A spirit of generosity infused Betty her whole life, and it was a quality she shared with Alex Schoenbaum ’39. They met as students at Ohio State, where Alex studied marketing and was a star tackle on the football team. They married in 1940, and Betty remembers facing their first philanthropic challenge that year when Alex pledged $100 to the United Jewish Appeal.
“We didn’t have means,” Betty said. “We lived in a $40-a-month efficiency at Hudson and High. My husband sold used cars and only made $40 a week. When September came, and it was time to pay the pledge, we really scrabbled to get it.”
They did come up with the money, and later they were able to do much more. Alex went on to found the highly successful Shoney’s restaurant chain. The couple donated much of their wealth to worthy causes and institutions, including one of their favorites: The Ohio State University. After Alex died in 1996, Betty continued the legacy.
-Ohio State Alumni Magazine, fall 2017
Thank you, Betty, for sharing your great joy with Ohio State.
A final note. Betty was big on hugs. Here she is showing Ohio State Marion's Carol Bowman the power of hugging anyone -- even yourself.
"If we have enough hugs around the world, we would show people how to love rather than how to hate. ... Pass the hugs on to your children, to family, to friends, and ask them to pass them around. Maybe sometimes we could get it to go all around the world."
-Betty Schoenbaum