Available Scholarships

Established by the Aberdeen Alumni Association.

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Ben K. Weatherwax is perhaps most widely remembered as the popular radio commentator whose “Hometown Scrapbook” series kept pre-television listeners entertained and informed with local history and current affairs.

A graduate of Weatherwax High School, he attended Washington State College, the University of Oregon, and Oregon State College. In World War II, he served in the Marine Corps, surviving Pearl Harbor and fighting primarily in the South Pacific. He worked in radio before and after the war, starting in 1934. His was one of the state’s first newscasts on KXRO, and later owning station KBKW.

Ben started his career as an architect, however, at a Seattle firm in 1931. Five years after his 1934 marriage to Marian Abel, he founded Weatherwax and Street, the Aberdeen firm which he and Robert Street reorganized after the war. By 1952 Ben’s work as a building contractor had become his main focus. He built in all over 160 homes on Grays Harbor. A member of the American Legion and VFW, he also served on Aberdeen’s School Board and was an active member of the Western Washington Contractors’ Association.

Ben S. Weatherwax came to Grays Harbor with his uncle’s party from Michigan. Ben’s father, Capt. Benjamin K. Weatherwax, had been killed in the Civil War, leaving J. M. and his other brothers to care for the captain’s family.

A skilled woodworker who enjoyed working in his shop at home, Ben married Blanche Karshner of Sandusky, Ohio. Beginning his career in Grays Harbor’s booming logging industry, he eventually became President of Western Lumber Co.

Mr. Robert Stuart “Bob” Hoonan worked in his own company Bay City Fuel during his lifetime in Aberdeen.

He was an avid sportsman and golfer and was also the sports announcer on KBKW for Aberdeen’s J.M. Weatherwax High School Bobcat Sports for decades.

He was a graduate of J.M. Weatherwax High School in the class of 1938 and a member of St. Mary’s Parrish. He and his wife had six children who all attended High School in Aberdeen. He was a member of the Marine Corps Reserve and served in World War II and was called back into service during the Korean War.

He passed away February 8th, 2002 in Poway, California where he had retired.

David McKay was an English teacher at Aberdeen High school. He taught with passion and enthusiasm. He had the ability to inspire and motivate his students to dream big and take chances.

He was known for his community service projects, student written publications, playing the guitar in class, and dramatic Shakespeare readings. Some publications his classes produced were: Lutefisk for the Bobcat Soul, Lutefisk for the Bobcat Soul: Your Mama’s Edition, Lutefisk for the Bobcat Soul: Who’s Your Daddy Edition, The Book of Wisdom, and The Thanksgiving Day Football Games: Aberdeen vs. Hoquiam. David was also on the team that brought the KAHS 106.9 radio station to Aberdeen High School. Nominated by his peers, David was awarded Washington State Teacher of the Year in 2002.

He was the kind of person who wanted to leave the world better than he found it, and he did just that. From an early age, he taught his daughters Molly and Katy the value of giving back to the community whether it was getting involved in food drives, clothing drives, or local fundraisers. In his honor and in memory of his passing,

Dr. Scott A. Weatherwax was born September 25, 1940 in Aberdeen, Washington, to Marian Abel and Ben K. Weatherwax. He graduated from J.M. Weatherwax High School in Aberdeen where he was a stand-out in basketball, a varsity baseball pitcher, a member of Honor Society, and ASB President. He went on to the University of Puget Sound where he was a small-college All American basketball star. He then attended the University of Washington Dental School, served two years in the U. S. Army, and had a successful career in dentistry in Tacoma.

He retired to Grays Harbor where he became actively involved on the Board of Directors of the Grays Harbor Community Foundation as its Scholarship Committee Chairman, and a member of the Finance Committee and Grants Committee.

His passions were sports, music (he played at least four instruments), and helping improve Grays Harbor through the education of its youth, and grants to non-profits. Dr. Weatherwax died of cardiac arrest while camping and hiking with friends on Vancouver Island, Canada, on May 17th, 2008.

Scott always believed that it was the responsibility of the community to cultivate the leaders of the future. He understood that a well-educated individual needs exposure to the arts and sports, and that leadership can start young. He believed that hard work should be rewarded, and that is why the Grays Harbor Community Foundation established a four-year $2,500 per year scholarship in his memory: the Dr. Scott A. Weatherwax Memorial Academic Athlete of the Year Scholarship.

Mr. Hampton Wines- Former Aberdeen Band Director Continuing to Inspire Students Decades After Retirement

For so many former Bobcats, once we hear the band start to play and the beat to “Aberdeen will fight forever, for our Bobcats brave and true” come on we can feel the excitement build up inside as we dance and clap along with the band. Every Friday night lights we attended at Stewart Field, weekday nights spent together in Sam Benn gym cheering on our beloved Bobcats, come rushing back to us as we feel Bobcat pride swell back into our hearts and minds.

Many of us can remember the special treat of the marching band heading up Arnold Hill to practice on a weeknight in the fall or remember that welcoming feeling of the band’s tunes buzzing as we head into the game- all hoping for the same thing, another Bobcat victory. What makes those memories so special without a doubt is the energy the band brought to the games every night. They work tirelessly to make sure to bring the electric energy to our stadiums and gyms and they set the tone for some of our fondest memories growing up in Aberdeen.

Mr. Hampton Wines was the man behind the music at Aberdeen High School for 22 years. He was recruited by the superintendent to “build the best band ever.” His former students credit him with showing them how to work diligently and through that work, he instilled the gift of love and passion for music. He also showed his students what it felt like to do something great, and to be recognized for it. He led the band program in Aberdeen from 1961-1983.

Mr. Hampton Wines was a trumpet player that graduated from the renowned Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in three years with degrees in Piano and Music Education. He oversaw band programs at eight grade schools and two junior highs while leading the Weatherwax High School Concert Band, Marching Band, Pep Band and other ensembles. They marched at every football game and played nonstop tunes at every basketball game. His bands won contest after contest, delivering perfect score after perfect score.

Former student and current Grays Harbor Community Foundation Board Member, Mark Stensager remembers Mr. Wines as a man with high expectations and a love of teaching. “I had the privilege of playing in the dance band under the direction of Hampton Wines in 1967 when I was a senior at Weatherwax High School. He was a phenomenal musical leader who set high expectations for all the bands under his direction. It was always a thrill to listen to the exceptional concert performances or watch the energetic marching bands perform at the Aberdeen football games.”

Clearly beloved by so many former Aberdeen students, a group of them came together to honor Mr. Hampton Wines and show their appreciation for the value he brought to their lives by creating a scholarship in his name at the Grays Harbor Community Foundation. The HR Wines Music Scholarship Fund is for an Aberdeen High School graduate and former band student pursuing a career or degree in music. Also, in true Mr. Wines fashion, someone who wants to learn to do something great.

Thank you to the HR Wines Music Scholarship Fund Committee for entrusting the Foundation with honoring the great impact Mr. Wines brought to our community. His work will continue to inspire many future Aberdeen High School musicians for many years to come.

A native of New York who came to Washington by way of Michigan, John M. Weatherwax arrived on the shores of the Chehalis river in April 1884 at the age of 56. He promptly set men to work building Aberdeen’s third sawmill using equipment from a Michigan sawmill he had disassembled and shipped around the Horn.

He brought with him three brothers, several longtime associates, and the families of each of these men. From those early days until his death in 1896, J. M. Weatherwax worked in countless ways to help establish the new city, from serving as mayor and helping Sam Benn plot out land for dozens of homes he would later help build, to erecting several churches, building St. Joseph Hospital, and bringing the railroad to Aberdeen.

Jeri spent the majority of her life dedicated to helping children in our community as an educator and community volunteer. She was a volunteer at Robert Gray Elementary for many years where two of her grandchildren attended. She would pop popcorn on Fridays for the kids, listen to kids read in the classroom and would anonymously adopt several Robert Gray families to buy them Christmas gifts. She always worked at the PTO Book Fairs and donated books to the library.

Her daughter Julie remembers her mom as someone who went above and beyond for her students and fellow teachers saying, “When she was teaching, she often talked about the children who came unprepared and with no supplies. She always helped them, gave them what they needed and encouraged them always. She just wanted to help all of her students succeed. She would purchase mounds of supplies to give to the kids in her classroom. She shared time and supplies with her fellow teachers, especially the new ones who needed mentoring.

If there was a time that a child needed clothing or shoes, she would ask my brother and I for things from our closets at home to collect gently-worn items or, even go out and purchase the needed items. She collected items many times every year to donate to the clothing bank. She was grateful for what she had and shared as often as possible.”

