Commitment. Michael's & Cherie's Gifts of Love and Legacy.


COMMITMENT. MICHAEL’S AND CHERIE’S GIFTS OF LOVE
AND LEGACY.
The late Michael Kurtz and his late wife, Cherie Loustaunau,
were partners in life and philanthropy. Michael passed away in
December of 2022, just days shy of Christmas, but before he left
us, he was able to share his compassionate story about Cherie.
When Michael spoke about his late wife, Cherie, tears
welled up in his eyes as he shared a vivid and loving
memory of her. “As she was preparing to go to the
hospital for the final time, I remember her sitting at
her desk writing out the last batch of checks to go out
to her designated [charity] organizations. She was that
dedicated,” he said. “It was a painful moment but it is
illustrative of who she was.”
Cherie, who retired after 44 years at the U.S. Department
of Commerce, made time for the causes closest to her
heart, routinely donating and serving on nonprofit boards
and committees. So, when Michael decided to contact the
Community Foundation to open an additional legacy fund
in Cherie’s name, he didn’t think twice. He knew exactly
where her heart was during her life. “I want to keep her
name alive; that’s my motivation,” said Michael, who
set up a Donor Advised Fund and two legacy estate gifts
through CFAAC, including the Cherie Loustaunau
Memorial Fund for the benefit of the Anne Arundel
Women Giving Together (AAWGT), an endowed
fund supported through his IRA that will impact the
community in perpetuity. Cherie was a life member
of AAWGT.
“Cherie’s whole approach to philanthropy was as
it was in everything in life,” said Michael. “She did
her research and made her decisions. She was very
disciplined about getting money to the organizations,
and she stayed in contact with them.”
from the policy as his interests changed, and in 2021,
updated his fund agreement to support the Wellness House
of Annapolis.
“I would say that most of us do not think about our legacies
and if we do, we think about what we are giving to our
children and our grandchildren; often not beyond,” he
explained. “My feeling is that if we don’t leave something to
the community that we care about, then society as a whole
and the society in which our children and grandchildren
live in becomes poorer.”
Most importantly, Michael made it clear that Cherie’s
legacy was more than the financial gifts she gave. “She was
a woman who had a strong social conscious, a strong sense
of responsibility, and the discipline and desire to follow
through—all motivated by a very
kind heart.”
MICHAEL BELIEVED IT WAS IMPORTANT TO
HAVE AN ESTATE PLAN, AND IN IT, LEGACY
INTENTIONS
So, in 2018, he established the Dr. Michael
J. Kurtz Fund, a Donor Advised Fund, and
named a successor advisor to continue
his donations after his death. Michael
also thought strategically about how he
could expand his charitable giving after
his lifetime and donated a life insurance
policy to CFAAC to fund the Dr. Michael
J. Kurtz Legacy Fund, making additional
annual gifts to the Community
Foundation to pay the premiums on the
policy. Throughout the years, Michael
communicated with the CFAAC staff
about the charities he wished to benefit
cfaac.org | 19
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