A man who was a client of ours died unexpectedly in his mid-60s. His wife, whom we also worked closely with, came to us and said she wanted to do something to honor his memory, but she wasn’t sure what was appropriate.

We asked her a series of questions. We wanted to know what was truly important to him in his personal life. We wondered how he liked to help people. From this discussion, several recommendations emerged.

The man was a private pilot and was enthusiastic about aviation. With this as input, we recommended that his wife make a major gift to her husband’s college, establishing a scholarship for students who needed financial assistance to pursue an interest in technology.

He also liked to give back to his local community. With our assistance, she established a donor-advised fund that provides support to a community foundation in their area.

The woman is kept in the loop by both institutions. She receives periodic updates from the college regarding recipients of the grant, and she witnesses firsthand the positive contributions to the community her gift helps to promote.

Both have been wonderful ways to help her keep her husband’s memory alive.