Over 75 years, Mary and Steve McEachern built up a $40 million estate with the intention that it would all go to charity once Mary had passed away.
Originally, this charity was going to be Rotary of Canada, however, before he died Steve had a change of heart instead wishing to spread the estate amongst numerous charities including Rotary, but couldn’t complete his will amendments during COVID. Rotary has deliberately prolonged litigation, hoping Mary will pass before her case is heard, allowing them to seize her money. Rotary didn’t earn this money, and they don’t deserve it.
STEVE AND MARY'S STORY
The Rotary Foundation of Canada is blocking 101 year old Mary from accessing $40 million of her own assets.
17 CHARITIES
STEVE McEACHERN’S
LEGACY
At 101 years old, Mary McEachern is courageously fighting for the right to honor her husband Steve’s legacy—a legacy rooted in love, philanthropy, and service to community. Yet, despite her determination, the Rotary Foundation stands in her way, preventing her from accessing $40 million of her own estate—wealth that she and her beloved husband of more than 70 years built to benefit causes they cherished.
Mary and Steve dedicated decades to serving others, always striving to make a difference. Steve’s 45-year commitment to Rotary reflects this dedication, and his initial decision to name the organization in his will was inspired by that loyalty. However, as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, Steve felt the urgent need to redirect his legacy closer to home, choosing to include 17 additional local charities that held special significance to him and Mary. But tragically, due to health constraints and pandemic-related restrictions, Steve was unable to officially update his will before passing.
Since his death, Mary and her family have tried in good faith to fulfill his final wishes. They reached out to the Rotary Foundation of Canada repeatedly, offering what Mary believes was a $13 million donation—an amount that would provide significant support while honoring Steve’s original intent. Yet, Rotary remained silent, refusing any negotiation. Forced into litigation at her own expense, Mary is now up against an organization intent on claiming the entire $40 million, an inheritance it neither earned nor deserves (See AFFIDAVIT of Mary McEachern filed in 2022). Rotary has deliberately stalled these proceedings, seemingly waiting for Mary’s passing to claim her estate unopposed.
This is not merely a matter of legalities; it’s about justice, fairness, and the very real consequences of Rotary’s greed. Mary and her family’s hope is simple: they want to honor Steve’s final wishes by sharing this wealth with charities he loved—organizations like STARS, the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, the University of Alberta, and Strathcona High School.
Today, as the Rotary Foundation continues to block Mary’s right to carry out her husband’s wishes, we urge the public to stand with her in calling for fairness and compassion. Mary deserves the peace of knowing that Steve’s legacy will bring hope to the community he cherished, and she deserves to see this fulfilled in her lifetime. This is about Rotary’s greed—a greed that comes at the expense of a 101-year-old woman’s right to honor her husband’s life’s work.
When $13 Million Isn’t Enough
TIMELINE
YEAR, January 25: Steve and Mary McEachern get married
YEAR, Month NN: Steve becomes a member of the Rotary Club
YEAR, Month NN: Steve makes the Rotary Club the residual beneficiary of his estate after Mary passes away
Steve has a change of heart and decides to split his estate to donate to additional charities he and Mary have supported throughout their lives - January 2020
Steve and Mary create a list of other charities to support through Steve’s estate - January 2020–September 2020
Steve asks Mary to create the McEachern Family Foundation - [DATE]
Steve passes before he can sign his will to include the 16 other charities as beneficiaries - September 10, 2020
The McEachern family informs the Rotary Club of Steve’s wishes to split his estate between 17 total charities, including the Rotary Club - [DATE]
The McEachern family makes the first offer to the Rotary Club for a revised donation of $x million - [DATE]
The McEachern family makes the second offer to the Rotary Club for a revised donation of $x million - [DATE]
Mary McEachern, October 2024
They’re just waiting for me to die so they can get the money. That’s all. I know that — I’ve known that all the time.
My aunt is 101 years old, and it would appear to me that Rotary has taken the position that delay is the best way for them to secure the full amount of the estate.
Trish Young, Mary’s niece, October 2024
17 Charities
WHEN $13M IS NOT ENOUGH
IN RESPECT TO STEVE AND MARY McEACHERN'S WISHES
IS IT THE TRUTH?
Steve’s final wish, expressed to his wife and family, was to support local charities alongside Rotary through his estate.
IS IT FAIR TO ALL CONCERNED?
Fairness requires respecting Steve’s true intentions for his estate and ensuring that his wishes are upheld. By blocking the family’s attempts to honour Steve’s final wishes, Rotary is not only causing heartache to the family, but they are also keeping donations from other charitable organizations that could benefit from the money.
WILL IT BUILD GOODWILL AND
BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
By engaging in open dialogue with the McEachern family, Rotary can demonstrate the values of goodwill and mutual respect for Steve, a longtime Rotarian, his wife Mary and the other charities Steve wished to support with his life savings.
WILL IT BE BENEFICIAL TO ALL CONCERNED?
Honouring Steve’s vision allows Rotary to uphold a legacy of generosity while extending its impact to the local communities he wished to support.
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QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE
It is important to take into account the time when Steve made the decision to amend his will.
In 2020, Steve was moved by the challenges facing his community during the COVID-19 pandemic and wanted to provide monetary assistance to organizations closer to home.
