Meet Our Donors

We thank all our planned-gift donors for their generous support. Here are some of their stories.

Jack Hersh Earned a Name for Himself By Doing the Right Thing

In his 60-year career in the aviation industry, Jack Hersh has traveled to six continents, 21 countries and 29 states in America.

No matter where he's been, who he has worked for and what he's done, his mantra in life has been simple: Do the right thing.

"My father was not the most educated man," Jack says. "But he gave me words to live by. He said to me, 'Jack, the most important thing in your life is your good name. And if you lose it once, you will never get it back.'"

All his life, Jack has worked hard to ensure that people know him for his spectacular work. An aviation consultant, he worked with United Airlines for 33 years, recovering damaged aircraft worldwide.

Jack still has a letter from a United Airlines pilot, dated September 16, 1969, that reads: "Whatever he will fix, we will fly." For the little boy from Brooklyn whose only dream was to fly in the clouds, this statement reaffirmed that he had earned a name for himself.

When he took early retirement in 1981, his plan was to go fishing. Instead he found himself working for UPS as a contract maintenance manager within a month. Jack also served as an expert witness in several commercial aircraft crash cases.

Jack's generosity extends beyond his career and into his community. When Jack suffered an injury during the dot-com bust in Silicon Valley, he began thinking of all the young engineers working at startups who were losing their jobs — and their health insurance.

"It troubled me, and I thought of all those people without insurance that the hospital takes in regardless, no questions asked," Jack says. "I wanted to be able to support that."

Prompted by this desire to help others, Jack named Mills-Peninsula Hospital Foundation as a beneficiary of his trust.

"We are very grateful that Jack has decided to entrust our foundation with the responsibility of carrying on his good name," says Peter Gielniak, regional director of gift planning for Mills-Peninsula Hospital Foundation.

"Jack is a true inspiration — a man with a big heart whose thoughtful estate planning ensures future generations of patients will continue to receive outstanding medical care."

Supporting Our Community — A Lifelong Commitment

Bob and Chris Hunter have connections with Mills-Peninsula dating back to the 1930s. "Five generations of my family have been treated at Mills-Peninsula, all the way from my grandfather to our granddaughter. Our kids were born here," Chris says.

Although Mills-Peninsula has many patients with multi-generational connections, the Hunters' involvement extends well beyond that. They have been generous donors, loyal volunteers and even employees. In fact, Chris was employed there — twice, beginning with a job in the records department during the 1940s and later as a unit coordinator in the dialysis department where she worked for 10 years.

When Bob retired from his successful insurance business in 1987, the couple decided to join the Mills Hospital Auxiliary where they have been actively involved since that time. Bob has volunteered on patient floors, been the director of Lifeline — which is the hospital's emergency-service phone line — organized blood drives and currently volunteers at the lobby reception desk. Chris has volunteered in the dialysis unit, in Lifeline and also at the lobby reception desk.

"We Get a Good Feeling When We Help" When asked why they volunteer, Bob says: "Volunteering is enjoyable. Even though we do it only five hours a week now, we get a good feeling when we help somebody."

Ever-generous with their time, the couple has also made more than 30 gifts in support of Mills-Peninsula, the most recent one being a charitable remainder trust established in 2011.

"This gift caps their legacy at Mills-Peninsula," says Peter Gielniak, regional director of gift planning. "The Hunters have cemented their relationship with the organization through years of service and financial support. They are true philanthropists and we are deeply grateful for their support and the example they have set for others in the community."

For the Hunters, though, philanthropy has never been about legacy or recognition. "We just want to help however we can," they say. "If someone reading this article feels inspired to make a gift or volunteer, that would be a wonderful way for us to know we are still making a difference in the community."

A Philanthropist in Life and Death

Don Loomis wouldn't be described as gregarious. But his actions spoke loud and strong.

A caring, albeit reserved, gentleman, he shared his time and money with all who needed it. "He was a quiet, unassuming man with a very big heart," says Pearly Masters, church administrator for the Congregational Church of San Mateo. "If someone told him they were late on a payment, he would write them a check — and not for a hundred dollars, but for a thousand. He did not think of money as something to save. He saw it as something to share."

Ever generous, Don set up a $200,000 gift annuity with Mills-Peninsula when he was in his 80s and donated $60,000 to help fund eMap, a medication tracking software to improve patient safety. "Don's generosity spanned more than 30 years," says John Loder, president of the Mills-Peninsula Hospital Foundation. "He thought a great hospital was the cornerstone of a great community."

An MIT graduate and former Naval commander, Don worked as an engineer for Chevron for more than 30 years. Jim Shaul, building manager for the Congregational Church of San Mateo, who knew Don since 1996, says "He wasn't a poor man, but he wasn't overly rich either. He never hesitated in helping someone deserving."

Don left an endowment for the church when he passed away last summer just shy of his 101st birthday. "He had no kids and he was an only child, so he saw the church as his family," Pearly says. "He did everything he could for the upkeep of the church and took charge of all the repairs and maintenance until he became too old to do it."

A Committed Partner

Besides the church, Don's primary passion and interest was his wife, Pearly says.

They were described by many as a devoted couple, and Don was devastated when his wife, Betty, passed away in 2002. "They were homebodies," says Frank Blum, Don's attorney. Frank knew the couple for more than three decades. "They lived a very modest life in an apartment in San Mateo and were completely attuned to one another.

When she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, he did everything a man could possibly do to take care of her."

Betty had been admitted to Mills-Peninsula several times preceding her diagnosis. "Don was very grateful for the attention and care she received," Frank recollects. "He called me up after her discharge from the hospital and told me he wanted to update his will to recognize the great care his wife received."

A Gift Realized

Consequently, Don left an additional $400,000 to Mills- Peninsula in his will, which supplemented the 50 smaller gifts he made during his lifetime. "He donated to Mills-Peninsula for almost a third of his life," John says. "He wasn't a multimilliondollar donor, but he was the kind of committed, big-hearted person that many people in the community can relate to."

A man of modest means, Don's legacy lives on in the church that was his family and at Mills-Peninsula where the love of his life received her excellent care.

"Don's generosity over the years has had a significant impact on the hospital, and his bequest is a testament to the excellent work done by our physicians, nurses and staff, 24/7," says Peter Gielniak, director of gift planning. "We are thankful for Don's legacy that will help us continue to provide the highest quality care to San Mateo County residents."