Meet Our Donors

Bollwerk Family Honors Father, Bill ’54, with Scholarship
Bill Bollwerk’s love of people, deep sense of faith, concern for community and thoughtful generosity brought him many friends and also made him an incredible role model to those who knew him.
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Beloved Teacher Leaves $700K Gift to SLUH
Legendary SLUH Mandarin teacher, Dr. Tai Chingling, left a distinct impression on her students and a strong legacy at the school. Now, one of her former students is honoring her impact.
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Going the Extra Mile
An impressive marathoner and SLUH alumnus, Pat Britt enjoys volunteering and making a difference in the lives of incoming high schoolers at St. Louis University High through his estate plan.
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“Give Back for Your Education”
St. Louis University High School is proud to honor alumnus Dr. Walter F. Davisson ’58, whose membership in the Backer Heritage Society represents a lifetime of devotion to the school.
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Football Team Captain Makes a Long Play
Recently retired from a career in sales, Tim Gibbons '73 reflects that the values the school instilled in him were the greatest gifts, and that inspired him to name SLUH as a partial beneficiary of his IRA.
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Bashwiner Leaves Legacy of Jesuit Education
Alumnus Tom Bashwiner ’57 credits SLUH with leading him down the path to success. His appreciation for SLUH and its incredible academics prompted him and his wife to give back through a charitable remainder trust. Discover how you can do the same to support students and the school you hold close to your heart.
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Alum Makes Two Memorable Leaps of Faith
From leaping out of a plane 3,000 feet in the air to leaping into leaving a legacy through estate planning, the Naert family will testify that giving to SLUH is a snap and a way to give back.
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Soehngen ’67 Delivers Excellence With Holistic Legacy
Michael Soehngen ’67 is not only generous with the amount of time and energy he devotes to volunteer efforts at St. Louis University High School, he has long included us in his estate plan. We appreciate his emotional and financial investment in SLUH.
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'Turning Point' Put Grateful Doctor on New Path
Dr. Michael Borts '75 excelled once he arrived at SLUH, leading him to "a world of opportunities." Now the St. Louis-based allergist-immunologist and his wife are helping more students excel with gifts today and through their will.
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Russian Program Inspires Global Gallivanting Werner ’68
For Bill Werner Jr. ’68, a trip with his Russian teacher and classmates to what was then the Soviet Union became a springboard for a successful career that took him around the world. See how he is paying it forward with a gift in his estate plan to benefit students today.
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Father of Seven Lets Faith Guide His Living and His Giving
Thomas Landholt ’45 and his wife, Rose, believed charities should benefit from their hard-earned savings, including St. Louis University High School. Their estate gift will support the Chapel and Campus Ministry renovation project.
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Hurleys Honor Parents With Presidential Scholarship
Throughout their lives, Daniel C. and Myldred M. Hurley were strongly motivated by religion and education—principles by which they raised their five sons. Today, sons Joe ’64 and Pat ’68 are furthering their parents’ ideals by creating an endowed scholarship in their memory.
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Gifting a Lifelong Passion for Learning
Frank Hotfelder ’30 and his wife, Elsa, shared many passions in life: travel, golf, learning. Also among them was their appreciation for St. Louis University High School, which manifested in their estate gift to support our future.
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The Gift That Keeps Giving
David Weiss ’71 credits SLUH for giving him the tools for success in life. Read why this longtime SLUH Alumni Board member designated the school as a beneficiary of his estate.
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Gratitude Motivates Steubes to Give Back
Steube brothers Paul ’65 and Ed ’62 believe St. Louis University High School provided them with more than an excellent education. Find out what else they gained from SLUH and how they are paying it forward.
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For the Greater Glory of God
St. Louis University High School was a special place to Dick Baalmann ’53, who got his start in entrepreneurship there. To honor his passion for a Catholic education, his wife, Katy, made a gift that puts the same education within reach for future students and helps renovate our Chapel.
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Media Pioneer Pays It Forward
Rob Cooper ’90 attributes his success to the time he spent as a student at SLUH. The entrepreneur and media executive says the incredible possibilities and opportunities presented to him by one teacher in particular shaped how he approaches his own work. Now, he’s giving back through a generous gift in his will.
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A Deliberative Approach
See how one couple leveraged their support to SLUH by naming the school as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy.
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Pisoni ’80 Turns Tragedy Into Triumph
Tom Pisoni ’80 had a lot of reasons to give up, but he didn’t let anything break his resilient spirit. Now, he’s giving back to help future SLUH students thrive through scholarships.
