![]() ![]() A Raleigh, North Carolina, collector looked in an old lunch box that had been passed down from his great-uncle to his father. Inside was a 1910 baseball card of Shoeless Joe Jackson, a legendary hitter whose name was forever tarred by his part in fixing the 1919 World Series. Of course, you never know whether something is valuable until you research it. And if you somehow have the first copy of the album pressed, formerly owned by Ringo Starr, you could probably get at least $790,000 - which is what Ringo got for it in 2015. On the other hand, if you have a copy in excellent condition, you could get $60 or more for it, depending on the shape it’s in and whether it includes the poster of all four Beatles. And if your copy is scratched, with Cheez-Its mashed between the double covers, well, you have reason to wonder. “We decided this would be a nice opportunity to honor Donny and to share his story.En español | If you're cleaning out your closets this summer, you might wonder why you kept your copy of The Beatles (known as the White Album since its release in 1968). “There was such a strong connection between his career, my career, and the start of the relationship between Cindy and me when we met as Bentley freshmen,” Jeff says. A memorial gift to the Bentley Alumni and Friends Scholarship Fund helped meet their goal. When Don Jensen passed away in January, the Grosses wanted to find a fitting way to honor his legacy. As Jeannette puts it: “He was just a very nice, generous guy.” Jensen stayed involved in the lives and careers of family members, setting up a graduate school fund for one niece, and inspiring another to earn a graduate degree from Bentley. “He had a lot, but it was very tastefully done,” Jeff says of works that include a dragon perched on the rooftop. A home in York, Maine, became the new showcase for his art collection. Several years ago, health problems led Jensen to move east to be closer to family and friends. “The campus was beautiful.” A Fitting Legacy “We just took our first tour of Bentley as a university,” Cindy reports. Ben joins his father at work one day a week, to volunteer at Tufts Medical Center and survey the business world. Jeff is vice president of business development at Tufts Medical Center Physicians Organization and New England Quality Care Alliance. Twenty-one years later, Jeff and Cindy Gross are happily married with two children, Ben, age 16, and Annie Kate, 11. He also set the wheels in motion for a successful career in medical administration. It was here that he met his future wife, Marketing major Cindy Soucy ’88. Meanwhile, having enjoyed his high school business classes, Gross followed in his uncle’s footsteps to become an Accountancy major at Bentley. These ventures, combined with international real estate holdings and a keen interest in the stock market, made for a busy and rewarding retirement. Retiring at a still- youthful 47, he returned to the States and filled his Los Angeles home with exotic pieces depicting Buddha, dragons, and other motifs.Īn eye for the fine Spanish porcelain figurines known as Lladró would lead Jensen to join with a partner and open three stores specializing in Spanish collectables. Through the years, Jensen developed a passion for Asian art and culture. Everyone would be so excited to see him.” “He’d come home about once a year, bringing treasures for the kids. “Donny was always traveling,” remembers Gross’s sister, Jeannette, who cites Hong Kong, Mexico and Nevada among the destinations. ![]() The position allowed him to live in Asia and take regular trips throughout the Far East and Europe. When I was 16 or 17 and looking at his success, I thought business might be in my future as well.”Ī native of Woburn, Mass., Jensen earned a second Bentley degree in 1966 - and parlayed both into a high-profile career as controller for the Far East division of Sylvania. “As a kid, I knew Uncle Donny as this very successful, jet-setting guy,” remembers Gross, who is pictured with wife Cindy (Soucy) ’88. ![]() When Jeffrey Gross ’88 looks back at the major role models in his life, one person stands out: Donald Jensen '59. ![]()
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