It’s not exactly money from heaven, but why George Oliver Tiffany left a gift of $385,000 to Fort Lewis College for scholarships and why it arrived more than 30 years after his death is anybody’s guess.
“It’s very unusual. Here’s a great gift we know nothing about,” said Mark Jastorff, vice president for advancement at the college. “You never know what might spark a gift, whether it’s knowing alumni or hearing a student’s moving story.”
What is known is that Tiffany was born circa 1904 in La Plata County, FLC spokesman Mitch Davis said. His wife, Mayme Odelene Quinn, was born around the same time in San Juan County, New Mexico. They married in La Plata County in 1926. According to U.S. Census records, by 1930, George Tiffany was an attorney, and the couple was living in Illinois. A decade later they were living in Stamford, Connecticut. George Tiffany died more than 30 years ago, in 1983. According to the Connecticut Death Index, Mayme Tiffany died in 1961.
“That’s about all we know,” Jastorff said, “and all the executor knows.”
There is a possibility one or both of the Tiffanys attended the Old Fort Lewis Campus in Hesperus, but the college was unable to confirm that. It’s also possible George Tiffany is related to Ed Tiffany, the founder of Tiffany Mercantile in Southeast La Plata County, but that could not be confirmed either.
“Mr. Tiffany clearly appreciated the role and mission of Fort Lewis College and understood the challenges that our students face in pursuing their dreams,” President Dene Thomas said. “His compassion and passion will impact countless lives at FLC, and for that, we are grateful.”
Any Fort Lewis College student with financial need and a strong academic record will be eligible for a scholarship from the endowment. During the 2015-2016 school year, 63 percent of FLC students needed financial assistance to attend school, and 34 percent received federal Pell Grants, which are reserved for students with the greatest financial need.
The Tiffany gift is the third major bequest the college has received this year. The estate of Roy Dalpra, who lived in Farmington, donated $288,000 to the new Geosciences, Physics and Engineering Hall, and the Robert M. and Roberta Armstrong Barr estate donated $1.4 million, the largest gift in the college’s history, for scholarships for teacher education.
Recent graduate Missy Fundora is an example of a student who benefited from both academic and athletic scholarships, Davis said. Fundora, a softball player who earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology in April, was a two-time Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Academic Player of the Year, the Fort Lewis career leader in hits and doubles, and a nominee for the 2016 NCAA Woman of the Year.
“I did not want to take my scholarships for granted, so I worked especially hard to keep my grades up and be the best athlete I can be,” Fundora said. “College scholarships were a huge motivator for me, and I was blessed to receive them.”
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