Now this is what I call generosity.

**Dinner** · February 7, 2012, 15:37

A La Jolla woman gave away her $6 billion fortune to charity in her will. Damn, that's a lot of zeros.

[hide][top]Late S.D. heiress gave away $6 billion

Margaret A. Cargill was so understated that few knew the billionaire even lived in La Jolla much of her adult life. As an heir of the Midwest agribusiness empire Cargill Corp., she quietly, and anonymously, gave to her favorite causes.
It wasn’t until the cloak of secrecy was lifted when she died in 2006, at age 85, that many of her beneficiaries even learned her name.
This week Cargill was identified as No. 1 on the list of America’s top 50 donors in 2011 by The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Her gift? $6 billion.
Cargill’s complex estate finally had settled, the bulk split nearly equally between the Anne Ray Charitable Trust (named after her mother) and the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation.
Her bequests provide ongoing support to causes she had identified years ago: the environment, disasters, arts and culture, animal welfare, elderly care, children and health. Among specific charities: American Red Cross International Services, PBS, Nature Conservancy and YMCA of the USA.
The $6 billion won’t directly benefit Cargill’s favorite local charities, said foundation spokeswoman Sallie Gaines. Cargill, who never married, had created a separate foundation focused on Southern California. The local Salvation Army, St. Paul’s Senior Homes and the S.D. Humane Society were among her pet programs. While she mingled at receptions, she always kept her involvement a secret, even attending incognito the 2003 opening of the newly remodeled Humane Society, to which she gave $6.2 million.
Cargill was joined on the 2011 “Philanthropy 50” list by fellow La Jollans Irwin and Joan Jacobs, ranked No. 22, and Conrad T. Prebys, of Point Loma, No. 24.
The Jacobs’ $64.9 million in donations included $40 million to their S.D. Jewish Community Foundation fund and $15 million to the S.D. Public Library Foundation. Prebys’ 2011 total was $63.1 million, including $45 million to Scripps Health for a new cardiovascular institute and $15 million to the S.D. Zoological Society.
Super heroes: Two Camp Pendleton Marines were at the Super Bowl, thanks to the publisher of SmartSource Magazine. Sgt. Sheena Adams, who has received two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, and Master Sgt. David Jarvis, a Bronze and Silver Star recipient, were selected for the trip by the Marine Corps Sgt. Major Micheal Barrett from more than 130,000 active-duty enlisted Marines.
High hopes: A rally at the Mount Soledad cross at 11 a.m. Thursday will mark the filing of an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court by the Liberty Institute to save the 58-year-old memorial. Texas musician Jon Christopher Davis will sing his rally theme song: “Don’t Tear Me Down.”

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/...way-6-billion/

**Bugs ****ing Bunny** · February 7, 2012, 18:03

I'd suggest it's quite easy to be generous when you're dead.

**Uncle Sparky** · February 7, 2012, 18:20

SD = San Diego
When I first read it, I thought they were talking about South Dakota. That would be about $10,000 per person.

Then I read

included $40 million to their S.D. Jewish Community Foundation fund

Wow. Those two families would have done really well!

**Dinner** · February 7, 2012, 19:00

Believe it or not there is a decent sized Jewish population especially in La Jolla (where this lady used to live) and in Rancho Santa Fe. About a mile from my house they opened up a huge new Jewish religious school (Chabad Hebrew Academy) about five years ago. It's basically the Jewish equivalent to Catholic school which allows Jewish couples to send their kids (K-12) to a school which is based on Jewish teachings. Personally, I'd rather have my kids in a public school than a religious school.

You're right about there not being very many Jews in South Dakota though.

**Ogie Oglethorpe** · February 7, 2012, 19:17

Originally Posted by Bugs ****ing Bunny

I'd suggest it's quite easy to be generous when you're dead.

I was thinking the same thing. Course when she was alive she made a good chunk of her money from ethanol subsidies. Wont someone please think of the starving third world children.

**Uncle Sparky** · February 7, 2012, 19:22

They have to be dead before you can make them into ethanol.

**Ogie Oglethorpe** · February 7, 2012, 19:38

Soylint grain.

**Wezil** · February 7, 2012, 19:48

I would love to have been a fly in the wall when her descendants heard the news.

**Dinner** · February 7, 2012, 19:55

Yeah, that would have been good. The article says she never married though so it probably would have gone to neices or nephews or something.

**BlackCat** · February 8, 2012, 11:46

Originally Posted by Wezil

I would love to have been a fly in the wall when her descendants heard the news.

No you wouldn't - it would hurt extremely.

**The Mad Monk** · February 8, 2012, 14:02

Some of the family members include:

Cargill MacMillan, Jr., had an estimated net worth of $4.3 billion. He was born in Hennepin County, Minnesota 29 March 1927. He was married with four children. MacMillan died on November 14, 2011.[4][5]
Whitney MacMillan has an estimated net worth of $4.3 billion and led the company from 1976 to 1995.[6]
Marion MacMillan Pictet, has an estimated net worth of $4.3 billion.[6]
Pauline MacMillan Keinath, has an estimated net worth of $4.3 billion. She was born 31 July 1934 in Hennepin County, Minnesota.[6]
James R. Cargill, II, has an estimated net worth of $1.6 billion. His hometown is Birchwood, Wisconsin.[7]
Mary Janet Morse Cargill, has an estimated net worth of $1.6 billion. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her hometown is Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is widowed, and has three children.[8]
Marianne Cargill Liebmann, has an estimated net worth of $1.6 billion. She studied at Montana State University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts.[9]
Austen S. Cargill, II, has an estimated net worth of $1.7 billion. He is married with two children. He attended Oregon State University and University of Minnesota. He lives in Livingston, Montana.[10]
Margaret Anne Cargill (September 24, 1920 - August 1, 2006), was a philanthropist.

Somehow I doubt that it would have been that big a deal.

**Wezil** · February 8, 2012, 15:53

In my experience rich people take these things even harder.

They'll put 10,000 people out of work if they can raise the company share price a buck and make a neat profit. They never seem to have have quite enough money.