BLINN COLLEGE FOUNDATION RECEIVES $250,000 GIFT TO ESTABLISH JIMMIE LYNN FRICKE MEMORIAL ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP

  

The Blinn College Foundation has received a $250,000 gift to establish the Jimmie Lynn Fricke Memorial Endowed Scholarship, honoring a Washington County woman remembered for her kindness, compassion, and lifelong dedication to helping others.

The endowed scholarship will provide financial support to deserving students pursuing a certificate in vocational nursing at Blinn College.

“In a world where you can be anything, be kind and give of yourself to others with love, respect, and compassion,” said Donna Fricke, retired Blinn College nursing professor and Jimmie Lynn Fricke’s sister-in-law.

A lifelong Washington County resident, Jimmie Lynn Fricke devoted her life to serving others in Chappell Hill, Brenham, and the surrounding community. Her husband Jeffrey said his wife never met a stranger.

“She always showed love to everyone, especially her family, friends, and students,” he said. “She put her heart and soul into everything she did.”

Jimmie Lynn graduated from Brenham High School, where she met Jeffrey, the love of her life. The two married in 1984. Early in her career, she hoped to enter the nursing profession, but life led her down a different path. She spent several years giving back to her community as a house painter before beginning work in the early 1980s with a state program that helped individuals with disabilities learn job skills.

In 2001, Jimmie Lynn began working alongside her dear friend Sharon Machac in Brenham ISD’s life skills program. She was deeply committed to her students and later continued that service through Project SEARCH, a program designed to empower young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to achieve competitive employment.

“The kids will always remember their ‘Fricke,’ especially her amazing laugh and smile,” Jeffrey Fricke said.

Jimmie Lynn Fricke was diagnosed with ALS in 2017. Although the disease eventually prevented her from physically caring for others, she continued to love and support her family and friends in every way she could.

“A compassionate and caring nurse can make such a difference in someone’s life, just as hospice nurses Haley and Jenny did for Jimmie Lynn,” Jeffrey Fricke said. “It was always my privilege and honor to be Jimmie Lynn’s husband, and I hope this scholarship will inspire others to continue her memory of loving and caring for the less fortunate.”

Gentry Woodard, Executive Director of the Blinn Foundation, said the endowed scholarship will carry Jimmie Lynn’s legacy forward by helping students prepare for careers dedicated to caring for others.

“This legacy gift honors Jimmie Lynn Fricke’s life of service and creates a pathway for vocational nursing students to follow in that same spirit of compassion,” Woodard said. “We are grateful for the opportunity to celebrate her life in a way that will support Blinn students for generations to come.”

The Foundation oversees more than 300 endowed scholarships and provides financial support for programs and activities that enhance the quality of education for Blinn students and expand educational opportunities. The Foundation also works to heighten community awareness of the College’s mission and accomplishments while promoting excellence in education.

Blinn endowed scholarships are available to incoming and returning students from a wide range of backgrounds, majors, and experiences. Students are considered based on high academic achievement, participation in student activities, and community involvement.

Current high school and college students can apply for Blinn scholarships by completing the application at www.blinn.edu/scholarships. Prior to applying for scholarships, students must complete their application for admission to Blinn College at www.applytexas.org.

(Story courtesy Blinn Information)