A Businesswoman, a Beloved Aunt, a Legacy.

Erna M. Jorgensen’s gift to our students.

When Erna Jorgensen bought into a foundering motorcycle business with $2,500, she helped Harry Schuck save his business. With that investment, she became his partner in what became a successful automotive parts enterprise: Schuck’s Auto Supply. And this investment made her a wealthy woman, influential in Seattle business circles.

What her niece and namesake Erna Jorgensen Snipes remembers, though, is her generosity. “My best memories of her are when I was sick as a six- or seven-year-old,” says Ms. Snipes. “She bought me my first books. Dr. Seuss books.”

When the elder Erna had a double mastectomy in the 1950s, she became interested in medical research and education and decided to use her estate to benefit UW medical students. Since their creation, the Erna M. Jorgensen Endowed Scholarship and the Harry G. Schuck Memorial Scholarship Endowment have made 141 awards to 87 students — and students will benefit from her generosity for years to come.

Pictured: Erna Jorgensen

Learn more about planned giving at UW Medicine.