A community fixture within Porter County for more than six decades, Myron Knauff, alongside his wife Miriam, built a life that centered on three simple principles: faith, family, and fellowship. Together, they raised their four children: Paul, John, Mark and Mary.
Mary, the youngest of the siblings, was born with Down’s Syndrome, but her parents did not let this limit her. Myron and Miriam set out on a journey that, even today, continues to live on. “My parents’ vision and involvement, along with a core group of other parents, supported the establishment of the Vale Day School,” said Mark. “This effort eventually led to the creation of Opportunity Enterprises (OE).”
“As my dad approached his 90s, he began talking about the legacy he wished to leave,” Paul said. “He shared with us that he wanted to do in death, what he had done in life: help others.”
Myron turned to the Porter County Community Foundation to see how he could further support his beloved community. He established a charitable gift annuity through the Foundation, providing him with a tax deduction and a stream of income for the rest of his life. He decided that upon his death, the remaining annuity funds would go into an endowment he had previously established to provide critical support for OE. The fund, managed by PCCF, allows Myron and Miriam’s love for their daughter to live on.
Myron remained engaged with his community, well beyond retirement. “He was one of Valpo’s biggest fans,” John said. “Up until his 101st birthday, he attended nearly every school sporting event. It’s how he lived his life—focusing on the things that were most important to him.”
PCCF is proud to manage the Myron and Miriam Knauff Endowment Fund in Memory of Mary Knauff, providing perpetual support to OE as they work to create inclusive and equitable opportunities for people of all abilities. Charitable gift annuities are one way that philanthropic individuals may choose to leave a legacy gift in support of a special cause or organization.
Photo © The Times of Northwest Indiana
