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HASTINGS, Neb. (AP) — A 1946 Hastings College graduate has left her entire $1.7 million estate to the school, and it's one of the largest gifts the university has received.
Sarah Leer majored in business administration at Hastings College, participated in the campus Spanish club and also met her husband, Stanley, while at school, The Grand Island Independent reported (http://bit.ly/1rrhbKG ). She spent her career as an administrative assistant with the Social Security Administration in Madison, Wisconsin. Leer died in April in Viroqua, Wisconsin.
In addition to the gift, Leer established a scholarship in memory of her family and parents. She's also helped support the restoration of McCormick Hall, the oldest building at Hastings College.
"She was unassuming but generous in her giving," said Gary Freeman, vice president for College Advancement and chief development officer. "In my conversations, it was clear she had given thought to how she could build a lasting legacy, which would benefit future students with financial need and the desire to learn."
In recognition of her gifts to Hastings College, she was inducted into the Pro Rege Society in 2005.
Leer was born in Ansley, Nebraska and graduated from Fullerton High School. She and her husband retired to Hot Springs, Arkansas, where they stayed until Stanley Leer died in 2013.
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Information from: The Grand Island Independent, http://www.theindependent.com
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