Beverly J. and David A. Ladizki ’66 Scholarship Honors Late Couple's Passion for Giving
David Ladizki ‘66 and his wife Beverly gave back to the places that mattered to them.
Thankfully, one of those places is Albany Law School.
Ladizki passed away on October 5, 2021. Beverly Malone Ladizki predeceased him in May 2020. At Albany Law School they leave a bequest of $100,000 to establish the Beverly J. and David A. Ladizki ’66 Scholarship, which will be awarded to Albany Law School students for years to come.
David’s work ethic was exemplified through his dedication to the community and his professional and financial support of a number of organizations. A great friend and family man, he gathered funds with his monthly poker group and his breakfast grill group often.
“We are so grateful to David and Beverly for including Albany Law School in their planned giving. They lived their lives with philanthropy always in mind,” said Jeffrey M. Schanz, Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Chief of Staff at Albany Law School. “The Albany Law community is forever grateful to honor their lives by paying it forward to our students for years to come.”
Married in 1973, and remaining best friends for decades, David and Beverly were fixtures in the community through philanthropy, community service, and volunteer work. David was the Town Prosecutor for the Town of Agawam, Massachusetts, and served on many local boards. He was also part of organizations such as the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Rotary clubs, bar associations, and law leagues.
Beyond service, the couple donated financially to charitable organizations, hospitals, schools, church projects, and fundraisers including St. Michael's University, Agawam Schools, and The Bureau for Exceptional Children and Adults (Jericho). They helped fund a swimming pool renovation, playground improvements, outside handicap ramp, and other projects.
One direct example came in 2020 when David established The Beverly J. Malone Ladizki and David A. Ladizki Scholarship Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, established shortly after Beverly's death. The gift supports high school seniors in Agawam and Suffield who will attend college or vocational school. David was a scholarship recipient himself and embraced the concept of “paying it forward” throughout his life and speaking highly of all, particularly those he loved most.
“It is important that Beverly’s name carry on,” Ladizki said in early 2021. “She could walk into a room and calm it down. Everybody that met her loved her, and considered her an angel.”
While an undergraduate at Saint Michael's College, David majored in political science and government and was in the ROTC program. He became a fighter navigator but completed his law degree before continuing his military service.
After his time at Albany Law, Ladizki joined the 104th Air National Guard in November 1966 and attended basic training at Lackland Air Force Base before technical school in Amarillo, Texas.
After the military, he joined the legal field with the law firm Lyman and Godfrey in Springfield, Massachusetts.
After a few years, he opened his own law office in Agawam, first at 375 Walnut Street, then 100 Main Street, and then 46 Suffield Street. He operated the law practice for more than four-decade and specialized in real estate, estate planning, and corporate law.