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SLUH Experience Inspires Pollock ’61 to Give Back
Jack Pollock ’61 says his deep sense of gratitude for all SLUH did for him compelled him and his wife, Sue, to give back through a charitable remainder unitrust.
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Answering the Call
Fr. Leo Hayes was in Fr. John Doyle’s class at SLUH when he heard his calling to become a priest. In honor of his roots, Fr. Hayes made a gift that will make a lasting impact at SLUH.
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Gratitude Inspires Generosity
Joe and Melissa have a long history with SLUH. With a gift in their estate plan, they’re ensuring it has support in the years to come.
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Schack ’54 Puts Jr. Bills on Upward Trajectory
Years of hard work and funding his own schooling taught Carl Schack the importance of giving back. Schack is hoping to help future SLUH students learn that with a gift of scholarships.
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Celebrating 200 Years of Generosity
As SLUH celebrates 200 years of tradition and excellence, we honor our predecessors and benefactors who made it all possible. Anna F. Backer will long be remembered for her incredible generosity nearly 100 years ago.
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Friendships That Never Fade
The Class of ’70 is like many classes at SLUH, in that they meet regularly beyond reunions for lunches, happy hours and golf outings.
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A Lifelong Association
Bob Guignon ’39 entered St. Louis University High as a freshman in the fall of 1935, more than 80 years ago.
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The Legacy of SLUH Generosity
A video about the Legacy of SLUH Generosity.
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High School Sweethearts Give Back
Paul ’74 and Kathleen Matecki have both been lucky enough to live the SLUH experience having met on a blind date when they were juniors. Now, over 40 years later they want to insure others have the same wonderful opportunities they had.
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A Joint Decision
In the business world, a united board and leadership can fuel company growth and fulfill a mission.
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Protection in the Pocket
Tom Albus ’90 is like many young fathers. An Assistant U.S. Attorney, he and his wife, Alicia, spend much of their time with their four children, frequenting athletic, school and social activities.
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Leaving a Lasting Legacy
Tim Mankus ’79 knows the value in having a plan. While at SLUH, he earned enough 1818 credits to enter college as a sophomore in status.
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Alumnus Applies SLUH Values to His Legacy
When Tim Lower ’95 was a student at St. Louis University High, he acquired much more than the academic skills needed for success in college and beyond.
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Insuring a Bright Future
Life insurance is an important yet often overlooked tool in charitable gift planning. Gerard Hempstead ’89 has shown that it is possible—even easy—to make a significant donation to St. Louis University High School through a gift of life insurance.
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After Father Dies, Scholarships Put SLUH Within Reach
“For my St Louis U. High education and the foundation that it provided me, I am indebted to the donors who funded my scholarship,” says Michael Bartlett ’96.
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‘Men and Women for Others’ Forever
George and Anna Backer’s legacy lives on today in each graduate of St. Louis University High School. Generous benefactors whose gift of their estate allowed the construction of the Backer memorial at 4970 Oakland Avenue in 1924 also created the first endowment gift for the school.
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How a Donor’s Gift Is Still Influencing Lives Nearly a Century Later
In 1924, Anna Backer wanted to remember her husband George, who was an 1869 graduate of SLUH (formerly known as St. Louis Academy), in a lasting way.
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Bequest from Melvin Giles ’38 Creates Scholarship Fund
In 2008, the SLUH family lost a wonderful supporter with the death of Melvin Giles ’38. He was a volunteer, reunion organizer and benefactor to our school. His support of the school continues on, even after his death. Melvin made provisions for SLUH in his estate plans, and the school has received gifts totaling $1 million from his estate.
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Timothy L. Drone ’68
The most important thing I learned at SLUH is perseverance. Nothing valued is lightly or quickly gained. My teachers taught me to think critically and to never give up. Life throws you unexpected challenges.
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John D. Wunderlich ’66
While a student at SLUH, I was told by a Jesuit that I could be anything I wanted to be in life, but I would not be truly happy unless I found a way to touch the lives of a lot of people in a positive way.
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John J. Quinn ’40
When John entered St. Louis U. High as a freshman in 1936, he began developing a relationship that would endure throughout his entire life.
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A charitable bequest is one or two sentences in your will or living trust that leave to St. Louis University High School a specific item, an amount of money, a gift contingent upon certain events or a percentage of your estate.

