Norman Yeon Legacy Circle

The Norman Yeon Legacy Circle is a group of Friends supporters who have made a lasting commitment to conservation of the Columbia Gorge by making a provision for Friends of the Columbia Gorge in their estate plans. Through their gift planning, they will ensure the protection of this beautiful and wild landscape for generations to come. 

We thank our Norman Yeon Legacy Circle members for their vision and dedication by inviting them to a members-only annual event where they are updated on Gorge conservation threats and issues, and have the opportunity to meet board, staff, and others who are leaving a legacy of protecting the Gorge. Members also receive our quarterly print newsletter and are given the option of special recognition in our annual report.

If you're interested in learning more about planned giving, we encourage you to watch our webinar on estate planning from April 2021. 

Recognizing a Visionary Leader

Our legacy circle is named in honor of Norman Yeon, a man who had the Columbia Gorge deeply embedded into his DNA. His father, John Baptiste Yeon, was a successful businessman who served as road master for the construction of the Columbia River Highway. Norman's brother, the younger John Yeon fought to protect the Gorge for over three decades and recruited Nancy Russell to start Friends of the Columbia Gorge. 

In 2007, Norman left Friends an unrestricted bequest of $4.5 million. This was the most transformational gift in the organization's history, leading to the creation of the Friends of the Columbia Gorge Land Trust. To date, our land trust has permanently preserved more than 1,000 acres of land valuable for its natural, cultural, recreational, and scenic qualities.

If you have included Friends of the Columbia Gorge in your estate plan, we would like to thank you and invite you to join the Norman Yeon Legacy Circle. For more information, please contact Director of Philanthropy Pam Davee at 971-634-2036 or pam@gorgefriends.org.

Return to Legacy Website
 
November 2021

We welcome this year’s new (denoted below with an asterisk) Norman Yeon Legacy Circle members to the list of devoted supporters whose far-sighted planning will ensure Gorge protection for generations to come. Carefully planned future gifts from these generous members will provide a lasting legacy to protect, preserve and steward the Gorge. Beloved members of the Norman Yeon Legacy Circle who have passed away over the years, denoted in blue, will forever be a part of Friends.
 
We thank all of our Legacy Circle members for their dedicated commitment to making the Gorge a place for all to enjoy both now and in the future.