Gift Planning Makes It Easy to Honor the Ones You Love
Tommy Stuchell ’10 credits two key influences in his personal and professional development: family and education. Growing up in rural West Virginia with three siblings, his parents constantly emphasized the importance of education. Following the guidance of his father, who was a communications specialist in the Navy, Tommy earned his undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from West Virginia University (WVU). A career in the oil and gas industry brought him to Texas where he pursued his law degree part-time at the South Texas College of Law Houston.
Tommy later moved to San Antonio and continued his educational journey at UTSA, graduating in 2010 with his MBA in international business. In 2018, he founded Stuchell Law PLLC, drawing on 30 years of business experience to provide estate planning and small-business legal counsel.
After his father passed away, Tommy sought a way to honor his father’s life and values—particularly his commitment to education. Using a combination of stock, cash, and a gift in his will, Tommy established an endowment in his father’s memory at WVU. This showed Tommy that making a meaningful difference requires less than you might think—and it can be a powerful way to honor those who have shaped our lives. Tommy later created another endowment to honor his mother at South Texas College of Law Houston.
“Learning you don’t have to be a millionaire to give back and have an impact was big for me.”
While he learned the value of education from his parents, his late mother-in-law, Francisca Villarreal, exemplified the values of kindness and hard work. Inspired by her generous spirit and dedication to faith, family, and friends, Tommy decided to honor her by creating the Francisca Villarreal International Business Endowed Scholarship at UTSA.
“She was just a normal, genuine everyday person, but she was truly extraordinary in so many ways. She always put others first and never met a stranger.” shared Tommy. “Dedicating a scholarship in Francisca’s name was the perfect way to honor her memory while continuing her legacy of helping others.”
Through smart gift planning, Tommy has found meaningful ways to celebrate the values and lives of people he loves and admires.
“I can continue contributing to the endowments during my lifetime and witness their impact,” he explained. “And it was very easy to set things up so my estate will supplement them later.”
