KEY POINTS:
A charity is to receive $1.75 million 13 years after a man died donating the money in his will.
Leonard McLeod's gift includes $750,000 cash and $1 million in investment shares in 14 New Zealand and international companies.
He had it written into his will that upon the death of his wife Isabelle - who died just two years ago - his estate be broken up to his named beneficiaries.
Half has now gone to the Waikato/Bay of Plenty division of the Cancer Society branch and half to distant relatives.
The pair did not have any children.
Craig Roebuck, of the estate's trustee Guardian Trust, said little was known about Mr McLeod, who died of cancer in 1994 aged 88.
During his suffering in the latter years of his life, he underwent "radical surgery" to prolong his life.
The McLeods retired at Greenwood Park in Welcome Bay and former manager of the retirement village, Denise Whitehead, said she remembered Mr McLeod, or Len as he was known, as "a friendly fellow and a kind and thoughtful person".
She said Mr McLeod had been an engineer in his working life and played an instrumental part in the building of the Lyttleton Tunnel in Christchurch.
Ms Whitehead first met the McLeods when they came to view the retirement village in 1986. "He was going to have the biggest house but we weren't ready to build it at that time ... we couldn't build outside the stage plan."
The couple returned some time after and bought an apartment at the back of the village with views over the park.
"I'm not surprised he donated that money, that was definitely his chosen charity he supported but it does surprise me the size. That's an absolutely incredible donation. How wonderful."
The Cancer Society is a non-profit organisation and doesn't receive direct financial support from the Government.
Judy Gould, chief executive of the Waikato/ Bay of Plenty division of The Cancer Society, said Mr McLeod's bequest was "wonderful" and "certainly helpful to us".
It will be used to relocate its Lion Cancer Lodge, which provides free accommodation for people with cancer who live more than 80km from the Regional Cancer Centre at Waikato Hospital.
- BAY OF PLENTY TIMES