Because of the timing and shutdowns related to the pandemic, Steve and Mary’s lawyer, who was 82 at the time, chose to end his practice. This, along with Steve’s ailing health and Mary's need to provide care for her husband, resulted in Steve being unable to sign his updated will before passing.
However, the way the will was written is that, upon Steve’s passing, the estate would go into a spousal trust that would endure the entire lifetime of Mary. This means that Mary has a say in how the funds are distributed.
In the more than three years since Steve’s passing, Mary has made several unsuccessful legal attempts to access the estate of her late husband to honour his wishes.
All Mary wants is to share the total estate between the many charities that Steve wishes to support at the end of his life.
Mary is 101 years old and feels that Rotary is wasting time through the legal process, blocking her ability to distribute the estate per Steve’s request. She wants people to be aware of Rotary’s actions and to think critically about the charities they support.
He shared this wish with Mary, family and friends.
Before Steve passed, he approached Mary and let her know of his decision to distribute the estate between 17 total charities instead of the full amount going to Rotary. Steve wanted Mary — who is in charge of the spousal trust — to create the McEachern Family Foundation, chosen to honour Steve’s own father’s memory, which would distribute the funds in perpetuity to the chosen charities. There is no personal or monetary gain for Mary to do this. Her only goal is to honour her late husband’s wishes.
Steve did not leave any part of his estate to any member of his family. The entire amount of the $40 million estate goes to charity. There is no financial benefit to the family in honouring Steve’s wishes — they only want to keep their promise.
Rotary Foundation Canada has not responded to repeated offers for an out-of-court settlement made by the family over the past three and a half years. The family has always preferred to resolve this matter amicably without litigation. Despite multiple attempts to negotiate a settlement, Rotary’s lack of response left litigation as the only remaining option.
This is misleading. All necessary documentation has been provided. The process has been thorough, with every opportunity given to review financials and outstanding matters. There is no lack of information on the family’s part that would prevent a settlement. The Rotary Foundation of Canada is fully equipped to engage in a fair and transparent settlement discussion today.
The introduction of a new legal team occurred only recently, after three years of failed negotiations with Rotary. This was not an attempt to disrupt discussions but rather an effort to facilitate progress after prior offers for settlement went unanswered. The implication that new representation caused delays is misleading; the family has consistently sought to resolve the matter as quickly and smoothly as possible.
Rotary has had every opportunity to settle this dispute out of court. Litigation was not the family’s choice but was necessitated by Rotary’s refusal to negotiate. The family is not engaging in a “media campaign” but rather clarifying that they have been open to settlement from the beginning and remain ready to resolve the matter amicably.
No, litigation was pursued only after multiple attempts to settle out of court were ignored by Rotary. The family remains committed to reaching a fair, non-litigious settlement. If Rotary wishes to avoid court, they are welcome to engage in settlement discussions at any time.
Time is critical in Mary’s case because she is 101 years old and faces specific and very real disadvantages with a prolonged legal process. Given Mary’s age, time is of the essence, and prompt action on behalf of Rotary is absolutely necessary. The family is looking for the public’s support in getting Rotary to the table to engage with her while she still has time.
Rotary, as an organization focused on solutions and community service, has the resources and ability to engage with Mary’s concerns in a responsive manner. Choosing to engage with her instead of delaying or refusing Mary her day in court would be a compassionate and fair approach that respects the urgency of her situation.
Yes. Additional delays in settlement discussions or decision-making could place undue strain on Mary. It’s crucial to ensure that these discussions are not prolonged unnecessarily, giving Mary the respect and consideration she deserves with a timely resolution.
When Mr. McEachern’s will was drafted, it referenced a donation to “Rotary” without specifying whether the intended recipient was Rotary International or the Rotary Foundation of Canada. After Mr. McEachern’s passing in September 2020, it took nearly a year to confirm that the donation was meant specifically for the Rotary Canada, not Rotary International.
Once it was legally confirmed by the courts that Rotary Canada was the intended residual beneficiary, Rotary Canada was notified. Even after this clarification, Concentra Trust, the personal representative and co-trustee along with Mary, required additional time to formally recognize Rotary Canada as the intended beneficiary. While the Rotary Foundation of Canada was not included in the estate process until this confirmation, Rotary International had knowledge of the existence of Mr. McEachern’s $40 million estate throughout this period.
Mary McEachern’s involvement has focused on ensuring the intended recipient was accurately identified and on clarifying the will’s intentions, which required cooperation from Rotary and the trustees. The steps taken have been to ensure transparency and accuracy in fulfilling Mr. McEachern’s wishes, not to contest his will.
Sharing is Caring
As part of its guiding principles, Rotary employs its Four-Way Test as a guide for Rotarians to use.
In respect to Steve and Mary McEachern's wishes
Rotary’s Four-Way Test
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Of the things we think, say or do: Is it the TRUTH?
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Is it FAIR to all concerned?
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Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
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Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
IN THE NEWS
Over 75 years, Mary and Steve McEachern built up a $40 million estate with the intention that it would all go to charity once Mary had passed away.
Originally, this charity was going to be Rotary of Canada, however, before he died Steve had a change of heart instead wishing to spread the estate amongst numerous charities including Rotary, but couldn’t complete his will amendments during COVID. Rotary has deliberately prolonged litigation, hoping Mary will pass before her case is heard, allowing them to seize her money. Rotary didn’t earn this money, and they don’t deserve it.