A Maryland woman has created a scholarship for Anne Arundel County students to honor her husband, a detective who died of an unexpected illness in May 2015.

Navy Cmdr. DeDe Duncan White and Detective Shelley C. White were a dynamic duo in the community, a naval officer and a police officer who spent their spare time helping others.

After Shelley White died, DeDe decided to create the Shelley C. White Junior Memorial Scholarship.

“He knew that education was the key to breaking out of your environment,” White said.

The fund annually awards one or more scholarships of $1,000 to high school graduates from Anne Arundel County interested in attending college or trade school.

DeDe said the scholarship is intended for a specific type of student: “Those kids in the middle who are college or trade school material but they may get overlooked,” she said.

The scholarship fund’s mission is to invest in the county’s “at-risk or disadvantaged youth,” according to its website.

DeDe is currently the assistant athletic director for academic support services at the Naval Academy Athletic Association. She retired from the Navy as a commander after serving for 23 years.

The couple’s son, Shelley C. White III, is a 2016 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy.

Learn more about the scholarship on the Shelley C. White Memorial website.