Man leaves cancer society $3.5 million

A retired General Electric Co. aircraft mechanic in CINCINNATI who lived quietly and frugally has gotten attention in death with a $3.5 million gift to the American Cancer Society. Charles J. Herrman died at age 96 one year ago, three years after the death of the sister he lived with most of his adult life.

Robert C. Porter III, the attorney for Herrman’s estate, said part of Herrman’s $4.1 million estate had been inherited from his sister, Ruth Herrman, an elementary schoolteacher.Herrman never explained why he chose the American Cancer Society as his primary beneficiary, Porter said.“He didn’t have cancer, and I don’t think his family had a history of cancer,” Porter said. “He probably picked the American Cancer Society because it’s a well-known charity.”The society was gratified by his choice.“It would take us several fundraising events to raise that amount of money,” said Peter Osborne, spokesman for the American Cancer Society’s Southwest Ohio Chapter. “We’ve very thankful that he thought of us.”

Information from: The Cincinnati Enquirer, http://www.enquirer.com