A Bloomington man who died last year at age 100, never married or had children, lived simply and supported himself by caring for other people’s lawns and property has left his entire $650,000 estate to Indiana University’s Hilltop Garden and Nature Center…
The gift is the largest donation in Hilltop’s 60-year history. Hilltop is an auxiliary unit of the IU School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.
A 1968 photo of a 10-year-old girl holding up a giant zucchini inspired the idea of the bequest. Initially, the George E. Archer Fund will provide full scholarships for 10 children in Hilltop’s Youth Garden Program.
Read on.
Archer worked for many years for Bloomington resident Edwin Cohen, the executor of his estate.
“George tended our yard. He appeared to be very poor. He drove a decrepit pickup truck and wore tattered work clothes. He lived in a mobile home that was several cuts below substandard,” Cohen remembered. “Yet my wife and I admired George as an able and dependable helper who neither drank, smoked, cursed or gambled…
Cohen’s involvement in the estate began in 2004 after Archer broke his hip and was moved into a care facility. Archer’s attorney, who had become his guardian, quickly created a will for Archer.
“George was distressed. He believed he had been unjustly confined. His displeasure increased when he belatedly discovered that his will named his lawyer the primary beneficiary of his considerable estate,” Cohen said…
“George needed a new will with an acceptable beneficiary. Try as he might, he could not name one,” Cohen added. “Basically, George was a loner. He had no real friends. He cared little for organizations and causes. I thought his beneficiary ought to have something to do with gardening, since that was his lifetime vocation. When I recalled the zucchini picture of my daughter at Hilltop, it struck me that that was an ideal beneficiary.”
Archer readily agreed and proudly said later at a court hearing, “My estate is going to help boys and girls.” After his death, it was found that Archer’s estate amounted to $650,000. The attorney who tried to receive it has since been disciplined for his actions.
Nice to see a happy ending for a change.
Ahh. Now THAT’s a change. I’m gratified to read that not only did the lawyer not get the money, but got spanked for his efforts to boot.
I didn’t notice the answer to this question in the article: did he go to jail or is that punishment only applicable to non-lawyers?
I wonder what exactly happened to this piece of shit scumbag lawyer. He should minimally be disbarred or better yet executed.
A heart-warming story and nice to read. Thank you, John, for publishing it.
He should be disbarred and thrown in jail. Or made to work for minimum wage at the Hilltop Garden and Nature Center, and live in the same trailer and drive the same truck the late Mr. Archer used. That would be somewhat fitting.
“A 1968 photo of a 10-year-old girl holding up a giant zucchini”
This I gotta see. Link anyone?
The lawyer was a fool and a scumbag, but what he did was not criminal. If the old guy had had a gold-digging hanger-on who contrived to be beneficiary, that person would also be a scumbag, but would also not be a criminal. What’s the crime? So the lawyer won’t go to jail, and a non-lawyer wouldn’t either.
That said, the non-lawyer would at least not be an idiot. When a lawyer is beneficiary of his clients will, there is a PRESUMPTION that he has abused his client and the will is therefore invalid. Unless he could PROVE otherwise, the lawyer would never have collected.
Here you go nature lovers:
Where’s my frakin’ link?
http://newsinfo.iu.edu/pub/libs/images/usr/4976_h.jpg
Gardeners may the happiest people on the planet according to mental health studies.
Indiana University’s Dean and his new Ferrari thanks the old man so much.
wtf, angel? American universities have deans of various schools and faculties. And a president in charge of the whole gig.
Moss
But that won’t stop one lf them from being grateful to have a Ferrari thanks to that dead old man.
My question, Angel, is because your remark is practically a non-sequitur. Yes, a Ferrari might be possible if this was a bible college or a snazzy private university; but, it’s a public institution.
Less likely to have overpaid administrators than the other flavors of higher-ed in the States. Excepting football and basketball coaches, of course.
More likely to have endowment funds actually end up where they were directed.
What a refreshing change to see a lawyer getting screwed for once. And good for the old man. Kinda sad he had no family but if he was happy doing his thing, then so be it. Congrats to the 10 lucky students who ever they might be.
I think everyone should leave some kind of comment about because people do like seeing these kind of stories from time to time. I guess its to bad they are so few and far between.
Scott
>>I think everyone should leave some kind of
>>comment
Well, I’m doing my part. This makes TWO comments.
Very heartwarming story. I guess posts that don’t involve homosexuality or the death penalty or terrorism or the evils of Vista don’t garner 400 entries, but that’s life,I guess (cross-ref to the Lightnin’ Hawkins thread, re: Billie Holliday).
In any case, God bless ya, George.
Thanks for the story and it’s refreshing to see justice served and a happy ending to boot.
# 7 – Bob
Fraud is theft by deception.
Since I am from the town this happened in, I can tell you that the attorney was disbarred for three years for his actions.. He is a scumbag and he is up for review on other issues that will possibly get him more disbarred time.