Longboat Key philanthropist Ina Schnell dies at 93

Ina Schnell lived in the third home designed by renowned architect Guy Peterson. His mega-masterpiece Ohana wasn’t built until 2003. When Schnell and her husband, Eugene, hired him 10 years earlier, they were taking a chance on an unknown. 

“But we liked him," Schnell told the Observer in 2014. “He understood the way we wanted to live.”

Schnell had an eye for both talent and art. Several pieces from the Schnells’ personal art collection were donated to the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Stanley Museum of Art at the University of Iowa. 

Schnell, 93, died on March 29 in her room at Plymouth Harbor. Eugene died in 1999; they had one son together, Eric Schnell.  

Just like her home, Schnell’s life made a statement and left a legacy. She supported numerous local organizations, including the Florida Studio Theatre and the Library Foundation for Sarasota County. She also served on the board of directors at the Ringling. 

“The amount of smart, phenomenal people that retire to Sarasota, Ina was one of those kinds of people,” said Sarasota Orchestra Senior Director of Donor Engagement for Leadership Giving Jocelyn Udell. “She was passionately invested in the arts and in the community and giving her time, talent and treasure and just a joy to be with.” 

Udell used the words "classy," "sophisticated" and "elegant" to describe Schnell, but as she recalled their time together, Schnell’s kindness outshined her glamour. 

Schnell always asked about Udell’s son, Andrew, by name, even in the later years as her memory started to fade. On Andrew’s first birthday, Schnell sent him a stack of books to build his library.

“She was a huge proponent of reading. Ina is one of two people who started the reading festival in Sarasota,” Udell said. 

The women met 30 years ago when Udell was the annual giving manager at the Ringling. They’d later cross paths through the Community Foundation and the Sarasota Orchestra.

“Back in 1993, Ina was one of the chairs of the Fan Fantasy Gala that we did where we sent 50 artists blank fans for them to create works of art that were then auctioned off,” Udell said. “That was all her idea. They were incredible.”

Schnell was a pioneer from the start. She referred to herself as a “career girl,” the term for working women in the 1950s. Born in New England as Ina Spelke, she earned a history degree from Skidmore College. 

By 23, she was a buyer for Bonwit Teller, a top department store in New York City. She also worked as a designer but decided to follow other pursuits after 12 years with the store. Her boss and mentor was Walter Hoving, who went on to become the design director for Tiffany. 

While married, Schnell traveled the world with Eugene. His family was one of the largest avocado growers in California in the 1970s. The couple shared a collection of pre-Columbian objects, most of which was donated to various museums. 

Schnell also kept an impressive collection of modern art in her Plymouth Harbor apartment. She loved modern music, too. 

“She was big on the music scene. Her claim to fame was that she thought we were all a bunch of squares because we liked the traditional classical music,” friend Molly Schechter said. “She loved contemporary classical music. It was a passion with her.”

But for all her sophistication and finer tastes, Schnell appreciated the simple things in life too.

“She really liked bicycles,” friend Elisabeth Waters said. “When she met Arthur, she was really very happy they could do physical things.” 

Dr. Arthur Ancowitz was Schnell’s longtime partner. They enjoyed tennis and kayaking. Ancowitz died last year, but the couple each had an apartment at Plymouth Harbor in their later years. They ate dinner together every night.