A Surprise Gift From a Person
Known for her Giving Heart
Introducing the Ramona L. Jezewski English Fund
Ramona L. (Ladewig) Jezewski English lived a lifetime in the Winona area yet traveled widely, leaving her mark not only on people in Winona, but all around the world. Because of a gift designated in her will to the Winona Community Foundation, she will be giving back to Winona, and the people she loved, way beyond her lifetime.
Ramona grew up on her family farm in Stockton where they raised cows for milk and beef. In 1958, her family started a fish farm known as the Stockton Trout Farm.
Ramona had a waitressing career at Wally’s Restaurant in Fountain City, Wisconsin, where she met many Winonans including her first husband, Henry Jezewski. After Henry died, she married another Winonan and a Wally’s patron, Bud English. Together Bud and Ramona lived near West Lake Park and in retirement, they enjoyed traveling internationally and domestically, always appreciating the people they met along the way.
Why did she give to the Winona Community Foundation?
Ramona knew that the Foundation meets the needs of the ever-changing community in a lasting way. As Bud shared, “she knew the Foundation isn’t a place where you donate once and then it’s gone.” She gave no instruction with her gift, nor did we expect the gift, so the Board of Directors took the responsibility of stewarding this gift seriously. After learning she had a strong love for animals, the Board decided to create a quasi-endowment and each year give the first $5,000 to the Winona Area Humane Society, while using any additional earnings for the competitive Community Grant program. The Community Grant program flexes to meet immediate program and project needs for local non-profits. The Board felt this would honor the reason why she gave to the Foundation in the first place.
Ramona will forever be known for her hardworking values, her giving heart, and love for family and animals. And now with the Ramona L. Jezewski English Fund, she will not be forgotten and her giving heart will live on.
This fund is a great example of legacy giving. Including a gift to the Winona Community Foundation in your will is a simple way to make a lasting gift to our community. We will establish a special fund that can benefit the community forever and becomes a personal legacy of giving.
Notes:
Ramona’s nephew, Larry Ladewig, operates the Stockton Trout Farm today.
Wally’s Restaurant is now the Wing Dam Saloon.
Quasi-endowments are treated like an endowment but the principal and income of the fund may be utilized at the discretion of the Board of Directors.
Ramona passed away on 12/27/2018
It was a great day for animals in Winona as the Winona Community Foundation presented a $5,000 check to Takka and Richmond McCluer, president of the Winona County Humane Society, from the Ramona Jezewski English Fund recently established at the Foundation. This is the first of what will be an annual commitment to the Humane Society.
