Gus and Connie Schoenherr, Naperville, Ill., have a hall named in their honor. The new theater, within the performing arts center, is also named after the couple.A native of Paynesville, Schoenherr, 81, and his wife pledged a multi-million dollar irrevocable charitable trust to North Central College in Naperville in 1994.
Schoenherr Hall was dedicated on Gus Schoenherr’s 77th birthday, the same day as the college’s annual “birthday” celebration that earmarks the ground breaking of the college’s first building.
Gus and Connie Schoenherr both graduated from North Central College, he in 1948 and she in 1950. A teacher in the Naperville and East Aurora schools for 28 years, Connie grew up in the Naperville area.
Gus came to Naperville to attend North Central and later the adjacent Evangelical Theological Seminary. After a career that included wartime service in China, work as a minister, and the development of a number of inventions, copyrights and patents, he retired as director of guidance services at Lisle Public School.
“I don’t know of any better place to put it (money),” Connie Schoenherr said of the gift. “We think education opens a lot of doors for people. We’re alive now and healthy. I just wanted to enjoy a little bit of what we’re giving.”