Written by Melissa Bean Sterzick

A serendipitous meeting on a chairlift at Mammoth in 1961 was only the first of René and Phyllis Scribe’s adventures together. They married two years after that day on the ski slopes and later had two daughters.

Phyllis and René have filled their lives with ski racing, travel, boating, driving through Europe, serving their community, and making the most of family time with their daughters, sons-in-law and four grandchildren. At 89 and 93 they still ski, but with one limitation: the weather.

“We are only fair-weather skiers now,” René laughs. “If it looks bad, we don’t ski.”

René was born in Ghent, Belgium, into a military family. His grandfather, father and brother were all officers in the Belgian Army, and his brother died in World War II. After years of invasions and war, the family immigrated to the United States looking for a more peaceful life.

René arrived when he was 17 and attended junior college and then UCLA. He joined the California National Guard and ultimately the United States Air Force. He was working as an engineer in aerospace when he met Phyllis, who grew up in Pasadena. She earned her teaching credential at UCLA several years after René graduated and taught for the Long Beach Unified School District for 10 years.

René moved from aerospace to property development. When their children were very small, the Scribes were living in one of the apartments they had developed, but they wanted a lawn and a good school nearby. They found a lot in Palos Verdes Estates, built their home on footings buried deep in bedrock and have been there ever since.

They both gave their time freely to local organizations. After he retired, René became active in city politics, serving as chair of the Malaga Cove Homeowners Association and on Palos Verdes Estates’ parkland committee. Phyllis volunteered at Torrance Memorial Medical Center in Luminaries for many years, guiding her daughter through the Novas high school volunteer program.

So in 2010, when the Scribes sold an investment property and were looking for a beneficiary, Torrance Memorial was a natural choice. “As a volunteer, I really got to see how well the hospital was organized,” Phyllis says. “We would encourage other people to donate. We have found it very rewarding.”

The couple established a charitable remainder unitrust, which bypasses capital gains tax and provides the Scribes with income for the rest of their lives. In 2016 they sold another property and established a deferred charitable gift annuity to create a tax deduction and an additional income stream.

“We felt we should give back to the community where we have spent our lives,” René says. “A good hospital is important for the whole area.”

Being a Torrance Memorial donor and also a patient gives the family another point of view. About 10 years ago, Phyllis broke her back and several ribs.

“I went down the stairs backward and upside down,” she jokes. “My doctor said to go to the emergency department. When I got there, they rushed me in and took great care of me. They were so kind.”

The Scribes say a 60-year marriage requires a lot of patience and flexibility, but their longevity as a couple reflects another important truth: They are kindred spirits. Throughout their lives together, they have shared goals and priorities and carried out a partnership centered on a love for adventure, generosity to their community, and devotion to their home and family.