Marion E. Lamy

ALPENA – A new fund established at the Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan will support the Foundation’s Northeast Michigan Women’s Giving Circle Fund, while honoring the memory of a beloved member of the Alpena area community.

The Marion E. Lamy Fund was established through a bequest from Lamy’s estate after her passing in November 2022. At her direction, CFNEM received her planned gift of $458,000, which she designated to support the WGC Endowment Fund. Lamy had been a proud member and avid donor of the WGC since 2013. Her bequest will support the WGC’s grant-making, which provides funding for projects and programs in Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency, and Presque Isle counties, addressing issues important to women in Northeast Michigan.

“Our parents worked hard, invested wisely, and lived modestly. They believed strongly in giving back to their community with both their time and their resources,” said Lamy’s children. “Mom would be pleased to know that her gift will impact Northeast Michigan for many years to come.”

Marion Lamy and her husband, James, called the Alpena area home, raising their three children, David, Jon and Laurie. Her children and seven grandchildren say she was a “force of nature” with a passion for the outdoors and a love of community that extended to many volunteer activities including the Friendship Room of St. Bernard, the Ladies Hospital Auxiliary, and in many volunteer capacities through her involvement as a member of First Presbyterian Church in Alpena.

“This incredible gift of Marion’s is a remarkable act of kindness and generosity toward a community she loved, and for generations of people she will never meet,” said Christine Hitch, CFNEM marketing communications director and manager of the Women’s Giving Circle. “Her gift nearly doubles the amount of assets supporting the WGC’s grant-making and is going to touch the lives of so many people in our community. We are truly humbled by gifts like these, and we are so happy that part of Marion’s legacy will live on this way, making a difference in Northeast Michigan forever.”

The Marion E. Lamy Fund is a permanent endowment that will generate income year after year. Each year, 5% of the fund’s total assets will be added to the Northeast Michigan Women’s Giving Circle Fund’s annual grant-making. Anyone can donate to the Marion E. Lamy Fund at any time, in any amount. As the fund grows through any additional gifts and investment income, the amount available to grant each year will grow and provide funding in perpetuity.