an individual or organization designated to receive benefits or funds under a will or other contract, such as an insurance policy, trust or retirement plan

UNRESTRICTED USE AND PURPOSE
"I, [name], of [city, state, ZIP], give, devise and bequeath to St. Louis University High School [written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property] for its unrestricted use and purpose."

RESTRICTED USE AND PURPOSE
"I, [name], of [city, state, ZIP], give, devise and bequeath to St. Louis University High School [written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property] for [scholarship name or another specific purpose]."

able to be changed or cancelled

A revocable living trust is set up during your lifetime and can be revoked at any time before death. They allow assets held in the trust to pass directly to beneficiaries without probate court proceedings and can also reduce federal estate taxes.

cannot be changed or cancelled

tax on gifts generally paid by the person making the gift rather than the recipient

the original value of an asset, such as stock, before its appreciation or depreciation

the growth in value of an asset like stock or real estate since the original purchase

the price a willing buyer and willing seller can agree on

The person receiving the gift annuity payments.

the part of an estate left after debts, taxes and specific bequests have been paid

a written and properly witnessed legal change to a will

the person named in a will to manage the estate, collect the property, pay any debt, and distribute property according to the will

A donor advised fund is an account that you set up but which is managed by a nonprofit organization. You contribute to the account, which grows tax-free. You can recommend how much (and how often) you want to distribute money from that fund to SLUH or other charities. You cannot direct the gifts.

An endowed gift can create a new endowment or add to an existing endowment. The principal of the endowment is invested and a portion of the principal’s earnings are used each year to support our mission.

Tax on the growth in value of an asset—such as real estate or stock—since its original purchase.

Securities, real estate or any other property having a fair market value greater than its original purchase price.

Real estate can be a personal residence, vacation home, timeshare property, farm, commercial property or undeveloped land.

A charitable remainder trust provides you or other named individuals income each year for life or a period not exceeding 20 years from assets you give to the trust you create.

You give assets to a trust that pays our organization set payments for a number of years, which you choose. The longer the length of time, the better the potential tax savings to you. When the term is up, the remaining trust assets go to you, your family or other beneficiaries you select. This is an excellent way to transfer property to family members at a minimal cost.

You fund this type of trust with cash or appreciated assets—and may qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction when you itemize. You can also make additional gifts; each one also qualifies for a tax deduction. The trust pays you, each year, a variable amount based on a fixed percentage of the fair market value of the trust assets. When the trust terminates, the remaining principal goes to SLUH as a lump sum.

You fund this trust with cash or appreciated assets—and may qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction when you itemize. Each year the trust pays you or another named individual the same dollar amount you choose at the start. When the trust terminates, the remaining principal goes to SLUH as a lump sum.

A beneficiary designation clearly identifies how specific assets will be distributed after your death.

A charitable gift annuity involves a simple contract between you and SLUH where you agree to make a gift to SLUH and we, in return, agree to pay you (and someone else, if you choose) a fixed amount each year for the rest of your life.

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