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“Oh Paulie, you better put another potato in the soup because the Hermann kids are here,” said Stanley Matzke to his wife, Pauline. The Matzkes had four children while Dora and William H. Hermann had five girls and three boys they were raising on their farm near Staplehurst, Nebraska. Following William’s death in June 1930, the family shared many meals together as Stanley took on the role of father figure for the Hermann kids.

Vernon “Charlie” Hermann was only 7 when his father died, and he looked up to Stanley. Always looking for ways to help people in his community, becoming a father figure to Charlie, his brother Bill and the other Hermann children was a role Stanley took on without hesitation. He knew his support would play a vital role in the success of the Hermann family. Charlie (Navy) and Bill (Army) would both serve our country during World War II. Following their service, Charlie worked for the U.S. Postal Service for 33 years and Bill had a robust career in business and education. Charlie and Bill would often reminisce about how their lives could have gone in a different direction if the Matzke family did not lend a helping hand.

The Hermann and Matzke families wanted to commemorate their relationship in a lasting way. In October 2012, the Charlie & Bill Hermann / Stanley Sr. & Pauline Matzke Scholarship Fund was established at SCC. The scholarship benefits full-time students from Seward County attending the SCC Milford Campus.

Charlie died on Dec. 26, 2022 at the age of 99. As part of his legacy at SCC, he left a planned gift of more than $140,000 to support the Charlie & Bill Hermann / Stanley Sr. & Pauline Matzke Scholarship Fund. This generous gift allows the connection between the Hermann and Matzke families to live on for years to come and helps students’ dreams become a reality.

If you are interested in establishing an endowed fund or exploring planned giving opportunities, please contact Michelle Birkel at the SCC Educational Foundation at 402-323-3411.