A LEGACY OF LOVE: The Hilda Carol Asher Scholarship Endowed Fund

When Curtis Asher recalls his late wife, Hilda Carol Baker Asher, his words are filled with both tenderness and reverence. “She was the sweetest little soul and spirit,” he shared. “Her joy came from doing ‘a little something for someone else.’ If she thought she had helped someone, she was tickled to death.” 

Hilda, who passed away on March 9, 2024, after a courageous battle with cancer, built her life on faith, family and service. Though humble by nature, her legacy is now memorialized through  

the Hilda Carol Asher Scholarship Endowed Fund, established by Curtis to honor her memory and provide opportunity for students from their shared home of Leslie County, Kentucky. 

The couple’s story began in Hyden, Kentucky. Curtis remembers spotting Hilda for the first time in the hallway of the vocational school, immediately struck by her beauty. Though it took persistence—and, he believes, divine guidance—Curtis eventually won her heart. The two married in October 1975 and built a life defined by devotion to one another and their three sons. 

Curtis, a first-generation college student, graduated from Eastern Kentucky University in 1974. His time at EKU opened doors that shaped his professional career, first in accounting and financial management, and later in business negotiations that tied back to Madison County and the university community. “Eastern changed my life,” Curtis said. “If I had not decided to come, my life would have been totally different.” 

Meanwhile, Hilda chose a different path, but one that mattered just as much. She poured her heart into being a wife and mom. Sharp as a tack, she was one of the top students in her vocational classes, especially in English. She became the one her boys always turned to when papers needed editing or encouragement was in short supply. Every milestone her sons reached—degrees from Eastern, University of Kentucky, University of Rochester, Columbia University—was a victory she claimed with joy. This same celebration extended to her daughter-in-law, nieces, nephew, sisters and especially her beloved grandchildren. Each success, Curtis emphasized, was a shared triumph for Hilda. “She was uplifted by everyone’s success,” he recalled. 

The Ashers’ life together was marked by simple joys—family dinners, beach vacations, church involvement and quiet moments of togetherness. Even during her illness, Hilda found joy in travel and beauty. Curtis recalls one of their final adventures together, a special trip to Mount Mitchell in North Carolina: “She told me it was one of the best trips we’d ever taken. It was just beautiful.” Curtis believes that the awe-inspiring beauty of those mountains helped Hilda find peace with her battle and comfort in God’s loving embrace. 

Now, through this scholarship, Curtis hopes to give students from Leslie County the same kind of opportunity that once opened doors for him—and that Hilda cheered on at every step. “I’d tell them they can make it. I’m proof. If I could do it, they can too,” Curtis said.

For Curtis, the gift is more than a scholarship. It’s a way of keeping Hilda’s giving heart alive, reminding every student it touches that they’re just as capable, just as worthy and just as loved. “It’s hard to imagine going back to live in Hyden without Hilda,” Curtis said. “But through this scholarship, her spirit will always be there—helping somebody else, just like she always did.” 

Join Curtis in his support of Eastern’s students through a gift to the Hilda Carol Asher Scholarship Endowed Fund at go.eku.edu/give-Asher.