A Legacy of Love

There was a lot of love in Jack and Karen Armstrong’s life. Love of family, community, learning, animals, and the natural world. They valued an honest day’s work. And because of that they always aspired to be financially secure. But it wasn’t until they were planning their estate with their attorney that they realized they were a bit more than financially secure. It raised possibilities and questions they hadn’t fully considered before: how do we continue to support the things we love beyond our lifetime?

: Karen and Jack Armstrong, courtesy of the Armstrong family.

Jack and Karen had been married for over 60 years. They met as freshmen at Whitman College in Walla Walla. Jack was from Olympia and Karen hailed from Seattle. After completing their undergraduate work at Washington State University, Karen became a teacher and Jack went on to dental school. In 1964 Jack bought a dental practice in Olympia and they moved there to establish their home and raise their family. After a few years of teaching, Karen obtained her broker’s license and opened a successful estate business. Eventually, Jack retired from dentistry and began buying and refurbishing properties in Olympia.

Martin Meyer is a long-time family friend and was also their attorney. “Karen and I were in my office one day discussing what she wanted to support beyond their children,” Martin says. “She mentioned that she was passionate about habitat conservation, and I gave her a list of local land trusts. She did her research and chose Capitol Land Trust (CLT).”

The Armstrongs set up their bequest to be parceled out over several years following the liquidation of their real estate holdings. Jack stipulated that he wanted their donation to go toward the acquisition of land to be conserved in perpetuity. And CLT has honored his request by using the money for a series of strategic acquisitions beginning with the expansion of their two Ambassador public access properties: Bayshore Preserve and Inspiring Kids Preserve. Since Jack and Karen were also supporters of education, it seemed like the right fit since these are properties where many outdoor education programs are conducted for local school children.

: The Armstrong bequest helped fund the 4-acre Bayshore Preserve expansion, CLT.

Martin says, “Jack and Karen were concerned about pressures on land and wildlife habitat. I guess in a way they went from providing homes for people to providing permanent homes for wildlife.”

Leaving a sizeable bequest to CLT was the way Jack and Karen Armstrong chose to create a legacy that matters—both to them and the community they loved. And because CLT conserves land forever, the impact of their gift will reverberate across time.

: The Armstrong Bequest helped fund the Inspiring Kids Preserve expansion, conserving an additional 5 acres and Puget Sound shoreline, CLT.

Martin tells clients who are interested in estate planning to discover their passion and donate accordingly.

He says, “If they are charitably inclined, I tell them that donating to charitable organizations is a great way to reduce their estate taxes. If they are interested in learning more about a particular land trust, I encourage them to reach out to them and take a tour to understand more about their mission and values.”

Next Steps

Explore these resources

FreeWill, a free and trusted will-making platform
Step-by-step guides on how to make a will
Codicils, updating a will

Seek the advice of your financial or legal advisor. If you decide to include CLT in your will, you’ll need to create a will or update your current will.
Let us know that you’ve put CLT in your after-life plans by filling out this simple form. We want to appreciate you today and show you the impact you will create with your gift.

Legal Name: Capitol Land Trust
Address: PO Box 14065, Tumwater, WA 98511
Tax ID #91-1413484

Welcome to the Legacy Club

Once you make the decision to include CLT in your estate plan or will, you become part of our Legacy Club. The Legacy Club is a community of your peers who have also elected to put Capitol Land Trust in their estate plan, bequest, or will. Every gift we receive makes a significant and permanent difference to the health of our community and the land, water, plants, and wildlife that surround us.

Questions?

If you have any questions, we’re here to help. Please reach out to our Development Director Alison Beglin at [email protected] or (360) 819-1465.

Capitol Land Trust does not offer tax or legal advice. Check with your professional tax advisor to make sure that any charitable giving strategy makes sense for you.

*If you are considering a donation of real estate, we ask that you connect with our staff to review the details of your wishes (sold to support land conservation or conserved forever), in order to align with CLT’s Gift Acceptance Policies and Conservation Plan.