Adam and Kate left an enduring mark on the people and places they loved. Now, their families are creating a lasting tribute to their lives by preserving a special piece of land they called home. Working closely with Adam and Kate’s parents, Little Traverse Conservancy is raising $270,000 to purchase and permanently protect 120 acres (their former vineyard) as the Adam Kendall and Kate Leese Nature Preserve.

After years of traveling the country and pursuing careers far from northern Michigan, they had chosen Beaver Island as the place where they wanted to put down roots. Kate, a biochemist who grew up in Charlevoix, and Adam, an attorney originally from Jackson, saw possibility in a quiet field on the island and began transforming it into Antho Vineyards, a vineyard, winery, and tasting room unlike anything Beaver Island had seen before. They planted more than 2,000 grapevines and envisioned a gathering place where residents and visitors could connect over good wine, conversation, and community.

Kate described their vision as creating “the kind of place that brings people together.” That sentiment seems to reflect who they were as much as what they hoped to build. Though they had lived on Beaver Island for only a short time, local residents spoke of the impact they made and the excitement they generated around their project and their future.

Their legacy on Beaver Island is not measured by how long they were there, but by the boldness of their vision. Antho Vineyards represented more than a business venture; it was an investment in community and place. They saw Beaver Island not simply as somewhere to live, but as somewhere to create, welcome others, and contribute to the island’s future.