Legacy Society Newsletter - Fall 2023

Message from

Legacy Society Co Chairs

Being able to share stories with you of people who have left legacy gifts to Jefferson Center is a great honor. We hope you enjoy the stories of Stephen Francis ’43 and Henry Kirk ’63 featured in this issue. Both men loved their alma mater, Jefferson Senior High School. They also loved Jefferson Center’s mission today and created ways they can help the organization continue to thrive well into the future.

October is National Estate Planning Awareness Month, offering a timely opportunity to recognize the powerful potential for impact made possible through estate planning. In addition to caring for and protecting your loved ones, you also can support the causes that are near and dear to your heart.

If you want to learn more about how you can support Jefferson Center in your will, please feel free to visit Jefferson Center’s website for more information or call Kim Turner, Senior Director of Development at 540.685.2312.

Please also consider returning the enclosed notification card. If you have already included Jefferson Center in your planned giving, we would love to welcome you as a member of Jefferson Center’s Legacy Society.

Sincerely,

Legacy Society Members

Jefferson Center would like to acknowledge members of Jefferson Center’s Legacy Society. This listing represents those whose estate gifts have already benefited Jefferson Center, as well as those who have notified Jefferson Center of their intentions to leave a future planned gift.

If you have made such plans and would like to be recognized as a member of this important group of benefactors, please fill out the notification form enclosed or contact Kim Turner, Senior Director of Development, at 540-685-2312.

Anonymous

Elcy Alford

Harvey Murray Barker '41

Charles and Martha Boswell

Mrs. Virginia H. Clinebell

Barbara Lee Coffey

John D. Copenhaver '29

Barbara and Warner Dalhouse

Norma Lou Davis

William A. and Linda M. Deyerle

Brenda J. Ensor ‘63

Dr. and Mrs. Paul Frantz

Mr. Stephen M. Francis ‘43

Edwin G. and Glenna H. Hall

Judy Harrison '66

Ethel S. Holland

Lucille Wilkerson Huddleston

Frances P. Hughes '42

E. Laban Johnson

Sara Johnston

Verlyne Simmons Key

Mr. Henry Ford Kirk

Kenneth C. Laughon

Beverley Jordan Miller

Susan Frantz

Co-Chair

Jefferson Center Legacy Society

Warner Dalhouse

Co-Chair

Jefferson Center Legacy Society

John L. Patterson

Rebecca S. Perdue

Joseph Scruton

Earl G. Skeens, Jr. '49

Madeline Spickard

Dr. Mary Anne C. Stone and Mr. Thomas Stone

Richard N. Thrasher

Anne Tiffany

Janet Whitaker

The Greatest Race of All

1963 alumnus leaves $60,000 to Je erson Center

When Henry Ford Kirk found out he had prostate cancer, he was not about to let it get him down. He approached his diagnosis and treatments with courage and determination, much like the way he approached life. During discussions about his desire to leave Jefferson Center in his will, Henry shared much about his early days and the challenges he faced as a young man who had lost both of his parents and was placed in the foster care system.

Through all of life’s challenges, the one thing that saved Henry and motivated him was his passion for running. He was a natural talent, and everyone knew him as the guy who was always running. Henry graduated from Jefferson Senior High School in 1963 and went on to graduate from University of Nevada where he continued his running career and graduated with a degree in engineering. He was an elite middle distance runner, a sub four-minute miler, a National Champion, and NCAA Champion, and a collegiate All American. He also qualified with the Olympic A Standard Time to compete in the 1972 Olympic Trials.

Henry recognized that his greatest race of all was his battle against cancer. While he was never one to give in, his diagnosis led him to begin making memorial plans. Jefferson Senior High School was an important part of his life, a place where he had many special friendships and where he wanted to create a lasting legacy. Like many alumni, he cared about the building where he attended school and wanted his gift to keep his alma mater flourishing. A self-described “builder of structures”, Henry understood the importance of sustaining buildings, especially one as revered as Jefferson Center. Henry made arrangements to leave 20 percent of his estate to Jefferson Center. His generous gift was added to the Fralin Endowment Fund, which is a restricted fund for building maintenance. As a memorial tribute, the hallway that led to Henry’s homeroom will be named the Henry F. Kirk Hallway.

Henry had an amazing zeal for life and a resolve that inspired those around him. Jefferson Center cherishes the opportunity to work with Henry to create a legacy gift that was meaningful to him in his lifetime and will be beneficial to Jefferson Center for many years to come.

Thank you for considering a future investment that has the potential for Extraordinary Impact.

Henry Ford Kirk

Jefferson Senior High School

Alumnus Leaves Entire Estate to Jefferson Center

Gift of $330,000 establishes endowed fund for education and helps address capital and programming priorities

It was early spring when Jim Francis contacted Jefferson Center on behalf of his uncle, Stephen M. Francis, who had recently passed away. Jim was the executor of his uncle’s estate and was the bearer of extraordinary news—his uncle had left his entire estate to Jefferson Center! News of this type does not happen often and learning about it was deeply poignant because it was about so much more than a magnificent gift—it was about the life of a special man and the opportunity to honor his memory.

Stephen Mayo Francis was a member of Jefferson Senior High School’s Class of 1943. After graduating, Mr. Francis enlisted in the U. S. Army and fought during World War II with the 1st Battalion 84th Infantry. After the war, he began a long career with the United States Postal Service and was blessed to live to be almost 100 years old. He was a quiet man who was known for his kindness and quick wit, as well as his love of music. He was a member of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church and a tenor in the church choir. He also toured with the Choral Society. A self-taught musician, he played trumpet, saxophone, and trombone and brought joy to many who enjoyed his natural talents.

It was Stephen’s love of music and the performing arts that inspired his nephew, Jim Francis, to work with Jefferson Center to establish the Stephen M. Francis ’43 Memorial Music Education Fund. Jim also attended Jefferson Senior High School as did many of Stephen’s siblings and other relatives. As the estate’s executor, Jim wanted to be sure his Uncle Steve’s memory would provide a lasting legacy, while benefiting young students who love music as much as his

uncle did. Proceeds from the endowment fund will support music education initiatives in Music Lab, including weekly afterschool programming that provides group lessons, open studio time with access to state-of-the-art equipment, private lessons, admission to Student Outreach Performances in Shaftman Performance Hall, and direct access to professional artists through artist mentorship opportunities. In addition to the endowment fund, a portion of the bequest was directed to help Jefferson Center address immediate capital and programmatic needs.

All told, Mr. Francis’ $330,000 bequest will have a tremendous impact on students and patrons for generations to come. “Stephen Francis sets an important example of how a simple, yet gracious act of planning and forethought can have a meaningful and lasting impact on an organization and the many people they serve,” says Kim Turner, Senior Director of Development at Jefferson Center. While determining the purpose of the fund, Jim Francis shared that it is his family’s hope that by sharing his uncle’s story, it will inspire others to explore how they too might plan for a once-in-a-lifetime gift that has the potential for tremendous impact. Jefferson Center is truly grateful to be the place where Mr. Francis’ memory and love of arts and culture are honored.

Music Lab Students in the Mickey Nelson Control Room

Stephen M. Francis

“Stephen Francis sets an important example of how a simple, yet gracious act of planning and forethought can have a meaningful and lasting impact on an organization and the many people they serve”