A Pleasant Surprise

In 1998, the Community Foundation was surprised and honored to learn from a trust officer at Huntington that it had been left $1.8 million as the result of a Charitable Remainder Trust established by Alta Daetz. Ms. Daetz was a second-grade teacher in Muskegon Public Schools for many years, living in Jefferson Towers until shortly before her death.

Those who knew her thought she was penniless and would say she “lived like a pauper.” She was very intelligent and an avid reader, walking to Hackley Library and everywhere else she went because, everyone assumed, she could not afford a car or even bus fare. According to her wishes, the income from one-half of Ms. Daetz’s bequest is used for beautification projects in the City of Muskegon. The other half is known as the Muskegon County Lions Club Fund to be used for the sight and hearing needs of the people of Muskegon County.