[ donor profile ]
MNU
Art and Esther Croy
A dedication to giving makes a life story worth celebrating
A
rt and Esther Croy prefer to keep their philanthropic Church of the Nazarene outside San Francisco, where Esther
efforts over the 65 years of their marriage quiet. But led the teen group and Art served as Sunday School super-
they readily tell of the blessings that resulted from giving. intendent. There, the Croys’ Godly influence on two unruly
“You can’t out give God,” says Art. “There’s a joy in giv-
boys who attended church caused their wealthy father, who
ing that only comes from the Lord.” Esther wholeheartedly
did not attend, to start giving generously each week. Art rev-
agrees.
els in how the Lord uses one person’s obedience to further His
work through another.
“Giving has repaid us with the associations we have made,”
Esther says, “and we like knowing what is going on where we
The Croys have lived and traveled all over the U.S., and
give our money.”
Art’s varied career included farming, maintenance, carpentry,
shipbuilding, sales, contracting, real estate, management and
So the Croys have stayed active in the two institutions they
consulting – all with an eighth-grade education.
support – MNU and the Church of the Nazarene. The Croys’
children, Dan (’72) and Elaine (Croy) Haughey, attended
In retirement, the
Nazarene universities. While Dan was a student at MNU, the
Croys could have easily
Croys also paid a year’s tuition for another young man. Their
relaxed, and they did
“There’s a joy in
grandchildren all attended Nazarene universities. Two of
for about a year, boating giving that comes
them, Kasey (Croy, ‘02) Johnson and John Haughey (f.s. ‘94),
and fishing in Florida.
only from the Lord.”
attended MNU.
But when the Church
of the Nazarene asked
– Art Croy
Sometimes the Croys found their dedication to giving
them to travel the country fulfilling requests from churches for
wasn’t easy. Married in 1941, Art and Esther moved from
planned giving presentations, they answered the call.
Kansas City, Kan., to San Francisco, Calif. Living in what Art
calls “skid row,” they existed on as little as 50 cents a day for
“It started as a way to help a friend who headed up the
food. Esther shopped bargain bins for discounted cans of food
Nazarene Foundation,” Art says. “He asked me to visit
that were missing labels. Esther would try to guess what was
churches on my way back to Kansas City from Florida. That
inside.
trip took two and a half months because we spoke at so many
churches.”
“We had several surprises,” Art remembers, laughing.
What the Croys thought was a short-term favor turned into
But still they gave. Finding a church where they
a 12-year second career, and they helped hundreds of faithful
could serve, the couple moved closer to Daly City
congregants create lasting legacies for their families through
charitable giving.
Now the Croys have established a charitable gift annuity at
MNU to provide financial assistance to students.
The Croy’s charitable gift annuity will provide them with
guaranteed income and has tax advantages, too. Ultimately,
the remaining amount will be distributed to the Art and Es-
ther Croy Scholarship Fund — a MNU endowment that will
provide student scholarship support forever.
“In an age when people’s savings are being eaten away, you
can feel secure about investing it for the best possible return,”
Art asserts.
Art and Esther say they are very happy with their planned
giving choice. “You receive income for life and it goes to a
good cause when you’re gone,” Art says.
Art sums it up with his autobiography, titled Thankfulness.
It refers to Art and Esther’s thankfulness to God, not only
for a life encompassing children who found life partners
at MidAmerica, for four grandchildren and seven great
grandchildren, but also for the chance to serve their Lord
through their vocations and obedient giving.
Contact Roger Alexander, director of development, at 877-496-8668
Art and Esther Croy reside in Shawnee, Kan. to discuss how your giving can benefit you and MNU students.
6 | Accent magazine | Spring 2010
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