Jeri not only gave back to her students she also supported several nonprofits during her lifetime including: The Aberdeen Food Bank, AHS Foodball, AHS Marching Band, AHS Booster Club, PAWS and would always support any fundraiser that her friend’s children were involved in. She also anonymously helped many families in need.

Growing up in Grays Harbor, most of us have had dreams of taking our small town roots and seeing how they grow in the outside world. Keith Rattie, an Aberdeen High School Class of 1972 graduate and Class Salutatorian did just that. Still having ties to Grays Harbor, Keith was referred to the Grays Harbor Community Foundation in an effort to give back to the high school that encouraged his early success.  Keith and his wife Nancy recently established the “Keith and Nancy Rattie Scholarship” for Aberdeen High School graduates majoring in the STEM field. This is a very generous scholarship that is renewable for 3 additional years.

A self-proclaimed Aberdeen boy who “didn’t have a clue” about what he wanted to do, Keith went on to graduate from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (Magna Cum Laude at that) and then to St. Mary’s College for his MBA thanks in large part to a program called “Dollars for Scholars.” This program at Aberdeen High School in the 1970’s provided him the important financial support he needed to attend college to pursue his dreams and jump started what would be many years as a businessman at the pinnacle of success in the energy field.

Keith began his career at Chevron Corporation serving in various engineering, operations and project management roles, including General Manager of the company’s International Natural Gas division. From there, Keith served as Senior Vice President of The Coastal Corporation and then Chairman, President and CEO of Questar Corporation. Now retired, Keith is an active participant in public discourse on energy policy, including multiple appearances before US Congress representing the industry in hearings on energy policy.

Living in a small community like Grays Harbor, we are often reminded of the tremendous generosity of our residents and are grateful for people like Keith who left home, but never forgot where he came from and every step along the way that led to his success.

Mark P. Bryan graduated from Weatherwax High School in 1941. It was there his youth ended. Shortly after graduation he enlisted in the armed forces to participate in World War II. He thought college could wait. However, he was badly injured in the war and spent most of his life in American Veterans Hospitals.

Mark was caught in a fire in a veterans hospital at American Lake, Washington and as a result of the fire, both legs had to be amputated. A lawsuit ensued and he was awarded a settlement. That settlement has made it possible for Mark to give an ongoing gift to Weatherwax High School students.

His sister, Daisy, chose the scholarship in order to give other students, otherwise unable to go to college, the opportunity that her brother did not have.

The Campbell Family generously created this opportunity for a student accepted into an Engineering Program that graduated from Aberdeen or Montesano and is currently in their junior or senior year of college. Students must be attending University of Washington, Washington State University or University of Idaho. This award is a one-time $10,000 award.

Pauline graduated from WSU with a teaching degree followed by a reading specialist certification in California. John earned a BS and MS in chemical engineering from the University of Idaho. After working a few years in California, they moved to Aberdeen in 1974 when John took a job as a process engineer at the pulp mill in Cosmopolis. Pauline took a job teaching first grade at Beacon school in Montesano.

Together, they raised two children who graduated from Aberdeen High School. After retiring, they decided to stay in Grays Harbor because they think it is a beautiful place to live.

“A smile is more than a smile. Make a smile a part of your daily life, as often as possible. The overall feeling of happiness it will create will enhance your health, longevity, and especially the enjoyment of your life.”

These sweet words of wisdom are from Robert B. Hood, a former Grays Harbor resident that continues to inspire others through his words and actions even after death. We are so grateful to honor the life of this wonderful man thanks to Jon and Kathy Parker through the Robert B. Hood Memorial Scholarship at the Foundation. Kathy, the daughter of Robert, remembers her dad as a man that started every day off on a positive note. She recalls, “Every morning he would start the day with a smile and a sense of gratitude for the day ahead. He was very loving and also instilled a work ethic in all six children at a young age. He agreed to pay for all of his children’s schooling, as long as they agreed to pay for their final year of college. He knew education was important and I believe helping students accomplish their educational dreams through this scholarship would bring him great joy.”

Robert B. Hood passed away in 2015 at the age of 92 years old. Bob was born to Bruce and Myrtle Hood and raised in Aberdeen. His devoted aunt, Kitty Hansen was also a loving and supportive influence in his life. Bob was a graduate of Aberdeen High School and then Washington State University. He was also a World War II Veteran.

Bob went on to work as an Advertising-Marketing manager for American Sign and Indicator in Spokane and after retirement moved to Olympia.

Kathy recalls the many wonderful friends her dad often spoke of from Aberdeen High School that had a huge influence on his life. He also had great memories with his brother Bud, who served as a teacher at McDermoth Elementary for several years. Bob is remembered by all for his undying love for his wife, his devotion to his family and for defining what makes a good man.

Family was number one to Bob and it is clear when hearing Kathy share memories of her dad that he made a big impact on the lives of all that knew him. Something as simple as the gift of a smile as a way to attract people to you and show kindness is a lasting lesson from Bob that we can all apply to our daily lives.

(United Finnish Brothers and Sisters Lodge #9)

This scholarship is available to any CURRENT graduating senior from a Grays Harbor County High School.

• The UFKB&S Lodge #9 Scholarship (Finnish Scholarship) is awarded annually by the Grays Harbor Community Foundation (GHCF) to an applicant who has interest in the Finnish culture.
• The Finnish Scholarship is awarded in recognition of the Finnish immigrants and families in the Grays Harbor area.
• Being of Finnish descent is not a Scholarship application requirement, but a Finnish heritage connection or a strong interest in learning about the Finnish culture is preferred.
• Scholarship is available to be used for educational certificate programs or degrees through Community College, University, or Trade schools
• Once awarded the Scholarship is renewable for 3 additional years through GHCF.
• An essay of 750–1500-words and a personal statement is required for the original application.

A word about us.

Grays Harbor is a community built on immigrants. Many of them came from Finland during the big influx at the turn of the century. They came with skills in the areas of fishing and logging as well as knowledge of the cranberry industry. They came to America for opportunity. They were strong and determined and possessed a hard work ethic that allowed them to prosper. The first chartered Finnish lodge was established for men only in 1903, and the women established their own organization in 1909. By 1915, the two merged and became the Lodge that still actively exists today.

Educational support for its members has always been a strong tenet for the Lodge, having awarded scholarships to its own students for many years. A few years ago, the members moved to fund an endowment with GHCF to support current graduating seniors from Aberdeen High School with scholarship opportunities. In 2022, the members approved an expansion of that opportunity to any

The scholarship endowment created with GHCF, as well as a large Finnish cemetery section and standing monument at Fern Hill, are part of the Finnish Communities legacy on Grays Harbor.

John M. Weatherwax, patriarch of one of the pioneer logging families in Grays Harbor, donated the property where his house had stood, for the new Aberdeen High School that was then named for him. Years later, when the estate of J.M Weatherwax was settled certain funds were set aside for “The Weatherwax Prize.”

This was a cash award to the valedictorian and salutatorian of each graduating class at J.M. Weatherwax High School. But after some years the funds set aside had been used up, so the Weatherwax Prize became only a memory until the estate of Marian J. Weatherwax, daughter-in-law of J.M. Weatherwax, had a provision to restore the Weatherwax Prize to: “…provide meaningful scholarships to the valedictorian and salutatorian of each graduating class at J.M. Weatherwax High School.”

The Morris and Nina Boyer family represent the 5th generation of Boyers to live in Grays Harbor County. The earliest family members homesteaded near Porter, Washington in the 1880’s.

Morris (or “Merc”) Boyer and his wife Nina together have served a combined 68 years as public educators. This East County couple truly value education and wish to help Elma High School graduates as they pursue their post high school educational goals.

Dr. Donald Arima is a dentist from Elma who is currently a member of the Grays Harbor Community Foundation Board of Directors. This scholarship is awarded to an Elma High School graduate that fits the general requirements of the Scholarship Program.

Edd and Annie Hodges raised their family in the Midwest, Arkansas and Missouri, before moving to McCleary in 1947 to manage a small 10-acre farm. Edd taught his son James to hunt and pick blackberries on their property. The Hodges encouraged their children to be hardworking, self-sufficient citizens and to not be afraid to take risks. It was this spirit that inspired their son James to try his hand at both business and education endeavors. Preference for this award is given to candidates from the Elma and McCleary area graduating from Elma High School.

The Grays Harbor Community Foundation and its donors have been providing financial assistance to area students since 2000. The financial assistance has always been in the form of a scholarship support for the students’ pursuit of higher education.

In 2016, the Foundation began offering an educational loan to graduates of Elma High School through the Haerlen Family Elma Education Loan Program. This loan is intended for Elma High School graduates entering graduate/professional school or a doctoral program; e.g., Ph.D., medical, law, veterinary.

*Preference will be given to students who intend to live and work in Grays Harbor County.

