Bureau County Republican

Kristyne K. Curley Memorial scholarship created

OGLESBY — The Kristyne K. Curley Memorial scholarship has been created by her husband, Scott Curley, with a $10,000 donation to the Illinois Valley Community College Foundation.

The $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to a current IVCC student beginning this fall.

“Kris could light up a room with her personality and warm smile and I’m sure she’s smiling down on the college now because of Scott’s generous donation to the Foundation in her memory,” said IVCC President Jerry Corcoran.

The Curleys both entered the workforce right after high school and decided to attend IVCC, both securing careers at the college. He began in the facilities department in maintenance and is now the director of the department. She worked in the information technologies department, becoming senior programmer/analyst.

In 2013, the Curleys adopted three kittens that had made the campus their home. When winter break came, they opened their home to the kittens’ mother known as ‘Campus Cat’ or ‘CC’ for short. Two years after taking her in, Kris joked, “She’s still CC, but now it stands for ‘Curley Cat.’”

After more than 27 years with the college, Kris passed away unexpectedly in April 2017.

“Kris definitely loved her furry babies at home and all animals, for that matter. She even got me to stop hunting and fishing because she said I was needlessly killing animals for sport,” Scott recalled. “I want to reward someone who has demonstrated the same love of animals Kris possessed.”

In addition to the standard scholarship essay, applicants must submit a one-page essay describing how animals have enriched their life by either fostering or adopting animals or volunteering at an animal shelter, rescue organization or rehabilitation center.

Scott added, “I love the idea of honoring my wife and best friend in this way.”

For more information, contact Fran Brolley at 815-224-0466.