John and Dee Hyland - “Lifelong Connection”
John and Dee Hyland
John Hyland is an MSU supporter with a unique viewpoint. The 1953 general agriculture graduate and retired Farm Bureau life insurance agent says he got an education at Mississippi State, but not necessarily an academic education.
"I was a poor academic student," John readily admits, "but I learned how to survive in the world during my time at Mississippi State. My parents wanted me to get a college education, although I wasn't too scholastically inclined. I somehow graduated on time, and I made some very good lifelong friends at MSU."
John married Dee nearly 48 years ago, and the couple raised three daughters-each of whom attended Mississippi State. His 43-year Farm Bureau career earned him the distinction of longest continuing service by a Mississippi agent. These days, John entertains himself on a 2,000-acre farm that originated with a Spanish land grant and has belonged to his family since at least 1792.
In 1981, John established his first planned gift with MSU-a life insurance policy that costs him only $100 per year and has now grown to several thousand dollars. He transferred stock in 2003 to fund a $116,000 gift annuity-the John and Dee Hyland Memorial Endowed Fund. Both are unrestricted gifts that enable Mississippi State to use the funds where they are most needed. John says the gift annuity provided unexpected tax benefits, and the monthly annuity payments will supplement Dee's income for the rest of her life.
"Mississippi State has been part of my life," John says. "I've benefited from my association with MSU, and I hope the university has benefited from the contributions we've been able to make."
To create your legacy and provide for Mississippi State's future, contact Vance Bristow at 662.325.3707 or vbristow@foundation.msstate.edu.
