NORFOLK – Norfolk Catholic School announced on Wednesday that it was the recipient of a six-figure gift to its endowment fund.

In a release, the school that the school and representatives of the Ronald R. and Mary Jean Fillmer Estate have signed an agreement which results in the creation of the Ronald R. and Mary Jean Fillmer Memorial Fund as part of the Norfolk Catholic School Endowment Fund. The estate will fully finance the memorial fund, starting with a $140,000 gift to the school as part of the estate plan.

“This kind of planned giving is imperative to the long-term future and sustainability of our school,” said Rev. Pat McLaughlin. “We are incredibly blessed thanks to the generosity of a number of people who are passionate about seeing our parish and school not only survive but thrive well into the future.”

The press release states that Tim Brogan had a long-standing relationship with the Fillmer family prior to serving as personal representative of the estate. Brogan said that the Fillmers, who were both 1963 graduates of Burns High School (a predecessor to Norfolk Catholic), stipulated that a portion of the estate’s remaining proceeds would go towards establishing the fund. The agreement was initially reached in late September, but additional contributions may be received at a later time upon completion of the estate’s assets.

“Ron and Mary Jean Fillmer both graduated from Norfolk Catholic and were ardent supporters of the school throughout their lives,” Brogan said. “Although Ron and Mary Jean did not have children of their own, they wanted to provide for a legacy to benefit children in the Catholic faith. It is such a beautiful, faith-based sustaining gift by Ron and Mary Jean.”

The Fillmer estate joins a growing list of benefactors of Norfolk Catholic School. Since the establishment of endowment funds to benefit their school apostolate in 1999, 25 named memorial or honorary funds have been set up for that purpose. Four of those have been established in the past year.

“While we are the current recipients of these gifts, we recognize that much of the work that brings in these kinds of gifts was done long before our arrival,” said Nick Benes, Development Coordinator. “Therefore, it is humbling to be a part of these continued efforts that were started by many who have gone before us.”