Widow’s estate creates $4M windfall for Texas town describes how the town of Grandville, Texas, came into a large amount of money: Wynonia Pallmeyer, whose husband had been a resident of a nursing home (which will receive $2 million of the donation) in the town, passed away in June of 2005 and left instructions only that she wanted the money to go to charitable causes. She had no children or other relatives and requested that three of her friends choose which charitable causes.

Apparently there was some surprise at the total value of the estate (over $14 million) because although Mrs. Pallmeyer drove a Mercedes and wore diamond jewelery, she didn’t flaunt her wealth and many people – perhaps Mrs. Pallmeyer herself – had no idea the sum was so large.

I thought this was an interesting situation; I was particularly intrigued by her decision to have her friends decide how her money should be spent.

Did she write her will a long time ago and not want to decide then or think about it after that?

Did she feel that these three friends would make a more balanced decision than she would?

Did she not want to decide herself, to avoid being partial?

As she didn’t flaunt her wealth…did she dislike being the one in a position to “dole it out”?

Whatever the reasoning, I think this is a remarkable story, not only for the good news of a donation in the content, but for the questions it raises.