Helping others spread their wings

Norfolk's Julia Bristow left a lasting impression on her hometown years ago when she gave the money to establish a butterfly haven at the city's botanical garden.

But there was far more to Bristow than butterflies. A college graduate, writer, painter and conservationist, Bristow embodied the notion of a lifelong learner. And she committed herself to following her passions and improving the lives of others.

As The Pilot's Janie Bryant reported recently, that commitment is set to carry on for years through a Hampton Roads Community Foundation scholarship.

Bristow, who died this year at 85, left a $1 million gift to the foundation, with the understanding that the Julia Atwater Bristow Scholarship would cover education costs for selected students from Norfolk and Virginia's Eastern Shore. Starting next year and continuing every year after, several students will find their dreams of a college education within reach because of Bristow's vision and generosity.

Despite her fortune at the end of her life, Bristow didn't come from a wealthy family. She was the daughter of a principal and teacher and relied on scholarships to receive an education at The College of William and Mary. It was her wish, a close relative said, to provide others with the same opportunity that she had received.

That education paved the way for a full life, one in which Bristow worked hard, saved carefully and invested wisely, all the while remaining intent on leaving people and places better than she found them.

That she succeeded in doing so - through her writings, her artwork and, of course, her philanthropy - is a testament to the power of one person's ability to improve a community. And that's as much a part of her legacy as anything else.