James Arthur Earl

August 14, 1932 - March 23, 2025

There are so many things I did not know when we started WSA.

One of those things was how important personal philanthropy would be to the success of our little organization. Over 1/3 of WSA’s funding comes from generous contributions of individuals. Whether large or small, those contributions are our most important funding because they can be used for the critical operational expenses that are not covered by grants and other restricted funding. They are the foundation upon which great programs, services and initiatives are built.

Jim and Sylvia Earl were the very first people I personally asked to support WSA, and boy was I nervous. Over the last decade, Jim taught me much of what I know today about personal philanthropy and the Helena Foundation’s transformational gifts to WSA have allowed us to boldly pursue our vision.

As his family and friends gather to remember Jim’s life and legacy this week, my own thoughts center on gratitude for all that I learned from one of our community’s most generous and impactful philanthropists.

Lesson 1: Be Prepared. Each meeting with Jim was marked by thoughtful and, at times, challenging questions about WSA’s programs and strategies. I learned to not only be prepared with facts and figures about WSA but also to be prepared for continuous learning, such as how to properly recognize donations of stock (a lesson I did not master correctly the first time!).

Lesson 2: Listen, Really Listen. At the heart of those tough questions were core values, driving the thoughtful investment of funds to make our community a better place. Listening to personal stories, appreciating his immense mathematical career, getting to know his family, and viewing his many works of art gave me a sense of how the mission of WSA aligned with the change he envisioned through the Helena Foundation.

Lesson 3: Believe. Each time I asked for support, Jim answered with profound generosity. Jim’s belief in me, and in WSA, made magic happen…. not only as funds transformed WSA from a small start-up into a powerful force for environmental change, but also for me, personally. Jim’s mentoring helped me to understand my role as an Executive Director in personal philanthropy and gave me the confidence to invite others to join me in supporting the mission of WSA.

Most of all, Jim taught me to love fundraising, because fundraising is, at its core, the deepening of relationships with people who care about our community. It is the connecting of values and visions – personal ones with organizational ones - to create true and lasting change.

I am truly grateful to have learned from and laughed with Jim Earl over the last decade plus. Rest in peace, my friend.

-Suzanne Etgen