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."
