Floyd Bear was a quiet individual who loved Russell County.

He was a life-long member of the community and could often be seen walking down Main Street waving to friends and newcomers alike. A quintessential Midwesterner, it was said Floyd never knew a stranger and treated everyone as equal.

Floyd passed away in 2011, but left a large estate gift to the Russell County Area Community Foundation, ensuring that future generations would continue to share his love of the land. 

Floyd was born in rural Russell County and raised on the family farm. He lived in the area most all of his life except for a short time he served in the United States Army.

After his military service, he came back home to run the family farm and was a farmer and stockman most all his life. He loved being a farmer, tinkering with his equipment and roaming the pasture with his beloved dog. Later in life, he moved to Russell for a quiet retirement.

Floyd’s large estate gift to the Foundation’s Fund for a Better Russell County Area supports unrestricted grant making, enabling the board of directors to respond to emerging needs, such as the arts, hunger relief, environmental awareness, historic preservation, and childhood education. Floyd’s gift also generates a significant matching grant from Kansas Health Foundation endowment building program to support ongoing operations of the Community Foundation and the creation of a new community health grant fund.

“Floyd Bear’s incredible gift to the Community Foundation will leave a lasting legacy in Russell County. His permanent endowment will support numerous charitable efforts and help preserve the rural way of life he so loved, leaving it to be enjoyed by future generations,” said Angela Muller, Executive Director of the Foundation.

Floyd is survived by two sisters, one brother, and Gerald and Radonna Brandenburg of Russell.  

The Russell County Area Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Greater Salina Community Foundation, was established 10 years ago to create a permanent source of philanthropy to address current and future community needs through grant making and partnerships. Since inception, the Community Foundation and its generous donors have directed more than $800,000 to meaningful causes and issues, making the Foundation the largest provider of grants and scholarships in Russell County.

For more information on how you can give to important causes in the community, visit them on the web at www.rcacf.net or contact Angela Muller at 785-445-3611.