Donations can be made payable to  Catholic Foundation of Eastern WA, with Marian's Endowment in the memo line.  Donations can be mailed to:  Catholic Foundation of Eastern WA, Marian's Endowment, PO Box 1484, Spokane, WA  99210-1484
 
 

Do you remember Mrs. Fuchs at St. John Vianney School (SJV)?
Or maybe you called her Marian, Mar, M'Lou, Aunt Marian, or Mom. She’s Mom to me. I’m Valerie, one of her five children, and one of the hundreds of kids she has educated inside and outside of SJV over the past 3+ decades.

As you may know, or may be shocked to read, she passed away in August 2016 after an intense battle against Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD). In the brain of a woman who believed in the power of the soul and the mind, CJD caused a deterioration that was unreal to witness: this witty, thoughtful, loving, creative person slowly lost those capabilities and more. The symptoms came on slowly during spring of 2016. Exhaustion became her daily foe. Although we began to notice the signs of disease at home, Mom held incredible strength and endurance, which are a testimony to her love for SJV Parish and School. She, unbelievably, used every ounce of energy she had to make sure her 3rd and 4th graders got the chance to learn to their full capacity through the very end of the school year. 

That love and energy is why we have started Marian's Endowment for SJV School. I am organizing this fundraiser on behalf of my dad and our family, our friends, and Mom's colleagues, parents, and students, to engage your support to continue her energetic and loving legacy in education.

Mrs. Fuchs, Marian, was well-loved by SJV staff and students. She was a true team player, approachable, thoughtful, well-versed in the Catholic faith, gave great advice, and had a great sense of humor. She enjoyed reading to her students, presenting each character “in voice”, which inspired her students to imagine the story as it unfolded. Her students learned to love reading. She was excited to try new ways of teaching science and math – one day she led her students in building simple machines out of items found in their classroom. There was great energy in the room as kids explored and discovered what could work. Marian looked for projects to foster students' artistic talents, and she loved to sing and lead the student choir and liturgy at mass.

People often talk about the twinkle in a student’s eye when they finally understand a concept. Marian had that same sparkle in her eyes. When a student caught on to reading, passed a multiplication test, or wrote a poem that she just wasn’t expecting, her eyes would more than sparkle when relaying the story, they would shine. She rejoiced in her students’ learning.

Marian looked forward to teaching with up-to-date textbooks, so the endowment will initially fund replacement of textbook series. As part of Marian’s legacy, the endowment will also help purchase science lab equipment and hands-on-learning tools for classrooms. As the fund continues to grow and flourish, the committee would determine other areas needing support, including tuition assistance.

The Endowment is being managed by the Catholic Foundation of Eastern Washington (501(c)3). Our near-term goal is to have $200,000 or more in the endowment, generating $5000 annually. Our long-term goal would be to see the principal grow far beyond that, creating a long-term benefit for the school.  We have already raised over $180,000 through the generosity of SJV school and parish through the school auction, and the many friends and family who sent donations in honor of Marian's love of SJV after she died.

We want to extend the opportunity to you to support Marian’s legacy. Will you make a tax-deductible donation to help us meet our near-term goal of $200,000? We ask you to be generous in honor of our dearly beloved relative, friend, and a true teacher who loved her school. We thank you for keeping Marian’s legacy of education thriving.

Endowment Committee Members:
Mark Fuchs
Joan Olson
Nick Senger
Janelle Turcotte
Sister Mary Tracy, CFEW Representative

1. Click the following link: https://www.spokanecatholicfoundation.com/catholic-schools
2. When the new page opens, look for the Catholic School Selection drop-down.
3. Click the Catholic School Selection drop-down, then scroll down to and select St. John Vianney School: Marian Fuchs - Faculty Teaching Materials
4. Enter your payment information and click "Make Payment."
5. Thank you!