The Hattiesburg, Miss., washwoman who gained national attention for donating her life savings to the University of Southern Mississippi died Sept. 26 at age 91 of complications related to liver cancer, the Associated Press reports.

Oseola McCarty, who dropped out of elementary school to take care of ailing relatives, earned her living by washing and ironing other peoples clothes inside her small house.

McCarty gave her life savings of $150,000 in July 1995 to provide scholarships for poor students at Southern Miss.

Her gift was put into a trust administered by the university's foundation. A matching fundraising drive was launched that brought in $330,000. So far, the Oseola McCarty Endowed Scholarship Fund has provided nine students with scholarships, AP reports.

McCarty said she wanted those students to get the education she never had. She had dreams of becoming a nurse.

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