Retiree leaves estate to 22 nonprofits

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) - When Whirlpool retiree Franklin Gillespie died last summer at age 73, he left behind a large estate and no heirs, but his legacy will live on with large donations to 22 nonprofit organizations.

The Evansville Courier & Press reports ( http://bit.ly/Iz1yGR ) bank executives handling the estate met Wednesday with representatives of Evansville's library and Ronald McDonald House and two other local groups that each received $48,000. Eighteen other organizations around the country will receive similar amounts.

Fifth Third Bank officials say Gillespie did careful research and came up with 22 organizations that he wanted to benefit from his estate. That list includes children's charities, health-related foundations, nature organizations and other causes. They say the approximately $1 million in his estate came from both his personal savings and inheritance money.