Estate gift provides $2.6 million for NWC, church and town
Monday, August 8, 2005
Projects and programs that were important to late Maurice residents Charlie and Cordelia Boyd will continue to benefit from their generosity, thanks to gifts from the Boyds’ estate.
The initial distribution of the estate took place Aug. 4, with Northwestern College receiving a check for $1.3 million and the First Reformed Church of Maurice and the city of Maurice each receiving $650,000 checks. The final estate distribution will take place at a later date.
Charlie Boyd moved to Maurice in 1940 to work for his brother, J. Robert Boyd, at the Maurice Elevator. After serving in the Army, he and Cordelia returned to Maurice. Charlie and De Orr Cose assumed management of the elevator in 1947 and later became part-owners. They sold it to the Farmers Cooperative Elevator of Orange City in 1965. Cordelia died on Oct. 1, 2002; Charlie died on Oct. 12, 2004.
When the estate gift became known, officials from Northwestern, the church and the town met to discuss the importance of using the proceeds in a manner the Boyds would have endorsed.
“We mentioned many of the things that were important to Charlie and Cordelia and talked about how these resources could be used to either start new programs or enhance existing ones,” says Cornie Wassink, director of planned giving at Northwestern College. “The citizens of Maurice, members of First Reformed Church of Maurice, and the young people in our school district will benefit greatly from the generosity of the Boyds.”
Northwestern’s portion of the proceeds will go into the college’s endowment to fund scholarships. “We plan to set up some scholarships directed to students from the First Reformed Church of Maurice and graduates of MOC-Floyd Valley High School,” says Wassink. “The Boyds were always pleased when local students chose to attend Northwestern, and these scholarships will help make that possible.”
At the First Reformed Church of Maurice, the stewardship committee will facilitate use of the incoming funds. Rob Hofmeyer, chairman of the committee, says, “We see this as a very exciting opportunity for us to expand a number of our ministry programs. We really appreciate the Boyds’ generosity.”
The city of Maurice will set up an endowment and use the proceeds to meet needs that are on a wish list, says Duane Vander Weide, mayor. “We will probably be able to do some things that have always been talked about,” he says.
Since the Boyds were interested in sports—Charlie was a fixture at half court of MOC-Floyd Valley High School and Northwestern College basketball games—one of the first projects will be to renovate the Maurice ball field and purchase new park equipment. It’s also likely that some of the money will be used to help fund a new veterans’ memorial for the town.
The initial distribution of the estate took place Aug. 4, with Northwestern College receiving a check for $1.3 million and the First Reformed Church of Maurice and the city of Maurice each receiving $650,000 checks. The final estate distribution will take place at a later date.
Charlie Boyd moved to Maurice in 1940 to work for his brother, J. Robert Boyd, at the Maurice Elevator. After serving in the Army, he and Cordelia returned to Maurice. Charlie and De Orr Cose assumed management of the elevator in 1947 and later became part-owners. They sold it to the Farmers Cooperative Elevator of Orange City in 1965. Cordelia died on Oct. 1, 2002; Charlie died on Oct. 12, 2004.
When the estate gift became known, officials from Northwestern, the church and the town met to discuss the importance of using the proceeds in a manner the Boyds would have endorsed.
“We mentioned many of the things that were important to Charlie and Cordelia and talked about how these resources could be used to either start new programs or enhance existing ones,” says Cornie Wassink, director of planned giving at Northwestern College. “The citizens of Maurice, members of First Reformed Church of Maurice, and the young people in our school district will benefit greatly from the generosity of the Boyds.”
Northwestern’s portion of the proceeds will go into the college’s endowment to fund scholarships. “We plan to set up some scholarships directed to students from the First Reformed Church of Maurice and graduates of MOC-Floyd Valley High School,” says Wassink. “The Boyds were always pleased when local students chose to attend Northwestern, and these scholarships will help make that possible.”
At the First Reformed Church of Maurice, the stewardship committee will facilitate use of the incoming funds. Rob Hofmeyer, chairman of the committee, says, “We see this as a very exciting opportunity for us to expand a number of our ministry programs. We really appreciate the Boyds’ generosity.”
The city of Maurice will set up an endowment and use the proceeds to meet needs that are on a wish list, says Duane Vander Weide, mayor. “We will probably be able to do some things that have always been talked about,” he says.
Since the Boyds were interested in sports—Charlie was a fixture at half court of MOC-Floyd Valley High School and Northwestern College basketball games—one of the first projects will be to renovate the Maurice ball field and purchase new park equipment. It’s also likely that some of the money will be used to help fund a new veterans’ memorial for the town.
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