Ruth C Smith
The Bartlesville Community Foundation encourages donors to create funds that will benefit the community long after they are gone. The Foundation is the recipient of just such a gift from the estate of Ruth C. Smith and her husband D.C. The gift is the largest in the history of the Foundation, totaling over $2 million to date.
Shawn Crawford, Executive Director of the BCF, says the Foundation “feels humbled and honored to steward this gift. The Smiths have created a legacy that will make the community stronger for generations to come. This just reinforces our message that planned gifts can transform Bartlesville and charitable organizations.”
The initial proceeds of the gift have been used to establish the D.C. and Ruth C. Smith Fund, and the investment income will support the operations of the Foundation. Crawford notes that “we want to practice what we preach, so the Smith Fund will help us fulfill our mission for years to come.”
As the rest of the estate’s assets come to the Foundation, the BCF will bolster its grant funds so they can invest more in other charities in the community. The Foundation will also make some special grants to causes important to the Smith family in their honor.
Donald C. and Ruth C. Smith married in 1944 in Washington D.C. Donald worked for the Naval Research Laboratory, and Ruth had the distinction of being the first woman to work in the F.B.I.’s chemical lab. In 1951 they moved to Bartlesville, Oklahoma where Don worked for Phillips Petroleum, eventually becoming Director of Research. They had four children, Owen, Carol, Marcia and Ardyn. They were active members of the First Methodist Church in Bartlesville.
Donald passed away in 2001, and Ruth remained in Bartlesville until she moved to Grass Valley, California in 2011. She remained an adept learner her entire life, such as mastering a Macintosh computer so she could manage the family’s investments more efficiently. Ruth passed away in 2013 at the age of 96.
Daughter Carol Smith Kramer knows D.C. and Ruth were proud to leave a legacy to the community: “After the war years my parents moved to Bartlesville and stayed their entire lives. They loved this town. I am so pleased they chose to help support this community by donating to the Bartlesville Community Foundation. I am sure that the Foundation will choose well in using the funds for those in need and for the betterment of Bartlesville.”
The Bartlesville Community Foundation strengthens nonprofits through The Power of Together. The Foundation builds permanent endowments, manages grant and scholarship programs, supports new charitable endeavors, and offers educational opportunities to enhance nonprofits and donors’ philanthropic goals.