In May of 2015, KTMF ABC/Fox producer Kalee Scolatti was shot to death by her estranged husband.

Her friends and coworkers have turned her violent death into a permanent positive influence through the KTMF Kalee Scolatti Memorial Scholarship, to be awarded for the second year on Friday night at the annual University of Montana Dean Stone Awards.

KTMF General manager Tom Ciprari provided background on Scolatti's death.

"She was in the process of getting a divorce, but she ended up being the victim of a murder by her estranged husband," Ciprari said. "For reasons we'll never know, he entered the home and killed her, her friend and himself.She was a cornerstone employee. She had been here just shy of a decade before this happened. She was so friendly and outgoing and the relationships had developed quickly and became very deep."

Ciprari said returning to work after Scolatti's death was heartbreaking for everyone at the station.

"It was so hard to come back to work the next day, and even more difficult to cover it," he said. "Our main anchor, Angela Marshall and Kalee were classmates and that was so hard on her. That was one of the harder days I've ever experienced in my personal life and my professional career."

Ciprari said the germ of an idea to establish a scholarship in Scolatti's honor began almost immediately, considering the fact the she had attended the UM School of Journalism.

"After having two children, she decided to go back and finish her college education, so she worked her way through school and she was very proud of that accomplishment," he said. "The 'J' School, they reached out to us right away. They loved her over there and they were devastated as well. So, it seemed like a natural fit to establish a memorial scholarship in her name, so we established the KTMF Kalee Scolatti Memorial Scholarship. Although it's open to any journalism student, we hope that another student in her situation could receive that scholarship. We would love it if a really strong, determined, hard working female in the broadcast industry could win it."

Ciprari said the $1,000 scholarship will be awarded Friday night at the Dean Stone Awards Banquet, where the spirit of Kalee Scolatti will live on.

TO DONATE TO THE SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Make checks out to:

KTMF Kalee Scolatti Memorial Scholarship

send to:

UM Foundation

Box 7159

Missoula, MT 59807-7159

Credit Cards accepted

get more details here.

More From 96.3 The Blaze