Evalyn Nesbitt Washburn Jr. died on Nov. 18, 2013 at the age of 89. In her will she decreed that $94,000 US be provided to each of her favourite places: the Yarmouth County Museum & Archives, the Yarmouth Golf & Country Club and Th’YARC.
The Washburns’ summer home was named the Gulls and Evalyn’s will describes the joy she took in wandering the shores and watching ocean sunsets. She also liked to show visitors around Yarmouth and was a “great historian.”
Th’YARC general manager Sandy Fevens was skeptical when she first received a call from Washburn’s lawyer. She thought it was a scam.
“It amazes me that this woman would think of little ole’ Yarmouth when she lived in Maryland. To remember us and take care of us like that,” she says. The funds will be used towards a new YARC facility.
Nadine Gates, director/curator for the Yarmouth County Museum and Archives, is amazed at “this lady’s generous heart.”
“I’m pleased that she had enjoyed Yarmouth so much when she was a child that she should want our organizations to continue and prosper for others to enjoy. Her gift to the museum will be invested (as are all bequeaths) to ensure our future sustainability,” Gates says.
Elliot Fevens, Yarmouth Golf & Country Club president, says the funds will be used for improvements to the property, for the emergency fund and/or buying new equipment for the course.
In addition to the endowments left to local organizations, Washburn bequeathed the Gulls home and property to Edwin (Ned) Pitman. He had taken over its care after the death of his father, who had been caretaker for decades. She left her Tiffany jewelry to Wendy Pitman, Ned’s wife, who has fond memories of Washburn.
“She was quite a knitter and she’d do designs and patterns. She was a very smart lady,” she says, adding Yarmouth was very dear to Washburn’s heart.
“She said it was the best time of her life when she’d come to Yarmouth with her mom. After her mother passed away we kind of took her under our wing. I’d take her out for a picnic at the Cape and oh, she loved that.”
Pitman also says Washburn liked to play golf at 6 a.m. because of the solitude.
Garth Nickerson says he remembers being at the club when Washburn came to play.
“One day, on old #15, I asked to join her and she said, ‘I play alone’ and on I went,” he says.
He recalls her playing golf with boots on and rollers in her hair. He says she had a set of clubs that were wooden, with the plates on the front nailed on.
“One day (the late) R.D. Purdy bought Kathy (his wife) a new set and l gave her Kathy's old set,” he says. “She bawled and said there is money in my will to pave that parking lot.”
More about Evalyn Washburn
While living in New York, Evalyn Nesbitt Washburn Jr. attended more than 75 Broadway shows with her mother. She was a member of the American Red Cross during the Second World War and rolled bandages and hosted servicemen on weekend leaves to aid the war effort.
She was an avid photographer. She “fondly remembered that the mayor had been her caddy” at the Yarmouth course.
Washburn was the granddaughter of Frank Washburn, founder of the American Cyanamid Company (est. 1907). The company grew to over 100,000 employees worldwide and was one of the nation's top 100 manufacturing companies during the 1970s and 1980s.
Evalyn Nesbitt Washburn Jr. died on Nov. 18, 2013 at the age of 89. In her will she decreed that $94,000 US be provided to each of her favourite places: the Yarmouth County Museum & Archives, the Yarmouth Golf & Country Club and Th’YARC.
The Washburns’ summer home was named the Gulls and Evalyn’s will describes the joy she took in wandering the shores and watching ocean sunsets. She also liked to show visitors around Yarmouth and was a “great historian.”
Th’YARC general manager Sandy Fevens was skeptical when she first received a call from Washburn’s lawyer. She thought it was a scam.
“It amazes me that this woman would think of little ole’ Yarmouth when she lived in Maryland. To remember us and take care of us like that,” she says. The funds will be used towards a new YARC facility.
Nadine Gates, director/curator for the Yarmouth County Museum and Archives, is amazed at “this lady’s generous heart.”
“I’m pleased that she had enjoyed Yarmouth so much when she was a child that she should want our organizations to continue and prosper for others to enjoy. Her gift to the museum will be invested (as are all bequeaths) to ensure our future sustainability,” Gates says.
Elliot Fevens, Yarmouth Golf & Country Club president, says the funds will be used for improvements to the property, for the emergency fund and/or buying new equipment for the course.
In addition to the endowments left to local organizations, Washburn bequeathed the Gulls home and property to Edwin (Ned) Pitman. He had taken over its care after the death of his father, who had been caretaker for decades. She left her Tiffany jewelry to Wendy Pitman, Ned’s wife, who has fond memories of Washburn.
“She was quite a knitter and she’d do designs and patterns. She was a very smart lady,” she says, adding Yarmouth was very dear to Washburn’s heart.
“She said it was the best time of her life when she’d come to Yarmouth with her mom. After her mother passed away we kind of took her under our wing. I’d take her out for a picnic at the Cape and oh, she loved that.”
Pitman also says Washburn liked to play golf at 6 a.m. because of the solitude.
Garth Nickerson says he remembers being at the club when Washburn came to play.
“One day, on old #15, I asked to join her and she said, ‘I play alone’ and on I went,” he says.
He recalls her playing golf with boots on and rollers in her hair. He says she had a set of clubs that were wooden, with the plates on the front nailed on.
“One day (the late) R.D. Purdy bought Kathy (his wife) a new set and l gave her Kathy's old set,” he says. “She bawled and said there is money in my will to pave that parking lot.”
More about Evalyn Washburn
While living in New York, Evalyn Nesbitt Washburn Jr. attended more than 75 Broadway shows with her mother. She was a member of the American Red Cross during the Second World War and rolled bandages and hosted servicemen on weekend leaves to aid the war effort.
She was an avid photographer. She “fondly remembered that the mayor had been her caddy” at the Yarmouth course.
Washburn was the granddaughter of Frank Washburn, founder of the American Cyanamid Company (est. 1907). The company grew to over 100,000 employees worldwide and was one of the nation's top 100 manufacturing companies during the 1970s and 1980s.