An Enduring Connection to Whittier Inspired Bequest

With the help of a scholarship that covered all of his costs while attending Whittier College, Kenneth "Ken" Florence '65 took full advantage of all the opportunities available to him on campus. He was a member of the Lancer Society, the Poet baseball team, and took his studies seriously, double-majoring in political science and history.

"He loved Whittier College," recalls Bill Pate '65, a life-long friend of Florence. "He had such a great time here. Ken was also a great athlete and one of the smartest people I've ever come in contact with." After graduating from Whittier, Florence joined the Navy and served in Vietnam. During one of his travels while in service, he visited the Mediterranean and met his future wife, Verena, who was on vacation from Switzerland at the time. They married in the United States after a brief courtship consisting mostly of mail correspondence and a brief 30-hour encounter.

After the Navy, Florence attended law school and Verena pursued her education in the U.S., eventually earning a Ph.D. in pharmacology. Both were very successful in their careers and stayed connected to Whittier and the Lancer society. Once retired, they settled in Morro Bay, Calif. and maintained a very athletic lifestyle, participating in outdoor activities. Upon Florence's passing in 2002, the Lancers made Verena an honorary society member and she stayed close to the group until her passing.

Ken and Verena Florence made their bequest to Whittier with fondness and gratitude for the type of education the College provides. The generous bequest of more than $2 million has already had a great impact on the campus and includes a leadership contribution to the Science & Learning Center—the Florence Laboratory and Study Area; support for the baseball program and the renovation of the batting area; and a gift to the Lancer Society Endowed Scholarship, the first society to award an endowed scholarship.

Pate noted it was always the Florences' intention to "give back to the good people who do good work at Whittier."