Scholarship

Jay Edge Memorial Scholarship Fund

The Jay Edge Memorial Scholarship Fund was started by Rotary Club of Thorndale-Downingtown in 2008 to honor the memory of our founder, Jay Edge, and to benefit vocations at the Coatesville High School. Given out once a year to a High School senior towards their continuing education efforts, the scholarship fosters vocations and Jay’s beliefs of giving back to the community.

Jay Edge helped found the Thorndale-Downingtown Rotary Club in 1994 and served as its first president. He was very active in community affairs as a member of the board of directors of the Downingtown Public Library and in serving on the Civil Service Commission and Youth Aid Panel for Caln Township.

Along with his brother Robert, he worked for Edge Wallboard Machinery Co., the company started by their father. Before that, he served for 13 active-duty years in the U.S. Navy, earning the rank of captain during his many years serving in the USN Reserves.

Born in West Chester, Jacob was the son of the late Jacob V. and Ann Whyte Edge. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1963 and went on to serve on many different ships, mostly in the Pacific. He served two tours of duty in Vietnam. He left active service in 1976 and joined Edge Wallboard as executive vice president.

Fond of peanut butter, especially in strange combinations, he was known to his grandchildren as “Pa,” as was his grandfather before him. Jacob was a birder, he and his wife, Drinda, made trips to Arizona and Texas in his last several years to look for birds. He was also a beekeeper and lover of honey, as well as a member of the Chester County Beekeepers Association. Jay passed away in 2007.