We understand applying for financial assistance can be difficult and we welcome any questions you may have. If you would like to talk to a member of our staff, email info@gh-cf.org  or call 360-532-1600.

Haerlen Family Education Loan

• The Haerlen Family Elma Education Loan is available for graduate/professional students, as well as students entering a doctoral program.
• Amount: Up to $10,000 per year with a maximum of $20,000 over two years.
• Renewable: Students can reapply for the loan once a year for two consecutive years. Successive loans are contingent on maintaining a minimum grade point average of 2.00 on a 4.0 scale and maintaining fulltime status.

Karl M. Koch, a lifelong resident of East County, was a student at Elma High School graduating in 1940. While there, he played football, was on the track team, and belonged to Future Farmers of America (FFA). A highlight of his FFA experience was a trip across state via train to attend the State FFA Conference at Washington State College. Karl enjoyed his time at Elma High School and would share stories about those days and the school friendships that lasted a lifetime.

Karl continued the family tradition in agriculture on land that had been settled by his grandfather in 1889. In 1961, Karl took over the farm when his father passed away. Karl raised dairy and beef cattle and harvested timber. He thoroughly enjoyed living on the farm. When Karl was interviewed for a 1989 article in The Daily World, he stated that, “You’re your own boss on the farm.” And “that fresh air blowing through here – you can’t find that in the city. It’s nice.”

Karl was a 45 year member of the Sharon Grange #800 serving as Grange Master for a number of years.

In recognition of his lifetime work on the family farm, his commitment to the agriculture community in East Grays Harbor County, and his generosity to his community, family, and friends, the family of Karl M. Koch is establishing this scholarship.

If you are an Elma High School graduating senior, a current member of FFA, and a student in the Agriculture Program, we encourage you to apply for this scholarship.

Lee Gowan is a 1942 graduate of Elma High School. He was a World War II veteran and earned the Soldier’s Medal of Valor. He retired from the Washington State Utilities Transportation Commission after several years of service.

Winnie Gowan moved to Washington in 1951. She worked for the Bell Telephone Company in Aberdeen for many years.

Lee and Winnie were married on May 12, 1951 in Elma. After several years of living in Grays Harbor, they relocated to Summit Lake, spending many pleasant years there. They enjoyed many fun adventures with family, friends and their beloved dogs, making many new friends along the way. They moved back to Elma in 1982 and resided there until their passing in February of 2019 within two days of each other. They had been married for 68 years.

The Lee and Winnie Gowan Memorial Scholarship is for Elma graduates pursuing a vocational/technical degree.

Miles Albert Zepp was born April 19^th 1989 to Albert & Sandra Zepp of Elma. Miles grew up on the family farm along with his three brothers. He graduated Elma High School in 2007. Miles was involved in FFA where he served as an officer all 4 years, holding the position as President his senior year. Football was another passion for Miles, he was involved in football since the seventh grade. Having grown up in a large family along with his involvements in High school Miles learned at a young age to be a TEAM player. He also worked hard and earned his Eagle Scout credentials/award. Being active in school and community activities were some of the things that built his character. His positive attitude, strong work ethic and his self-motivation were an inspiration to many and he touched so many lives with this bigger than life personality. Family & friends were very important to Miles; he would and did do anything for them. Miles was taken from us December 1^st, 2007 where he was a passenger in a fatal car accident. The $1,000 scholarship is to assist a deserving Elma High School graduating senior to advance their education in order to achieve their career goals. The scholarship may be used towards tuition, books, or tools to complete a college education or trade school.

Bob and Eva Aiken were born in Hoquiam and graduated from HHS in 1939 and 1941 respectively. He was a member of Hoquiam’s state championship basketball team. She was a Hoquiam song queen (cheerleader).

The couple loved their hometown and Grays Harbor. They spent their lifetimes trying to make things better here. Bob served a decade on the Hoquiam school board, finding ways to build and pay for a new high school and a new Lincoln School. He served as a Grays Harbor Port Commissioner, was on the Grays Harbor Community Foundation board, and was a leader of the Hoquiam Lions Club. For 65 years, Eva was an active member of the philanthropic organization PEO, dedicated to the education and advancement of women.

Bob and Eva’s friends and family have established this scholarship to honor them, and to continue their contribution to the community. We hope the recipients of this award will be inspired to emulate their work.

David, the son of Rudy and Evelyn Spanich, of Hoquiam was a graduate of Hoquiam High School, class of 1973. He was an athlete involved in Basketball and Track for his entire career at HHS.

David went on to study Business at Washington State and at the University of Puget Sound. He was killed in a water skiing accident on Lake Washington before graduation from college.

The family established this scholarship to remember David, and have built it over the years by making donations to it in memory of friends and family members. The recipient must be a Hoquiam High School graduate.

A resident of Hoquiam for over 50 years, Dorothea Parker dedicated much of her life to voluntary service.

She graduated in 1937 from Leavenworth High School and earned her Bachelor’s degree in education from Central Washington College. She taught school in Renton before marrying Omar Parker in 1945. When they moved to Hoquiam in 1949, Dorothea taught for one year at Hoquiam’s Central Elementary School.

A member of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Aberdeen, she taught Sunday school from 1949 until 1979, when she joined Saron Lutheran Church in Hoquiam.

In 1976 Dorothea was appointed by the Mayor of Hoquiam to help organize the Polson Museum, and for over twenty years she served on its Board of Directors and volunteered countless hours to help organize and display the museum’s collection.  In 2000, the Polson Museum honored her with a Lifetime Service Recognition Award.

At home, she enjoyed cultivating roses and collecting antiques. The Dorothea Parker Memorial Scholarship is open to all applicants who satisfy the general eligibility requirements of the Scholarship Program.

The family of Dorothea and Hervey Lawrence no longer live in Grays Harbor, but wanted their parents to be remembered in Hoquiam. The recipient must be a Hoquiam High School graduate.

A hometown hero, Dr. Emmett Calhoun was a man with many accolades including an Army and Navy veteran of three wars, a two-time purple heart recipient, a war hero and a retired rear admiral, but probably remembered by most in Grays Harbor as a local leader in the medical profession who went above and beyond for his patients for over 50 years.

Before his passing over 40 years ago, Dr. Calhoun and his wife Dorothy spent their entire lives serving the residents of Grays Harbor through their community activism. He served as an instructor of surgery at St. Joseph Hospital’s School of Nursing, served four terms as the president of the hospital and was Medical Director at the nursing home. His wife Dorothy helped to organize the local medical auxiliary and also served as president of the state auxiliary. She was the organizer and first president of the St. Joseph Hospital Service League. Dr. Calhoun was voted as The Daily World’s “Man of the Year” in 1976 and was once quoted by one of his supporters as “the best of the horse and buggy doctor philosophy blended with expertise.”

To keep the legacy of Dr. Calhoun and Dorothy’s profound impact on Grays Harbor alive, their son Dr. Robert L. Calhoun and his wife Katherine of Seattle have established a scholarship at the Foundation to benefit students from Hoquiam High School. All HHS graduates are eligible for this generous scholarship that is renewable for 3 additional years

Bob Mandich graduated from Hoquiam High School as the Valedictorian in the class of 1957.

He received a $750 scholarship for four years which he used to attend the University of Washington. Without this scholarship he would not have been able to attend college at all.

Upon graduation from the University of Washington, he entered Dental school and had a rewarding career as a dentist.

Now retired,  Dr. Mandich wanted to provide an opportunity to attend college for another outstanding Hoquiam High School graduate. Therefore, he established the Dr. Robert Mandich Scholarship Fund at the Grays Harbor Community Foundation in the fall of 2004.

This scholarship is for $6,250 per year for four years, for a total of $25,000 to a four year institution in any field of study.

Bob Mandich graduated from Hoquiam High School as the Valedictorian in the class of 1957.

He received a $750 scholarship for four years which he used to attend the University of Washington. Without this scholarship he would not have been able to attend college at all.

Upon graduation from the University of Washington, he entered Dental school and had a rewarding career as a dentist.

Now retired,  Dr. Mandich wanted to provide an opportunity to attend college for another outstanding Hoquiam High School graduate. Therefore, he established the Dr. Robert Mandich Scholarship Fund at the Grays Harbor Community Foundation in the fall of 2004.

This scholarship is for $6,250 per year for four years, for a total of $25,000 to a four year institution in any field of study.

The Class of 1965 proudly wishes to give back to Hoquiam High School and a deserving student for the opportunities we were provided. We see this generation as the next great generation and wish to provide support to a student who has strong self-initiative and work ethic, is a positive peer role model, and shows a record of active participation in school and community activities.  To a person who has worked hard in school and is interest in continuing his or her education at a college, vocational/technical school or through a trade apprenticeship program.

