Jerry Torrence, a graduate of the North High Class of 1953, may have been an only child and childless himself, but many children will benefit from his generosity.

Torrence, who died at the age of 80 in 2015 and was buried in his hometown of St. Charles, Iowa, has left a cumulative $1.25 million to his old high school with the directive that it be used to provide scholarships to deserving students.

North High students need to meet the dual requirements of having at least a 3.0 GPA and plan to attend one of the University of Iowa, Iowa State University or the University of Northern Iowa to qualify for the Torrence scholarship money. It may only be put towards the cost of tuition.

"For all his success and travel in later life, that Iowa foundation remained the single most important facet of his life, a memory that he supported emotionally and financially throughout his years…" Torrence's obituary read. "An offer from Regal Rugs in New York in 1960 brought him to the city that became his life. He drove through the Lincoln Tunnel that May in a convertible with Iowa plates…"

Along with being a graduate of North High, Torrence also graduated from the University of Iowa in 1957.

According to North High principal Ben Graeber, the school knew money was being bequeathed to the school but had no idea as to the remarkable size of the sum.

“(In 2015) we learned that a gift was coming,” he said. “We did not know this … chunk of money was going to be this large.”

"It should certainly be noted that a ... lasting legacy will spring from North in the futures made possible by an alum who never forgot where he came from and whose family will continue to grow for generations to come," a press release from Des Moines Public Schools read.

Aaron Calvin covers trending news for the Register. Reach him at acalvin@registermedia.com or 515-556-9097.

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