Peace of Mind Through Faithful Planning

How Tim & Patty Czmowski’s Estate Plan Reflects a Lifetime of Stewardship and Trust in God

For Tim and Patty Czmowski, estate planning wasn’t just about preparing for the future—it was about ensuring their faith and values would live on through the generations.

“It was very natural for us to choose the Catholic Community Foundation for Eastern South Dakota (CCFESD) as part of our estate plan,” they shared. “Having served on its Board of Directors for many years, we’ve had a front row seat to the hundreds of ways the CCFESD supports our faith through the people of Eastern South Dakota.”

Their journey was guided by a deep sense of stewardship and gratitude.

“Realizing that everything is a gift from God, we are simply returning a portion of the time, talent and treasure that He has given to us over our lifetime. Our gift is the result of asking, ‘God, what do you want to do through us?’”

With the support of CCFESD staff—including John Potts, Tony Menke, Mark Conzemius, Heather Fortin and Casson Dennison—Tim and Patty thoughtfully and prayerfully shaped an estate plan that reflects their values and vision. “The staff was very supportive, doing the research and answering our questions. It really became a journey to assemble our estate gift tailored to our family’s wishes,” they said. “There was never any pressure. The entire team walked with us until we were comfortable with all our decisions and pleased with the final outcome.”

One key part of their gift is a family endowment that will involve their children, grandchildren, and future generations. “Everything—from the name of the endowment to the ministries we chose to support—conveys what’s important to us.” Among those ministries is seminarian education, an area of the Church they believe will always need support.

Completing their estate plan brought a great sense of peace. “It’s a time of spiritual reflection as a couple—asking what we can return back to the Lord. We want to prioritize passing our faith on as we journey to being worthy of the promises of Christ in eternity.”

Tim and Patty offer one final word of encouragement: “Estate planning always seems like something we can do tomorrow. The reality is—we all have a deadline… but only God knows when that is!”