Isabelle Lamb is an emeritus member of the Grays Harbor Community Foundation.

She established a Donor Advised Fund during her tenure on the Board, and has supported many worthy projects over the years, mostly for youth and education.

The Lamb Family Scholarship, established by Isabelle Lamb, supports a Hoquiam High School graduate that shows outstanding character as well as academic achievement.

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Kenneth Dale Miller lived in Grays Harbor since he was about 6 years old. He was born in Culbertson, MT on August 24, 1929 during the Great Depression. His family worked their way to Grays Harbor arriving when the bad times were still in effect. They stayed with relatives who were already living here.

He worked all his life trying to get ahead. They first dug clams and cleaned and ate them every day. When World War II started in 1941 he was 12 and by the time he was 15 he was working at different grocery stores in Hoquiam. The family had lived at Lake Quinault for a few years until he started at Jr. High in Hoquiam. His father had died very young so there wasn’t much money to be had at the time so he continued to work.

After high school he worked at various places in Hoquiam and then was able to attend photography school in Seattle. Then the Korean War started and he was drafted into the Army. He spent his time in the service in France, even in the Army covering 3 different jobs.

He then worked at various jobs in Hoquiam, married his boss’s daughter, Lauretta (Bowie) Bergstrom. He took over Bergstrom Foundry after Mr. Bergstrom died. Scholarships started in his mind after the Hoquiam High School was torn down after 1969. He and his classmate and army buddy, Chuck Stover, worked very hard cleaning the bricks from the school, decorating them with plaques and selling them for the Class of 1948 Scholarship fund.

Ken died suddenly in July 2009 after complications from pancreatic cancer. The bricks sold before he died made donations to the scholarship fund for his Class of ’48 fund total $10,000. Now, as a result of his estate and that of his wife Lauretta there is a fund at the Grays Harbor Community Foundation to keep his plan going

Ronni Carolynn Dhooghe, forever a Grizzly.

Although Ronni’s time in this world was short, her adventurous spirit was seen in all her favorite activities. Softball, basketball, soccer, quad riding, gun shooting, surfing and especially fishing.

The Dhooghe and Blood families are proud to see Ronni’s Grizzly spirit continue through new Hoquiam graduates.

The Ronni Dhooghe Memorial scholarship will be awarded to 2 Hoquiam students (1 boy and 1 girl) with an adventurous Grizzly spirit. Scholarships to be used at a school of the students choice.

A native of Clearwater, Washington, Ruth grew up near the Queets River and cherished the deep friendships and extended family she made there. After graduating from Hoquiam High School in 1952, she attended college then worked for Rayonier in Hoquiam as a stenographer and secretary. Her Brooks family were homesteaders on the Queets River in the 1930s. She had incredible childhood memories of the joy she had there, until they were forced out when the Olympic National Park was created.

For the past 41 years she and her family attended and helped organize the annual Queets/Clearwater Pioneer Reunion, which was established in 1978 by the Bue family. She met her lifelong love Jens Boeholt while working at The Harborena roller skating rink. They married three years later on Aug. 11, 1956, and the two of them owned and operated the rink for the last 60 years, along with raising their six children, which she said were the best years of her life. Ruth enjoyed reading, crocheting, going to local casinos with Jens, playing table games, playing her organ, gardening, ceramics, the beach, clam digging, canning, road trips, camping and volunteering. She was a Lioness in the Aberdeen Lions for many years, which included being apart of the annual cancer relay team. She was also an Elks member.

A remarkable wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, homemaker and friend as well as a smart business woman, Ruth enjoyed preparing meals and hosting family and friends as well as working in partnership with Jens in running the Harborena. She will be fondly remembered by all who knew her.

This scholarship will help cover the cost of books for Aberdeen and Hoquiam High School undergraduates.

Remembering Sue Dixon: An Inspiration to All She Met and A Lifelong Grizzly

Any of us that grew up on the Harbor, know that grizzly pride is a real thing. People that grew up in Hoquiam and experienced the Battle of Myrtle Street know that being a grizzly is for life. Sue Dixon, Hoquiam High School Class of 1977, was a diehard grizzly that touched the lives of many people in our community, especially the students at Washington Elementary and Hoquiam High School during her time as head custodian. The Foundation is honored to partner with her family to create the Sue Dixon Memorial Scholarship Fund to benefit a female athlete from Hoquiam High School.

Sue was a ‘north ender’ kid growing up. She and her ‘north end’ friends spent a lot of time riding bikes for hours at a time. She was very involved all through high school as well as one of the first female athletes to participate in competitive sports for Hoquiam High School. She later was an original coach when the district started women’s fastpitch.

Graduating in 1977, Sue was a member of many clubs, including the high school spirit club. Susan continued her education at Grays Harbor College, Central Washington University, and received her teaching degree at St. Martin’s University. After working several years for Thousand Trails, Sue found her home working for the Hoquiam School District as a Head Custodian. Having a knack for helping kids, she is remembered fondly by students from Washington Elementary and Hoquiam High School. Sue also helped coach and referee girls’ volleyball and softball.

Sue’s partner, Diane Golob said of her: ” As an adult, she loved each day whether she was working or playing. She always did everything with a smile and to the best of her ability. She worked hard and played hard. She could take any situation and make it better. She had a positive impact on every person she worked with, whether directly or indirectly. As a union leader she always looked for an outcome that was a win-win for both the union and the district. She was also a positive influence on students that attended Washington elementary and later the high school, the two buildings where she worked as head custodian. She was proud to be a Hoquiam Grizzly and was a true friend and cared about everyone she met, and everyone she met loved being part of Sue’s life. She was an inspiration to all she met.”

The scholarship is for a Hoquiam High School graduate, with a preference towards a female athlete.

Sue Hunt taught in the Hoquiam School District for 21 years. Sue is passionate about providing students with the financial resources to help students achieve their goals.

The Westby Family Scholarship, established in 2013 by Dr. David and Carrie Westby, is for the benefit of residents of the greater Hoquiam community.  The scholarship shall be awarded to a graduating senior of Hoquiam High School with preference for those intending to study science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics (STEM).  One or more scholarships of $2,000 will be awarded annually.  Scholastic achievement, strong self-initiative and personal work ethic, and a positive peer role model are non-exclusive criteria that the committee is looking for in awarding the Westby Family Scholarship.

A true community champion and someone who understood the value of not only giving your money, but also your time, Patricia Clemons will forever be remembered in our community through her generous legacy gift to support several local nonprofits and Montesano graduates through the Foundation’s scholarship program.

Patricia was a 1944 graduate of Montesano High School. She attended Grays Harbor College and then Central Washington University where she graduated with her BA in Education in 1949. At the U of Hawaii in 1957 she earned a MA in Education, then in 1974 an MA in Library Studies. She spent her 30-year education career with the Montesano School District, 20 years as a seventh-grade teacher and ten years as an elementary librarian.

After her retirement in 1979 she started her second career in historical preservation, following in her father’s footsteps. Due to her leadership perseverance, dedication, and historic contributions she became the symbol of volunteerism in keeping Montesano and East County history alive. She was instrumental in the birth of Chehalis Valley Historical Society Museum (CVHSM), which was renamed in her honor, “The Patricia A. Clemons Chehalis Valley Historical Museums” in April 2020.

With her family history and deep knowledge and care for the Montesano and East County community, she was a dedicated volunteer and community leader who always sought to give her knowledge and resources for the betterment of the community.

In 2008 she was named Montesano’s Citizen of the Year and was chosen as Grand Marshall for the Festival of Lights Parade. In 2011, for the first time in Montesano history, she was awarded the “key to the city”. One of her personal greatest honors was being recognized as a member of the Montesano High School Hall of Fame in 2013. She was also named the 2021 Polson Museum Pioneer of the Year, the same honor received by her father in 1980.

Patricia was the last surviving grandchild of C.H. Clemons Sr., Clemons Tree Farm namesake, was extremely proud of her heritage and kept his memory alive for the family and the community. In 1941 she was present at the initial dedication of Clemons Tree Farm, America’s first, and never missed one in the years to follow, speaking at the 75th anniversary in 2016.

Eric Potts, Executive Director of the Grays Harbor Community Foundation commented: “People like Patricia are the reason the Foundation is able to invest over $3M into our community each year. Her legacy was already well established before her passing, but now through her legacy gift, we will be able to annually make a difference in the next generation of Montesano graduates and in the lives of local individuals who did not get the opportunity to know her and see her generosity firsthand. We are proud to know that donors trust us to administer their philanthropic endeavors and giving legacies both during their lifetime, as well as after their passing.”

