GARY AMES, Board of Trustees member and one of SPU’s most generous donors, passed away on May 13, 2021. Gary and his wife, Barbara, began supporting SPU in 2001, with an initial $1 million commitment to fund a Universitywide initiative to support students coming from underrepresented cultural and ethnic communities.
The Ames Scholarship and the Ames Leadership Program have supported more than 130 students. [Read about Ames Scholar Wawa Chege ’07.]
Gary often predicted an Ames Scholar would one day serve on SPU’s Board of Trustees. His vision was realized when Denise Martinez ’03 and
Kevin Johnson ’19 joined the board. In 2015, the Ames Library was dedicated in honor of Gary and Barbara’s significant contributions to Seattle Pacific. And in 2019, they were honored with the President’s Award for Philanthropy. Gary and Barbara have donated nearly $8 million out of their conviction that Seattle Pacific is a vital Christian presence in the city and to the world.
