A Taste for Travel

Texas A&M University gave Kathy ’81 and Robert “Robby” Denton ’80 so much—an introduction that led to their 40-plus-year marriage and an education that created the foundation for a long and fulfilling career that spanned the globe. “I promised Kathy that I would try to move her every four years, but I didn’t quite pull it off,” Robby said. “But we moved on average every six years because she didn’t want to stay in any one place too long.” 

The couple appreciates their good fortune and realize that escalating costs are putting a four-year degree out of reach for many. “Today, Kathy’s family probably couldn’t have afforded to send her to Texas A&M,” Robby shared. “My family probably could have pulled it off, but it would have been a strain.” 
 

Food for Thought 

Food was an integral part of Kathy’s upbringing in Bay City, Texas. Her father was a wholesale grocer representative and loved to barbecue, while her mother also enjoyed cooking. Thanks to their influence, Kathy found her way into the kitchen and began participating in and winning 4-H contests. “I make a mean crust that uses lots of butter,” she said, noting that was the key component in her award-winning quiche. 
 

Expanding Aggies’ Horizons 

Knowing that a college degree is key to opening many of life’s adventures, the Dentons decided to include the Texas A&M Foundation in their estate plan through a charitable remainder unitrust, which will provide them annual payments for the rest of their lives. They especially like that the unitrust will help safeguard their financial security during their later years while honoring their intention to give back to the university. “Our charitable unitrust is like a deferred gift,” Robby said. “It’s a great way to give back to Texas A&M and still use our money while we’re depending on it.” 

Their planned gift will endow scholarships to support undergraduate students in chemical engineering as well as nutrition and food sciences. They have also created an excellence endowment to support the Texas A&M Foundation. “It was an easy decision to give money to the university,” Robby explained. “It’s where we met and got our education—and we think it’s important to share your benefits with other people. That’s how we were both raised.” 

Interested in using a charitable remainder unitrust to receive annual payments and benefit your Texas A&M passions after your lifetime? Contact Kelly Corcoran ’95 below for more information!