Flash

Helen Snell Cheel
Mrs. Helen Snell Cheel,
May 10, 1904, to March 18, 2005
portrait artist Phil Parr '62.

Helen Snell Cheel passed away March 18, 2005, at her home in Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey, at the age of 100 after a short illness. A lifelong benefactor of Clarkson, Helen Cheel was the major contributor to the Cheel Campus Center, Cheel Arena, and Bertrand H. Snell Hall.

"Helen was an exceptionally generous and compassionate woman who took Clarkson University into her heart as we took her into ours," said University President Tony Collins. "Helen demonstrated her love for Clarkson with extraordinary financial support and a vision that has helped to profoundly transform the look and academic excellence of the University. We will miss her intelligence, her wit, and, of course, her support for the Golden Knights hockey team."

Mrs. Cheel's remarkable history with Clarkson traces back to her childhood. "I developed an early connection with Clarkson," she once remarked. Mrs. Cheel was raised by her parents, Congressman Bertrand H. Snell and Sara Merrick Snell, in the tradition of philanthropy and she inherited her father's love of education in general and of Clarkson in particular.

"Helen Cheel and the Snell family will always be synonymous with Clarkson. We mourn her passing and celebrate her remarkable life. Simply put, we have lost a dear friend and we will truly miss her."
— Clarkson President Tony Collins

The strong bonds of affection were mutual. In 1995 Clarkson bestowed on Mrs. Cheel an Honorary Doctor of Science degree "for her lifelong loyalty, her profound generosity as a benefactor, and her magnificent contributions to the quality of campus life at the University." On the occasion of her 100th birthday, Mrs. Cheel was presented with her very own #100 Golden Knights hockey jersey. In typical witty fashion, she quipped, "I will be ready now to suit up for next season." This jersey is part of the permanent display in the Campus Center honoring Mrs. Cheel.

At the news of her death campus flags were lowered to half staff in honor of the University's longtime friend. Three days later, on March 21, the Clarkson Faculty Senate adopted a resolution that expressed deep appreciation for the life of Helen Cheel and her contributions to the University. The University also held a memorial service for Mrs. Cheel and observed a moment of silence in her honor during the 112th Commencement.

A tribute to Helen Snell Cheel appeared in the Fall 2004 issue of the Clarkson magazine or visit http://www.clarkson.edu/helencheel for a detailed look at the remarkable life of Mrs. Cheel.

On April 16, President Tony Collins announced a $27 million bequest to Clarkson from the estate of Helen Snell Cheel. Of the final estate dispersal to Clarkson, $11 million had been set aside to fulfill previous pledges for the Cheel Campus Center, Cheel Arena, and Bertrand H. Snell Hall. Approximately $16 million in her final bequest will be used to fund the endowment of Clarkson.

"This magnificent gift does not write the final chapter of Helen Cheel's generosity to Clarkson, but rather keeps the pages of her life with Clarkson forever open to reflect her compassionate spirit through the initiatives this endowment will fund," said President Tony Collins who first learned of the bequest from Mrs. Cheel's nephew, W. Hollis Petersen, a Clarkson trustee. "Every future Clarkson student will benefit from Mrs. Cheel's boundless generosity."

"This is especially gratifying for me because I now wear two hats," said Hollis Petersen. "As a family member, I was pleased to deliver the good news to President Collins; but also, as a trustee and member of the Investment and Budget committees, I can appreciate the enormous positive impact this gift will have on our campus."