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Vince Suppan - A passion for life and helping others
"I want to retire from retirement so I can have more free time," Vince Suppan jokes.
The 88-year-old Suppan's activities would quickly tire a man of any age. He serves on a number of committees in his community, at church and at West Chester University (Pa.), where he taught for many years. He still plays the clarinet and marches in the West Chester University Alumni Marching Band. And each week he travels approximately 100 miles to conduct the Catasauqua Band – a position he has held for 62 years.
Vince's many interests include magic (he's performed it since age 6), German (which he reads, writes and speaks) and all types of music, whether he's singing or playing the violin, clarinet or saxophone. But he's also devoted to helping others, including the children of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
A St. Jude donor for more than 25 years, Vince decided several years ago also to remember the hospital in his will. He and his late wife Jo never had children, although they have six godchildren, five whom are still living. "My estate is set up so that half of it will continue to draw income for the godchildren," he explained. "When the last one of them is gone, the remainder of my estate will be divided among six charities, including St. Jude."
Vince first visited the hospital for the Danny Thomas – St. Jude Society Donor Luncheon in 2005. "I was very impressed by what I saw. The entire place is a labor of love. It is wonderful to see how the patients are so welcomed and cared for regardless of their ability to pay."
Like many in his generation, Vince has a special affinity for families who otherwise would struggle to pay for their sick children's care if it were not for St. Jude and their generous donors. Growing up in the Great Depression helped shape his life. Although he'd played the violin since age 4, as a teenager he taught himself to play the clarinet so that he and his friends could entertain audiences between double features at the local movie theatre. "Our payment was being able to watch the movies for free," he said.
His dream was to become an aeronautical engineer, but finances required that he attend West Chester State Teachers College (now West Chester University), where he studied music. When World War II broke out, he enlisted in officer training school and fought in France and Germany. After retiring from the military, he returned to school and earned a master's degree in speech and theatre from Columbia University in 1953.
Although Vince's career included being a speech pathologist and teaching speech and English, his vocation has always been music and entertainment. In addition to conducting the Catasauqua Band, he played in a variety of dance bands until the late 1960s. He also continued performing magic shows until a year ago, because he particularly enjoys putting smiles on the faces of young children.
By including St. Jude in his estate plans, Vince will continue to help children smile for many years to come.
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