Oliver “Jeff’ Darwin Jeffords was born in Wenatchee, Washington. on March 8, I918. After graduating with Honors from Wenatchee High School, he attended CWCE for 2 years before being drafted into the Army. While serving with the Army Signal Corps in Italy during World War II, he observed the important role that farmers played i n supporting the world’s population. He decided his life’s passion would be to help farmers. After he was honorably discharged when the war was over, he took advantage of the Gl Bill to earn an agricultural engineering degree from WSU in 1948. He began his successful career helping farmers with a job with the Soil Conservation Service-USDA in Sunnyside, Washington, in 1948, as a specialist in land leveling and irrigation. In 1966, Mr. Jeffords was promoted to an area engineer position in Olympia, serving 10 counties. He earned his certification as a Licensed Professional Engineer and Land Surveyor. The proud culmination of his career was the publication of the ADS Drainage Handbook. He retired in 1973 and did part-time consulting work while traveling extensively with his wife, Lillie Juanita Gwinn Jeffords (WSU 1941 -Bachelor of Arts in Music and Bachelor of Education). Oliver was very grateful to benefit from the GI Bill to complete his college education. He shared with his family that he would like some of his estate donated to support students pursuing a similar degree in college. His children, Ralph Jeffords and Cheryl (Jeffords) Kocher, also graduated from WSU.
Award requirements
Scholarships to students majoring in Agricultural Technology and Production Management.