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103-year-old woman left estate to Blue Ridge Community College

TRYON—Blue Ridge Community now has $1.75 million through a bequest from a Tryon woman to provide scholarships and other program support related to the healthcare field. 

Liselotte R. Wehrheim, of Tryon, died in August at the age of 103. Wehrheim’s gift is the largest single gift from an individual in the history of Blue Ridge Community College, located in Hendersonville. 

Wehrheim grew up in Germany and served as a nurse in World War II. 

She moved to the United States in 1954 and continued her nursing career until she retired with her husband in North Carolina. 

A release from the college said Wehrheim understood the importance of a college education and loved seeing students work hard to improve their lives. 

College officials said more than half of Blue Ridge Community College students receive some kind of financial support and the gift will allow the college to expand academic programs as well as provide financial support for students pursuing careers in healthcare. 

Wehrheim and her husband Hans retired and moved to Flat Rock from Pennsylvania in the mid-1990s. An endowment scholarship fund was established in 2005 at Blue Ridge Community College in their names. 

Wehrheim took classes at Blue Ridge Community College into her 80s.