Central College received an estate gift from Fran De Jong, a 1957 graduate and former chaplain at the college. Her gifts totaled more than $110,000 and helped fund scholarships for students. De Jong was one of the first women ordained in the Reformed Church in America and later served as chaplain at Central from 1977-97. She earned a degree in physical education from Central in 1957 and went on to earn a master’s at McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago.. De Jong retired after 20 years as chaplain at Central and began a life as a volunteer in Pella. De Jong died Oct. 11, 2017, in Pella.