Leaving a Legacy: James L. Kiffe

James L. Kiffe attended St. Mary Grade School in La Crosse and graduated from Aquinas High School in 1942. After serving his country in World War II, he worked in La Crosse and joined a stock market club. He was an astute investor and frugal man.

Jim always credited his Catholic school education for shaping his life. As the only child of a single working mother, Jim Kiffe relied on the generosity of others to give him that opportunity and he never forgot it. He repaid that generosity with numerous gifts during his lifetime to help Aquinas students. Jim passed away in October 2011 and wanted to continue providing the gift of Catholic education even beyond his lifetime. As a result, his estate plan provided the largest single gift ever given to support our Catholic schools, valued at approximately $7.5 million. A portion of the gift has been given to the Aquinas Catholic Schools Foundation, but the majority of the gift is designated for the Aquinas Scholarship Fund. These funds will provide a scholarship to every high school student who makes a need request and provide substantial funding for families with the greatest needs.

Mr. Kiffe's generosity, and that of other planned giving donors, helps us improve the quality of our schools while ensuring Catholic education remains affordable for generations to come.