Our Impact

Remembering Our Founder, David L. Kirtland

It is with great grief we must announce the passing of our beloved Kirtland Foundation founder, David L. Kirtland. David passed away peacefully on June 15, 2020.

David had an amazing passion for the Scranton community, doing everything he could to give back to the area he held so dear. He and his wife, Marijo M. Kirtland, have provided philanthropic services throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania since 1991. Both David and Marijo worked diligently to create the David L. Kirtland and Marijo M. Kirtland Foundation exclusively for projects in NEPA. David was especially proud of The Kirtland Foundation Scholarship, as he strongly believed education is the greatest resource we have.

All who knew David personally and worked alongside him throughout the years consider themselves extremely lucky. The loss felt throughout the Scranton community by David’s passing is profound—a testament to his kindness, character, outstanding work ethic and long-term commitment to his charitable contributions. David was an absolute joy to be around, and he will be missed deeply.

David’s wife, Marijo, will continue running the David L. Kirtland and Marijo M. Kirtland Foundation, which includes The Kirtland Foundation Scholarship Fund.

“David was a firm believer that education is the key to success for both individuals and communities. It was always David's goal to help eliminate the financial burden that comes with higher education for deserving persons within Lackawanna County,” said Marijo. “I will continue with David’s legacy and our passion of giving back to our community. David was so proud of this scholarship, and we will honor him by continuing to support dedicated students in achieving their goals.”

To learn more about David and Marijo and The Kirtland Foundation Scholarship, please continue reading below.

The Kirtland Foundation

Marijo M. Kirtland and David L. Kirtland, founders of the Kirtland Foundation, have been providing philanthropic services throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania since 1991. They have made contributions to the Pennsylvania Philharmonic, Marywood University, Keystone University, The Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeastern Pennsylvania, and various other cultural and non-profit organizations in the area. 

David also resided on the boards of The Lackawanna County Solid Waste Authority, Junior Achievement of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Marywood University, and The Boys & Girls Club, just to name a few.  Additionally, David served on the Board of Directors of Keystone College, located in Factoryville, Pennsylvania. In 2004, David was inducted into the Junior Achievement of Northeastern Pennsylvania Business Hall of Fame. He had also been a long-time member of The Country Club of Scranton, where he had served on the Board of Directors for nine years. 

Both David and Marijo were extremely passionate about both the area they lived in for so long (David resided in Northeastern Pennsylvania his entire life!) and the importance of education. The Kirtlands worked diligently to create the David L. Kirtland and Marijo M. Kirtland Foundation exclusively for projects in Northeastern Pennsylvania and are proud to invest in the future of students in their community.