Vermont man donates millions to community

Ronald Read, a Vermont man known for being frugal, has bequeathed millions of dollars to the local library and hospital. After passing away back in June at the age of 92, he left $4.8 million to Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and $1.2 million to the Brooks Memorial Library. They are the largest gifts either has ever received. Read was a World War II veteran, and returned home after the war in 1945. He was a private, modest man.  He worked at a service station for nearly a quarter of a century, then at J.C. Penney until 1997. Lawyer Laurie Rowell stated that Read had two hobbies: cutting firewood and picking stocks. She also said that over time, his investments “grew substantially.” The institutions who received the surprise donations say that they will be life-changing.