HLSCC Receives Gale Johnston Bequest
H. Lavity Stoutt Community College has received a $35,916.39 bequest from the estate of the late Alfrieda Mae Johnston, a World War II veteran who formerly resided in Hodge's Creek. The funds, transferred to the HLSCC Foundation following the completion of her estate settlement, will support educational opportunities for Virgin Islands students.
Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) has received a generous bequest of $35,916.39 from the estate of late British Virgin Islands resident and United States Navy veteran Alfrieda Mae "Gale" Johnston. The posthumous gift will directly support educational opportunities and academic initiatives for future generations of Virgin Islands students.
Johnston, who previously resided in Hodge's Creek, was born on June 21, 1922, and passed away on November 17, 2018, at the age of 96. During the Second World War, she served in the U.S. Navy as a photographer and recruiter before receiving an honourable discharge in November 1945.
For her military service, she was awarded the World War II Victory Medal and the American Area Campaign Medal. Prior to her passing, Johnston named HLSCC as a beneficiary of an investment account held with LPL Financial. Following the final settlement of her estate and the completion of the necessary legal and administrative requirements over the years since her passing, five financial holdings were liquidated, yielding the total sum transferred to the institution.
The funds have since been entrusted to the HLSCC Foundation to oversee and allocate toward strategic college priorities. Georges commended Johnston's dedication to service, highlighting that she had no direct family connection to the college but consciously chose to invest in the future of the Territory.
He noted that the contribution serves as a powerful reminder of how a legacy of service can endure long after a person's lifetime. "We are deeply grateful to Ms Johnston for remembering H. Lavity Stoutt Community College in her will," Dr. Georges said. "Through this gift, her commitment to service lives on, and we will honour that generosity by creating opportunities for generations of learners to come." The bequest comes at a pivotal period as HLSCC continues expanding its academic offerings, workforce training programmes, and community access across the British Virgin Islands.
College officials are also encouraging members of the public who remember Johnston and her connection to Hodge's Creek to share their recollections to honour her lasting impact on the Territory.
Primary source: 284 Media