Grateful Alumna Included UNE in Her Will
Westbrook Junior College Class of 1951 alumna Florence McCashin's life was full of friendships, education and career success, and she viewed these as her legacy. Forever grateful for her Westbrook Junior College experience, McCashin was a loyal donor to the Westbrook College and UNE Annual Alumni Fund for nearly three decades. To honor her cherished experience, McCashin, who passed away in January of 2013, willed a major portion of her estate to University of New England.
McCashin was an only child who was raised by her grandmother in Kittery, Maine. In 1949, she attended Westbrook Junior College, where she met fellow classmate Shirley Powell Prouty WJC '51. The two young women connected through shared interests and became fast friends. From studying in Goddard Hall to going out on Saturday night, McCashin and Prouty were a pair on and off campus, and spent many holidays together at Prouty's family home in Arlington, Massachusetts. With ambitions of pursuing a career and furthering her education, McCashin enlisted in the United States Navy in the same year Prouty and her fiancé Ernest Prouty were married. A testament to their friendship, McCashin delayed her deployment to be the maid of honor in Prouty's wedding ceremony.
McCashin became a Seaman Apprentice in the WAVE (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Services). She graduated from the US Naval Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois, and the Communications Technician Radio School in San Diego, California. McCashin served four years active duty during the Korean War before transferring to the Navy Reserve. In her civilian capacity, McCashin served as a Communications Specialist at the US Naval Security Station. At just 34 years old, McCashin held the distinction of being the only WAVE Senior Chief Communications Technician in the entire US Navy. Her career and education were her focus, and with continued dedication and success, McCashin remained a member of the US Navy Reserve until her retirement.
Sixty years after meeting as college students, McCashin and Prouty still regarded each other as sisters and spoke on the phone once a week. They spent cherished time every Sunday talking, sharing stories, and of course, reminiscing about their days at Westbrook Junior College.
By including UNE in your will or estate plan, you can help new generations of students create their own memories for a lifetime. Click here to review sample bequest language. You will see how easy it is to include a bequest in your will or trust. You might find it helpful to print this page and the bequest language. Please feel free to give this information to your attorney. If he or she has any questions, please contact us. If you have included a bequest for the University of New England in your estate plan, please let us know. We would like to thank you and recognize you for your gift.