Leaving a Legacy

By Stephanie Leis

The Taylor University experience has been the source of many joyful memories for Lee and Dawn Kinzer '58. Their Taylor experience included starting classes two days after they were married; it continued as they watched children and later grandchildren graduate from Taylor; and it grew even richer as they retired to Upland and created a charitable gift annuity that will benefit generations of future Taylor students.

The Kinzers' Taylor legacy began when Dawn's parents met at Taylor. The Kinzers were later drawn to attend Taylor because of their wishes for a strong education and their desire to be surrounded by other believers.

After Lee had graduated from Taylor, they moved with their two young sons to Indiana University Medical School. In 1963, he established a family practice in Markle, Indiana, where they ministered to the medical needs of the community for forty years. The Kinzers were eventually blessed with three sons and three daughters, five of whom went to Taylor.

Their grandchildren are the fourth generation to attend Taylor. "We bleed purple!" Dawn exclaimed.

At age 62, Lee was preparing to retire from his medical practice, so the couple moved to Upland in 1998. This fall, they will celebrate 55 years of marriage as they continue to invest in Taylor University.

They chose to give a charitable gift annuity to Taylor after looking at their financial options. "When we would look at people our age and what they were doing, it would be easy to say, 'Oh, why don't we have an extra house on the lake?' but we feel like people's lives are the best investment," said Dawn.

"We receive a regular, fixed return on our investment money for the rest of our lives, and it's a very good rate—far better than any place I know right now," said Lee.

A charitable gift annuity can leave a legacy for generations of Taylor students. Lee concludes: "We love knowing that we are helping students with their education and we love knowing they are getting the Taylor experience. Dawn's parents had it, we had it, our kids had it, and now our grandkids are having it as well. Taylor must be doing something right."