Leaving a Legacy that Lasts

Throughout your life, there are several big decisions you have to make. Do you want to get married? Do you plan to have children? Will you buy a house or rent an apartment? Is college in your future, or will you go straight into the workforce? These are questions that most individuals will contemplate at some point, but for Rusty Ellison, he had another big question on his heart: What will you do with what you leave behind?

After a life rooted in ministry, Rusty was convinced he knew the answer. He served as a pastor for a church in downtown Louisville for 11 years. Following that, he became a transitional pastor serving congregations that were without a permanent pastor to lead their services and took on the role of Vice President of Development for Crossings Camp, a non-profit offering faith-based summer camp experiences for youth.

“My life was devoted to ministry, but I also worked at a company called Philanthrocorp,” said Rusty. “It was here that I learned the power of planned giving. It allowed me to begin asking myself what I feel is the greatest stewardship decision I am likely to ever make. ‘What will you do with what you leave behind? Not just what are you doing now.’”

While Rusty was presenting this question to groups, he realized that it was something that he and his wife, Pam, needed to reflect on and answer for themselves. They knew that they wanted their moves to include causes that aligned with their passions for ministry and giving back.

During his pastorship, Rusty was asked to join the Board of Directors for Baptist Health Louisville. After some thought, he agreed to assume the role and began learning about health care and the intricacies of the philanthropy that supports it.

“Through my seat on the board, I was privy to a lot of information that helped me to gain a better understanding of our hospital system,” he said. “I am a pastor, so I don’t have the kind of resources that others on the board had, but I knew that there was something I could do. My wife and I made the decision to leave an estate gift that we could plan for to causes we felt drawn to. We may not have the cash on hand, but we know that it will get where it needs to go when the time comes.”

Rusty and Pam decided to include Baptist Health Louisville as part of their legacy because they felt it was worthy of being included. He wanted to ensure that the entities included were those that would be around for a long time and would benefit others.

“I believe in what Baptist is doing,” he said. “I especially believe in the leadership and advances in Baptist Health Louisville. Their Christ-centered mission and commitment to patients is something that I want to support. I have confidence in the stability and direction of our hospital system, and I believe health care is more prevalent now than ever as they continue to work to lead us out of a pandemic-driven world.”

If you would like to learn more about planned giving or how to take your first steps in creating a legacy that will continue to give back, please contact Stephanie Cieslak, JD at 502.896.7048 or Stephanie.Cieslak@bhsi.com.