LefféASHEVILLE — Susan Nanney Leffé left a legacy of deep roots in western North Carolina. The secretary and treasurer of the well-known family business Linville Caverns Inc., she was a resident of Marion and also maintained a condo in Asheville. She faithfully attended St. Lawrence Basilica in Asheville and Our Lady of the Angels Church in Marion.
The historic Asheville basilica held a special place in her heart, as evidenced by a generous estate gift of her condo in Asheville that she left to the Basilica of St. Lawrence Endowment Fund. Its sale resulted in a $405,000 gift to the endowment.
“Our parish is very grateful for the estate gift Mrs. Leffé left to the St. Lawrence Endowment Fund,” said Monsignor Roger Arnsparger, pastor and rector of the basilica. “She was a long-time parishioner who loved the basilica and our liturgy, and so she remembered us in her estate planning.”
The Basilica of St. Lawrence Endowment Fund supports the general needs of the Asheville landmark, which was designed and built in 1905 by Rafael Gustavino and Richard Sharpe Smith – the same pair who designed Biltmore House for the wealthy Vanderbilt family.
An endowment is a permanent fund, the principal of which is invested – not spent – that generates distributions to help pay for projects and programs specified by the donor. Endowments are tax deductible and help sustain the strength and viability of the diocese and its entities by paying for important expenditures such as capital improvements, charitable outreach, education and parish operations.
“Our Basilica of St. Lawrence Endowment Fund was started in 1997 and has been of great assistance for the needs of the parish,” said Monsignor Arnsparger. “Mrs. Leffé’s gift will add to the fund – ensuring ongoing support for the parish for years to come.”
“We talk with parishioners every week about their wishes to remember the Church in some capacity in their estate plans,” said Jim Kelley, the diocese’s development director. “Susan first talked with us in 2001 to tell us she was going to leave an estate gift to the Church. She valued her faith so much that she never changed those plans. We are so grateful for Susan for her love and commitment to the Church.”
— Courtney McLoughlin
Fund an endowment
Interested in setting up – or adding to – an endowment to benefit your parish or Catholic school?
Establish an endowment in the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation by leaving a bequest in a will, a beneficiary designation from a retirement plan, a trust or annuity, or a gift of real estate, life insurance, cash or securities.
Join over 1,700 parishioners who have informed the diocese they plan to remember the Church in their estate plans.
For details, contact Gina Rhodes at 704-370-3364 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..