Dec 28, 2014 3 min read

How hard it must be for parents grieving the loss of a child to put that grief aside temporarily and go forward to create a lasting memory for the young person whose life ended prematurely.

That happened last week when the Community Foundation of Greene County announced the family of Jesse Benson established a scholarship fund in his memory, 24 days after the West Greene High School senior died from injuries suffered in an automobile accident.

The Jesse Benson Finnegan Scholarship Fund will provide scholarships for students completing studies at Greene County Career and Technology Center. Any GCCTC graduating senior is eligible to apply for the scholarship, but first preference will be given to a student completing the electrical occupations program.

The scholarship will provide tuition assistance for post-high school studies at an accredited technical school, business school or two- or four-year college or university.

We would suspect the foresight to perpetuate Benson’s legacy by establishing a scholarship in his name undoubtedly brought the family some relief in knowing his name and accomplishments would be carried on by a student of similar age and interests.

Jesse’s stepfather, George (Bob) Finnegan, put the decision in perspective. He said, “The scholarship is a way to help students learn and find success after high school, something Jesse would want. It will also help to remember Jesse each year.”

As a resident of Wind Ridge, perhaps the signature region of rural living in Greene County, Jesse was a member of the vocational-agriculture department. He applied his extensive math skills learning the electrician trade. As a member of the 4-H market steer club, he looked forward to the Jacktown Fair each year. He loved the outdoors and working on the family farm.

We also think it is appropriate to acknowledge the well-thought-out decision to entrust the establishment of the scholarship fund to the Community Foundation, an agency not unfamiliar with philanthropic enterprises.

The Community Foundation of Greene County is a private, nonprofit organization founded in 2000, and is the central vehicle in Greene County for donations of various types and sizes. CFGC currently manages approximately $4 million in assets through nearly 65 different funds.

We are quite familiar with the foundation’s involvement with overseeing scholarship funds awarded each year to deserving high school seniors.

While the benefactors of the scholarships have established specific qualifications, the funds are, nonetheless, diverse.

Among the memorial and scholarship funds administered by the foundation:

• The Army Spec. Gregory A. Cox Memorial Scholarship Fund is for graduating senior in ROTC and/or planning a career in public safety for other public service (excluding politics), and for a K-6 student at All Saints Regional School.

• The William H. Davis Jr. Scholarship Fund is for a graduating senior to attend Westmoreland County Community College.

• The Rocky Doman Memorial Fund is for a graduating senior involved in sports who exemplifies being a team player with a humble spirit.

• The William and Shirley Hanley Memorial Scholarship Fund is for graduating seniors at Carmichaels Area High School and Mapletown High School.

• The Thelma S. Hoge Memorial Scholarship Fund is for worthy students of West Greene School District who are pursuing a college education.

• The R.A. Matteucci Family Scholarship Fund is a need-based scholarship for graduating seniors of Jefferson-Morgan High School.

• The Darlene Phillips Scholarship Fund is for graduating seniors of Mapletown High School planning to major in elementary education.

• The Walter Samek III Memorial Fund is to assist graduating seniors of Carmichaels High School to continue post-secondary education.

And now we can add the Jesse Benson Finnegan Scholarship Fund to this impressive list.