Donor Stories

PS1 Jerry Leone, USCG (Ret.), Includes Legacy Gift to CGMA in Her Estate Plan  

A lawyer who learned the thrill of weapons training and the adventure of deployments to Alaska, PS1 Jerry Leone, USCG (Ret.), embarked on these wildly different experiences as part of her Re-serve service in contrast to the demands of her civilian work.

After the death of her father, a client suggested she join the Coast Guard. With her no-nonsense penchant for action, Jerry did just that and joined the Coast Guard Reserve in 1979 and continued to serve for 20 years to the day. Petty Officer Leone unabashedly notes that the Coast Guard opened many doors, including giving her “the best leadership training I ever got.”

From her family farm in Orcas Island, Washington, Jerry is enjoying the freedom of retirement and continues to prioritize fun and connection with her fellow Reserve drilling shipmates. She runs communications for their annual BBQ reunions and helps organize funeral honors and participation for shipmates and other service members when they pass—first learning of Mutual Assistance when a funeral attendee handed her a check “for CGMA.” The more she discovered the kind of help Mu-tual Assistance provides young service members, the more she wanted to invest in the mission.

A humble person, Jerry was shocked at the lack of pay Coast Guard members faced during the 35-day government shutdown. When she became aware of CGMA in its response to the 2019 lapse of Department of Homeland Security appropriations, she knew she wanted to help.

For several years now, Jerry has fueled her support through the annual re-quired minimum distribution (RMD) from her retirement investments. Her philosophy of giving is straightforward: “I just want to help people and outfits that are kind and help others.”

From support for communication for reunions and funerals to writing remembrance stories for WWII veterans, Jerry prioritizes extending kindness and honor to those who have served. Among the layers of giving back, Petty Officer Leone has already made plans for her legacy support by des-ignating CGMA as one of the recipients in her estate plan. Through her generosity and legacy plan-ning, Ms. Leone’s support has empowered CGMA’s ability to respond to the needs of the force to-day and for years to come.

Back

© Pentera, Inc. Planned giving content. All rights reserved.
Disclaimer