Jack and Mildred Whealdon set up a substantial endowment to help Ilwaco High School graduates attend Washington State University.

ILWACO — A $120,000 endowment set up by Jack and Mildred Whealdon before their deaths will provide scholarships to Ilwaco High School graduates attending Washington State University.

The Whealdons established this scholarship as a reflection of the importance they placed on education, WSU said in its announcement. Both grew up in difficult economic times but college was a priority in both of their families. Jack earned his BA in Business in 1950 from Washington State University. Mildred earned her degree in Education from Western Washington University. In turn, they instilled the importance of education in their children and made certain they could attend college.

Jack was born and raised in Ilwaco and he and many of his extended family graduated from Ilwaco High School. Mildred grew up in Oregon and was teaching second grade in Ilwaco when she and Jack met.

Together, through this scholarship, they want to remove any financial barriers for Ilwaco High School students to attend Washington State University.

“On behalf of the Whealdon family we know how much our parents wanted to give Ilwaco High School students the opportunity to attend WSU to achieve their goal of a college degree,” their son Dan Whealdon said. “Obtaining that degree will be a valuable foundation for moving on in life and create career opportunities. Our father was a true Cougar and his respect for WSU and his own respective education is something that he and our mom wanted to pass on to a local Ilwaco student.”

Distributions from this fund shall be used to provide one or more scholarships to WSU students, with preference given to Ilwaco High School graduates with demonstrated financial need, the university said.