ATHOL — A local barber has left the Athol Public Library most of his estate, a surprising $1.4 million gift.
Anthony John Ralys died in 2014 at age 89, having survived his wife of 51 years Katherine Marie (Connors) Ralys. Anthony Ralys owned and operated Tony’s Barbershop in Athol for 38 years, according to his obituary, and he was a U.S. Army Air Corps veteran and former prisoner of war.
Library Director Jean Shaughnessy recalls that Katherine Ralys worked for Thompson Insurance Company. The couple appear to have lived simply and had no children.
Shaughnessy, who worked in the library children’s room until recently, said “upstairs” library staff remember Katherine Ralys as a regular library user.
Many library patrons and their loved ones are generous toward the library, she said, but the huge gift came as a surprise.
“We certainly didn’t do anything for her that we didn’t do for everybody,” Shaughnessy said.
The library was always in the will, Shaughnessy said, but Mr. Ralys increased the gift to 90 percent of his estate after his wife’s death in 2002. It is the largest gift the library has received.
The bequest came after the completion of the renovation and expansion, Shaughnessy said, and the money was not released until last month.
The will stipulates that the money can only be used for renovations, additions, or building improvements to the Athol Library.
When the will was last amended in 2006, before the big renovation, Shaughnessy thinks Mr. Ralys may have had a nearer renovation in mind.
With the $8.6 million building recently completed, Shaughnessy said she hopes the money will not be needed in the short term, and will instead benefit the town and taxpayers down the road.
“It’s really a major gift to the town for in 50 years, or in 20 years even if something is to be upgraded or changed or worked on, it’s great for the town as well as the library. Hopefully it will continue to grow and there will be money for anything that is needed in the distant future,” Shaughnessy said.
The library, which cost local taxpayers $3.7 million after a host of grants and donations, will be fully paid off in 2017. Shaughnessy said it is the opinion of the lawyers they have consulted that it would be against the intent of the will to use the money toward the remaining bond payment. The money also can’t be used toward expanding hours to include Saturdays, she said, a change the library has sought.
The Library Trustees have chosen to follow their policy of investing the principal and spending only the interest, creating a trust fund for future costs. The money has been invested with the financial firm Bartholomew & Company of Worcester.
The library intends to honor the Ralys’ gift with a plaque.
You can reach Chris Curtis at: ccurtis@recorder.com