Blog

by Jan Colter

Suzanne and Donald Colter gifted the very best of themselves to their family, intentionally passing on a legacy rich and consistent with their beliefs and values: the importance of being kind and compassionate, helping others without expectation, facing challenges with courage and sacrifice, being truly present, and finding joy in simplicity and optimism. With unwavering love, Sue and Don had a profound impact on their children, grandchildren, and all those whose lives they touched.

Remembering a loved one is one of the most honourable things you could do. Their daughter, Jan Colter, reflects on some of the countless important life lessons imparted by her parents to help shape the lives of herself, her siblings, and their families.

A good start in life / Photo courtesy of Jan Colter

I only learned about my mom’s philanthropy when she and my dad (Sue and Don) both developed and had major health problems twenty years ago, at almost the same time. I took over their financial affairs and saw for the first time the quiet and consistent donations that she had been giving for years and years. Until then, the gifts she gave closer to home were significant—financial to be sure, but more often gifts of time, attention, thoughtfulness.

Sue’s philanthropy centered on supporting the arts and improving the lives of those less fortunate than herself. While the list of charities was eclectic, her focus was on women, families, and youth in need… done with unspoken determination. She obviously saw “family” as much bigger than just her own!

Sue Colter: More beautiful as she aged / Photo courtesy of Jan Colter

We always knew the force of her sense of family—in every aspect of our lives. My mom felt fortunate to have lived most of her life in a relatively privileged environment, but you’d never have known it if you met her. She was quiet, hard-working, determined, unpretentious, and generous. Her kids and theirs knew that her time was all for them when they were with her. Nothing was more important to her than that we felt special, loved, and heard! She was absolutely beloved in return.

Sue spent her earliest years alone with her own mother, until her mom remarried, moved, and added two new stepsisters to their family. She left home at 18 for university in Edmonton and married Don right after graduation. They spent their early married life in small town Alberta, where he was the junior of only a couple of town doctors. She soon found herself raising three small children, at the tender age of 23. Brooks was very small in the early 1950s and Don worked long hours. I think those years were challenging and a little lonely for a young, city girl from Calgary. She met the challenge … “super mom” kicked in and we all benefitted.

Sue, Don, and the Grands / Photo courtesy of Jan Colter

After ten years they moved to Edmonton, where they enjoyed a happy and full life. We owe so much of the quality of our lives to having parents like them, who supported us completely and shared with us their many interests. After their kids were educated and launched, they continued to enrich the lives and welfare of their grandchildren in the years to come. Many of our childhood friends saw Sue as their second mom, and my dad never stopped being the kindly small town doctor he ever was.

I truly think that Mom’s early years as a girl and then young mom instilled in her the importance of support in vulnerable times. Hence her focus on her own family and helping us successfully launch from a solid and caring home. Hence her long support for women and youth, the core of our society, who deserve so much but sadly don’t always get the support they need and deserve. She tried to help them during her lifetime, and again by including them along with us in her will. YESS is the most pertinent and deserving organization she could have chosen. 

We strive to do all we can to ensure that YESS will always be here for youth who needs us, as a place where youth are inspired to look to the future with hope, purpose, and the courage to strive for a better tomorrow.

Will you consider including YESS in your estate plans? Every legacy gift to YESS is a thoughtful gift from the heart, a meaningful part of your life story, and a way to help YESS thrive in its commitment to champion youth who reach out in their need for healing, relief, and guidance.

There are many options for planned giving. Some donors have made a contribution to the YESS Endowment Fund; others have established a separate fund in their family’s name; some have designated YESS as a beneficiary in their will or through an insurance policy. There are many ways to plan your gift. Some offer tax advantages today, and others through your estate.

We’d be happy to work with you, your family, and your advisors on a confidential basis to ensure that your gift meets your philanthropic goals.

If you have already provided for a legacy gift to YESS in your estate plans, we’d be delighted to learn in confidence about your future plans. Thank you for your life-changing gift! It will surely help to enable struggling young people to heal, improve their wellbeing, find connection and stability, and realize healthy futures.

To learn more about making a legacy gift, please contact Eileen Papulkas by phone at 780.468.7070 x298 or by email at eileen.papulkas@yess.org