Brookfield, Wis. – In stewardship of its mission to support funeral service in building meaningful relationships with the families and the communities it serves, the Funeral Service Foundation is pleased to announce a $53,000 major gift from Memorial Classic Inc., and an increase in annual Memorial Classic Golf Tournament Academic Scholarships offered to students of funeral service.
“Memorial Classic Inc. is privileged to regularly support the Foundation’s efforts to fuel the academic success of our profession’s emerging leaders in memory of those who blazed the trail before them,” said Tom Johnson, Johnson Consulting founder and Foundation trustee emeritus. “This year, we are honored to award two $2,500 academic scholarships, and intend to award a record $10,000 in Memorial Classic Golf Tournament Scholarships in 2017.”
This year’s recipients are Joshua Lee Woodruff, who is a slated to graduate with his associate degree from Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science in August 2017, and Shelly Schuster, a senior at the University of Minnesota, who intends to graduate with her bachelor’s degree in June 2017.
Foundation Immediate Past President, Gerard “Jerry” Schoen III recognized the contribution during the Foundation’s annual donor appreciation reception in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 24, which was held in conjunction with the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) International Convention & Expo. “We are grateful to Memorial Classic Inc., Johnson Consulting, and all those involved with the outing who answer the call to give year after year,” said Schoen to the more than 300 Foundation supporters in attendance. “Every gift matters.”
Awarded annually, the Memorial Classic Golf Tournament Scholarship is one of four academic scholarships the Foundation offers to full- or part-time students of funeral service who are enrolled in ABSFE-accredited institutions. In addition to academic scholarships, the Foundation wholly funds NFDA’s Meet the Mentors program, and offers professional development scholarships to the association’s annual Professional Women’s Conference, Arranger Training, and CCO and CPC Certification continuing education programs.
Sponsored by Johnson Consulting, the annual golf outing has raised $238,000 since its inception for the Memorial Classic Golf Tournament Scholarship in memory of the profession’s finest: Bill Bishoff, Dave Hirt, Steve Mack, John Morrow, Ed Murphy, Ed Tuggle and Joe Weatherford.
About the Funeral Service Foundation – FuneralServiceFoundation.org
Since 1945, the Funeral Service Foundation has served as the profession’s philanthropic voice. As the charitable arm of the National Funeral Directors Association since 1997, the Foundation receives operational support from NFDA and donors across the profession to help advance its mission support funeral service in building meaningful relationships with the families and the communities it serves.
