The H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) has received a generous gift of $35,916.39 from the estate of the late Alfrieda Mae ‘Gale’ Johnston, a former Hodge's Creek resident and United States Navy veteran. Photo: GIS

HLSCC President, Dr Richard E. Georges, said the gift of $35,916.39 from the estate of the late Alfrieda Mae ‘Gale’ Johnston will be used to create opportunities for generations of learners to come. Photo: Facebook/File

The funds gifted by the late Alfrieda Mae ‘Gale’ Johnston through her estate have since been entrusted to the HLSCC Foundation. Photo: HLSCC

Born on June 21, 1922, Johnston, fondly known as ‘Gale’,  passed away on November 17, 2018, at the age of 96. She named the HLSCC as a beneficiary of an investment account held with LPL Financial. 

The funds became available more than seven years after her passing, following the completion of the estate settlement process and the necessary legal and administrative requirements. 

Support for future VI students

HLSCC said the gift will support educational opportunities for future generations of Virgin Islands students.

Five holdings were sold, and proceeds totalling $35,916.39 were transferred to the College in May 2026, and the funds have since been entrusted to the HLSCC Foundation.

HLSCC President, Dr Richard E. Georges, said, “This gift is a powerful reminder that a legacy of service can continue long after a person's lifetime…We are deeply grateful to Ms Johnston for remembering H. Lavity Stoutt Community College in her will.”

Calling the gift a remarkable act of generosity, Dr Georges said Johnston had no direct family connection to the institution, yet chose to invest in the future of its students and in the Territory. 

“Through this gift, her commitment to service lives on, and we will honour that generosity by creating opportunities for generations of learners to come.”

Johnston served in the United States Navy during World War II as a photographer and recruiter, earning an Honourable Discharge in November 1945. Her military service was recognised with the World War II Victory Medal and the American Area Campaign Medal.