Five Legacy Donors and Families Who Created Lasting Change at the Delaware Community Foundation
Legacy donors are fundholders who have passed on (or have committed to make a gift through their estate), but whose funds continue to impact our communities in deep and meaningful ways. Though the DCF was founded in 1986, some of these funds, like that of Delaware businessman Samuel Harlan Jr., were established as trusts much earlier—in his case, dating back to 1863.
Some legacy donors were everyday working people, such as Carolyn and Phillip Smith of New Castle County, who prioritized savings and left behind a small fortune for the benefit of the less fortunate. Others, such as Paul H. Boerger, whose fund recently granted $5 million of a planned $13.1 million total investment to the University of Delaware’s Delaware Center for Cognitive Aging Research, had a vision for change inspired by personal tragedy.
Today, nonprofits are strengthened by these five donors and families who may never have met the communities they now serve, yet whose belief in a stronger Delaware continues to sustain their work.
Samuel Harlan Jr. – Spinning Iron into Gold
A cabinetmaker by trade and prominent businessman, Samuel Harlan Jr. founded Betts, Pusey & Harlan in 1837, which later became Harlan, Hollingsworth & Co., an iron ship and railcar manufacturer. As one of the most prolific iron shipbuilders in the United States, the firm constructed several ships for the U.S. Navy during and after the Civil War. Harlan owned historic Ellerslie Farm in Edgemoor, which was leased after his death to F. Scott Fitzgerald and is where Fitzgerald wrote Tender is the Night.
Harlan partnered with other Delaware businessmen to form “Trustees of the Home for Friendless and Destitute Children” in 1863, part of his longstanding commitment to helping the poor. After his death in 1883, his estate transferred an additional $10,000 (the equivalent of roughly $300,000 in today’s money) into the trust to aid the “destitute poor.”
The trust was ultimately terminated and transferred to a DCF fund. The Samuel Harlan Jr. Fund has granted $110,000 to nonprofits and tens of thousands to causes in its total lifetime.
Suzanne Merrick – Endowing Hope for Children, the Elderly and Animals
Known as “Sis,” Suzanne Merrik was a lifelong Delawarean until her death at age 93. She opened a small donor advised fund (DAF) in 1999 with an initial gift of $100,000. Upon her passing in 2014, the DCF received a $6.7 million gift from her estate, after which her DAF became a designated fund supporting nonprofits across areas of need, including children, the elderly and animals. With a current balance of $8.7 million, Suzanne Merrik’s fund has issued just over $3 million in grants since 2014.
Carolyn and Phillip Smith – Everyday People, Extraordinary Impact
Carolyn and Phillip Smith were everyday people, a veterinarian and an administrative assistant, who worked hard, saved diligently and built a legacy large enough to give back and improve the lives of others.
Three endowed funds—Phillip and Carolyn Smith Fund, Phillip and Carolyn Smith Fund for Animals, and Phillip and Carolyn Smith Fund for Basic Needs—support the charities most important to Carolyn and Phillip. Together, the funds have granted more than $1.5 million since 2020.
They provide lasting support for Sunday Breakfast Mission, the National Park Foundation, Faithful Friends, and other nonprofits of Carolyn’s choosing. Many are the same nonprofits that Carolyn funded through her DAF from 2006 through 2019.
Paul H. Boerger – Funding a Cure for Alzheimer’s Disease
Paul H. Boerger was a commercial real estate owner who died in 2017, leaving approximately $30 million of his estate to the DCF for research into preventing and curing Alzheimer’s, a disease his sister suffered from. A $5 million, five-year grant from Boerger’s fund was awarded to the University of Pennsylvania in 2023 to develop new treatments to target the progression of Alzheimer’s.
That same year, the DCF awarded $575,000 to the newly established Delaware Center for Cognitive Aging Research (DECCAR) at the University of Delaware to fund an observational study exploring how health, lifestyle and biology influence dementia risk over time and help identify early signs of cognitive impairment. Spurred by the success of the study, DCF leadership invited DECCAR to submit a new proposal, which led to one of the largest investments in Delaware’s history for Alzheimer’s research.
This $13.1 million investment, issued over five years, will help the Delaware Longitudinal Study for Alzheimer’s Prevention (DeLSAP) expand from 100 to 500 participants and fund the development of a blood test that uses DeLSAP samples to identify biomarkers for better predicting Alzheimer’s progression. The grant will also support the purchase of a $3.2 million state-of-the-art MRI machine for UD’s STAR Campus, improving statewide access to a critical diagnostic tool and expanding research infrastructure.
Daniel and Lee Hirsch – Ongoing Impact in Milford
Brothers Daniel and Lee Hirsch, Milford residents and philanthropists, established trusts starting in the 1930s and 40s that were turned into multiple funds at DCF. Daniel Hirsch died in 1940, and Lee Hirsch in 1954.
Lee Hirsch’s trust was terminated in 1989 and transferred to the DCF, where it was divided to benefit the Charlisle Fire Company, the Marshall Hospital of Milford (now Bayhealth Sussex Campus), a scholarship for students attending Milford High School, and organizations serving “the needy and poor in the city of Milford.” Since being transferred, Lee Hirsch’s funds have awarded over $950,000, contributing to a lifetime giving total that likely exceeds $1 million.
Daniel Hirsch’s trusts were terminated in 1989 and divided to benefit the Milford Free Library, Milford Hospital (now Bayhealth), and organizations serving the “needy poor” of Milford. Daniel Hirsch’s funds have granted roughly $1.26 million.
You Can Leave a Legacy, Too
You don’t need to be wealthy to leave a legacy – only committed to leaving a gift that strengthens the community for generations to come. By including charitable giving in estate plans, donors ensure that your compassion continues to make a difference long after your lifetime.
A philanthropic legacy is more than a gift; it’s a statement of belief in the future of our communities, a way to turn personal values into lasting impact. Whether your goal is to support education, protect the environment, advance equity, or sustain the arts, thoughtful giving today can help build a stronger, more vibrant Delaware for tomorrow.
Learn more at www.delcf.org/legacy or call Mike DiPaolo, Vice President for Philanthropy & Southern Delaware, at 302-899-1884 or [email protected].