Verna Oller
March 19, 2026
Verna Oller is a name few recognize, but her hometown will long remember her. With little education, a job with an hourly wage, she left 4.5 million to her hometown. She insisted that her wealth be kept secret until after her death. She was a shrewd investor and lived frugally. She cut her own hair, replaced broken shoelaces with strips of zipper, and chopped her own wood even into her 80’s. She traveled, and studied stocks. Her focus was one thing; improving her hometown. Her instructions were to build a town swimming pool and provide improvements for education in Long Beach, Washington.
I’m impressed and challenged. What do I spend and why? What legacy matters? Yes, our investment is in heaven. However, what are our priorities right here?