About Us

The Gift That Keeps on Giving

Helen Elizabeth Schulte Soder was taught by the Sisters and graduated from St. Mary of the Valley Academy (now Valley Catholic School) in 1934. Throughout her lifetime, she maintained contact with our Sisters and always spoke very highly of the impact that her education from the Sisters had on her life. The Sisters had an impact on other members of her family as well. Her mother was lovingly cared for at Maryville Nursing Home until her death. Her older brother, Eugene Schulte, also received care from the Sisters when he was a young boy, and he, too, remained loyal to the Sisters throughout his lifetime.

Helen and Eugene both left a wonderful legacy to the Sisters. When Eugene died in 2006, in addition to leaving a bequest to the Sisters, he established the Bernard J. Schulte Scholarship Fund. With a gift of $100,000, he created an endowed fund whose sole purpose is to provide tuition assistance for Valley Catholic High School students. Helen died in December of 2007, and she too, left a wonderful legacy. She gave a significant gift to Maryville Nursing Home in honor of her mother, and also gave $75,000 to the Bernard J. Schulte Scholarship Fund.

As an endowed fund, only a portion of the earnings will be spent, while the principal will remain intact in perpetuity. Thus, the wonderful legacy left by Eugene Schulte and Helen Soder ’34 in honor of their father will live on as long as Valley Catholic High School remains in existence. Our entire community is deeply grateful for the friendship and generosity of Eugene and Helen, and they remain in our prayers.