×

New endowment to honor Dr. Jim, Jane Seifert

Journal file photo Dr. Jim and Jane Seifert of New Ulm are pictured here receiving the Sertoma Club’s Service To Mankind award in 1997. The Seiferts’ family has established a fund named in their honor with the New Ulm Area Foundation.

NEW ULM — A new $200,000 community endowment fund has been established in honor of Dr. James and Jane Seifert.

The endowment fund was established by the Seiferts’ children.

“My parents had three core values: faith, family and service,” said their son, Jim Seifert. “[The fund] is also a thank-you to the people of New Ulm. [My parents] both loved New Ulm and wanted to see it improve.”

The New Ulm Area Foundation (NUAF) will help administer the fund. The family chose NUAF to help administer the endowment because of NUAF’s four pillars: arts, education, economic development and historic preservation. NUAF recently awarded a $10,000 grant to Brown County Historical Society for the Early Brown County exhibit. The Foundation has also given $25,000 to the German Park Amphitheater; $30,000 to State Street Theater and $10,000 to Turner Hall.

NUAF Executive Director John Illikman said the Seifert family’s goals dovetailed with the NUAF’s four main pillars. He said Dr. James and Jane Seifert were concerned with helping underprivileged children. There was potential to help support kids through language and cultural awareness programs and arts for all programming. Environmental stewardship and cleaning the Minnesota River was another potential avenue for the endowment.

“From a NUAF perspective, we see this as a very fitting way to memorialize Dr. Jim and Jane and continue their efforts for the betterment of New Ulm into perpetuity,” said Illikman. “We appreciate the fact that their family chose NUAF to administer this fund. Other families in the community may see this example and also be interested in working with NUAF to develop an everlasting legacy. We’re here to work with them.”

Dr. James Seifert practiced dentistry in New Ulm for 45 years. He loved the City of New Ulm and valued public service, which led to his decades of service as mayor and a member of the City Council, Public Utilities Commission and Police Commission. He, along with others who had a similar vision, helped modernize and improve the city in 1960-1980. He was a Fourth Degree member of the Knights of Columbus and a member of the Rotary Club and Sertoma Club. He was a recipient of the Sertoma Club Service to Mankind award. He was also a lifelong member of St. Mary’s parish and a lay representative to the National Council of Catholic Bishops. James was a founding leader for the Fr. Alexander Berghold Memorial on 5th North Street.

Jane graduated from the University of Minnesota School of Business Administration. She spent much of her life working for the betterment of New Ulm. In the early 1950s, Jane started the “Good Buy” shop at the Loretto Hospital (now the New Ulm Medical Center), which offered clothes for those in need. From there, Jane’s broad idea of community led to her service on the boards of the New Ulm Library and the Oak Hills Living Center. She as co-chair of the original Oak Hills capital campaign, chair of the Regional Branch of the American Association of University Women, committee member on the State of Minnesota Region 9 Human Needs Board, member of the St. Mary’s Council of Catholic Women and vice president of the New Ulm Diocese Pastoral Center. For these and many other contributions, Jane received the Sertoma Service to Mankind award.

Jim Seifert, their son, said his parents were dedicated to human services but also to civic services. He hoped the donation would help expose citizens to the needs of the community and how they can help.

“I think New Ulm works because the people come together,” the younger Seifert said.  

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper?
   

Starting at $4.38/week.

Subscribe Today