Generous Bequest Establishes Endowed Scholarship for Saint Mary’s Students
Long-time Moraga resident Leonie Casabonne Farmer donates $1.3 million to support undergraduates. It will help ensure a Saint Mary’s education is more accessible to as many students as possible.
Saint Mary's College has received a generous gift of $1.3 million from the estate of Leonie Casabonne Farmer that will be used to create the Herbert and Leonie Farmer Endowed Scholarship Fund to support undergraduate scholarships.
“Leonie’s enduring legacy will be to ensure that many generations of Gaels can afford a high-quality Saint Mary’s education,” said Brother Thomas Jones, FSC, Interim President. “Her estate gift embodies our Lasallian mission to educate as many students as possible, regardless of their ability to pay. We are deeply grateful for her commitment and generosity.”
A California native, Leonie Casabonne Farmer (1918–2022) was raised on her father’s farm in Calpella near Ukiah, and moved to San Francisco after high school. Leonie worked for the State of California at the Public Utilities Commission where she met her husband, Herbert Farmer. She and Herbert were long-time Moraga residents.
Leonie’s connection to Saint Mary’s originated with her mother’s side of the family, specifically her uncle John Sabatte, founder of Berkeley Farms Dairy and a stalwart supporter of Saint Mary’s. Many members of the Sabatte family across several generations have attended Saint Mary’s College as well as Saint Mary’s College High School, and their deep connections to these institutions made an impression on Leonie.
“Her estate gift embodies our Lasallian mission to educate as many students as possible, regardless of their ability to pay. We are deeply grateful for her commitment and generosity.”
–Brother Thomas Jones, FSC, Interim President
Her cousin, Gary Sabatte, said that Leonie was particularly impressed by a significant bequest of more than $3.5 million made by her cousin Remond Sabatte '45 in 1985 to establish the John A. and Mary M. Sabatte Family Endowed Scholarship. The endowment honors the founders of Berkeley Farms and their love of Saint Mary’s College and its mission.
“I believe that Leonie’s admiration for Remond and his example were the primary motivation for her estate gift,” said Gary Sabatte, who is a former member of the Board of Regents.
Thanks to Remond’s bequest and additional gifts by Sabatte family members, the Sabatte Family Endowed Scholarship has grown over time to more than $10 million and is now the largest scholarship fund at Saint Mary’s College. Each year, the fund generates enough income to help support the undergraduate education of more than 50 young Gaels.
“Leonie’s gift aligns with the generous commitment of the Sabatte family to provide essential financial aid to Saint Mary’s students,” said Patrick Carew, Vice President for Strategic Partnerships and Advancement. “Through their support of scholarships, this family has changed many lives and created invaluable opportunities for our students.”
Consistent with its Lasallian mission to educate as many students as possible, Saint Mary’s is a leader in recruiting first-generation and low-income students and supporting them with financial aid. Seventy-nine percent of Saint Mary’s students receive financial aid, and 57 percent receive need-based financial aid.
Gael Gratitude messages recognize gifts of $1 million or more to Saint Mary's College of California. We are deeply grateful for our generous community of donors. Each thoughtful gift creates opportunities for our students and enhances the unique Saint Mary's experience.
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