Mrs. Schnare was part of the fabric of St. Charles Community College, having served on the steering committee that helped to establish the college district in St. Charles County in the 1980s. Her husband, the late Paul Schnare, served on the first SCC Board of Trustees from 1986-90.
Mrs. Schnare taught English and speech for 23 years at St. Charles High School. She previously taught for two years in Leadwood, Mo., and in Boston, Mass., from 1968-1970. Helen's public service included an appointment as a commissioner for the Missouri Department of Highways and Transportation from 1983-1989.
When the new campus opened in 1992, the Schnares volunteered their time in the library. Following Paul's death in 1997, Mrs. Schnare established the SCC Foundation's first endowed scholarships.
In 1998, Mrs. Schnare served as the keynote speaker at the college's 10th commencement. In 2007, the SCC library, located in the Learning Resource Center, was named the Paul and Helen Schnare Library.
This story was published in SCC's Chaz newsletter, Vol. 25, No. 2.