New Fund Spotlight: Harold and Vera Cubitt Family Fund
One of the newest funds at the Huron County Community Foundation will invest in broadening the horizons of Bad Axe Public School students through academic and cultural enhancements.
The Harold and Vera Cubitt Family Fund was started by Harold and Vera’s grandchildren, many of whom benefited from the generosity and encouragement of their high school and community. The family's intention is to entice future generations of students to seek their passion through post high school education, allowing them to achieve personal successes that in turn will benefit their community.
Family Legacy
Harold Leslie Cubitt was born on the family farm near Snover in 1911. Vera Mildred Cubitt was born in 1914, in Custer township near Sandusky. They were united in marriage on June 3, 1933 and were married for over 71 years until their deaths in 2006 and 2005, respectively.
Harold and Vera both graduated from Sandusky High School (1929 and 1931) whereafter Harold attended Central Michigan College and graduated with a teaching certificate. While there, he played violin in the orchestra and participated in several Cherry Blossom Festivals put on by the college throughout the state. He taught K-8th grade at the Minard Country School his first year of teaching and then spent nine years teaching K-8 at the Elmer Country School on M-19 in Elmer Township, Sanilac County. During this period of time, Harold was a violinist, a member of the Snover Orchestra, and a musical performer at various community events.
After his teaching career, Harold spent 30 years as a postal clerk and Civil Service examiner in Sandusky. Harold and Vera were active members of the Sandusky First United Methodist Church. Harold sang in the choir and both Harold and Vera volunteered in many of the church’s programs and outreach ministries.
Upon retirement from the post office, Harold studied and received his associate broker license to sell real estate and to manage the Cubitt Realty office in Sandusky. Harold was a longtime member of the Sandusky Lions Club and was a life member of the Masonic Lodge in Sandusky. He and his family were passionate about the local 4-H program where he was a leader for 37 years.
Harold and Vera had seven children. Vera was a homemaker and a dental assistant while the children were young. Vera was also employed for a number of years at Yale Rubber Co. while her oldest children were going through college. When Harold began selling real estate, Vera ran the Cubitt Realty office in Sandusky.
In the early 1980’s Harold and Vera moved to Bad Axe to be closer to many of their children and grandchildren. Though all seven of their children graduated from Sandusky High School, Harold and Vera had 22 of their 32 grandchildren and 11 of their 64 great-grandchildren graduate from the Bad Axe School district.
Harold’s father (Leslie Cubitt) was a farmer in the Snover Area who descended from a long line of farmers that stretched back to the Norfolk region of England. Leslie and Emma insisted that all four of their children attend a college to continue their education and improve their position in life. Harold and all three of his sisters went to college and became teachers. This philosophy of continued education passed down through Harold and Vera to their seven children who all attended a university or some sort of post high school education. Most of the seven children were financially helped through scholarships and encouraged by their community to pursue their education goals. Some of Harold and Vera’s grandchildren were also helped financially through academic and merit-based scholarships to continue their education beyond high school.
Fund Details
This fund will honor the spirit and legacy of the Harold and Vera Cubitt family in supporting well rounded educational and cultural experiences. Each fall the fund will provide grants to educators, extracurricular activities, and programs positively impacting Bad Axe Public Schools students. The brief application will focus on the applicant’s vision for an enhanced academic environment for their students through innovative classroom improvements, cultural experiences, including international exchanges, or extracurricular activities.
Preference will be given to applications including one or more of the following areas:
Music and the creative arts
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Manufacturing
Literature
Enhancements to the learning environment
Ideas above and beyond the current curriculum and offerings available
Cubitt Family Fund grants will be available this fall during the HCCF grant cycle. All eligible organizations are encouraged to apply.
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