A FAMILY LEGACY OF LOVE AND SERVICE

Leila Lipen Talley, right, and her mother, Anna Lipen

Leila Lipen Talley lived a life filled with compassion and generosity. Well known among friends and family for her gifts of hospitality, benevolence, and embracing new and diverse experiences, she worked tirelessly to find common ground with a cross-section of cultures.

Perhaps the most important influence on her life was the deep and profound legacy left by her missionary parents, whose devotion to Christian ministry for nearly half a century—despite religious persecution—laid a strong foundation for her own future.

When Leila passed away in 2023 at the remarkable age of 99, she paid tribute to her parents' lives of selfless service and extended her own lifelong passion for education with a bequest to Fuller of more than $2 million. Now, a scholarship named in honor of Rev. Stephen and Anna Lipen as well as Leila will provide crucial aid to students in Fuller's School of Mission and Theology.

This extraordinary bequest is the culmination of a life that took Leila from her birthplace in China to educational and global experiences that helped shape her views and philanthropy. She traveled extensively and took every opportunity to connect on a deeper level with those she met along the way.

During the 2022-2023 academic year, Fuller students hailed from 79 countries and 116 denominations. Now, Leila's thoughtful gift to the seminary will help extend Fuller's global reach to a new generation of faithful Christian leaders.