Pictured above: Sue and Hal stand in their backyard in Fayetteville, N.Y. | Picture by: Susan Kahn
Their first date was a Doobie Brothers concert at Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati while they were in medical school. On the last day of their honeymoon, they enjoyed an outdoor music festival that featured Al Jarreau, George Benson, Herbie Hancock and Maynard Ferguson. They spent their 40th anniversary at the Doobie Brothers 50th Anniversary Tour concert at The Amp.
Music plays in their home all the time. Sometimes it’s Mahler, sometimes it’s the The Who, sometimes it’s “The Blues Brothers” soundtrack.
So it took Harold L. Husovsky, M.D., and Susan E. Stred, M.D., just a few minutes to come up with a name for their donor-advised fund at the Central New York Community Foundation: Rhapsody in Green. “‘Rhapsody in Blue’ is my favorite composition ever, and George Gershwin my favorite composer,” said Stred, a lifelong singer. Husovsky loves Gershwin’s piece as well.
It didn’t take much longer for the DeWitt couple, both of who are physicians retired from SUNY Upstate Medical University, to realize that their donor-advised fund perfectly suited their current needs and their future philanthropic legacy after Husovsky attended a Community Foundation program about giving options. “I am not well-versed in economic affairs. The logic sounded too good to be true, except it wasn’t,” Husovsky said. “It fit right into our lifestyle. It fit into our life plan.”
“It sounded like a good idea to facilitate annual donations to the same beneficiary organizations,” he continued. “It just makes it easier. We do not have to write the checks, which is one less thing to do.”
Husovsky played cello and upright bass in junior high. In college, he developed a huge fascination with jazz. “Now I like practically everything,” he said. He has served on the board of CNY Jazz Arts Foundation.
Stred has been singing since she was 9. While in college and medical school, that was pretty much restricted to singing along with records in her dorm room. She now sings with the Syracuse Pops Chorus and has been singing with the Syracuse University Oratorio Society for over 30 years. She also served on the board of the former Syracuse Symphony.
Stred and Husovsky established their fund at the Community Foundation in 2013. When they pass away, the Community Foundation will disperse the remaining balance of their fund evenly among charities that reflect their charitable interests — including The Syracuse Orchestra, CNY Jazz Arts Foundation and On Point for College. They also have named the Community Foundation as a beneficiary in their wills to support our Community Fund, which provides funding to address the greatest needs of the Central New York community.
The couple frequently looked at each other and smiled at each other as they spoke. At one point in the interview, Husovsky kissed Stred on the cheek. Throughout the interview they referred to musical styles and performances including Motown, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Billy Joel and 1970s oldies.
“We’re retired physicians with no children and no expensive hobbies,” Husovsky said. “We have been very lucky and blessed in life. Making donations was something we’ve always done.”
Stred grew up with that tradition, too. “In my family, that was front and center,” she said. “My father was on the board of the local United Way and worked for nonprofits. Philanthropy was big.”
They said they are heartened to watch how the Community Foundation “is moving forward for equity and diversity.” “We knew we could leave a portion of our estate to the Community Foundation to do what they reason is best for the community,” said Stred.
“We are reassured that capable people will manage this when we’re gone,” she added.
