Jerry Richards & Judith McClure Memorial

The Jerry Richards & Judith McClure Scholarship was established in 1992 as the Jerry Richards Scholarship fund. Creating a fund for Jerry Richards was the idea of Steve Waite, Jerry’s childhood friend. Steve contacted Jerry’s sister Judith McClure to talk about his idea and Judy immediately agreed to the program and to be a co-founder by joining Steve as an original contributor of the scholarship fund. The name of the fund was changed in 2013 upon Judy’s passing as her family’s request to have her named added to the fund and donating additional funding to the scholarship program. A request to Steve for the name change was enthusiastically endorsed by him. The name change was made in 2013 and the official name of the fund became the Jerry Richards & Judith McClure Scholarship. Steve Waite: Steve continues to live in El Dorado and has pursued a career in banking and as an entrepreneur. He commenced his married life and has raised a family in El Dorado and has been involved in the civic life of El Dorado. Steve and Jerry were inseparable friends as young boys. They were boy scouts together and Steve recalled that on a scout camp out they added an element for the future deepening of their friendship. They made a pact to name their first son after the other. Jerry did not have a chance to fulfill the pledge because of this early passing at the age of 18 of cancer while serving in the United States Air Force. Steve did fulfill the pact and named his eldest son after his treasured friend Jerry. And he continues to honor his friend by his contributions to the scholarship fund.

Judith McClure: Judy was raised in El Dorado and was a graduate of El Dorado High School. Judy met Don McClure who was attending Butler Community College under a football scholarship. They were married in Pennsylvania where both worked and attended classes at the University of Pittsburg. After their move to Denver, Don graduated from both the University and the Law School (where Judy served as President of the Law School Wives Association) they embarked on their career in law with PepsiCo, Inc. In addition to Pittsburg and Denver Judy lived in New York, Chicago, Dallas and Judy came home when they were transferred to Wichita with Don assigned as Pizza Hut General Counsel. Judy raised two sons and was blessed with three grandchildren. She was a lifelong tennis player and gained a fondness for both domestic and international travel. She was especially fond of Paris where she visited a dozen times and Ireland that she visited often. Her most recent trip was to Ireland celebrating she and Don’s 50th wedding anniversary accompanied by their sons, grandchildren and daughter-in laws. Judy died on July 4, 2013.