DESCRIPTION
The Kespohl Scholarship is named in honor of Mr. Henry Arnold Kespohl, a long term member of Emmaus Lutheran Church who loved the Lord and was deeply committed to Christian education.
The $1,500 Kespohl Scholarship is a merit award based on a student’s record of achievement and potential in the areas of academics, community/church service and character.
ELIGIBILITY
The Kespohl Scholarship is available to a student planning to enroll at Lutheran High School for the following academic year holding membership in one of the Greater Indianapolis Association of Lutheran Churches.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Kespohl Scholarship application
by April 15th.
SELECTION
Selection of the Kespohl Scholarship recipient will be made by Lutheran High School’s scholarship selection committee based on careful consideration of each applicant’s application during April. The recipient of the scholarship will be announced at the annual Academic Awards Chapel.
DISTRIBUTION
The Kespohl Scholarship will be awarded in two equal installments, amounting to $750 each academic semester of the school year.
RENEWABILITY
The Kespohl Scholarship is awarded for one year. Previous recipients are welcome and encouraged to reapply for the award in subsequent years.
HENRY ARNOLD KESPOHL
Henry A. Kespohl was born in Germany and immigrated to the United States with his parents and other siblings in 1893 when he was just two years old. The Kespohl family called Brazil, Indiana home in the US due to its family ties to the coal mining industry. Henry and his older brother started “Kespohl Brothers Market” in Brazil.
Henry (a/k/a Butch) and his wife and older daughter moved to Indianapolis in the early 1920s. He opened his grocery store on Indianapolis’ southside (Virginia Avenue) in the Fountain Square area and then moved to Shelby Street until its closing in the late 1950s.
Henry and his wife (Marie nee Bader) loved their Lord and were deeply committed to Christian education. They were long-term members of Emmaus Lutheran Church and School. Both Kespohl daughters (Anna Marie and Helen) attended Emmaus Lutheran School. Butch was a member of the Christian Education Board for several years.
Butch loved his grandchildren and was involved in their life and education. They too all attended Emmaus Lutheran School. Unfortunately, the Lord took him to be with Him in 1959 and he did not see his younger grandchildren confirmed or graduate. Since then, two of his grandchildren have served on Emmaus’ Board of Education and today, his great-grandson is now chairman of the board. In addition, two other grandchildren were called into the teaching ministry.
If alive, he would have been deeply committed to the beginning of our secondary education arm in the greater Indianapolis area. Two of his grandchildren (Jerry and Anita Roesener) started the Kespohl Scholarship Fund (“Fund”) over 20 years ago in an effort to award scholarship and achievement and some modest financial incentive to attend Lutheran High School. The Fund originally provided $500 in tuition assistance for their freshman year. The amount was increased to $1,500 as tuition climbed at LuHi. Since Emmaus no longer has 8th grade, the Fund transferred the scholarship to LuHi for its management. It is now available for any member of one of the Greater Indianapolis Association of Lutheran Churches based on a record of academics, community/church service and character as demonstrated in a written application.
Butch was a great man and served his Lord by serving others. He was especially mindful of the service of pastors and teachers in the city and often provided “discounted” groceries to them and their families as part of his stewardship.
It is with great honor that the Kespohl descendants honor this man for his work as a Christian steward.
Contributed by G. H. Roesener, grandson.