Ruhl Family Has Strong Connection to Benedictines

Bride and groom Connie and Bill Ruhl with Gracie McCarten and Walt Ruhl

"I wanted to go to high school where my father went to school."

Throughout his childhood, Bill Ruhl, P'56, always remembers having a photo of Saint Vincent in his bedroom. His strong connection to the Benedictines arose from often accompanying his father to a variety of events on campus. When Father Louis Sedlacko came to Saint Bernard's in Mount Lebanon on a recruiting trip while Bill was in eighth grade, making the decision to go to the prep school made sense. His dad had only one directive: "Be sure to bring home a loaf of Bearcat bread when you come home for vacation!"

Bill and Connie with daughter Michelle and son Bill

"I cherished my days at Saint Vincent. The Benedictine values that became part of me clearly occurred because of the guidance by those men of the cloth, especially Fathers Ronan, Claude and Ronald. When Ed Dunn and I hitchhiked back home, we sure did have quite a bit to talk about."

When Bill attended the prep school, his mother and father had to make some sacrifices in their lifestyle. They wanted to make sure that Bill was able to complete his dream by graduating from Saint Vincent Prep.

Bill, Connie and son Bill

Today, Bill and his wife, Connie, are very proud of their three children. Son Bill and daughter Michelle share the same enthusiasm for life, gentle nature and commitment to being kind to others that was modeled for them by Bill's father. Bill speaks with love about his son Joe, who has gone on to his eternal reward in Heaven.

Just two years ago, when Bill and Connie were talking about Bill's days at Saint Vincent and what that education meant to both of them, they decided to make a gift to the Mission of the Benedictines. After reviewing the various ways to support Saint Vincent—and also to provide some financial security for both of them—they decided to create a charitable gift annuity. They set aside a portion of their funds, wrote a check to the College and, for the remainder of both of their lives, they will have a defined income to aid them in their retirement years.

Bill visiting the grave of his grandfather, a World War I veteran

Charitable gift annuities are one of many ways that alumni and friends are able to aid the educational programs at Saint Vincent while supplementing their own retirement income or that of someone else. If you have any thoughts about creating a lasting legacy, contact me and I would welcome the opportunity to identify the method that makes sense as it meets your vision and the mission of Saint Vincent, just as Connie and Bill have done.

With a charitable gift annuity you can make a generous gift to Saint Vincent, receive an income tax deduction for the charitable portion of your gift and eliminate capital gains tax at the time of the gift when the trust is funded with appreciated assets. Cash, securities or other appreciated property can be transferred into a charitable remainder trust. The trust pays either a variable (unitrust) or fixed (annuity trust) amount each year to you, or another beneficiary if you choose, for a lifetime or a term up to 20 years. When the term is up, the balance goes to Saint Vincent.

—James D. Bendel, C’60
james.bendel@stvincent.edu, 724-805-2948