Janitor leaves nice surprise for hospital, library, in his will

WW2 veteran Ronald Read used safety pins to hold his coat together sometimes and lived very frugally. After finishing his service to his country he worked at a service station at home in Brattleboro, Vermont, for 25 years. Then he worked as a janitor at JC Penney for another 17.

In his spare time, he read the Wall Street Journal and dabbled in stocks and shares. He didn't marry until 1960 but sadly, his wife died after just 10 years together. Last June, Ronald Read also passed away, age 92.

It came as a big surprise to Read's townsfolk when news broke this week that he had left $6 million in his will to his local hospital and library - $4.8m to Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and $1.2m to Brooks Memorial Library. His stepson said no-one had any idea the unassuming old gentleman had amassed such a fortune. Read's lawyer said he was so careful with cash he'd park way away from her office, to avoid parking fees.

The hospital and library are thrilled. It's the biggest single donations they've ever received. He also left a 'wonderful' Edison phonograph with drums to the local historical society. I've no idea what the 'drums' on a phonograph are. I'll try and find a pic of one.

Ronald Read at a vet's dinner in 2011:
http://www.oregonlive.com/today/index.ssf/2015/02/retired_janitor_leaves_6m_to_v.html

Here's an Edison phonograph. It has a drum attached. I guess they had little spikes that played the different music, like a music box?

By the way, kids in the old days didn't mess around when they were curious, uh?

https://www.namm.org/sites/www.namm.org/files_public/images_cck/The Edison Phonograph.jpg

zwiebel said:

Here's an Edison phonograph. It has a drum attached. I guess they had little spikes that played the different music, like a music box?

By the way, kids in the old days didn't mess around when they were curious, uh?

https://www.namm.org/sites/www.namm.org/files_public/images_cck/The Edison Phonograph.jpg

Click to expand...

Um...wasn't there a law back then requiring that parents keep their hatchets locked up, out of the hands of children?