Des Moines Register
07-29-07
R.I.P., Vince Branigan, for heart, helping hand
For 40 years, the farmer anonymously donated $100,000 to keep a scholarship
supporting ISU agriculture students
By JERRY PERKINS
REGISTER FARM EDITOR
Vincent Branigan, who died June 24 at age 90, never forgot how his life was
changed by a scholarship to Iowa State University in the depths of the Great
Depression.
As a high school senior in 1936, Branigan wanted to go to Iowa State, but
couldn't raise the money for tuition. He applied for a Sears-Roebuck scholarship
but was chosen as an alternate.
When one of the 20 students initially selected for the scholarship could not enroll,
fortune smiled.
In 1966, on the 30th anniversary of his good fortune, Branigan decided he
needed to give other Iowa State students the same chance he had been given.
For 40 years, Branigan anonymously donated almost $100,000 to Iowa State,
said Neil Harl, a longtime Iowa State University economist and professor,
who became a friend and confidant of Branigan.
Harl was the only person outside Branigan's family who knew of Branigan's
largesse.
"Vince always said that he would not have been able to go to college without the
scholarship," Harl said.
That prompted Branigan to launch the scholarship program in 1966, which was
followed by other grants to Iowa State Extension and applied research, Harl said.
Harl handled the scholarship donations to protect Branigan's identity.
Branigan farmed in Pocahontas County and lived near Ames in recent years. He
lost a leg in combat in Germany in the waning days of World War II. He is
survived by his wife, Barbara, and his daughter, Kathy.
Harl met Branigan in 1965, shortly after Harl joined the Iowa State faculty, when
he conducted a seminar in Pocahontas County.
Branigan "bombarded me with questions during the seminar and afterward," Harl
said in the eulogy he delivered at Branigan's funeral.
About a week later, Branigan called Harl and asked to meet with him.
"Next year is the 30th anniversary of that 1936 scholarship," Branigan told Harl.
"I'd like to fund 10 $500 scholarships, to be known as the Sears-Roebuck
Memorial Scholarships."
Branigan asked Harl to handle the arrangements for the scholarships.
"Let's talk to the people at the scholarship office about setting it up," Harl said he
told Branigan.
"At that, Vince lost his usual ruddy complexion and exclaimed, 'Oh, no, no one is
to know I'm doing this,' " Harl said.
Harl said that during the farm crisis of the 1980s, Branigan's bank closed and he
was caught in a difficult financial bind.
Yet, Harl said, Branigan continued his scholarship support even though it placed
a financial burden on his farming operation.
Branigan reluctantly gave Harl permission to reveal his identity posthumously
because, Harl said, Branigan thought it might inspire others to donate money to
Iowa State.
One of the 1986 recipients of Branigan's Sears scholarship was Clint Renken,
38, of Zumbrota, Minn., who now works for and is a part-owner of Nelson Dairy
Consultants in Decorah.
"It changed my life dramatically," Renken said. "I know I wouldn't be doing what I
am doing today without it. ... It was a big deal for me. I still think about it all these
years later."
As a high school senior at Aplington High School in 1986, Renken was
undecided about college because of financial strains on his family's farm.
"It was during the farm crisis and money was extremely tight then," Renken said.
"I was weighing my options. The big thing was dollars.
"My vocational ag teacher found out about the scholarship at Iowa State and said
I should go for it. I did. That scholarship gave me the funds so I could pull it off.
"I wish I could shake his hand and thank him as a recipient."
Another 1986 recipient, Lance Gibson, is now an Iowa State associate professor
of agronomy.
Gibson, 38, said the $500 scholarship provided by Branigan came close to
paying his first semester's tuition of $680.
"It was during the farm crisis, and my family was having some money problems,
so the money was needed," Gibson said. "Neil has since told me that (Branigan)
was having some money problems at that time, so it's pretty special that he gave
the money then. ... It's a great story that someone could provide that kind of
support. It shows how big his heart was."
Farm Editor Jerry Perkins can be reached at (515) 284-8456 or
jperkins@dmreg.com