Legacy Gifts Secure Our Future

Howard Higholt (1936-2020)

After his wife, Carlisle Wrigley Sullivan Higholt ’57, passed away in 1979, Howard Higholt made a commitment to continue supporting her alma mater. For more than 40 years, Howard was a devoted and enthusiastic Mayfield benefactor. He stepped forward as a leadership sponsor for every single Mayfield Benefit, and was a familiar face at those springtime fundraising galas. Over the years, he came to think of our Mayfield family as his family, and looked forward to the annual reunions—he rarely missed a Benefit!

But we certainly missed Howard at our “Rhapsody in Red” Benefit, celebrating the 100th anniversary of Strub Hall. That same evening, on March 7, 2020, the Lord had prepared another banquet for him in Heaven, where he was finally reunited with his beloved wife, his sons, Marc and Jonathan, and other dear friends and family. But our generous benefactor and friend was certainly with us in spirit.

Howard also supported every Mayfield capital campaign, helping to build the Hayden Building and the Sr. Mary Wilfrid Yore Gymnasium, and supporting various remodeling projects during the Faith in Our Future campaign. During his lifetime, he also became a member of the Bellefontaine Society, Mayfield’s legacy giving group. Howard’s parting gift to Mayfield was a transformative estate gift to boost our endowment fund—a reflection of his strong belief that Catholic education changes the lives of young women.

Susan Brady Alfaro ’53 (1935-2020)

When Susan Brady Alfaro ’53 joined the Bellefontaine Society in 2007, she was unequivocal about why she wanted to include Mayfield in her estate plans: “ ‘Actions Not Words’ remains my mantra,” she said. After her parents divorced, Susan attended several high schools before arriving at Mayfield—with a very uneven transcript and an “ambitious college list.” She “made a pact” with the nuns: “There was much hard work, extra assignments and drilling to improve my SAT scores,” Susan said, but she got into her dream school—Stanford University. “I still thank Mayfield for their support.”

Ambitious and artistic, Susan had an iconoclastic streak, and a talent for working with her hands. Her varied career path included time as a graphic artist and a florist, and she also volunteered at a sports center for disabled athletes in Lake Tahoe. She was also devoted to her husband, Kim Alfaro. She cared for him as he battled cancer, before passing away in March 2020. Soon after, Susan received a cancer diagnosis herself and, tragically, died just months later, in August 2020.

Susan’s Mayfield yearbook quote was “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm,” and she certainly exhibited a remarkable zest for life. Susan dedicated her life’s legacy to support three causes dear to her heart: “cancer research, animal rescue and, especially, Mayfield Senior School.”

Missey Moe-Cook ’71: Helping Mayfield’s ‘important work’ to endure

Missey Moe-Cook ’71 (right) with classmate and friend Connie Howell White ’71 at their 40th class reunion.

“ ‘Actions Not Words’? I believe it from the core of my core,” says Marxianna “Missey” Moe-Cook ’71, who attended both Mayfield Junior School and Mayfield Senior School. After attending Cal State LA, Missey worked as a speech pathologist before transitioning into a 30-year career as a hospital marketing executive. However, she says, “I wouldn’t have been able to do half of that if I had not been given the foundation.”

Missey’s mother’s dedication to single-sex education and their shared Catholic faith serve as undying inspirations to her. Missey has spent years teaching Lectors and Eucharistic Ministers and instructing the VIRTUS “Protecting God’s Children” program. Marrying later in life, she chose a partner whose journey was also strongly driven by faith—James Cook, who spent several years as a priest. Missey and Jim have been married for 28 years and, although they never had children together, they are godparents to 12!

Despite living in Connecticut for decades, Missey has stayed involved with Mayfield. She served on Mayfield’s Board of Trustees from 2007 to 2013, and will be the Alum Council Secretary for 202122. She has also worked with classmate Connie Howell White ’71 to coordinate their 10th, 40th, 45th and now their 50th class reunions.

Missey has observed many changes in the school over the years, and, through her niece Caroline Moe ’15, who was Senior Class President, has stayed in touch with the student perspective. Missey says the leadership during COVID-19 was “nothing short of remarkable...honest to God, I think Kate [Morin] is the best head of school since I graduated 50 years ago.”

In August 2020, when Missey and Jim moved back to California, they revisited their wills and trusts, and Missey says one of her first calls was to Associate Head of School for Strategic Initiatives Angela Howell ’76. Together, they came up with a thoughtful strategy to include Mayfield in their estate giving plans, and Missey wants to inspire more alums to do the same. She says she was “lucky” to attend Mayfield, “and if I can be an example for others, that’s good.” She hopes to help girls have the opportunities her mother gave her, saying, “I want this to go on. It is important work.”

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MY LEGACY, MY GIFT

Susan, Howard and Missey joined the Bellefontaine Society when they included Mayfield Senior School in their estate plans—a decision that will help Mayfield’s “important work” to endure. You can bequeath a percentage or residue of your estate, a specific dollar amount, or make gifts of life insurance, retirement funds, and other deferred gifts. To learn more about the advantages of making charitable bequests to Mayfield, please contact Angela Howell ’76, Associate Head of School for Strategic Initiatives, at (626) 204-1006 or angela.howell@mayfieldsenior.org.

OUR LEGAL TITLE IS: MAYFIELD SENIOR SCHOOL OF THE HOLY CHILD JESUS

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PUT YOUR IRA TO WORK FOR MAYFIELD

Your generous gifts are vital to maintaining a healthy annual fund for today’s Mayfield students and essential to growing our endowment to ensure that our Catholic, Holy Child mission endures for generations to come. Do you have a traditional IRA account? If you are 70½ or older, you may make a tax-free contribution of up to $100,000 from your IRA directly to Mayfield Senior School. While you cannot claim a charitable deduction for IRA gifts to charity, it does reduce your taxable income because the amount of the transfer is not included as part of your taxable income. Also, IRA gifts to charity can be used to fulfill your required minimum distribution (RMD). To complete an IRA Charitable Rollover, please contact your IRA Administrator for their instructions.

Since IRA required minimum distributions are back in 2021, you might consider a gift of some or all of those funds to Mayfield Senior School to lower your taxes. If this strategy makes sense for you or you have further questions, please feel free to contact Lela Diaz, Director of Development, at lela.diaz@mayfieldsenior.org or (626) 204-1028, or consult with your accountant or financial advisor.

We all know that this has been a particularly difficult time for many families, and I was so pleased to make a contribution from my IRA to support Mayfield’s Holy Child Financial Assistance program. Together, we can make a difference!

— ANNE KORTLANDER ’66