Washington State University has received a $1.5 million bequest from Harold “Hal” and Wilma Stellingwerf in support of the Crimson Opportunity Scholarship. Their gift is the largest gift ever made to the scholarship, opening doors for students with financial need across all WSU campuses.
The Stellingwerfs were hardworking people of modest beginnings, typical of a generation that came of age during the Great Depression and later participated in the war effort to defeat fascism in Europe and Japan. Part of the “Greatest Generation,” the Stellingwerfs, like so many Americans of their time, are remembered for their strong work ethic, frugality, and commitment to social responsibility.
“Hal grew up ‘poor’ — there was no other word for it,” recalled his niece, Marilyn Minton. The son of a farm laborer, Hal was in his first year at Wenatchee High School when the Great Depression hit. By the time he graduated in 1933, one fourth of the American working population was unemployed, and even more Americans found themselves in poverty. Like millions of other young people at the time, college was not an option, so after graduating from high school, he felt fortunate to secure work as a bookkeeper for small businesses, along with any odd jobs he could find.
Don Bowers, Minton’s brother and nephew of the Stellingwerfs, recounted how “one of Hal’s high school teachers, well aware of his potential, saw how hard Hal was working and offered to pay for him to attend [what was then called] Washington State College.” Hal gratefully accepted and repaid the teacher in full, continuing monthly payments even after the debt was settled. With a degree in mechanical engineering, Hal worked at the Bremerton Naval Shipyards during World War II, then returned to Wenatchee to build affordable homes during the postwar boom.
The Stellingwerfs’ final act of generosity was an estate gift supporting students at their alma maters — ensuring that future generations of students will have access to the same life-changing opportunities that shaped their own lives.
Wilma Stellingwerf was raised on an 80-acre farm near Ellensburg, where she and her siblings helped tend livestock and grow crops to support the war effort. Amid the hard work, Wilma found joy in school. She loved books and learning and dreamed of becoming a teacher or librarian. She pursued that dream at what was then Central Washington State College of Education (now Central Washington University), where she trained to become a fifth-grade teacher and later a librarian in Wenatchee.
The couple met in Wenatchee, fell in love, and married in 1951. Together, they built a life centered on service, conservation, and community. Hal built a beautiful brick home for them, which he called “Wilma’s House,” where they lived the rest of their lives. They spent their free time hiking, birdwatching, and cleaning up local trails over the years — earning recognition for their environmental stewardship. Though they had no children, Wilma considered her students part of her extended family.
In the spring of 1988, while the two were hiking near Entiat, collecting litter along the trail, Hal had a heart attack. Wilma held him until he died. After Hal’s death, Wilma continued their shared commitment to community service, volunteering with Mobile Meals of Wenatchee and the American Red Cross until her death in 2019. Their final act of generosity was an estate gift supporting students at Hal’s and Wilma’s alma maters — WSU and CWU, respectively, ensuring that future generations of students will have access to the same life-changing opportunities that shaped their own lives.
The Crimson Opportunity Scholarship
Established in 2009, the Crimson Opportunity Scholarship is WSU’s most flexible and far-reaching general scholarship fund, providing financial support to students at WSU. The scholarship is available to any WSU student with financial need, regardless of their background, major, or campus location.
The need for scholarship support at WSU is more crucial than ever, as both the federal and state governments are cutting back Pell Grants and Washington State College Grants that have in the past helped students from low-income backgrounds. The Crimson Opportunity Scholarship has become a vital lifeline for WSU students striving to complete their college education. Thanks to the Stellingwerfs’ extraordinary $1.5 million estate gift, more Cougs will be able to receive the support they need to cross the finish line with their degrees.
The Stellingwerf’s legacy is more than generous — it’s transformative. For many students, this scholarship has often meant the difference between dropping out and graduating, between deferred dreams and real opportunity. Through their gift, the Stellingwerfs have made a powerful statement: every student deserves a chance to succeed.
Help grow the Crimson Opportunity Scholarship by visiting the WSU Foundation online or by contacting Tara Howe, Senior Director of Central Scholarships, at 509-335-1240 or at tkhowe@wsu.edu.
