Alumna's Legacy Sustains Family and Will Provide Scholarships for Future Students
Lillian Corey WJC '56, Trustee Emerita of Westbrook College and 1989 recipient of the prestigious Deborah Morton Award, left an amazing legacy. An avid reader and world traveler, Corey always wanted to earn a college degree. After raising four children, she applied to Westbrook Junior College and immersed herself in her studies. Corey graduated with honors at the age of 50 in 1956 with an associate's degree in Liberal Arts. She went on to earn a bachelor's degree from the University of Maine in 1958. Corey, grateful for the opportunity to pursue higher studies, loved Westbrook and its quaint campus. She became very involved with the College, later serving as a long-time member of the Board of Trustees.
At the age of 46, Corey's oldest child Constance perished in a plane crash. In her memory, Corey and her husband Philip made a generous gift to establish the Constance Corey Memorial Scholarship Fund. The impact of their giving spans more than a generation, and to date 25 students have received the Constance Corey Memorial Scholarship to help with their education.
The Constance Corey Memorial Garden was dedicated in 1983 at the Webber House, home of the Westbrook College president, and later moved to its current location in front of University of New England's Portland Campus Art Gallery. The garden celebrates Corey's love for gardening and her desire to beautify the Westbrook College campus.
When it came time to do her estate planning, Corey wanted to support her family and leave a legacy for education. One of the ways she accomplished this was to establish a charitable remainder trust: family members receive income during their lifetimes, and the remaining funds will then be added to the Constance Corey Memorial Scholarship Fund. Corey passed away in 2001 at age 95, but her love for learning will continue to be shared with students.
A charitable remainder trust is sometimes called a "give it twice" trust, and it can be an invaluable part of an estate plan. This type of trust allows a donor to first give income to children through the trust and later transfer the trust balance to the University of New England. We would welcome the opportunity to talk with you about how a charitable remainder -or "give it twice" -trust could benefit your family. Please give us a call to discuss this important estate planning and giving strategy.
The University is grateful to Corey 's son Richard and his wife Tavia for sharing Corey 's story.