A few weeks ago, I had the honor of attending the memorial service for Betsy Weitkamp, on behalf of Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF), representing the organization and community she so generously supported. Betsy’s life reflected the very best of community, curiosity, service, and generosity. Born and raised in Nebraska, Betsy made Colorado her home in 1964 – and embraced it fully through skiing, gardening, hiking, volunteering, travel, and deep care for the people and places around her.
At her service, I learned more about the breadth of Betsy’s life. She volunteered with the Colorado Mountain Club for more than 50 years, supported Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver and around the globe, joined Spanish conversation clubs, taught elementary school in Littleton Public Schools, and later contributed to the City of Littleton’s entrepreneurial economic gardening program in its earliest years.
What came through so clearly from her family and friends was that Betsy made the world better simply by the way she lived in it. She gave generously of her time, energy, talents, and resources – and cared deeply about the land, education, community, and a better future for others.
That commitment will continue through a remarkable legacy gift to Denver Scholarship Foundation. Betsy began supporting DSF in 2022 and, that same year, included DSF in her estate plans. Her gifts – made through two retirement account beneficiary designations – totaled just over $500,000, an extraordinary expression of trust in DSF and a lasting investment in the students we serve.
It is difficult to fully capture what it means to receive a gift like this, given the impact it has on the students and families we serve. It will have a significant impact – helping create pathways to the future in partnership with Denver Public Schools students, DSF Scholars, and Alumni for years to come. It is also deeply personal: to be entrusted with carrying forward someone’s values, hopes, and legacy is one of the greatest honors we can receive.
Betsy’s gift reminds us that legacy giving is not only about what someone leaves behind; it is about what they choose to make possible. Through her generosity, Betsy will continue to open doors for future leaders, strengthen our community, and invest in the future she believed in so deeply.
At DSF, our Pathways Legacy Society honors those who include DSF in their estate plans or make other planned gifts that extend their impact well into the future. For anyone who has wondered how to make a lasting difference for students and for Denver’s future, Betsy’s story offers a beautiful example: a legacy gift can reflect the values that have shaped a life and help ensure those values continue to create opportunities for generations to come.
To Betsy, we are beaming with gratitude—for the life you lived, the community you strengthened, and the future you are helping make possible for DSF Scholars and their families. And to Betsy’s family, we extend our heartfelt thanks for the care and stewardship with which you have honored her wishes and legacy.
If you are interested in learning more about the DSF Pathways Legacy Society or exploring whether a planned gift may be right for you, we would be honored to have a conversation.
Written by Lorii Rabinowitz, Chief Executive Officer