The C.H. Clemons Memorial Fund will benefit the health, education, and welfare of children in the Montesano School District. Additional beneficiaries are Friends of the W.H. Abel Memorial Library, Connections (formerly the Children’s Advocacy Center of GH), Montesano after school programming and the Grays Harbor Audubon Society for chartered purposes.

Thank you to Patricia for her many years of dedicated service to our community. It is our honor to continue to keep your legacy alive through the work of the Foundation.

The Gleeson Family Scholarship: Honoring a Family’s Commitment to Community Service

“My great grandparents lived during sequential difficult times- the Flu Pandemic, WW1, The Great Depression and WW2, but all remained very patriotic and committed to service”- Dr. Louise Baxter

Dr. Louise Baxter remembers her great grandparents, The Gleesons, as strong community leaders who valued volunteerism and community.

The Gleesons immigrated from Ireland in the late 1800’s and settled out the Wynoochee. They raised four children, Michael “Andy”, Margaret, Rose and Mary Gleeson all of whom resided in Montesano as nonagenarians and centenarians.

Andy was a WW1 Army “Doughboy”, Rose, a nurse, Margaret, a Red Cross volunteer who made bandages during the war and served as a US Army Airforce observer, staffing lookout towers along the coast as first line against enemy aircraft and Mary, who during WW2 was a local “Rosie the Rivater” volunteer at the Boeing plant in Aberdeen that made gun turrets for the B-17.

Dr. Baxter, a former Montesano graduate herself, created this scholarship opportunity with the hope of creating an opportunity for a Montesano graduate who embodies the exact values her family upheld in our community for so long.

“Mom always said, anyone can do it- you just have to try.” Mike Daniels, son of Julie said when recalling his mom’s encouragement of others to pursue their passions, especially when it came to art. Mike spoke of his mom in a way that you couldn’t help but admire her too as he recounted memories of her life and the impact she had on so many. “In the 60’s she worked with a group of community leaders who built a fence in downtown Montesano between where the Bank of The Pacific and the flower shop are currently. She had high school students paint murals and showcase their art for the entire community to see. She was so excited to see the student’s talents showcased in such a public way.”

Julie Daniels was born in 1927 and raised in Aberdeen. She had a lifelong passion for art and began studying it at an early age. There are still sketches and pastels from her early teens that her family has held on to. She took lessons at Grays Harbor College in 1945 and continued to attend classes, workshops and had memberships in numerous galleries, art leagues and shows including the annual Art Gala at Grays Harbor College Library into her 90’s.

Julie will now continue to encourage others, even after her passing, with a scholarship fund at the Grays Harbor Community Foundation for local students pursuing an Art Degree. Her belief that ‘anybody can do it’ will now continue to inspire generations of local artists that have the same passion and love of art that Julie had throughout her life.

Mary Lou Chalberg passed away on July 13, 2011 after a brief but valiant battle with Leukemia. She was born on December 27, 1939, in Centralia, Washington, the daughter of Pearley and Mabel Duncan. She was raised in Centralia, graduated from Centralia High School and earned an AA degree from Centralia Community College. Mary Lou married her high school sweetheart Vernon Chalberg on September 20, 1959, and they moved to Montesano in 1962. She worked as a preschool teacher for several years and also worked as a bookkeeper with the Olympic Area Agency on Aging. She retired in 2007 and was able to spend precious time with family and friends.

Mary Lou came from a pioneer family that was among the first to settle in the Chehalis area. She was proud of her Scandinavian heritage and the family’s pioneering spirit. She was an active member of the Daughters of the Pioneers and also served a number of years as a Girl Scout Leader in Montesano. Mary Lou was a devoted musician and lifelong singer. She sang in various high school choices and in her church choir nearly all of her life. She also played piano and organ and occasionally played for church services. Committed to her faith, she was a diligent volunteer in her church. She served many years on various committees and held elected positions in her local Lutheran church on a number of occasions. She also volunteered as a bookkeeper and treasurer for organizations such as Thrivent Financial and Lutheran Brotherhood.

Mary Lou loved hot air balloons, reading, and gardening and traveling; she felt blessed to be able to visit over 30 states and 22 countries including trips to Russia, Australia, New Zealand, and various countries in Europe and Scandinavia.

Mary Lou is remembered as a wonderful servant with a huge, nearly always present smile. Her family was her first priority and she continuously put everyone else’s needs ahead of her own. She could be found volunteering in support of the Montesano High School band, choir and drama programs in support of her children, grandchildren, and many other kids for whom there was no connection other than a need.

Mary Lou’s family has established this scholarship; it is open to all applicants who satisfy the general eligibility requirements of the Scholarship Program.

The Campbell Family generously created this opportunity for a student accepted into an Engineering Program that graduated from Aberdeen or Montesano and is currently in their junior or senior year of college. Students must be attending University of Washington, Washington State University or University of Idaho. This award is a one-time $10,000 award.

Pauline graduated from WSU with a teaching degree followed by a reading specialist certification in California. John earned a BS and MS in chemical engineering from the University of Idaho. After working a few years in California, they moved to Aberdeen in 1974 when John took a job as a process engineer at the pulp mill in Cosmopolis. Pauline took a job teaching first grade at Beacon school in Montesano.

Together, they raised two children who graduated from Aberdeen High School. After retiring, they decided to stay in Grays Harbor because they think it is a beautiful place to live.

Scholarships are awarded to students who will attend a two year or four-year college or university. Preference for the Lindley Scholarships will be given to graduates of Montesano High School, depending on the number of eligible applicants.

Todd and Gerrilynn Lindley family currently reside in Montesano. Todd, a 1978 graduate of Montesano HS, went on to receive his AA from GHC and a BS from Western Washington University’s College of Business and Economics. Todd and Gerrilynn met while attending WWU and after their marriage in 1983, returned to Montesano to raise a family and start their financial planning business, Lindley Financial Services. Their two children both graduated from MHS, Jayce (2007) and Marisa (2011) and are both now furthering their education at WWU.

The Lindley’s original intention when funding their scholarship program back in 2004 was for it to be used as a future Memorial scholarship. However, due to the lack of scholarships available in ratio to the eligible applications GHCF received back then, the Lindley’s were approached in 2006 by GHCF with the suggestion that they activate their scholarship program to benefit today’s Montesano students. This idea appealed to the Lindley’s since they knew many of the students through their family’s various involvements in the community, most notably with the Montesano Youth Soccer club, where all members of the Lindley family served in some capacity either as a player, coach or board member.

The Lindley Family is grateful to have been able to help  14 outstanding Montesano HS graduates pursue their secondary education in the first five years of the family scholarship.

Arnold and Marianna Perttula, lifetime Grays Harbor residents, recently gifted the Foundation a significant donation to support Ocosta High School graduates. Before their passing, the Perttula’s  designated in their will that their estate be given to the Grays Harbor Community Foundation to support Ocosta High School graduates achieve their post-secondary education.

In 1955, Arnold and Marianna moved to Grayland to become Cranberry farmers. They spent the majority of their lives harvesting cranberries in the South Beach area. Marianna also worked at Twin Harbor Drug and enjoyed volunteering for the Red Cross and St. Christopher House.

This scholarship is to benefit an Ocosta High School graduate pursuing traditional or vocational studies with a focus on financial need.

In the memory of Elizabeth and Stanley Oskamp their family has decided to start a new Donor Advised Fund at the Grays Harbor Community Foundation titled the Oskamp Family Fund. Elizabeth and Stanley Oskamp were longtime residents of the Westport/South Beach area and were very active in philanthropy and giving back to their community. This fund has the intent to award two scholarships each year.

The scholarship shall be awarded with preference to graduates of Ocosta High School and/or Westport residents. Preference is for one scholarship to be awarded to a female, and one scholarship to be awarded to a male. If both a qualified male applicant and a qualified female applicant are not identified, both scholarships may be awarded to two males or to two females. The intent is that two scholarships are awarded annually.

Scott Alan Ferguson was born and raised in Lake Mills, Wisconsin, graduated from Lake Mills High School in 1974 and then received a degree in Marketing from the University of Arizona in 1978. Very successful in marketing electronic devices, Mr. Ferguson had always held a keen interest in technological advance and the presence of a strong U.S. manufacturing sector.

In establishing this scholarship for Ocosta students, with a focus on engineering, science, and business, his hope was that he can in some small way give to his new community. Through the students of the future, Mr. Ferguson hoped to help to keep the U.S. at the forefront of technological advance in a highly competitive world.

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Anthony M. Abel, brother of W. H. Abel of Montesano, was born in Sussex, England and raised in Salina, Kansas.

He earned his law degree from the University of Kansas, and established a successful law practice in 1903. There he married May Rosmond. Abel went on to become one of western Washington’s most highly regarded lawyers.

