The Cleon and Pauline B. Throop Scholarship was established at the Steuben County Community Foundation in October 2019 through a $100,000 bequest from the Throops. In 1944, they started what would become Throop Florist and Greenhouse. Serving customers from all over Steuben County, they sold the business in 1978 but the name remained until the store closed in 2017. Cleon and Pauline were active community members throughout their entire lives. Cleon served on the board of directors at First Federal Savings Bank in Angola for 58 years, including 38 years as Vice President. He was a member of the Angola Lions Club for an outstanding 73 years, served on the Angola City Council from 1960-1963, and was a member of the Jaycees. Like Cleon, Pauline was involved in a variety of civic organizations. Pauline co-founded the Jaycee Wives Club and was a member of the Angola Women of the Moose and Sigma Phi Gamma. Married over 77 years, Cleon and Pauline died within six months of one another in 2018.
Cleon and Pauline Throop felt it was important to leave a legacy of community support in Steuben County. Their son, Tom Throop, shared that his parents wanted to make a difference, saying, “This scholarship will support students from Steuben County as they pursue a great future and gain new experiences, which is what my parents had hoped to make possible.” Beginning in spring 2020, the scholarship will be awarded annually to a Steuben County student who is venturing outside the county to pursue opportunities for academic achievement.
The Cleon and Pauline B. Throop Scholarship is one of more than 55 scholarships administered through the Steuben County Community Foundation. Applications are now available for spring 2020 graduates and non-traditional students on SCCF’s website at steubenfoundation.org/scholarships.
