Gift through Will

Sharing Blessings 

Jeanne and Ted Hasbrook feel blessed. They have a happy marriage, are in good health and have eight grandchildren scattered around the world—from Denver, Colorado, to Scandinavia. Both from Wisconsin, they now enjoy the sun and warmth of Tucson, Arizona. 

Jeanne and Ted first crossed paths at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Jeanne was studying speech therapy, and Ted, journalism. They met at a fraternity party and went on a few dates, but fell out of touch. 

A few years later, they were both living in Milwaukee. Ted was embarking on a career at the Milwaukee Journal, and Jeanne was back from a year in Portland, Oregon, teaching speech therapy. A fraternity brother gave Ted a list of people in Milwaukee to get in touch with. Jeanne was on the list. He called her and discovered they lived right across the street from each other. Less than a year later, they were married. They raised three children in Whitefish Bay, a Milwaukee suburb. 

Jeanne and Ted originally came to Tucson to escape the Wisconsin winter and ride horses. They thought it would be a nice place to retire, and have now lived there for 27 years. They are involved in their church, St. Frances Cabrini, and feel fortunate to be part of the parish’s close community. Over the years, they have also been involved with a local organization that provides housing and other services for homeless people. 

The couple are filled with gratitude for the blessings in their lives. And they feel it is incumbent on them to share their blessings with others. They are able to contribute more than they expected, thanks in part to a frugal lifestyle. “We’ve been so blessed with our marriage and our children, and we’ve been able to live comfortably and save,” says Jeanne. “We’re able to help the people most in need.” 

They feel so strongly about sharing their good fortune with others that it played an important role in their estate planning. They designated CRS and two additional charities as the primary beneficiaries in their will. 
They chose to include CRS because of its wide international reach. “People who live in the United States are very fortunate compared to people in other parts of the world,” says Ted. “CRS gets involved where the need is greatest.”

Faith was also important to Jeanne and Ted. They wanted to contribute to an organization that tied into their Catholic identity. CRS was a good fit. And because it is well known and has a good reputation in the charitable world, they leave their gifts unrestricted and trust CRS to wisely invest them where they are most needed. “CRS will know better than we will where the money is best spent,” says Ted. 

Jeanne and Ted find joy in sharing their blessings. “If you can help others, it makes you realize how lucky you are,” says Jeanne. Through their bequest gift, their blessings will continue to multiply for years to come, bringing hope to our brothers and sisters most in need around the globe.