The A. M. and May Abel Memorial Scholarship is open to all applicants who satisfy the general eligibility requirements of the Scholarship Program.

On October 16, 1903, a day now known as “Black Friday,” a spectacular fire leveled ten city blocks in downtown Aberdeen, destroying 140 buildings and killing three people.  As the young city began to rebuild, it was driven by what became known as the Rainbow Spirit — an infectious optimism that revealed a strength the community barely knew it had.  That optimism survived another disastrous fire, sparked just eleven days later, which leveled again some of the same businesses displaced by the first fire.

Almost 100 years later, on January 5, 2002, the Rainbow Spirit came alive again after a midnight fire gutted Aberdeen’s Weatherwax High School, leaving only the skeleton of its landmark main building.  Built just six years after the 1903 fires, the high school had been named to honor Aberdeen pioneer J. M. Weatherwax.

The Grays Harbor Community Foundation first offered these Abel-Weatherwax Scholarships in 2002.  Named in honor of J. M. and other members of a family whose history is inseparable from the history of Grays Harbor, the scholarships are open to all applicants who satisfy the general eligibility requirements of the Scholarship Program.

The purpose of the Alex and Suzanne Rosenkrantz Scholarship Fund is to support youth who are blind, deaf, or deaf-blind in reaching their highest potential through higher education, vocational funding, other appropriate schooling and adaptive technology and devices.

The American Veteran’s Home Association scholarships are funded by the American Veterans Home Association of Hoquiam. This scholarship is open to all applicants, with preference to students from Hoquiam High School

Robert John ‘Bob’ Preble, 96, lifelong Aberdeen resident and local historian, passed away peacefully at his home-away-from-home on Hood Canal.
Bob was born June 13, 1921, in Aberdeen, Wash., to Walter and Mary (Briggs) Preble, the youngest of five children.
He was a 1939 graduate of Weatherwax High School and a 1943 graduate of Stanford University. Entering the U.S. Navy in 1943, he served at sea in anti-submarine warfare and left active duty with the Underwater Demolition Teams in 1946. He retired from the reserves as a Lt. Commander.

Bob married Elizabeth Bregger, of Belle Glade, Florida, in 1946. Liz preceded him in death Jan. 9, 2000. While in Miami for Navy training, Bob saw a friend’s picture of Liz and said, “I wish I could meet a girl like that.” The friend introduced them and they dated for the next 30 days until Bob had reported to the Pacific Theater. As he left, Liz gave him a note and a picture—and Bob knew she was the “one.” They corresponded by mail for two years; and after Liz died, he discovered the letters she had saved and he enjoyed reliving the memories.

He owned and operated the Preble Agency for 67 years in Aberdeen, working in life insurance, securities, employees’ benefits, and financial advice. Bob began his career with Guardian Life in July, 1946, serving Aberdeen and Grays Harbor County alongside his father, Walter, who started the agency in 1929. Bob finally sold his business at age 95, still dedicated to his clients, their welfare, and their investment needs. An independent agent, he was also general agent for Guardian and he met and exceeded the company’s award levels many times over. He received the National Association of Life Underwriters Quality Award for 45 consecutive years. He was also a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) for many years.

Having grown up on the Harbor and being interested in its welfare and his neighbors, Bob knew a lot of the history of the area. Even to the end he had a good memory and could tell many anecdotes of the goings on of people and places. And Bob’s love of the Harbor showed itself in many ways over the years.

He was an avid patron of the arts in Aberdeen. He and Liz helped Aberdeen purchase three works of art, the Benny Bufano ‘Owl’ at the library (which sat in his home its first three weeks in Aberdeen), the George Tsutakawa Fountain outside City Hall, and the Gerald Tsutakawa sculpture in the library parking lot.

He was active at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Aberdeen, having served over the years as lay reader, warden, vestryman, and teacher. His Christian faith led him to value every individual as important. He received the Bishop’s Cross from the Diocese of Olympia. In later years he also was a regular parishioner at St. Hugh’s Episcopal Church in Allyn, Wash. near his weekend home at Hood Canal.

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and raised in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, Liz Preble worked as a travel agent for Durney Travel and was herself a world traveler.  With husband Bob she saw all of Europe and most of Latin America.  She toured China, the Soviet Union, Japan, Thailand, and Indonesia.  In Aberdeen, her home for 54 years, she was active in over a dozen community organizations, including St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, the Friends of the Aberdeen Timberland Library, Chapter AK of the PEO Sisterhood, and the Pacific Peaks Girl Scouts Council.  As patrons of the arts, Liz and Bob helped lead community efforts to install a George Tsutakawa fountain in front of Aberdeen’s City Hall and the bronze owl by Benny Bufano at the entrance to the Aberdeen Timberland Library.

The Bob and Elizabeth Preble Memorial Scholarship is open to all applicants who satisfy the general eligibility requirements.

The family remembers Dave as a very kind hearted, loving husband, father, and friend. He and his wife Sandi were married 35 years, and had 2 children Kyle and Danielle DuPont.

Dave loved to give back to his community, and attend as many fundraisers as he could. Dave would be proud to be able to give back to the kids in his community.

Preference is given to students who have a family background in the logging industry.

The Donald and Edna Wheaton Scholarship Foundation was established in 1981 by the estate of Dr. Donald Wheaton.

The purpose has always been to provide scholarships to Grays Harbor County youth who wish to pursue college studies in the healing arts field. There are multiple scholarships of $1,000 for one year, to study in the medical arts field.

Born in Hoquiam in 1905, George H. Hitchings grew up in a family of shipbuilders. Hitchings’ father, George, Sr., worked at and eventually managed the Hoquiam shipyard that his father-in-law, Peter Matthews, established in 1897. A master shipbuilder like his father before him, George, Sr., eventually became a noted marine architect. The family left Hoquiam when George was five years old, but those early connections were still traceable in 1990 when, as an esteemed scientist, he returned to Hoquiam for the Centennial celebration.

In 1988 Dr. Hitchings shared the Nobel Prize in Medicine for discoveries that led to the development of a series of new drugs, including drugs for leukemia, malaria, and gout. A graduate of Seattle’s Franklin High School, Hitchings studied chemistry at the University of Washington and earned his Ph.D. from Harvard in 1933. In the same year he married Beverly Reimer, a highly artistic and intelligent painter, writer, and teacher from Boston. Dr. Hitchings’ research and teaching career carried them from Harvard’s Huntington Laboratories and School of Public Health to the Wellcome Research Laboratories in New York. The initial research that led to his receiving the Nobel Prize was conducted at Burroughs Wellcome Co. in the mid- to late-1940s.

From the late 1960s until his death in 1998, Dr. Hitchings became increasingly involved with philanthropy. He served as President of the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, a nonprofit foundation which supports biomedical research, and he led several charities in the Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina, where Burroughs Wellcome had relocated in 1968. In 1983, Dr. Hitchings founded the Greater Triangle Community Foundation, which serves the Triangle area.

While preference will be given to applicants interested in studying science or medicine, the George H. Hitchings Memorial Scholarship is open to all applicants who satisfy the general eligibility requirements of the Scholarship Program.

Dr. James Baker was a large man with an equally big perpetual smile.

He was a general practitioner with an office on the seventh floor of the Becker Building and privileges at the Community Hospital. For many years he was the local U.S. Public Health Service Officer, providing medical services for all the military and foreign ship crews in or visiting the area.

He and his wife had no children, but they valued education and established this scholarship through their estate. The recipient must be a graduate of a Grays Harbor High School and is preferred to be pursuing medical studies at an accredited University.

Else (“Elsa”) Veile Korvell was born in Worland, Wyoming of Danish immigrants. She was one of two identical twins. Both sisters were interested in nursing and started their studies at the University of Denver. Else transferred to the University of Washington, completing her nursing degree with a specialty in public health. While her fiancé, Jack, completed his UW degree, Else returned to Wyoming working as a public health nurse in rural areas.

While raising her family of three in Hoquiam, Else became involved in civic duty, serving on the planning commission, was appointed to various state wide commissions by Governor Dan Evans and later, elected as Hoquiam’s first female city council member. She also had a keen interest in the arts and music. Else was active with the “Community Theatre” organization and the Grays Harbor Opera Guild.

Jack Korvell was born in 1915 in Chicago, III of Polish immigrants. His family moved to Port Townsend WA where he spent the bulk of his youth. Daily, before school, Jack worked stacking wood for the local hospital’s boiler. It was at that time he was taken “under wing” by a couple local doctors who fueled his interest in science and medicine. Upon graduation, he attended the University of Washington and then earned his medical doctorate at the University of Louisville. It was at UW he met his future bride, Else Veile.  

