Herman and Gunda Reque Memorial Scholarship

CLU missed an opportunity to personally become acquainted with donors Herman and Gunda Reque during their lifetimes. The University only learned of the couple’s support for CLU’s mission came in 1973 shortly after Herman’s death. At that time, the college received the news of their generous bequest. The couple had given enough thought to their gift to put into writing their wish that the money be used to establish a scholarship for students planning to go into the ministry of the Lutheran church.

What little biographical information the campus was able to glean came through Gunda’s sister, Jeannette, who lived in Kennewick, Washington. As the administrator of the Reque estate Jeannette provided helpful information. From her correspondence CLU soon learned why her sister and brother-in-law had bequeathed their life savings to a Lutheran institution.

Both Herman and Gunda’s fathers had been Lutheran pastors who had reared their children to be dedicated to the work of their church and to be generous with their gifts. At the time of the bequest, Herman and Gunda had been loyal members of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Chula Vista, California.

Like so many of CLU’s early scholarships, donors were often those who believed firmly in the future of the Lutheran church and its affiliated institutions, especially on the West Coast. Such was the case with the Herman and Gunda Reque Memorial Scholarship. It was designated for upper-division Lutheran students who are religion majors and/ or planning to attend seminary following graduation. Some of CLU’s finest students have been selected to receive this endowed scholarship and continue to serve the Lutheran church today as pastors.