Joanne Platt Cipolla died in the summer of 2018, leaving a legacy of service in her parish and our diocese. She was an early member of the Catholic Foundation Board. Now her son, Victor, a current member of the Catholic Foundation Board, has established the Joanne P. Cipolla Endowment. This fund will benefit Catholic schools in our diocese, which were a deep love of Joanne’s.

Only the earnings from the Cipolla Endowment will be distributed each year; the corpus will be preserved in perpetuity as the endowment matures from new contributions and investment growth. As the years and decades proceed, Joanne’s commitment to giving will remain a source of ready inspiration. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance.” (Col 3:23)

A lifetime member of St. Thomas More Parish, Joanne served on the Parish Council and Altar Society. She was a co-founder of the STM Auction and Dinner, along with Gloria Ressa, Joe Melatini, and her husband, Orlando.

Joanne offered an Alcohol Awareness Class and spoke frequently to schools and local organizations.

A cofounder of the Gonzaga Prep auction, Joanne served as chair of that event for the first two years. She was also a member of the Gonzaga Prep Boosters.

She also volunteered at Providence Sacred Heart Hospital’s Pastoral Care.

A proud native Canadian, Joanne was born in Trail, British Columbia, and attended Nursing School at St. Paul’s School of Nursing in Vancouver. Her first job was in Washington, D.C., at Children’s Hospital, where she was head nurse of pediatrics.

She will be remembered always as a beloved nurse, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. The Joanne P. Cipolla Endowment will go a long way in ensuring that lasting memory.

Establishing an Endowment

This may be a good time to consider establishing an endowment:

• In memory of a loved one as a way of honoring the person and benefiting a ministry or cause they valued. Beneficiaries established in the past six months include Catholic education, the Newman Center, education of seminarians, priests’ retirement, parish building and grounds, religious community (women’s) retirement, and parish religious education. Each one is carefully named by the donor.

• Endowment honoring or to pay tribute to a living person or organization.

• Endowment established as a vehicle to receive a future estate gift.

• Endowment set up with your Charitable Rollover.

If you’d like to discuss creative options about regarding an endowment or if you’d like to simply gather some preliminary information, please contact Sr. Mary Tracy by calling: 509-358-7334 or email metracy@dioceseofspokane.org. (Note new email)