Sarah Jane “Sally” Organ Pierce Geitz was born on August 2, 1933 to John E. and Eunice E. Vine Organ. Sally grew up in a family where education was held in high esteem. Her grandparents had been teachers, as was her mother.

Both Sally and her brother, Jack, were valedictorians of their senior classes at Sullivan High School. It was tradition for Sullivan High valedictorians to receive The Mary Frances Brown Award, given by local jeweler, Jim Brown. Sally always remembered receiving her award upon her high school graduation. Sadly, the tradition ended when Mr. Brown died. Sally was determined, however, to make certain that the valedictorians were being honored in some way, so she set out to start a fund with the Sullivan County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Wabash Valley Community Foundation.

“I believe in rewarding achievement; so my sister, Lynn Organ Amstutz, of Silverthorne, Colorado, and I set up the John and Eunice Organ Valedictorian Scholarship.” The scholarship is in memory of Sally’s parents.

Sally’s two children, Nancy Pierce Gettinger and David Pierce, were salutatorians of their senior classes at Sullivan High School. When their father, Rex Pierce, passed away Sally decided to endow a scholarship for salutatorians to memorialize her husband’s achievements. The Rex E. Pierce Salutatorian Scholarship is awarded to the salutatorian of the current graduating class at Sullivan High School. Sally was 77 when she passed away on October 20, 2010.

(For information contact Sullivan High School.)

Eligibility requires that:

• For the Valedictorian of the current graduating class of Sullivan High School, the John and Eunice Organ Valedictorian Scholarship.
• For the Salutatorian of the current graduating class of Sullivan High School, the Rex and Sally Pierce Salutatorian Scholarship.