Shortly after his medical degree, he served in WW2 as a Navy surgeon in the Pacific theatre. Upon his return to Seattle, the family moved to Hoquiam, about 1949, to start a medical practice. The pictures on the office wall were barely hung when he was recalled to serve in Korea. This time, he was assigned to the Marine Corps. After the war, he finally was able to start that medical practice which lasted until he was nearly 80 years old. That practice was a true small town family practice including everything from obstetrics, a geriatric specialty, surgery, and as he used to say even a little veterinary work!

Both Else and Jack were dedicated to the idea that a struggling student, with a little help, could realize their dreams. For example, they were prime sponsors of Grays Harbor’s “Dollars for Scholars” fund at Grays Harbor College. It is with that idea that this scholarship was created in their name. This scholarship is for $1,000 for one year to study in any field.

Dr. John D. Ehrhart was a standout athlete in tennis, football, and basketball who graduated from Hoquiam High School in 1935 and went on to study at Stanford University and earn his M.D. degree from Stanford Medical School.

In high school, Jack won the Pacific Northwest Junior Tennis Championship, and in later years he was instrumental in helping young people learn to play tennis. He remained an avid sports fan all his life. He practiced medicine in Aberdeen for nearly 30 years before his life was cut tragically short in 1974 when the plane he was piloting through dense fog crashed in the hills of East Aberdeen.

The Dr. John D. “Jack” Ehrhart Memorial Scholarship is open to all applicants who satisfy the general eligibility requirements of the Scholarship Program

In the memory of Scott Weatherwax, the Grays Harbor Community Foundation, in partnership with the University of Puget Sound, has established the Dr. Scott A. Weatherwax Memorial University of Puget Sound Scholarship. This fund has the intent to award an annual $20,000 scholarship, renewable for up to four years, for a Grays Harbor student attending University of Puget Sound, starting in 2014. All Grays Harbor graduates or current residents that are planning to attend or are already attending University of Puget Sound are eligible.

Dr. Scott A. Weatherwax was born September 25, 1940 in Aberdeen, Washington, to Marian Abel and Ben K. Weatherwax.  He graduated from J.M. Weatherwax High School in Aberdeen where he was a stand-out in basketball, a varsity baseball pitcher, a member of Honor Society, and ASB President.  He went on to the University of Puget Sound where he was a small-college All American basketball star.  He then attended the University of Washington Dental School, served two years in the U. S. Army, and had a successful career in dentistry in Tacoma.

He retired to Grays Harbor where he became actively involved on the Board of Directors of the Grays Harbor Community Foundation as its Scholarship Committee Chairman, and a member of the Finance Committee and Grants Committee.  His passions were sports, music (he played at least four instruments), and helping improve Grays Harbor through the education of its youth and grants to non-profits.  Dr. Weatherwax died of cardiac arrest while camping and hiking with friends on Vancouver Island, Canada, on May 17^th, 2008.

Scott always believed that it was the responsibility of the community to cultivate the leaders of the future.  He understood that a well-educated individual needs exposure to the arts and sports, and that leadership can start young.

Gladys Phillips, the second of four daughters of former Aberdeen Mayor and Superior Court Judge J. M. Phillips, began practicing law in Aberdeen in 1937, the same year she joined three other women in graduating from the University of Washington Law School.

Gladys quickly earned a reputation – a reputation she maintained for over 60 years – as one of Grays Harbor’s most intelligent and formidable lawyers. With both an “encyclopedic knowledge of the law” and a love of roses, ballet and beautiful words, she was to her clients not only a trusted advisor but also a cherished friend.

As a community activist, she helped establish and lead the Bishop Foundation, served as a state representative, worked to erect the Aberdeen YMCA, and guided the creation of the Grays Harbor Community Foundation. The Gladys Phillips Memorial Scholarship is open to all applicants who satisfy the general eligibility requirements of the Scholarship Program.

Several scholarships funded by anonymous donors are called simply the “Grays Harbor Community Foundation Scholarships” and are open to all applicants who satisfy the general eligibility requirements of the Scholarship Program.

Most of us in Grays Harbor are familiar with Westport Winery and their fantastic food and wine selection, but their newest addition to the winery is the International Mermaid Museum that is dedicated to teaching ocean ecology from seashore to sea floor immersed in mermaid mythology unifying oceanic cultures.

The International Mermaid Museum Scholarship Fund was established for students throughout Grays Harbor currently attending or planning to attend Grays Harbor College and pursuing vocational studies such as welding, carpentry, CDL, electrical, etc.

Preference is given to students planning to pursue a career in the maritime industry and have overcome obstacles and are still working hard towards their dreams.

KIm Roberts, museum founder, who is also co-owner of Westport Winery with her husband Blaine commented on the creation of the scholarship fund: “,From the beginning, the International Mermaid Museum planned to fund a trade scholarship for students who want to live and work in the Harbor. The museum’s mission is to teach ocean ecology from seashore to sea floor, immersed in mermaid mythology, uniting world oceanic cultures. We recognize that a traditional college path is not the best match for all graduates. However, we believe that people with good skills and training can well provide for themselves and their families.

With this in mind, our scholarship is for students who wish to attend Grays Harbor College to earn a certificate in a skilled technology program versus a liberal arts degree. We have a preference for students who are struggling with housing insecurity but that is not a requirement.”

Thank you to Kim for supporting our local students and their educational endeavors.

The L. George Pauze Scholarship is new to the Community Foundation, but has been in existence since the 1970s.  In January of 1970, Pauze announced the L. George Pauze Scholarship for a graduate of Hoquiam High School he had established with the help of his friends and attorneys, Omar Parker and George G. Wandel.  Mr. Pauze came from Montreal to Grays Harbor in 1907. After years of hard work and ingenuity, he was able to maneuver himself into the ownership of a thriving lumber mill.  George said: “You know, I didn’t have a chance to go to college, and I always missed it…I might have done even better if I’d had the opportunity to go. Actually, education is much more important now than in my day.”  The law firm of Parker, Johnson, Parker (now Parker, Winkelman) has administered the Trust established that day, awarding at least one scholarship each year. The Gray Harbor Community Foundation is proud to now administer the scholarship to continue this tradition in perpetuity, and honor this “true gentleman.”

Lou Messmer grew up in South Aberdeen and graduated from Weatherwax High School in 1937, Grays Harbor College in 1939 and University of Washington in 1942.  After Navy service during World War II he completed his Masters in Botany at the UW.

Lou’s first teaching positions were in the public school at Grisdale logging camp and at Kelso High School. For four summers he served as a Park Ranger in the Olympic National Park.  Beginning in 1953 he taught botany, biology, marine biology, microbiology and zoology at Grays Harbor College for 33 years.

After he retired he continued to teach a Spring Botany course for 16 years and has remained active in many local efforts to identify and protect sensitive ecological habitats throughout western Washington. He is a Fellow of the Washington Native Plant Society and a past board member of the Washington State Nature Conservancy.  Lou’s passion for teaching life sciences has impacted thousands of students over the years.

Lou and his wife, Ann, raised six children in Bear Gulch, outside of Aberdeen.  Together they travelled the world enjoying plant cultures and hosted 28 local Elderhostel programs.

The purpose of this scholarship is to honor Lou’s love of nature and his influence in helping so many people understand, appreciate, and enjoy the natural world around us.

This scholarship is for students at Grays Harbor College or the University of Washington concentrating their studies in life sciences and interested in protecting the quality of the natural environment.

A graduate of Lawrence College and Wisconsin University, Miss Lydian Bush taught Latin at Aberdeen’s Weatherwax High School from 1916 until her retirement in 1947. She was respected by faculty and students alike for her quality teaching, high standards, and friendly manner.

The 1947 Quinault yearbook predicted that her life – described as an “example of gracious living” – would be remembered “long after `Veni, Vidi, Vici’ sinks into the bottomless pit of once-remembered but now-forgotten knowledge.”

The Lydian Bush Memorial Scholarship was established in 2001 by one of Miss Bush’s students from the 1920s who, nearly 80 years later, still vividly remembers her as both an excellent teacher and a good friend.

The scholarship is open to all applicants who satisfy the general eligibility requirements of the Scholarship Program.

Lyle Lancaster, a life-long Grays Harbor resident and businessman, directed in his will that his entire estate should be used to establish a permanent scholarship endowment fund for gifted students from Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties. This fund, established in 1999 upon Lyle’s death, is now the core of the Grays Harbor Community Foundation’s Scholarship Program.

Born in 1903 to Elma pioneers Roy and Nora Randall Lancaster, Lyle began his working career in Grays Harbor’s thriving logging industry. Lyle’s next step was to purchase a print shop in Aberdeen, which he later sold to start up Lancaster’s, a gift and hobby shop at Market and Broadway. He married Gertrude Morrison in 1928 and kept their marriage strong until her death in 1987. In retirement, he maintained a large garden and raised rhododendrons and orchids around his Central Park home. All who knew Lyle knew him as a fiercely independent, honest, and hard-working individual.

