Couple Strengthens WAMU’s Future by Giving Back

Bob and Jane Anthony, avid WAMU listeners, know what is important to them and choose to align their giving with their dearly held values. Bob has a Ph.D. in high-energy physics from the University of Michigan and has always been fascinated with understanding the principles of things. Jane has an art history degree from Barnard College and is a self-described “news junky.”

WAMU has been a part of Bob and Jane’s daily lives for years. When they outlined their estate plans, both knew that they wanted to give a percentage to WAMU. They say that whether they were tight on money or had some to share, WAMU has always been on their giving list.

Bob and Jane have created deep roots in the D.C. area through their careers and interests—and have strengthened those roots through WAMU. Bob’s career brought him to D.C., where he has worked in various challenging positions, including technology assessment, defense analysis and, after 9/11, counter-terrorism efforts in Iraq and worldwide.

Bob says he has seen up-close how policy dilemmas, distrust, and lack of forward-thinking have thwarted needed legislation. He’s also seen how greed drives “fake news” that impacts society and decision-making. Bob values public radio as an independent medium of communication that conveys, in part, the work of the government on behalf of the broad public interest while holding our governments accountable. He believes that public radio is one way “to help our society stay on track.”

Throughout her life, Jane has structured her career and free time to reflect her passionate interests. Her many career paths span time at the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) where she helped send art exhibitions to museums around the country, at E-Systems running its business information center, and as a full-time advocate for disabled children and adults.

Jane is the mother of two children—a talented daughter and an adult son who is profoundly disabled. She now devotes much of her time to advocating for her son and others with similar disabilities at the state and national levels. In her free time, she pursues her athletic interests. She has run three triathlons and done several long-distance swims. And since the early 1970s, she has been a handweaver, creating and exhibiting textiles that combine her love of crafts with her art history background. Together, Jane and Bob enjoy active travel.

Both Bob and Jane find that WAMU meshes beautifully with their values and fits easily into their daily lives. Whether in the car, on a hike, at the loom, or at home, they enjoy WAMU’s varied programs and its balance of news, analysis, and entertainment. They say public radio “feels like a safe zone” and it has greatly enhanced their lives. Together, they decided that giving to WAMU in their will is a “meaningful way to say thank you and to pass it on” so that future generations can be enriched, as well.

With as little as one sentence in your will, you can create a brighter tomorrow at WAMU without parting with assets today. You can designate WAMU as the beneficiary of a specific asset, or as the recipient of a percentage of the total estate like Bob and Jane. Please contact Eliza Saunders at esaunders@wamu.org or 202-885-8904 for wording you can share with your estate planning attorney, or for any other planned giving inquiries.