A 1943 graduate of Crystal City High School plans to leave the school $1 million from her estate to establish a scholarship fund in her name.
Isobel (Robinson) Degnan, 81, a Crystal City native who now resides in Paradise Valley, Ariz., said she was fortunate to get a good education and wants graduating seniors from Crystal City to have the same opportunity.
Crystal City Superintendent Ron Swafford said he was surprised by Degnan’s generosity.
“I’m just speechless,” he said Tuesday. “I am so excited for the kids.”
Swafford said he received a letter from Degnan’s attorney Tuesday informing him of her intentions.
Swafford said when the district receives the money, it will form a committee to set the guidelines for the scholarships.
“We will have to see if she has set any guidelines in her will,” he said.
Swafford said currently the district has several scholarship funds, but nothing to the magnitude of Degnan’s bequest.
Degnan said she hopes the scholarships will benefit a lot of students.
“If they (the board members) invest it properly, it will go on and on,” she said.
Degnan, the daughter of the late Eleanor and James E. Robinson, lived in Crystal City until she left for college in 1943.
“I was born and raised in Crystal City in a beautiful English home on Mississippi Avenue,” she said. “My father was an architect and built that home.”
Degnan attended Webster College, now Webster University, in St. Louis County for two years before transferring to the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1945.
She received a bachelor of arts degree in music performance from the university in 1948.
“I started piano lessons at a very young age,” she said. “I was successful and I loved it, so I chose that as my major in college.”
Degnan also said she plans to leave $1 million in her trust for music education at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Degnan moved back to Crystal City after graduating from college and taught piano lessons and worked as a state case worker.
One of Degnan’s former piano students was Rolla Herbert Jr., who is now 71 and resides in Festus.
Herbert said he took lessons from Degnan for about two years when he was 14 or 15 years old.
Herbert said Degnan was a good piano teacher.
“She was excellent,” he said. “For one thing she was a very good pianist. She was pretty demanding. On weeks when I didn’t practice I heard about it so the next week, I would.”
Herbert said once a year, Degnan would have all her students perform in a recital at her parent’s home. He said Degnan taught about 10 students.
“Those (recitals) used to scare me to death,” Herbert said.
Degnan left Crystal City in 1954, when she married James Degnan and moved to Pasadena, Calif.
James Degnan died in September 2004.
“He left an enormous estate, Isobel Degnan said.
She said her husband was an attorney and also built shopping centers across the United States. The Degnans did not have children.
Degnan said while her husband worked, she continued to study the piano.
She said she performed recitals at her teacher’s homes.
Degnan said she continues to play the piano, but doesn’t play at recitals very often.
“I’m just doing it for my own enjoyment,” she said.
Degnan said she tries to attend her high school reunions, which are held every five years in Crystal City.
She said she is looking forward to the next reunion which will be held in 2008.
“It is fun to be together,” she said.
Swafford said he has never met Degnan or talked to her, but hopes he gets the opportunity to thank her.
“I am going to be sending her a letter this week,” he said on Tuesday. “I would love to meet her.”
