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Elgin man leaves $30,000 for high school scholarships

The late Richard "Dick" Fitchie left $30,000 to a scholarship fund at his alma mater, St. Edward Central Catholic High School in Elgin, to ensure low-income students continue to have opportunities to attend the private school.

The donation went to the Don Fitchie Memorial Scholarship Fund, which is named after his father, said Fitchie's partner, Peggi Lathrop, of West Dundee. Dick Fitchie died in July at 70.

"(The donation) is something that the family and he had discussed, something he wanted to do. We were all aware of it and very proud of him for continuing to want to make sure that this scholarship he started in the name of his dad would continue."

Fitchie graduated in 1964 from St. Edward. He worked for 43 years for Brady Ready Mix Co. and Meyer Material Co., starting as a truck driver and moving to sales until his retirement in 2009. He started the scholarship fund in his father's name in 1990.

The school, now in its 77th year, has about 400 students in ninth through 12th grade. Tuition is about $6,600 for students from member parishes, and about $8,000 for nonmembers, plus about $1,000 for fees and registration, school business manager Jan Schroeder said.

"We don't get any money from the state of Illinois to operate our school, so we really depend on the kindness of our donors," Schroeder said.

"(Fitchie) was an awesome supporter of St. Edward High School. He never forgot the high school, and he supported us in many of the adventures we had here. The black tie gala, the booster club ... you name it, he was there," she said. "He was an integral part of our school. He was loved."

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