Vernon and Darleen Ortman

Vernon & Darleen Ortman are making a lasting impact for the charities they love, even after they are gone.

Their heart for serving and giving is evident. They found opportunities to volunteer for organizations offering help to refugees and the homeless and they felt called to be generous with the financial resources God had entrusted to them.

Because of their charitable goals and strong interest in Mennonite Brethren conference ministries, they established an endowment in 2006 and began distributions to those ministries.

After Vernon’s death in 2015, Darleen remained committed to their goals. Upon her death in 2022, their 300-acre farm sold and added an unexpected $2.6 million to the endowment they had created. This would have come as a shock to Vernon and Darleen, who first purchased the land at about 6% of the selling price.

“Both of them were very gracious and charitable in their thinking and planning,” said Jack Braun, former MB Foundation Planned Giving Advisor. “They wanted to make certain the resources entrusted to them would continue to support the ministries they cared about. That’s why they enjoyed working with MB Foundation and trusted us to carry on and fulfill their legacy.”

Darleen’s faithfulness can be seen throughout her Bible which is filled with notes and highlighted passages. In the front pages she inscribed a message that says, “If our service for Christ is to bear fruit, our fellowship with Him must have first place.”

Their lives, devoted to serving Christ and His kingdom, have made a significant impact and because of their financial planning, will continue to make an impact for many years to come!