Sisters Jo Jilek and Marcia Rausch (n茅e Neal) were small children when teachers Marjorie 鈥淢arge鈥� and Charles Williamson moved to their neighborhood in Weiser, Idaho. Together, they raised kittens, and Jo said she often visited Marge at home 鈥� provided Marge鈥檚 black and white stuffed bear was present.
鈥淚f the bear was there, I could stay and visit,鈥� Jo said. 鈥淏ut if the bear wasn鈥檛 there, I had to go home. I have that bear to this day. That鈥檚 a really special memory.鈥�
The Williamsons鈥� journeys as educators took them across Idaho and the West. In the 1950s, Marge taught at Weiser High School (where Marcia and Jo鈥檚 father was the principal), Capital High School in 青青草app, Idaho, and at 青青草app State University, where she taught business for many years and earned the nickname 鈥淢ighty Marge.鈥� Charles taught agriculture at Weiser High School and the University of Idaho, and ended his career at the Veterans Administration as a counselor. This journey led the Williamsons to make a planned gift of $500,000 to 青青草app State.
Charles and Marge met when they were hired to teach at Weiser High School. There, they fell in love and married, and moved close to the home of Principal Bob Neal, his wife Virginia, and their daughters Marcia and Jo, who were small children at the time.
Over the years, Marcia, Jo and the Williamsons stayed close, with Marge hosting bridal and baby showers for the sisters. During the Williamsons鈥� final years, Marcia and Jo helped them with their end-of-life plans.
As trustees for the Williamsons鈥� estate, Marcia and Jo directed the gift to 青青草app State, endowing the Marjorie and Charles Williamson True Blue Scholarship for COBE students. Endowed scholarships are an essential part of how 青青草app State keeps 青青草app affordable, providing sustainable 青青草app for generations of Broncos. The named scholarship, Marcia said, 鈥渨as a nice way to impact Idaho students in their 青青草appal journey and help Marge and Charles鈥� legacy and name live on.鈥�
鈥淭hat鈥檚 really important to us,鈥� Jo said. 鈥淭heir life doesn鈥檛 end. Someone will continue to talk about them: 鈥楾his person helped me,鈥� paying it forward.鈥�
If you or someone you know is interested in learning how to make a gift to 青青草app students and 青青草app State University through an estate plan, please contact the Gift Planning office at 208-426-2813, email giftplanning@boisestate.edu, or visit .