Kenneth Hecht was born at Blairstown, Iowa, on April 17, 1910. He was raised in Belle Plaine, Iowa and graduated from high school in 1929. Mary (Foster) Hecht was born on May 2, 1913 at Denison, Iowa, and graduated from Ames High School. They were married April 9, 1939 in Nashua, Iowa, at the Little Brown Church. Kenneth and Mary were the owners and operators of Hecht Office Supplies for over 45 years. Their business was located on the northwest corner of Main and Washington Avenue. They sold the business and retired in 1975. The Hecht’s were very involved in their community. Mary was very active in the Business and Professional Women’s Organization participating at the state and national level and in 1986 was nominated by that group for the Iowa Falls Community Service Award. In 1981, that organization selected Mary as its “Woman of the Year.” Mary was very supportive of Iowa Falls and was involved in activities associated with the Neighborhood Watch Program, the American Cancer Society, The United Church of Christ, Edgewood, Community Chest, Garden Club, Ellsworth Municipal Hospital, and the Hardin County Emergency Squad. Both Ken and Mary planted various gardens each year and established a reputation as growers of beautiful flowers, especially gladiolas. Kenneth was a stamp collector and dealer and served with the U.S. Merchant Marine during World War II. He was also a member of the Moose and Elk’s lodges in Iowa Falls. Following Kenneth’s death, Mary established this endowed scholarship in their memory. In her will, Mary included the Ellsworth College Foundation and prior to her death, donated the Hecht Building to the Foundation in a charitable remainder trust. The Foundation sold that building in the spring of 2000. Kenneth passed away in 1979 and Mary on October 3, 1997