Well read and keenly interested in the world around him, Lyle became in his later years deeply concerned with how to better young people’s lives through education. This concern ultimately led him to establish what would become the Grays Harbor Community Foundation Scholarship Program. While Lyle and Gertrude had no children of their own, their legacy will continue to benefit the children of countless generations to come. The Lyle Lancaster Memorial Scholarships are open to all applicants who satisfy the general eligibility requirements of the Scholarship Program.

The Ocean family of companies, including Ocean Gold Seafoods and Ocean Protein, are proud to support our outstanding local students at both Ocosta and Hoquiam High Schools.

Giving back to our community is an important part of doing business and we look forward to seeing where these deserving scholarship recipients use their talents in the future.

Donald Martin Burke was hired by the Hoquiam Police Department on November 18^th, 1977.  On Wednesday, April 16^th, 1980 at about 5:15 pm, what started as a “routine traffic stop” ended in tragedy when Officer Burke was killed after a short pursuit of a car carrying 2 career criminals.

Officer Burke’s memory has stayed alive throughout the years, as each spring The Aberdeen Daily World  presents The Donald M. Burke Memorial Award to a Twin Harbors officer who exemplifies professionalism, courage and community service.  His memory also lives on through this scholarship fund, which is established in his honor to help the children and relatives of local law enforcement officers to continue their under-graduate, graduate, and post-graduate studies.

Walter M. Novak was born on April 19, 1921, the second son of Michael and Apolonia, Polish immigrants who had arrived in America just after the turn of the century. They were determined that their two sons receive a college education and through years of hard work in Hoquiam mills, survival through the Great Depression, and with help from their large vegetable garden, fishing, and clamming they were able to send both sons to the University of Washington where they each received Mechanical Engineering degrees.

World War II was underway when Walter graduated. He had entered the naval ROTC program so he received his commission at graduation and took his wife Barbara (an Aberdeen High School graduate) and baby daughter to his first assignment in San Francisco to await his ship’s deployment. When the cruiser Reno left the harbor, Walter was the officer in charge of the engine room at age 22 and there he met a sailor, Ned Rogers, who was to change the course of his life.

After the war, Walter returned to his family (and a new baby son) in Seattle and worked at Puget Sound Sheet Metal Works until he received a call from his shipmate Ned who invited him to Portland, Oregon to be a partner in a start-up machinery business. The family moved to Portland in 1951 and that was the beginning of the Rogers Machinery Company which has since expanded to 7 branches in 4 states.

Originally, it concentrated on agriculture and forest product companies but has evolved to become a major supplier to the high tech and energy industries worldwide. Walter died on November 13, 2003 and now his son, grandson, and niece are carrying on the family tradition at the company.

Walter has inspired many people throughout his life with his dedicated work ethic, intelligence, honesty, concern and care for his employees and friends and his love for his family. He is the true product of the “American Dream” and these scholarships given in his name are meant to help others achieve their goals.

Born in Sussex, England in 1870, William H. Abel was raised and educated in Salina, Kansas. In 1892, he moved to Montesano in what was then called Chehalis County, marrying Ella Rosmond in the same year.

A school teacher and newspaper editor before being admitted to practice law in 1894, W. H. Abel went on to become one of the state’s leading attorneys. He worked on many of the most important trials of his time, including the prosecution of the IWW after the 1919 Armistice Day killings in Centralia.

A powerful figure in county politics, Abel also served on several important statewide boards, including the Washington State Joint Board for Higher Curricula and the Canal Commission.

He was an insatiable reader and dedicated supporter of libraries, donating hundreds of volumes to libraries at Washington State and Gonzaga Universities, as well as to the Montesano Public Library, which today bears his name.

The W. H. and Ella Abel Memorial Scholarship is open to all applicants who satisfy the general eligibility requirements of the Scholarship Program.

The Westport Shipyard National Scholarship was established in 2007 with the first award presented in May of 2008. This scholarship was established with the hope of assisting Westport Shipyard employees with a child or grandchild graduating from high school with their first year of continued education whether it is in a trade field or a scholastic field.

The shipyard has production facilities in Grays Harbor County, Port Angeles and brokerage offices in Seattle and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. All Westport Shipyard employees with qualified children or grandchildren may have that child submit an application for the scholarship.

Dr. William Osheroff, a highly respected physician who practiced medicine on Grays Harbor for over 30 years, married Bessie Anne Ondov, a nurse working at Queens General Hospital in New York City, on November 27, 1941. During World War II, Dr. Osheroff served as an officer in the Army Air Corps. The Osheroffs moved to Aberdeen at the end of the war, and Dr. Osheroff joined the staff of Grays Harbor Community Hospital. He worked there and at St. Joseph’s Hospital until his death in 1977.

William Osheroff was born in Omaha and grew up in Erickson, Nebraska. He earned his Bachelor of Science and his Masters and Doctor of Medicine degrees from the University of Nebraska.

A member of the Grays Harbor Medical Association and the American Medical Association, Dr. Osheroff became known on the Harbor as an excellent physician who cared deeply about the community. A general practitioner, he trained to work as a cardiologist and introduced cardiac care services to the Harbor after recognizing that such services were badly needed in the community. Before the technology became commercially available, Dr. Osheroff developed a device for sending EKG tracings over the phone, allowing him to keep better track of his patients’ heart conditions. In 1972, he became a member of the American College of Cardiology.

Like her husband, Bess Osheroff cared deeply about the communities of Grays Harbor and worked to improve the quality of life and health of her neighbors. Born in Jessup, Pennsylvania and raised in Emporia, Virginia, Bess Osheroff became a Registered Nurse through New York City’s Cumberland Hospital School of Nursing.

In Aberdeen, her home for over 50 years, she volunteered for the YMCA and the American Medical Association Education and Research Foundation (AMA-ERF), which honored her ten years of service with both State and National Service Recognition Awards.

Together, Bess and her husband helped organize the first Red Cross Blood Drive on Grays Harbor. Bess continued to organize blood drives for twenty years. William and Bess had a daughter and four sons, one of whom died in 1977. Bess died in November 1996, a month after seeing her son Doug, a Stanford physics professor, win the Nobel Prize in Physics.

While preference will be given to applicants interested in studying science or medicine, the William and Bess Osheroff Memorial Scholarship is open to all applicants who satisfy the general eligibility requirements of the Scholarship Program.

Aaron Thomas Dineen, was born October 19, 1986, to Tom and Dale Dineen of Hoquiam Aaron grew up on the family farm working and playing. He fished the Humptulips River and hunted the surrounding areas. He loved being home where he could wind down and enjoy Gods country.

Growing up Aaron was involved in extracurricular activities such as hiking, hunting, snowboarding, scuba diving, surfing, and kayaking. He went scuba diving in Hawaii and in Honduras off of Roatan Island.

During his summers throughout high school Aaron worked at The Cotton Wood Ranch and Rognlin’s, Inc.

After attending Hoquiam High school Aaron went to Volta lineman school in Warrington, Oregon and was living in Southern California finishing up his apprenticeship. He was working for Diversified Utility Services, Inc. He had also worked for Mountain Power and PAR Electric and was a member of IBEW #1245 (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.) Aaron was an amazing man who was full of life, inspiration and had many dreams.

He had traveled to many places in the world. Some trips were for pleasure: Belize, Mexico, and Hawaii (where he resided for a year) and some were for missionary work in Honduras and Mexico. Aaron was always living life as fast as it came, not afraid of the challenges that lay ahead and lived out his dreams to the fullest. We are extremely proud of the man he became.

Aaron was taken from us on September 22, 2009 due to an industrial accident. The Dineen family has established a Vocational Scholarship for a graduating senior from Hoquiam to study in a vocational, technical, or trade school. Some of the fields that may be undertaken are: Carpentry, Dental Technician, Electrician, Lineman, Medical Fields, Sheet metal, Welding etc.

Ron grew up in Hoquiam and had a love of carpentry instilled in him at a young age. He worked as a carpenter for his father all through school. After graduation from Hoquiam High School, Ron would make a career of carpentry, working for several contractors in Grays Harbor, Seattle and the San Francisco bay area. He helped build several high-rise buildings and offices in major cities down the West Coast.

Ron is remembered by his friends as a top notch carpenter that could build pretty much anything. He also loved his son Andy very much. Like his father, Andy was a skilled tradesman and excelled as a drywall installer.

Before Ron’s passing, he was passionate about creating a legacy for his son and future tradesmen in our community. He wanted to give others the opportunity to enjoy the trades and be taught a skill set that could serve them for life.