Former Deerfield Farmer Leaves $1.5 Million To Area Hospitals
By: Rachel Polansky
Updated: December 6, 2012
One Deerfield farmer died with a secret that would benefit our community in one million ways. Upon his death, he left a small fortune to 2 area landmarks.
Arthur John Pultorak lived a humble life in a small house in Deerfield. No one would have expected that he was actually a millionaire.
"He was a kind man, respectful, quiet, and someone that was very humble. He used to tell me, Mark, I'm just a poor farmer," says Mark Wolber, estate attorney and executor.
83-year-old Pultorak died in December of 2010. And after his death, his estate attorney entered his small home for the first time.
"There were plastic bags, there were items, it was so full we couldn't see the floor," says Wolber.
But underneath all of the items was a very large secret.
"He wasnt a particular poor farmer. We found out that the estate that he had amounted to over $1.5 million dollars," says Wolber.
And Pultorak wanted all of this hidden treasure to go toward three hospitals; At the time, St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Faxton and St. Luke's Healthcare.
"Certainly was one of our largest individual gifts that we've ever been the benefactor of so we were just very excited when we heard about it, and pleased, but quite frankly, quite sad, because we never got to meet the gentleman who donated the funds to us," says Scott Perra, Faxton-St. Luke's Healthcare CEO.
"Someone who would be really thinking ahead who would make a donation like this, its just very much appreciated. And it shows someone who cared about the community," says Richard Ketcham, St. Elizabeth Medical Center CEO.
An old friend remembers him fondly.
"Oh honest. Honest as the day goes long," says Gordon Murray, Pultorak's friend and neighbor.
So why give all this money to hospitals?
"I think he did it out of the kindness of his heart, but I think hes happy, I think he's happy," says Murray.
St. Elizabeth's will get $500-thousand dollars and what is now Faxton-St. Luke's will get $1-million dollars.
Arthur John Pultorak lived a humble life in a small house in Deerfield. No one would have expected that he was actually a millionaire.
"He was a kind man, respectful, quiet, and someone that was very humble. He used to tell me, Mark, I'm just a poor farmer," says Mark Wolber, estate attorney and executor.
83-year-old Pultorak died in December of 2010. And after his death, his estate attorney entered his small home for the first time.
"There were plastic bags, there were items, it was so full we couldn't see the floor," says Wolber.
But underneath all of the items was a very large secret.
"He wasnt a particular poor farmer. We found out that the estate that he had amounted to over $1.5 million dollars," says Wolber.
And Pultorak wanted all of this hidden treasure to go toward three hospitals; At the time, St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Faxton and St. Luke's Healthcare.
"Certainly was one of our largest individual gifts that we've ever been the benefactor of so we were just very excited when we heard about it, and pleased, but quite frankly, quite sad, because we never got to meet the gentleman who donated the funds to us," says Scott Perra, Faxton-St. Luke's Healthcare CEO.
"Someone who would be really thinking ahead who would make a donation like this, its just very much appreciated. And it shows someone who cared about the community," says Richard Ketcham, St. Elizabeth Medical Center CEO.
An old friend remembers him fondly.
"Oh honest. Honest as the day goes long," says Gordon Murray, Pultorak's friend and neighbor.
So why give all this money to hospitals?
"I think he did it out of the kindness of his heart, but I think hes happy, I think he's happy," says Murray.
St. Elizabeth's will get $500-thousand dollars and what is now Faxton-St. Luke's will get $1-million dollars.
