Partner Partner Content 50 years, 50 stories: Story #26 Joan Otis Bequest
Joan Otis is remembered, by all who knew her, as a gifted teacher, accomplished artist and beloved friend. She touched the lives of thousands of students and fellow artists during a career that spanned 33 years, three local schools, and the Ann Arbor Potters Guild. Though gone, Joan left a generous legacy that will continue to support what mattered most to her during her lifetime.
JOAN OTIS BEQUEST
One Generous Gift. Multiple Philanthropic Goals.
As a gifted teacher and accomplished artist, Joan Otis touched the lives of thousands of students and fellow artists during a career that spanned 33 years and three local schools. Yet she often shared her concern about leaving a lasting footprint to reflect her time here on earth. In 2008 through a bequest to the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, Joan left a meaningful legacy that, through seven endowment funds, will continue to support what mattered most to her.
The Joan Otis Fund for the Arts has already awarded $35,000 to benefit a variety of local arts organizations across Washtenaw County from the Ann Arbor Film Festival to Fly Children’s Art Center. And in addition to helping grow an existing endowment for the Ann Arbor Art Center, Joan’s generosity also established five endowments that will provide a permanent source of funding to organizations she supported during her life time: the Detroit Institute of Arts, Ella Sharp Museum of Art & History in Jackson, St. Joseph Mercy Hospital’s Art Fund, Humane Society of Huron Valley, and the Ann Arbor Potters Guild where she was a long-time member and beloved friend.
One of the many ways the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation
supports all that is good in our community.
Read more “good” stories at: aaacf.org/stories
Related Articles
On-Demand Coaching helps Ypsi’s government and small businesses build a winning team
A Michigan Municipal League program helps Ypsi and other municipalities connect small businesses and entrepreneurs with existing capital and technical assistance.
Ann Arbor DDA expands its boundaries for first time, enabling new projects on city’s North Side
The goal of the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority’s expansion is to strengthen connections between downtown, the Huron River, and Ann Arbor’s North Side.
Ypsilanti African-American cemetery is being rehabilitated after decades of disrepair
The African American Cultural and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County has been cleaning up Woodlawn Cemetery and working to identify lost graves.
