY SYLVIA & WILLIAM COHEN JAMES & KATRINA CROCKER MARILYN F. CROSBY MICHAEL+ & ELAINE CROUGH VIRGINIA DEBENEDICTIS BOB & JOAN DERRENBACKER PETER J. EMERSON CARAGH D. FAHY TIMOTHY & KAYE FENLON

RALPH FERRARA DORRIS A. FOX MARC B. FRIED IAN GALLACHER & JULIA MCKINSTRY KATHIE & GUY GARNSEY LEE M. GATTA & JOE REDDICK BARBARA W. GENTON ANGELA HUFF GRIFFIN & JOHN P. GRIFFIN DOUG & PAM HAMLIN LINDA DICKERSON HARTSOCK WILLIAM & SANDRA+ HEMMERLEIN BERNIE G. HENDERSON LINDA L. HENLEY RICHARD & JANICE HEZEL PATRICIA A. HOFFMAN ALEXANDER+ & CHARLOTTE+ HOLSTEIN JOYCE DAY HOMAN MR. & MRS. ROBERT L. HOOD DR. PETER & MARY HUNTINGTON SANDRA HURD & JOEL POTASH HAROLD L. HUSOVSKY, MD & SUSAN E. STRED, MD ELAINE & STEVEN L. JACOBS MICHAEL & JO MARIE JOLY MR. & MRS. DOUGLAS KALLET MIKE & KAREN KALLET GWEN KAY & JEFFREY SNEIDER ELSPETH J.C. KERR MRS. SALLY KIMBALL KATHLEEN & JAMES KINSEY HARVEY L. KLIMAN JESSE KLINE MARIE M. KLOSSNER GEORGE & LUELLA KRAHL DAVID & CAROLE+ KROSS JOANNE LEACH

H. RICHARD LEVY DOUGLAS & THERESA LEWIS ZALIE & BOB LINN ANNE GILMOUR LLOYD JAMES E. MACKIN, ESQ. CANDACE & JOHN+ MARSELLUS JIM+ & RUTH+ MARSHALL GAIL M. MCINTYRE MICHAEL & SUSAN MEATH ELISA MESCON ANNE L. MESSENGER JOAN M. MILLER ALLAN H.+ & HELEN C. MISKELL PAMELA KIP REISMAN MONACO ELIZABETH A. MORGENTHIEN JOHN D. & JANIS H. MOSES STEPHEN W. MOYER MR. & MRS. JOHN J. MURPHY, III PATRICK & KIMBERLY MURPHY JANET P. & RICHARD W. NEWMAN KATHRYN NICKERSON MARTIN NOLAN THEODORE H. & MARY-PAT NORTHRUP JOAN B. NOWICKI JAMES A. O’CONNOR MARGARET G. OGDEN MICHAEL R. O’LEARY, M.D. & COLLEEN E. O’LEARY, M.D. MARY PAT OLIKER MARGARET & RON PECKHAM STEVE PEKICH EILEEN B. PHILLIPS RICHARD B. & NEVA S.+ PILGRIM J. DANIEL PLUFF BILL & SANDRA+ POMEROY MR. & MRS.+ WILLIAM W. PORTER

MARCIA & JAMES QUIGLEY CONSTANCE M. QUINN DANIELLE RAUSA & ANDREW FRAZO ROGER+ & MAGGIE REID NICHOLAS+ & AGNES+ RENZI RACHEL & JEFF RONEY JODI & JEFF ROWE JEFFREY RUBENSTEIN DOUGLAS G. & JOHANA RUSSELL ROBERT SARASON & JANE BURKHEAD DR. ROBERT G. SARGENT PHYLLIS HOTCHKISS SCHWARTZ BONNIE & RICHARD+ SCOLARO KAREN R. SEYMOUR PAULINE J. SHARP STEPHEN H. SIMON RAYMOND & LINDA STRAUB CELESTINE & JOHN THOMPSON DONALD+ & PAULA TRUDELL HOWARD C. TUPPER JOHN S. TUTTLE SANDRA L. VAN EPPS LINDA VERNI WILLIAMS GWENDOLYN WEBBER-MCLEOD CAROLE WEHRLE DR. & MRS. THOMAS R. WELCH ELIZABETH K. WELCH FRANKLIN & DIANE+ WHEELOCK LINDA M. WHITE MR. & MRS. GREG WICKHAM NORMA WIDMANN GRIFF & CAROL WILLIAMS ANGELA C. WINFIELD & LANCE M. LYONS CATHERINE J. WINGER MARY FRAN YAFCHAK MR. & MRS. J. WARREN+ YOUNG

(+) indicates Deceased member of a Legacy couple or those who passed away within the past year.