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The source of this article is The Kansas City Star: http://tinyurl.com/3l6jn Posted on Fri, Aug. 06, 2004 Woman of modest means leaves $750,000 to charities STEPHANIE V. SIEK Associated Press ST. LOUIS - The largest bequest ever given to two St. Louis charities came not from a magnanimous millionaire, but from a 90-year-old cashier and bookkeeper whose greatest wealth was her generous spirit. Well, that, and her trust account. When Mary James died late last year, she directed that all of her $741,908 estate be split between two charities, St. Louis Variety, the Children's Charity, and the St. Louis chapter of American Parkinson Disease Association. The heads of Variety and the Parkinson Disease Association say the bequest is the largest ever given to their organizations by an individual. Both devote much of their resources to free services for people without Medicaid or other insurance. Susan Levin, the Parkinson Disease Association's St. Louis coordinator, said the money will fund patient service programs, ranging from support groups to respite care and exercise classes. The programs make a big difference in the lives of thousands of Parkinson's disease sufferers and their families across the state, who sometimes pay hundreds of dollars each month for medication alone. "We do not charge for any of our services, and that's why this is such a wonderful gift," Levin said. Levin said the association would not spend the gift right away, but would try to stretch it to help as many people as possible - a philosophy Mary James might appreciate. Jan Albus, St. Louis Variety's executive director, said that organization's share would be endowed in a fund that purchases medical equipment for mentally and physically disabled children. It currently serves about 1,300 children with disabilities such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, or the loss of a limb. "The average child is going to cost us between $40,000 and $50,000 until age 21," Albus said. "This is just a huge gift." James' generosity is reminiscent of other attention-getting donations from hardworking people of humble means. In 2000, disabled street vendor Alex Katrishin donated $1 million to the Hattiesburg, Miss., YMCA. In 1995, washerwoman Oseola McCarty donated $150,000 to the University of Southern Mississippi for student scholarships. Mitch West, who managed James' trust account, said that it's not so surprising that an ordinary person would amass such an amount over a lifetime. "Based upon my experience in this business, many people are like Mary. They worked and they saved," West said. "She was just a very kind, generous person who was interested in people and wanted to do the best she could." West didn't know why she picked the charities she did. James was hired as a cashier and bookkeeper for General Motors in 1936. She continued working, as a bookkeeper and for the nonprofit Consumer Credit Counseling Service, until she was 89. James spent a few years in between caring for her mother until her death. A friend at the credit counseling service, Anna Schnapp, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in Friday's editions that James never married after losing her "true love" in World War II. James loved to read and travel, Schnapp said. "She was very interested in most everything," Schnapp said. "She was vitally interested in life, and she had a happy, long life." Some neighbors remembered James as a quiet woman who kept to herself. When they learned of her gift, many were touched by her generosity. Lemuel Weaver lived around the corner from James in a working-class neighborhood in suburban St. Louis. He had known her since 1993, and occasionally helped her with yard work around her small, neat, brick bungalow. "All I can say is that she was a beautiful person. Beautiful personality, nice smile, and didn't mind helping anybody," Weaver said. "I hate that she's gone, but that's a part of life," he said. "When you know good people, the memory (of them) is embedded in your mind." ON THE NET American Parkinson Association, St. Louis Chapter: http://www.geocities.com/parkinson_disease_saint_louis/index.html St. Louis Variety, the Children's Charity: http://www.varietystl.org/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn