Editorial: A farmer's great legacy

We can learn a lot from Harvey Ordung's modest, charitable life.

Last update: August 21, 2009 - 10:28 AM

It's worth pausing today to consider the lessons we can learn from the life of the late Harvey Ordung, the Minnesota farmer who left about half of his $9.3 million estate to nonprofit organizations in Rock County.

The first would be thrift. Friends told the Star Tribune that Ordung lived a modest life as a bachelor on his Luverne farm, spending little money on himself and investing wisely in the stock market. He drove a 1982 Ford pickup for a couple of decades.

And then there's clean living. Ordung, who was born on his family's farm in 1923, didn't smoke or drink.

But the enduring lesson -- the one many of the more fortunate among us too often forget -- is the power of charitable giving.

Ordung died in 2007, but earlier this week representatives of his estate and his beneficiaries got together for an important event.

The largest gift from his estate, almost $3 million, went to the Luverne Dollars for Scholars organization, said Ordung's friend and the founder of the program, Gregg Gropel. "He would say today's youth are our nation's leaders tomorrow,'' Gropel recalled. Ordung became involved with the schools through the "Adopt a Grandparent'' program, and he believed in the value of education. His gift is likely to have a major impact on area students considering postsecondary education.

It seems likely that Ordung would have been uncomfortable with the attention he's received over the past several days. But he deserves the thanks, even though it comes posthumously. The life lessons he left behind are more valuable than any estate could ever be.

Recent Editorials stories

Editorial: This Bud Light's not for U - August 21, 2009

Editorial: This Bud Light's not for U - Anheuser-Busch's ill-advised 'Fan Cans'' promotion. More

Comment on this story | Read all 3 comments | Hide reader comments

New ideas for the public sector

THERE'S NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME to create a more efficient Minnesota. Facing large budget deficits at the state, county and local levels, Minnesotans are seeing with new clarity that the public sector must adapt to new economic realities. Only the smartest, most strategic reinvention will ensure that our tax dollars are spent on the best programs and services. Read more

About Opinion Exchange

Opinion Exchange is produced by the Editorial Department, which is dedicated to hosting the discussion on a range of issues of interest to Star Tribune readers online and in print. In its new format, it's our hope that Opinion Exhange will create a more dynamic dialogue between Star Tribune readers and the Editorial Board. Many individual posts will be written and signed by members of the Editorial Board and will reflect their own opinions. Daily editorials will continue to represent the institutional voice of the newspaper and be researched and written by the Editorial Department, which is independent of the newsroom.

Subscribe to RSS|Learn more about RSS