The Peabody Institute Library received a $100,000 donation to its endowment from the family trust of M. Theodore and Beatrice Karger that it says will grow its collection of nonfiction works and fund an author speaker series starting this year.
The donation was made by Charles M. Karger, an avid reader and library supporter, in his parents’ memory, the library said in a statement.
The endowment will add richness and depth to the library’s nonfiction collections, particularly in the areas of fine arts, history, science, and geography, and also add to its collection of books that feature African Americans, women, and Indigenous peoples, the statement said.
Charles M. Karger, who died in April 2023, left behind a legacy of kindness, compassion, and generosity, according to the statement. Karger grew up in Peabody, was a graduate of the Class of 1970 at Peabody Veterans Memorial High School, moved to Arizona in the late 1970s, and became successful in the restaurant business before retiring several years ago.
Following the example of his late parents M. Theodore and Beatrice Karger, Charles wanted to honor their memory by bequeathing a portion of his estate to the library that enriched much of his and his parents’ free time. The statement said that he entrusted his brother, Louis Karger, to carry out his wishes to continue the Karger family’s generational legacy with a generous endowment to the Peabody Institute Library that adds to his parents’ trust.
Acting Library Director Alysa Hayden said the library was “incredibly fortunate and grateful that the Karger family has chosen the Peabody Library to celebrate the lives and commemorate the memories of Beatrice, M. Theodore, and now Charles Karger.”
“We are honored that they have entrusted us with their family’s legacy of generosity, education, and community,” Hayden said.
According to his brother, Charles Karger put into practice a philosophy that “true wealth is not how much money you make but what you do with that money,” which has carried through the family.
Charles Karger wanted to honor the important people in his life while enriching the City of Peabody. The Karger family hopes that its example will inspire others to create a generational legacy that honors family by supporting a local organization or library that has been very important in their family’s lives.
