Speaker remembers KidsFUNd founder

By Chad Frey

Newton Kansan

When Lena Marie Haun passed away, her niece, Marlys Arnold, was given a big job.

As executor of the estate, Arnold was charged with giving away $648,063.32.

"I'm sure you had a preconceived notion of who gave this gift," Arnold said during her address at the 15th Annual Leave a Legacy Luncheon Friday at the Meridian Center. "Probably someone up in the Wichita social club. … But they drove older cars, and did not go on lavish vacations."

Haun was a saver, and a giver. She also had a passion for children.

"She wasn't the aunt or grandmother who gave strange gifts," Arnold said. "She always put a lot of thought into gifts — and it was always obvious there was a lot of thought."

Haun's final gift was also thought out — which is what Arnold was speaking about at the Leave a Legacy Luncheon.

A gift to the Central Kansas Community Foundation helped start the "KidsFUNd."

Haun, a former school teacher and secretary to a dean at Wichita State University, established a foundation dedicated to helping children.

This past year the foundation gave $42,000 in grants to area non-profits to help children.

"Thousands of children will be helped as the foundation goes on and on," Arnold said. "She left an extra special legacy."