Eileen Russell the retired P.E. instructor and field hockey coach at the University of Georgia was a frugal sort. Known for repairing the teams’ hockey sticks to save the university money, Eileen believed in stretching a dollar as far as it could go. She was also quite fond of letting others know that she hadn’t much money herself.
Imagine everyone’s surprise when they learned that Eileen had left her $1.7 million estate to the university! I think the comment below sums up the sentiment:
“UGA officials do not know how she amassed the money — and Jewett remarked that Russell’s salary and retirement package from UGA would not have amounted to such a sum…”
I think I can answer that question. It was through frugality and wise and consistent investing; the hallmarks of a Surprise Millionaire.