The voices that formed you—parents, grandparents, mentors, and friends—often show up in the quiet, everyday ways you lead your family and make financial decisions. The Pass It On Campaign gathers those defining stories and the values behind them, preserving what shaped you and what you hope to carry forward. These Legacy Stories honor the past while reinforcing the principles that guide thoughtful stewardship across generations. 

When we moved to Missouri, Mom taught us how to churn butter, milk cows, tend a garden, and work alongside one another. She helped drive the hay truck, pitched in on building the family home, and later showed the same work ethic when she and Dad owned and ran a dry cleaner’s and clothes washing business.

Dad was a jack of all trades: a mechanic, electrician, plumber, welder, and carpenter, to name a few. He could fix anything, and even after his blindness, he would give immediate help when his sons called. He also passed on his love of fishing and hunting. Some of my fondest memories were at Lake Pinnacle in High Hill, MO, where Dad and Bertha spent their semi-retirement years. Everyone was welcome. Dad was always ready with a fish story or a debate on the best way to catch one.

Mom and Dad’s final move was to Mountain View, MO, where many of her brothers and sisters lived. Mom loved to sew so much that she opened Bert’s Quilt Shop. She worked very hard and had many loyal returning customers. Dad spent many an hour at the kitchen table talking to family and friends. He loved conversation, and he adored Bertha.

It was a remarkable 54 years of marriage. In Mom’s last days, love was exemplified with all her children close by. In Dad’s last days, he missed Bertha very much, and he felt that he was still talking to her at the kitchen table.

Mom: My mother, as mentioned earlier, was diagnosed with MS at age 28. She was largely homebound, could not drive, and had an allowance that she rarely spent. My father eventually opened a savings account with her accumulated cash. I remember her mostly seated with a typewriter and a “nest” of needed items. She passed away in 1999.

Dad was married three times; his third marriage was to my mother, and together they had four children. Dad was tough on us, and my mother often said he “didn’t know how to be a dad” due to his upbringing. Dad lived to be 95. He passed down values of patriotism, work ethic, independence, honesty, and directness. My father was not a saver and used a “limited income and no formal savings” approach. Eventually, my mother handled the money.

On my maternal side, there was a strong Baptist influence. Mom was an elevator operator at the Broadview Hotel, then worked for several judges and lawyers before becoming a homemaker. She lived to be 100 years old.

Marge: My father was born and raised in Belleville, and my mother in Millstadt, Illinois. My mom grew up in deep poverty. My father left school after sophomore year to support his family, starting work at Stag Brewery at 16. He was later drafted into the Army during WWII, participating in D-Day at Omaha Beach and fighting in the Battle of the Bulge. Of nearly 2,000 soldiers, only 14 remained at the end, including him. He returned to the brewery until retiring at 65. He earned his GED at 80.

My parents wrote letters during the war and later married in 1946. They had 10 children (9 surviving), and I’m number 6. We had strong Catholic upbringing and were deeply involved with the St. Augustine Parish. Our family prayed the rosary together every night during Lent and Advent. Three of my brothers entered the seminary, and I once considered becoming a nun. My maternal grandmother also became a nun after her husband died.

Though loving, my parents were stoic, and affection was often unspoken. When I was in 4th grade, my mom once observed a neighbor openly hugging saying “I love you” to her children. This inspired my mom (and my father to a degree) to begin verbalizing affection to us. We grew up on two acres in Belleville, raising animals, tending an orchard, and making apple cider and homemade catsup each year. There was a “no laying around” rule. If we were bored, we were given chores.

My parents instilled strong financial habits: frugality, saving, and detailed recordkeeping. Every dollar we earned was split: one-third to savings, one-third to our parents, and one-third to keep. They lived simply but saved enough to cover my father’s Alzheimer’s care and provide my mother a comfortable assisted living situation. My mother lived to age 99. She loved family gatherings and humor, and she rarely complained. She served as the “glue” in our family and kept us all connected.

My grandfather operated a farm without electricity for years. Survival always came before leisure. In fact, when my father was invited to try out for the St. Louis Cardinals, he couldn’t go because spring planting took priority.

From my parents, I learned to build savings consistently, live within my means, and take full responsibility for earning my own way.

Cindy: I grew up in a more reserved household. My father was Polish and my mother was Croatian. Both survived tough financial times. My father boned hams in a cold environment every day and came home exhausted. Because of this, my family did few recreational activities. My parents highlighted meeting basic needs, avoiding any “wants” unless they were absolutely affordable.

My mother was very religious; she had a twin sister who was a Franciscan nun and lived with strong Catholic values. My father was extremely thrifty—he was determined to save every possible dollar to ensure the family always had enough for daily necessities. This influenced my own thriftiness and saving habits. We did, eventually, get an air conditioner and color TV, but far later in my childhood than many of my peers.

Craig & Cindy: While both of us grew up Catholic, certain aspects (like policies that affected our own children) strained our connection to the institutional church. However, we both still keep a foundational Christian faith!

From Joyce: It was not my parents, but my sister, Joyce, who introduced me to Youth for Christ meetings. Thus, during my teenage years, despite the lack of religious influence, my personal search for faith led me to Christianity. She and her husband now live in Missouri and we try to meet when we can.

