CFSEK receives estate gift

Kim Clark and Richard Oler of CFSEK receive a check from Gay Adams and Bill Moring. Photo by Brett Dalton, The Morning Sun.

The Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas (CFSEK) received a gift of $552,419.52 on Friday, November 13th, from the Rosalie D. Manley Trust. It marks the largest estate gift left to CFSEK to date!

Manley, of Pittsburg, named CFSEK as the remainder beneficiary of her estate for the purpose of creating an unrestricted endowment at the Community Foundation.

“She had many charitable uses in mind,” said Bill Morin, Manley’s estate attorney, “but she wasn’t sure what charity she wanted to give to. That’s when we started talking about the Community Foundation.”

Annual allocations from the endowed fund will be used to make grants in Manley’s name during CFSEK’s annual General Funds grant cycle.

“CFSEK is honored and humbled to receive this gift from Mrs. Manley,” said CFSEK Executive Director Kim Clark. “We are always pleased to help local citizens with their charitable goals, and gifts such as these allow CFSEK to make an impact on the changing needs of our citizens through strategic grantmaking.”

The gift was a result of the Manley Estate that was managed by Commerce Trust Company, of Pittsburg, an affiliate of Commerce Bank N.A. “Because of Rosalie’s caring concern for the welfare of her community, she is leaving this legacy that will benefit future generations and honor her memory for many years,” said Gay Adams of Commerce Trust Company.

Manley was born in Pittsburg in 1928, and she graduated from Pittsburg High School in 1946. She was a member of the Telephone Pioneers Club, serving as president and past president, AARP, and Western Resource Retirees Club.