Gay Man Wills $3M To Lambda Legal

Lambda Legal yesterday revealed that a San Diego gay man who died last year bequeathed them almost $3M.

Robert “Bob” Rushing of San Diego died in 2012. He was the longtime partner of John Eden, who died in 2005 after heart surgery. The couple were among Lambda Legal’s first members of the Guardian Society, a group of individuals who have included Lambda Legal in their legacy giving. The bequest by Rushing and Eden totals nearly $3 million, Lambda Legal said. Rushing and Eden were together for 45 years, and friends describe Bob and John as devoted to each other. They were avid art collectors. John was a tennis player and Bob was a swimmer. They had a large circle of friends and enjoyed entertaining. Bob developed multiple sclerosis in his 40s. When Bob and John made their estate plan, they did so with Bob's illness in mind. However, in 2005, John died unexpectedly during what was thought to be routine heart surgery. At that time, New York did not recognize marriage equality, and John's untimely death threatened to cause huge tax liabilities for Bob, who was slowly becoming disabled from his illness.

Lambda Legal has created an honorary chair in both men's names.