James and Linda Gatrell Textbook Rental Scholarship
Impact
This scholarship honors the lives and legacy of James Clay Gatrell (June 25, 1939 – December 7, 2025) and Linda Elizabeth Gatrell (née Monarch) (November 18, 1948-May 6, 2018). Married in 1968, Jim and Linda raised their sons—Tony, Danny, Jon, and Jay—in Northern Michigan (a.k.a. “Up North”). A “telephone man” and volunteer firefighter & EMT tech who was also active in multiple service organizations, Jim spent his entire career with GTE and later served as an Otsego County Commissioner in retirement. Linda, a cosmetologist by trade, balanced her roles as a devoted stay-at-home mother and later worked outside the home as her sons grew older. In the mid-2000s, they relocated to Terre Haute, IN to be closer to children and grandchildren.
Jim and Linda made it clear that college was an expectation, not an option. While Danny passed away in his infancy, Tony, Jon, and Jay honored their parents’ vision by becoming first-generation college graduates. Tony followed in his father’s footsteps with a career in telecommunications including stint at GTE with his father; Jon pursued a career in IT; and Jay entered academia. This scholarship stands as a lasting tribute to two remarkable parents and a heartfelt “thank you” for a job well done.