Deceased philanthropist: Happy birthday to me

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Do you remember Mark Twain’s old line about wanting to be in Cincinnati when the end of the world comes, because everything happens 10 years later there?

Now check out this story from the Cincinnati Enquirer:

Jack Greenberg, of Symmes Township, throws himself one heck of a birthday party every year: lunch and limousine service for 37 friends and their guests, a nice speech about himself, group photographs, and gifts of $1,500 for each invitee.

But the party, which takes place today, has one quirk – Greenberg is dead.

Greenberg died Feb. 9, 2008 at age 82. During his life, he’d amassed roughly $10 million through various businesses and investments.

In addition to bequeathing millions to Jewish charities, he established a unique trust – the most unique trust his lawyers have ever seen – to pay for a special birthday annually for 20 years or until the $1.5 million in the trust runs out.

According to the Twain Theorem, Greenburg’s friends have at least another eight years of parties left. Read the full story.

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