Robert Rice Jr., the Musketeer mascot in 1969, traded in his swashbuckler’s costume for a soldier’s uniform—and paid the ultimate price. He was felled by a mortar round in a sweaty jungle in Vietnam only 14 months post graduation, but his devotion to the University lives on through a scholarship fund established in his memory.

For 32 years, Rice’s father, Robert Sr., sent out a letter each Christmas to thousands of people reminding them of his son and the fund. Though Robert Sr. died in January, the Lt. Robert T. Rice Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund is continuing to accept donations and issue scholarships.

It now has more than $285,000 in donations, including from such donors as Dwight D. Eisenhower II, Gen. William Westmoreland, the Bob Hope Foundation and the Cincinnati Reds. More than 41 students have received assistance.

To contribute, submit donations to: Lt. Robert T. Rice Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund, Xavier University, 3800 Victory Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45207-5131.