Ernest and Edna Newhouse Scholarship

The names of Ernest and Edna Newhouse are forever remembered as two of the stewards who made possible the existence and the growth of CLU. Married for 62 years with no children, they shared their lives, their faith and their happiness with countless friends everywhere they went . . . and they went many places!

Ernest was born in 1908 in Minnesota. His grandparents had emigrated from Norway, changing the family name from Nyhus to Newhouse when they arrived in America. He grew up on a farm and attended a one-room elementary school and an agricultural high school. He graduated from Carleton College, married his long-time sweetheart Edna, and began a career at radio station KGFK in Minneapolis. He soon moved into sales and formed his first company, Newhouse Distributors, an effort that was interrupted by the World War II, during which Ernest served in the U.S. Air Force.

After the war, the Newhouses moved to Whittier, California, where they both became realtors. That’s also where Ernest blossomed into an entrepreneur par excellence. Over the years he created several successful companies, most of them associated with the automotive industry. He was well known for his optimism and his “never-give-up” attitude. He was also a good writer, authoring several industry trade books, among which was one on sports cars that sold over a million copies. Because of his success, Ernest was able to retire at 50. He enjoyed many years of travel with Edna, visiting several foreign countries as well as every state in the contiguous United States. Much of that traveling was done in their RV.

The Newhouses were very active members of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Whittier. They were also committed philanthropists who felt that supporting the church and institutions of higher education was an important part of their stewardship. In their estate plan, they designated four colleges, one of which was CLU, to benefit from their successes in life. Edna passed away in 1994 and Ernest in 2004.

The endowed Ernest and Edna Newhouse Scholarship perpetuates the couple’s love of Lutheran higher education by supporting deserving students of the Christian faith who are attending Cal Lutheran. Because of Ernest’s successful career and Edna’s unflagging support, many students will receive this scholarship for years to come.