Mid-Nebraska Community Foundation announced it received a bequest from Marion “Bunny” Hoover of almost $1 million to provide an endowment fund for annual scholarships benefiting graduates of North Platte High School as well as students at North Platte Community College.

The announcement was made at the community foundation’s celebration event Saturday night in North Platte.

In a press release from Eric Seacrest, executive director of the Mid-Nebraska Community Foundation, it notes that the foundation will spend a portion of the Herb and Bunny Hoover Family Scholarship Fund each year on scholarships benefiting graduating seniors and prior graduates of North Platte High School as well as students at North Platte Community College. About $50,000 will be available for scholarships from this fund for the coming school year.

Each scholarship will be at least $1,000 and the amounts may vary depending on education costs. Applicants must have at least a “B” average and must demonstrate financial need. Preference will be given to applicants who are unlikely to receive another scholarship.

Herb Hoover (1904-1996) came to North Platte in 1928. Herb had limited movement of his left leg as a result of a childhood accident. But that leg never seemed to get in Herb’s way.

Herb spent 64 years in the watch and jewelry business, beginning as an apprentice at the age of 14. During much of his career he sold and repaired railroad watches.

Bunny was born and raised in Minnesota. She came to North Platte in 1930 to work as a telephone operator. Bunny and Herb were married in 1936.

The next year, Herb started his own jewelry store - Hoover’s Jewelry - in downtown North Platte. The couple had little money. A wholesale jeweler from Chicago trusted Herb and helped Herb’s store get started.

“Herb built his business on his reputation as well as through desire, determination and hard work,” Seacrest said.
Bunny helped Herb at the jewelry store and both were registered gemologists.

Both Bunny and Herb loved to hunt, fish, pilot airplanes and to cheer for the Cornhusker football team.

Through the years, Herb invested in farmland in the region. Herb realized the benefits of irrigation and the value of the land steadily increased.

Herb and Bunny Hoover had two children, Richard and Eldeen. The lives of both Richard and Eldeen were cut short by cystic fibrosis, a respiratory disease. Richard died at age 31 and Eldeen at age 22.

“Bunny suffered from arthritis for decades and she certainly had her share of sorrow, yet she often would say that she didn’t have time for depression. She was full of enthusiasm and expressed her faith freely. Her favorite Bible Psalms were about faith and trust,” Seacrest said.

When Herb died in 1996, the couple had been married almost 60 years, living in a home on West First Street in North Platte almost the entire time.

Bunny died March 8, 2006, a few days before her 95th birthday.

“Bunny had great affection for many people in her community. She particularly was blessed by the wonderful friendship and attention given by Janice Schad,” Seacrest said.

“Also, Bunny often expressed keen interest in young people. She wanted to help other young people with scholarships in the name of the Hoover family.”

“The Herb and Bunny Hoover Family Scholarship Fund will be lasting legacy of the Hoover family’s love for this part of the world as well as a legacy of their belief in the power of education,” Seacrest said.

Mid-Nebraska Community Foundation was founded in 1978 to administer charitable funds from individual donors and non-profit organizations. The foundation currently administers 170 separate funds totaling more than $17 million. Earnings on invested assets allow permanent funds to grow over time as well as provide for distributions in the form of scholarships and grants to non-profit causes.

Other scholarship and charitable funds established
Several other recently established scholarship and charitable funds were announced by Mid-Nebraska Community Foundation Saturday night. Seacrest said many of these new funds were established as memorials.

* The Donald L. Erb Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in memory of Donald L. Erb (1923-1990) who was a World War II veteran and a trusted certified public accountant and advisor to individuals and organizations throughout western Nebraska for several decades.

Applicants for the Donald L. Erb Memorial Scholarship must be majoring in accounting or in business with an emphasis in accounting, be a college junior, senior or graduate student in the coming school year and be a resident of or a high school graduate from one of the following counties: Lincoln, Keith, Deuel or Cheyenne. A $3,800 scholarship will be awarded for the coming school year.

* The Ina and Grace Perkin Memorial Scholarship Fund was established through the generosity of sisters Ina Perkin (1889-1985) and Grace Perkin (1891-1981), who ran a general mercantile store in Maywood. Applicants must be graduating seniors from public high schools in Curtis, Maywood and North Platte.

* The Beverly Brittenham Scholarship Fund was established in memory of Beverly Ann (Jones) Brittenham (1933-2005) who grew up, graduated from high school and got married in the Brady area. Applicants must be a graduating senior from Brady High School.

* The Chris and Dorothy Rosenberg Charitable Fund was established in memory of Chris Rosenberg Jr. (1920-2005) and his wife Dorothy Rosenberg (1920-2000) to continue contributions to North Platte.

* The Dr. Gordon Sawyers Memorial Fund to benefit medical care was established in memory of Dr. Gordon E. Sawyers (1925-2006), who helped countless people with health problems and saved lives through his practice of radiology.

* The Thomsen Family Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in memory of Ethel Thomsen (1920-2006), who had a long career in education at schools in Maxwell, Hershey, Chappell and Sutherland. Applicants must be graduating seniors at Sutherland High School.

* The American Legion Post 163 Scholarship Fund was established with memorials to past Post Commander Larry D. Wiezorek (1949- 2003) who served more than 30 years in the armed services and reserves.

Other charitable funds recently established at the Community Foundation included:
Bark Park Fund
Burton and Betty McPheeters Charitable Fund
Creativity Unlimited Arts Council Fund
Furmanski Charitable Fund
Habitat for Humanity Supporters Fund
Keith and Darlene Stewart Fund
North Platte Rotary Club Fund
Scott and Patricia McPheeters Charitable Fund
Tim and Mary Thompson Charitable Fund
Wellington Fund

Other scholarship funds recently established included:
John and Diane Poehling Educational Endowment Fund
Miss Rodeo Nebraska Association Scholarship Fund
North Platte Sertoma Scholarship Fund (for students in nursing or other health program at North Platte Community College)
Sutherland Booster Club Scholarship Fund (for graduating seniors at Sutherland High School)
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church Scholarship Fund
Graduating high school seniors may get scholarship applications at the counselor’s office in their high school. Others may get scholarship applications from Mid-Nebraska Community Foundation in North Platte.

©North Platte Telegraph 2007

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