Feb. 16, 2003 – St. Thomas resident Doris Greene, better known as "Dee," relished her frugality. A child during the Depression, she socked away every penny she could for a rainy day.
The sun apparently shone a lot in her life, because when she died on June 17, 2000, at the age of 92, she left nearly a million dollars to organizations and charities on St. Thomas and on the mainland.
"You would have thought she was impoverished," said St. Thomas attorney Henry Feuerzeig, who handled her estate. "She squeezed a nickel so tight the Indian was riding the buffalo."
But her penny pinching has meant sizable gifts for others:
The University of the Virgin Islands, the United Way of St. Thomas/St. John, and the United Negro College Fund each got $179,785.
The St. Thomas Synagogue, of which she was a member, received $100,000. The National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine in Denver received $50,000. Two national Jewish organizations, Hadassah and B'nai B'rith, along with Roy L. Schneider Hospital and the national American Cancer Society, each received $20,000.
And two people who assisted her in her later years got title to her Estate Rosendahl home, valued at $184,000. "They shopped for her and paid her bills. They were there for her when she needed them," Feuerzeig said. He declined to identify them, saying he wanted to protect their privacy.
Feuerzeig said Greene left her money to causes close to her heart –– health, education and Jewish outreach. The money was recently distributed.
Thyra Hammond, United Way executive director, said the organization's board is mulling over ways to put the money to good use. "We're extremely pleased and honored," she said.
She added that she hopes more people will remember United Way in their wills.
UVI President LaVerne Ragster said she found it "positive" that Greene saw the benefits provided by the university's presence in the community. "It's a very high compliment," she said, adding that she found it particularly moving that Greene, who was white, gave to black-affiliated organizations.
Ragster said the money received by the school has been split evenly between the UVI Foundation and the UVI Annual Giving Fund. It will be used for scholarships, for assisting faculty with research projects and for arranging speakers to address the faculty.
Rodney Miller, chief executive officer at Schneider Hospital, said he hopes that more people will remember the hospital in their wills. He said the money from Greene will go a long way toward providing high-quality health care services to local residents. "We're certainly pleased that people believe in our mission," he said.
According to Feuerzeig, Greene was born in Brooklyn to parents from Egypt and Russia. She moved to St. Thomas in the 1960s for heath reasons, worked for a while as a taxi driver and went on to manage a watch factory. She also worked as an accountant.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
