Man Who lived Poor Donated $6 million to library and Hospital in Death
92-year-old Ronald Read, a former gas station employee and janitor who died has left his neighborhood mouth- agape. The old man was known to have sometimes held his coat with safety pins and gathering firewood all by himself, unknown to many, he was a stinky millionaire.
It was only until his death that his wealth came to the fore.
His lawyer, Laurie Rowell has this to say about him "He was unbelievably frugal," Rowell said Wednesday. When Read visited her office, "sometimes he parked so far away so he wouldn't have to pay the meter."
The bequest of $4.8 million to the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and $1.2 million to the town's Brooks Memorial Library were the largest each institution has ever received. Read also made a number of smaller bequests.
"It's pretty incredible. This is not something that happens on a regular basis," said the hospital's development director, Gina Pattison.
Besides cash, Read had an antique Edison phonograph with dozens of recording drums that he left to the Dummerston Historical Society, Rowell said.
"It's really a beautiful machine," said the society's president, Muriel Taylor.want to read more of him, simply go to http://yhoo.it/1KeSqrm
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