Olen and Irene Britsch Scholarship

Olen and Irene Britsch of Archbold, Ohio, always had positive feelings about Goshen College.  Irene attended Goshen in 1935 as a winter Bible School student and their two children, Calvin ’69 and Maretta Britsch Buller ’64 both graduated from GC.

However, the Britschs were aware that some young people were not considering GC because of lower-priced education at state universities.  This concerned them because they were convinced of the value of Christian higher education.  They decided to act on this concern.

Olen and Irene established a scholarship in 1973 to help financially needy students attend Goshen.  It was their request that students be selected from northwestern Ohio or southeastern Michigan.  The recipients may follow any course of study with preference given to Mennonite students when all other conditions are equal.

The establishment of this scholarship fit naturally with their concern for youth in the Archbold area and a desire to be good stewards of all God entrusted to them.  Olen and Irene were both natives of the Archbold, Ohio, area.  They grew up knowing each other, dating once they got older and marrying in November, 1937.

Olen worked for several manufacturing firms.  However, he worked most of his adult life with several family members at Bil-Jax, an independent manufacturer of scaffolding.  He worked there until his death in November, 1978.

Irene devoted her time to rearing their two children and volunteering many hours at the local hospital and Fairlawn Haven in Archbold.

Irene and Olen never wished glory for their gift.  But the record stands that both of them have interests centered on “giving persons the right foundation for living.”  The Olen and Irene Britsch Scholarship Fund is eloquent testimony to this desire.

Irene died May 2008.