Legacy Giving: Philanthropy at its Finest

Henri “Hank” Pell Junod, Jr. has spent nearly every summer of his life enjoying his family’s circa 1870s cottage on Higgins Lake. Hank was one of 12 young boys who grew up together during the 1940s and 50s, reveling in long summer days of boating, swimming, tennis, and family meals in the Cottage Grove Association Dining Hall.

Pleasant childhood memories made returning to Higgins Lake each summer a priority for Hank throughout his career as a history teacher, soccer coach, dean of students, and director of admissions at private schools in Ohio, Virginia, and Tennessee.

A Family with Distinguished History

History was a natural field of study for Hank, given the historic accomplishments of his distinguished ancestor Robert Livingston, who helped compose the Declaration of Independence, swore in George Washington as the nation’s first president, served as Ambassador to France, and was primarily responsible for negotiating the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Hank was named for his paternal grandfather, Louis Henri Junod, who served as the Swiss Consul-General, and his father, Henri Pell Junod, Sr., who retired as Executive Vice President and Vice Chairman of the board of Pickands, Mather, & Co., a major iron ore mining and shipping business based in Cleveland.

Hank also is related to Claiborne Pell, the U.S. Senator from Rhode Island largely responsible for creation of federal Pell Grants that provide financial assistance to college students. Among his multiple community activities, Hank served as president of the Central School of Practical Nursing in Cleveland, where 60 percent of the students qualified for Pell Grants.

On to Full-time Philanthropy

Hank retired in 1993 when his mother became ill. He moved back to Shaker Heights, Ohio to oversee her care. He became a full-time philanthropist, serving on multiple boards. In 2004, he winterized the Higgins Lake cottage to spend more time up north. He helped coach Roscommon High School soccer for nine years, including a trip to the state finals in 2006, served as a Vice President of the Roscommon County Community Foundation, and was co-chair of a capital campaign for an Emergency Department at what is now Munson Healthcare Grayling Hospital. He is currently involved in a capital project for nearby Kirtland Community College.

Great Care in Grayling

While up north, Hank has used the services of Grayling Hospital on four occasions, beginning with a childhood sword fight that went wrong, and including a three-day inpatient stay as an adult. “I’ve been in a lot of hospitals and the care I received in Grayling was second to none,” he said. “The nursing care and the services of Dr. Cvitkovich were absolutely first rate. The nurses were so nice. It was just fantastic.”

Hank has included the Grayling Hospital in his estate plans. Estate gifts and endowments are critical to maintaining the success of schools, hospitals, libraries, and other nonprofit organizations, he said. “Often, capital campaigns raise just enough to put the bricks and mortar in place. It’s very important to leave an endowment to support the programs that take place within those facilities.”

“I encourage everyone to remember in their estate plans those organizations that have been important to them,” he added. “I’ve been very fortunate in my life. I was able to live very nicely and do what I wanted, which was teaching. I also believe we are put on this earth to give back.”  

Learn More 

To learn more about Legacy Giving, call 231-213-1150.

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