Eugenia Schuster

Eugenia Schuster (1865-1946) was born in 1865, into a Hungarian aristocratic family. She was educated in Vienna and studied piano under Franz Lizst. There, she also met her husband Dr. Michael P. Schuster. They had four children together. Dr. and Mrs. Schuster came to the United States in 1891 and settled in Kansas City where he had accepted the position of chief surgeon for the Consolidated Kansas City Smelting and Refining Company. Three years later, in 1894, the young couple came to El Paso where Dr. Schuster had accepted a similar position with the American Smelting and Refining Company (later ASARCO). In El Paso, Eugenia Schuster was involved in many organizations and activities and became one of the leading female figures in town: She spoke five languages fluently. Her interest in literature led her to organize the Shakespeare Reading Club. She was also an active member of the First Presbyterian Church. In 1902 Mrs. Schuster together with her husband and some others established the old Providence Hospital, the forerunner of the Providence Memorial Hospital. She was also active in the Woman’s Club of El Paso and became its president in 1905. In the year 1919 she founded the El Paso Pan-American Round Table and was made its first Director-General. Mrs. Schuster served on a variety of other boards, always supporting the El Pasoan community. She is also well remembered for her international endeavors, especially for improving the relations between Americans and Mexicans.

Area: Central / El Paso High

Source: C.L. Sonnichsen Special Collections, University of Texas at El Paso Library. Collection Name: MS576 Woman's Club of El Paso. Photo ID: Eugenia Schuster.