Seymoure, Fred and Mildred (Young) Memorial Scholarship Fund

Donor Fund Story:

Catherine Seymoure, Diana & Larry Leffel, and David & Carol Seymoure started the Fred and Mildred Seymoure Memorial Scholarship Fund in honor of their parents.

Believing in education was a part of the philosophy of life of Fred & Mildred Seymoure of Albion. They often talked of college and careers to their three children Diana, Catherine & David. Mildred was a first grade teacher in Wolf Lake and taught second grade in Albion and Fred was a farmer who would have been a state policeman but did not have that chance.

Fred Seymoure was born in a farm house South of Albion and Mildred was born near Stroh, Indiana. They met through friends, married and lived their life in Albion and later on in the original Seymoure farm, South of Albion.

In early years Fred worked construction, building bath rooms, later becoming a hog and grain farmer in York and Jefferson Townships. Fred was a member of the Albion Masonic Lodge #97. He, also, could be seen flipping pancakes at the Presbyterian Church breakfasts. Fred was a very warm and generous man. He often traded butchered hogs to men who helped him in the grain fields. He was genuinely liked by members of the community. He was a great family man, doting on his children and grand children.

Mildred Shroyer Seymoure was raised in South Milford, Indiana. She attended Manchester College, receiving a two year normal degree which allowed her to teach school. Mildred taught school for a couple of years in South Milford before marrying Fred. She then became a homemaker until going back to teaching in the 1950’s. Later on Mildred graduated from St Francis University completing her bachelor’s degree and continued to teach at Albion elementary.

After Fred died in 1972, Mildred then married Bion Young a farmer from Pleasant Lake, Indiana. Music was a major part of Mildred’s life, having played the church organ at the Presbyterian Church in Albion for 20 years then at the Church of Christ in Stroh. Mildred belonged to the church woman’s group. She was a very loving and devoted family person; she was very well liked by many friends.

Some of the favorite Seymoure family memories included making homemade ice cream and cake almost every weekend while spending time with the family; taking their fishing pole’s out to Bartley Lake and going fishing; and just simply sitting around the kitchen table hanging out with the family and enjoying each other’s company. Catherine said, “We worked hard, but we always had food on the table. Summer times were good.” The family also enjoyed going to the Hi-View Drive-In Theater at the crossing of State Road 3 and State Road 8. They would pile into the car (it was only $1 for a car load) and enjoy watching movies while munching on popcorn and drinking iced tea.

Catherine initiated the scholarship fund while she was on the Community Foundation of Noble County Board, and both her sister and brother (Diana and David) supported the scholarship fund from the beginning. All three of the children are appreciative of the financial help that their parents gave them for their advanced education. Catherine stated, “They pushed to have us do well.”