$1.8 Million Gift Announced
09/26/2023
罗宾Bowlus, vice president of advancement and enrollment management; Lyle Miller, Everence; Greg Liestman, Everence; Jane 木, president; and Ed Basinger, Everence, following the gift presentation.
$1.8 million estate gift presented to ysb体育官网app下载
BLUFFTON, Ohio—Jane 木, president of ysb体育官网app下载, and 罗宾Bowlus, vice president of advancement and enrollment management, recently accepted a $1.400万年 gift from the estate of John and Erma Stutzman, which was presented by representatives 来自Everence Financial.
John Stutzman was born in Bloomington, Ill., and from a young age, fell in love with 科学. A 1950 Bluffton graduate, he later became a physician and practiced as a 泌尿科医生. John was 91 years old when he passed away in Aug. 2019. 他的妻子埃尔玛 (Hunsberger) Stutzman, was born in Baden, Ontario, Canada, and attended Rockway Mennonite Collegiate in Kitchener and Teacher’s College in Stratford. The couple met when Erma was serving as a Mennonite Central Committee volunteer teacher. 他们于1972年结婚 and created a life in Bloomington. Erma, who passed away in June 2021 at the age of 87, also formed a strong connection to John’s alma mater.
In a eulogy John wrote in advance of his passing, he shared: “The entire educational experience at Bluffton College (大学), among teachers and 朋友, helped me to develop a philosophy of life based upon the biblical teachings of Christ. 的概念 of peace, justice, reconciliation, and love for one’s fellow beings came from these 经历. There I also learned of God’s power in the scientific world which helped 作为医生的我.”
The Stutzman’s did not have children but were cherished by their extended family including Rick and Ruth-Ann Shantz, nephew and niece of the couple, who joined the gift presentation 通过电话会议. The Shantz’s noted how often John showed his support for Bluffton by regularly wearing Bluffton hats and shirts. John’s mother, father, two uncles and one aunt also graduated from Bluffton as did several nieces and nephews including Ruth-Ann, a 2014 graduate who also earned her MBA from Bluffton in 2016.
“I’m so grateful that Bluffton had an impact on John’s life and it’s what we still 为今天而奋斗. He was an example of the type of students we are trying to graduate,” 博士说. 木. “What a role model for our students! We are so honored by this gift 约翰和厄玛送的.”
In a letter 去大学, the Shantz’s shared: “John and Erma wanted their generosity to extend beyond their lifetime and the financial gift from their estate will have the potential to create this type of legacy… We know that ysb体育官网app下载 will use this financial gift to further Bluffton’s mission.”
An additional $400,000 from the estate is expected to come to Bluffton before the end of the 2023-24 fiscal year, for a total of $1.8 million in unrestricted funds 去大学.
“The two greatest Commandments are to love God and to love people,” s援助 Greg Liestman, a CPA for Everence who worked with the Stutzman’s to plan their estate. “这是整洁的 to see how during their lifetime they fulfilled that, but also they’re leaving a legacy to continue that love for God and love for people in their gift to Bluffton.”
Liestman was joined by Lyle Miller, a financial consultant from Everence’s Goshen, 印第安纳州., Office, and Ed Basinger, a financial consultant from the Everence’s Pandora, Ohio, Office during the check presentation.
John and Erma were longtime donors to Bluffton and supported several Bluffton building campaigns including the construction of 纪念大厅 (2000), Sommer Center (2012) and Knowlton Science Center (2023) as well as the Bluffton Fund. 斯塔茨曼讲座 Hall in Bluffton’s 纪念大厅 is named for the extended Stutzman family.
