The Guilford Land Conservation Trust’s activities lead it into some strange situations. If you need proof, Ken MacKenzie, Land Trust treasurer, will provide it to you. It all started with Preston Kampmeyer, an 80-year-old widower who was a research scientist (Ph.D. in physical chemistry) for the Olin Corporation in New Haven in the 1950s, and for the federal government at the White Sands Missile Range in Alamogordo, New Mexico, until he retired in 1972 to return with his wife to Guilford.
He loved the town, its open spaces, fishing in Long Island Sound-and his cat. He told Carolie Evans, of the Nature Conservancy and an advisor to the Land Trust, that in the event of his death he wanted to leave his residence on Vineyard Point Road and an unspecified amount of cash from his estate to the Land Trust. But, he said, he had one problem. He was worried about what was going to happen to his cat.
Carolie, a long-time friend, said, “No problem. We’ll take care of your cat. You needn’t worry about him.” Incidentally, the cat was called “Missy,” but that was changed later to Tigger by Carolie, naming him after the cat in Winnie the Pooh. Relieved to have that settled, Preston provided sufficient funds to take care of the Kampmeyer cat.
In the summer of 1991 Preston Kampmeyer died, and finally his estate was settled with Tigger’s fate in the hands of the Land Trust. The residence was sold for $166,500 and the Land Trust received an additional $94,500 in cash, providing the organization with $261,000 for the addition of natural open space.
The legacy Preston left the Land Trust “is fitting for him. It’s nature, and it’s Guilford,” said Mark Kravitz, his friend, neighbor, and attorney.
“Guilford was always near and dear to his heart, and he loved his cat very much. He was a lover of animals, especially his dog, Charlie, who died,” said Wendy Kravitz. But “his cat was his best friend after his wife passed away” about a year before his own death. “He turned all his energy toward his cat.”
Tigger? He’s doing fine. He lives in comfort and security at the home of Carolie Evans, who has discovered the charm of a cat who is quite in control. The Land Trust? It’s doing fine, too, and can say that it not only saves open space, but that it saves cats, too.”