From Jerrie: Jerrie is my older sister who married when I was about 5. Even though she was not living at home, I would see her when she and her husband, Jack, would visit. She never forgot our birthdays, called home often, and visited at every major holiday. She now lives in Chicago and we talk frequently.

Faith has always been central in my life. I was raised Catholic, attended weekly CCD classes, and served as an altar boy with my brothers. Around age 12, my curiosity about God and Jesus Christ deepened, and those classes helped shape my belief in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Later, while stationed in Arizona, a chaplain gave me his Bible — a gift from his wife —  to help me continue my journey and grow stronger in faith. After meeting Kathy and raising our kids together, my faith has continued to grow. I admire my family, and they make me want to be better.

Kathy: My father served in the Army, and my mother, who was Japanese, immigrated to the U.S. at age 20 without knowing the language. Soon after arriving, she began raising our family. I was the oldest of three, and we remain close today. My father, now living in Augusta, Georgia, is still a people person and incredibly generous. One of his favorite things is buying small stuffed animals from Goodwill to hand out at AA meetings to comfort others.

Because my father was often away, my mother stayed closely involved in our lives. She encouraged independence and would often say, “Kids, you gotta fly.” When I left college after six months, she told me it was time to move out, which pushed me to join the military. I considered the Army, but on my father’s advice chose the Air Force, launching my career.

Growing up, neither of my parents were Christians. However, during one of my father’s assignments, he became a Christian and underwent a dramatic transformation. He gave up drinking, joined Alcoholics Anonymous, and became deeply committed to his faith. Eventually, I became a Christian while serving in the military. My mother followed suit later on.

My parents taught me personal responsibility, determination, and compassion. That I can achieve anything I set my mind to, but I had to actually set my mind to something. Sitting idle was never an option. Their influence helped shape my strong work ethic and deep love for family and community.

Financial values were notably passed down from my dad, who emphasized living within one's means and paying cash for everything instead of relying on credit cards. I learned the importance of not feeling the pain of money leaving when using credit cards and always paying them off each month to avoid debt. My dad advised me to maximize my contributions to my 401k, which paid off when I realized I was in good financial shape years later.

Such advice created a foundation for my own financial stability and is something I’m passing on to my own children. My dad said, “You will thank me when you are 55!” And that is exactly what happened. My wife, Lisa, and I are now in a great place financially because of this value being passed on to us. 

I am deeply grateful for the foundational values my parents provided, including financial prudence, work ethic, and unconditional love, which my brother and I are now humbly trying to repay by caring for our parents in their elderly years.

She never wasted anything and everything had a purpose. I remember watching her darn my dad’s socks, remake outgrown or outdated coats, and refresh our one couch with slipcovers instead of replacing it. She rarely bought anything for herself, and only after seeing if what she already had would do. She was frugal but never stingy, a mindset that still lives with me today. I keep a jar of buttons because I can still hear her say, “You might need that someday.” She was also one of the hardest workers I’ve ever known, keeping our home spotless and finding extra work when money was tight. Through it all, she never complained, and because of that, I never felt like we lacked anything.

What I Hope to Pass On: Both my parents showed me, by example, what it means to be grateful, to work hard, and to take care of what you have. They showed me that having a job is a blessing, that waste is unnecessary, and that you never buy what you cannot afford or go into debt. I hope to pass these values on to my children so they understand that, even with little, you can live richly when you live with gratitude, integrity, and care for what you have.

I remember saving money from paper routes and mowing lawns to buy a shortwave radio. My mother initially thought it was a hobby for wealthier kids, but she let me work for it and learn what patience and persistence can provide. Later in college, I received a telegram from my mother telling me my father had finally gotten his first raise in twenty years. I still remember how proud they were, and how steady they stayed through all those years. That kind of perseverance leaves a mark.

Kathy & Gary: Faith was not something our parents kept separate from the rest of life. It shaped their choices, their discipline, and the way they treated others. It taught us how to value sacrifice, how to live with humility, and how to hold money and possessions in proper perspective. Over time, that foundation became more than a belief system. It became the way we understand purpose, responsibility, and what it means to build a life that lasts. We hope these stories illustrate how our values were not just a theological legacy handed down, but morphed us into fully embodied new beings, where faith is still practiced in not only our small acts of devotion, but also in our long-term goals.

Faith was also very important to him. Even though his parents did not attend church regularly, they made sure he did. I still picture my dad on his knees saying his prayers, and that example stayed with me. He also was not materialistic, even when he could have been. He valued friendships more than possessions, and he taught me to keep money in its proper place, as a tool rather than a measure of success.

Tina, Client Services Associate: I’ll share a short one, because there are so many. Every Sunday, my dad and I would sit at his desk. We grew up Catholic, and he took tithing seriously. He had his tithe envelope, and I had my own little envelope with a dime or quarter inside. He taught me that giving is part of faith, and that it belongs in the rhythm of everyday life. Mark and I have continued that practice over the years, and we are grateful for the example our parents set.

*Not employees of Cetera