NORTH WILKESBORO — An educator who spent her career teaching children around the world has left a lasting gift and the first endowment ever bequeathed to St. John Baptist de La Salle Parish.
Yvonne Virginia Gehring established the St. John Baptist de La Salle Parishioner Endowment Fund through the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation before her death in 2019. Gehring left her home and other funds to benefit her parish of nearly 30 years.
Gehring was a dedicated, active member of the North Wilkesboro parish – serving as a lector, parish council member, music director and publisher of the parish’s newsletter.
After the sale of Gehring’s home, her total gift to the parish was nearly $280,000. Half of those funds have gone directly to the parish to assist with pressing needs. The other half has gone to the parish endowment, which will provide financial assistance for years to come.
“Yvonne was really concerned about others,” recalls Father John Hanic, pastor. “She tried in her own life and in her own way to be of benefit to others. By leaving that money to the parish, it has benefited us all.”
When Gehring passed away at the age of 90, Father Hanic officiated at her funeral Mass. She was the first person to be buried in the parish’s cemetery.
“Yvonne was a good person. I knew her for many years,” he said.
The funds she gave to the parish have been of great help during the COVID-19 pandemic, Father Hanic noted.
“We were able to do things we wouldn’t otherwise have been able to do,” he said. “It’s enabled us to keep our finances in good order, and do things more quickly.
We used funds to make improvements to the church grounds, making it more user friendly. We built a large picnic pavilion and a large barbecue pit.”
He said the church is now hosting a lot of activities in that outdoor space, which benefits the entire parish community. “Those things were in our plans but were slow in coming. It would have taken us longer without that kind of support.”
“Yvonne first told us in 1997 that she was considering remembering the Church in her estate plan. We are so grateful to her,” said Jim Kelley, diocesan director of development. “More individuals and couples are deciding to leave their home to the Church as one way to give with their estate plans.”
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter
Create an endowment
Interested in setting up an endowment at 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 gift of real estate, a gift of life insurance, cash or securities sufficient to set up an endowment, or a life income arrangement such as a trust or annuity. 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..