A $15,500 contribution from the estate of Linda Hiltabrand of Peru has been donated to the agriculture program at Illinois Valley Community College. The funds are Hiltabrand’s portion of the family farm earnings which was left to IVCC in her estate.
Hiltabrand, who died in February 2024, was an IVCC alumna who made lifelong friends at IVCC. “In combining her love for the land with her passion for community and learning, she found a powerful way to support the future of local students and families,” said her sister, Marie Taylor.
“Her bequest of income from her cherished family farmland was deeply meaningful to her. Having grown up on that very farmland that had been lovingly tended by generations before her, Linda wished to leave a legacy that honored both her roots and her values,” Taylor said.
Hiltabrand achieved a number of firsts in her career. She served as the first woman county manager for the Illinois Farm Bureau in Bond County and was one of the first women in the state to work as an environmental protection specialist for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Office of Mines and Minerals.
She attended Cedar Point schools and La Salle-Peru Township High School, graduated from IVCC in 1973 with an associate degree in science, and earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture science from the University of Illinois-Champaign. She was an active member and leader in 4-H and served on the L-P High School Foundation and the Peru Library Board. She was an engaged leader in the local and international Zonta organization, having served as club president twice, as a district governor, and representing the organization for the IVCC Scholarship event.
“Linda’s vision lives on through this gift,” Taylor said, noting the scholarship represents “a tribute to her enduring spirit, her love of this community and her steadfast belief in the transformative power of education.”
“Leaving a planned gift to the IVCC Foundation is a powerful way to leave a legacy that lasts for generations,” said Tracy Beattie, Foundation executive director. If you would like to learn more about how your legacy can help ensure your values live on through IVCC, please contact Beattie at 815-224-0550.
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