Funds Established To Benefit Mentone
Lifetime Mentone residents, Frank and Geraldine “Jerry” Smith, loved and supported their community during their lifetimes and now, thanks to a gift from their estate, that support will continue even though they are gone.
Michelle Bormet (niece of the Smiths) along with her husband, Jeff, serve as trustees of the estate of Frank and Jerry Smith. The Bormets honored the wishes of the Smiths by establishing two funds in the Smiths’ names. Both funds are named for Frank D. and Geraldine “Jerry” L. Smith.
One of the funds benefits the Lawrence D. Bell Aircraft Museum and was established with $150,000. The other benefits the Bell Memorial Public Library and was established with $100,000. Both organizations, located in Mentone, will receive an annual distribution from the funds.
The Smiths owned and operated Frank & Jerry’s grocery store in Mentone from 1947 to 1979. Following retirement from the grocery business, Frank worked at Price’s Abattoir in Plymouth and Jerry was a realtor for Century 21.
Frank was a member of the Mentone Masonic Lodge for more than 60 years. Jerry was a member of the Mentone Anthony Nigo chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution for 64 years.
Since 1968, Kosciusko County Community Foundation Inc. has brought caring people and charitable endeavors together for the good of the community. The Community Foundation is a public charity, and gifts made to the Foundation are tax-deductible.
For more information about the Community Foundation, visit www.kcfoundation.org, call 574-267-1901, or visit the office at 102 E. Market St., Warsaw.