NEWS RELEASE

Fishburn Estate Donation

Merrick Foundation, Inc. is pleased to announce that the Eugene Fishburn Estate fund will donate $250,000 to the Merrick County Historical Museum. Eugene Fishburn, the son of Philip and Ida (Van Cleave) Fishburn was born in Willow Springs, MO in 1919 and graduated from Chapman High School in 1937. He served in the US Army during World War II, receiving a bronze star and the CIB Award before returning to Chapman to farm. Eugene helped set up flags at the Chapman Cemetery for many years. He enjoyed collecting antiques, lamps, tokens, coins, bottles and guns and contributed items to the Merrick County Historical Museum.

Merrick Foundation and Merrick County Historical
Museum board members gather with Joan Manning
& Norma McMillan in announcing a grant from
the Eugene Fishburn Estate to the museum
building fund.

Joan Manning and Norma McMillan, relatives of Eugene, requested that Merrick Foundation, Inc. designate a significant portion of his donation to the Merrick County Historical Museum due to his interest in antiques and historical memorabilia. Interest on the Fishburn estate’s original gift of $482,094 will also provide two annual scholarships (totaling $2,500) for graduating seniors and provide support for Chapman community improvement projects (approx. $5,000/yr) such as the cemetery, barber shop or other community needs. The museum grant will be paid over a period of 15 years.