Betty L. and Marjorie Dierdorf Memorial Scholarship Fund

Year Founded

2002

David Archer Family

Founders
The David Archer Family

Purpose of Fund
The primary purpose of the Fund shall be to provide educational financial support through a scholarship program as recommended by a committee designated by the Founding Contributor. Scholarship nominees will be recommended by the committee and approved by the Board of Directors of the Putnam County Community Foundation. It is understood that scholarship recipients cannot be members or family members of advisory committees or Foundation staff and board members.

History of Fund

The Betty L. and Marjorie Dierdorf Memorial Scholarship Fund was created in memory of two sisters who devoted their lives to serving others. They were the daughters of Herman and Bernice Stoner Dierdorf. Their only brother, Oren, was killed in France while serving in the Army Air Force during World War II.

Betty Lee Dierdorf was born in Clay County on March 7, 1927, and was residing in Greencastle at the time of her death on March 24, 2001. She was a graduate of Clay City High School and Indiana State University. Betty was a home economics teacher for 42 years. Her teaching experience included thirty-one years at Cloverdale Jr./Sr. High School with the remainder of the years spent teaching at Clay County and Linton-Stockton Schools.

Leona “Marjorie” Dierdorf was born in Clay City on February 29, 1920, and died in Greencastle on February 13, 1984. Marjorie, or “Marg” as she was called by most, was a graduate of Brazil High School and Indiana State University. She was a home economist in Knox, Martin, and Morgan counties from 1949 to 1980. Vincennes was her home for many of those years. After retiring in 1980, she moved to Putnam County to spend her retirement years with her sister.

Their family was very close and they all pitched in on the family farm during their early and adolescent years. Laughter was an important element in their lives, as well as, helping others in need. If anyone they ever came in contact with went hungry, it was because they didn’t know they were in need.

While growing up, they were both very active in 4-H and kept that connection throughout life in various capacities as 4-H leader, judge, fair volunteer, etc. If they heard of a needy child or family, they responded in any way they could. Throughout life they volunteered with various organizations and agencies to help individuals in need especially reaching out to young people. Some of their areas of volunteerism were with the Food Pantry, Putnam County Adult Literacy Program, Return a Gift, The Reality Store, and numerous others.
Inspiration for creating the fund: These two ladies brought laughter, kindness, and love into the lives or those they encountered. Therefore, the Betty L. and Marjorie Dierdorf Memorial Scholarship has been created in their memory so that their mission and desire to help youth will continue.