Putting Their Trust in PCC: The Spechts Give Back to the Foundation

Phyllis and Chester “Chet” Specht believe education is an invaluable asset in life. 

“I grew up on a lemon ranch with a single mother who only went to the third grade in her education,” Phyllis says. “Very few girls graduated from college when I was in school, and it was important for my mother that both her children get a college education.”

Dedicating her career to education, Phyllis went on to substitute teach at La Cañada Junior High School, PCC, and later Mt. San Antonio College, where she spent 35 years as a faculty member, before eventually joining the Foundation’s board in 2010.

When Phyllis became a Foundation advisor in 2019, she and Chet saw a great opportunity to make a difference.

“I served on the board for nine years,” Phyllis says, “and I saw what wonderful work the Foundation does for students.”

That’s why the Spechts helped secure a charitable remainder trust in their name. 

“In my history with community colleges, I’ve learned that unrestricted funds are really important because times change and different needs come up,” Phyllis says. “Right now, the furnishing of the new Sarafian Building is a very worthy cause, and a few years ago when they were building the Arts Center, furnishing it was a very worthy cause. Having unrestricted funds helps the Foundation accomplish what needs accomplishing at the time.”

Today, Phyllis and Chet live in Pasadena. They are Fellows of The Huntington Library; Chet is a member of Pasadena Rotary, and Phyllis dedicates her time to several organizations and a book club. 

“Between Zoom, email, US mail, and TV, it is a good time to be old,” Phyllis says cheekily. “The world comes to us these days.”

To learn more about establishing a planned gift with the PCC Foundation, visit https://pasadena.mylegacygift.org/.