Snorf, Hicks Children Unite to Honor Parents’ Lifelong Commitment to Service
Through an endowed scholarship and professorship at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, the family of a beloved orthopaedic surgeon is empowering future physicians and faculty leaders to advance education, research, and healthcare for all.
Charles “Charlie” Snorf, ’58 MD, ’63 GME, a community fixture in Carmel, California, and Feinberg alumnus, passed away at the age of 90 in 2020, leaving his children a donor-advised fund he established with his second wife, Leslie, who passed two years later. Leslie Snorf herself was a force for philanthropic good and volunteer service, especially post-retirement, leaving her two sons as eager to honor her memory as their stepfather’s.
Dr. Snorf, as his children and stepchildren attested, was more than a skilled physician. He was hands-on, curious, and artistic, and he found joy in connecting with others and using his talents to heal. Yet his legacy extends far beyond the operating room. Through the family’s enduring support of the Snorf Medical Student Scholarship and the Dr. Charles and Leslie Snorf Professorship in Orthopaedic Surgery, his impact continues to shape the future of medicine.
Dr. Snorf was known for his love for his medical alma mater. His steadfast commitment to provide scholarship support included the MD Class of 1958 Scholarship, which has become one of the largest scholarship endowments providing support for medical students at Northwestern.
“Dad believed in the importance of helping others and knew how important the medical community was to improving people’s lives,” Susan Snorf Lansbury, Dr. Snorf’s eldest daughter said. “The donor- advised fund was a way for Dad and Leslie to give into the future, and to enable their children to have the privilege of helping others reach their goals and live better lives.”
Cynthia Snorf Livermore, Dr. Snorf’s middle daughter, shared that her father’s passion for scholarship support stemmed from witnessing classmates leave medical school due to financial hardship.
“He talked about people who had to drop out because they just couldn’t afford it,” she said, explaining that that memory stayed with him, fueling his desire to ensure that no student would be forced to abandon their dreams.
At Feinberg, scholarships are a top fundraising priority and are a competitive necessity for attracting the best and brightest students. Unbeknownst to Dr. Snorf and Leslie when they established the scholarship in 1997, average private school medical school debt would surpass $227,000 in 2025, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. Feinberg’s average debt at graduation is about $192,000.
Dr. Snorf and Leslie’s marriage in 1987 united Dr. Snorf’s daughters, Susan, Cynthia, and Carolyn, and Leslie’s sons, Kevin and David Hicks. Today, the five share the bond of philanthropy with their parents, who dedicated their lives to helping others and inspired transformative gifts benefiting the future of medicine. The siblings continue to support the Snorf Scholarship and other priorities at Northwestern, carrying on their parents’ reputation for giving back.
Lives of Service
Dr. Snorf and Leslie spent more than a decade together before tying the knot, then spent more than 30 years together, leading busy and fulfilling post-retirement lives, their children said.
The couple shared a deep bond and mutual respect, and their remaining decades were characterized by travel, philanthropy, and volunteer service, including month-long stints abroad in Bhutan, Saigon, and St. Lucia. Dr. Snorf provided orthopaedic care to populations in need, while Leslie taught English and supported hospital administration, Cynthia Livermore said.
During their busy retirement years, Dr. Snorf and Leslie established a donor-advised fund in Monterey County. After their passing, Cynthia, her two sisters, and her two stepbrothers took up the mantle, continuing to support causes close to their parents’ hearts—including initiatives at Feinberg and in their parents’ community in Monterey, California.
Kevin Hicks described his stepfather as an intellectually engaged and compassionate orthopaedic surgeon who practiced for five decades on California’s Central Coast. He was a beloved community figure, often recognized by patients and their families for his care.
“You’d go out to dinner or lunch, or you’d go golf with him, and people would just be coming up to thank him for how he had taken care of either them or their kids or their grandkids,” Kevin Hicks said.
He was known for his kindness toward others—frequently visiting ill friends and offering support in what Kevin described as his personal “ministry.” He was also an avid reader, annotator, and conversationalist, always looking to learn from others, Kevin said.
Cynthia, too, recalled her father’s compassion. “He loved meeting people and finding out about them,” she said. “He could talk to anybody—and wanted to.”
Leslie Snorf was one of the first women stockbrokers on the Monterey Peninsula in California and retired there with Dr. Snorf soon after they married. She became a sought-after board member and community leader, and her philanthropic work included leadership roles with the Community Hospital Foundation, Monterey Rape Crisis Center, Harrison Memorial Library, and Big Sur Land Trust. Had she been born in a later generation, Kevin Hicks said, she might have been a “captain of industry.”
David Hicks said his mother was a “powerful” presence and maintained a sharp sense of purpose and intention, even after her diagnosis with leptomeningeal cancer. “There was never a thought of passing away—that just wasn’t part of the equation. Her focus was on living,” David said.
Leslie Snorf’s influence extended to her hospice care, where she had previously served on the board and helped develop Central Coast Hospice in Carmel. Her legacy came full circle as she received care from the very organization she helped build, David said. She passed away in 2022 at the age of 80.
Inspired by Leslie’s final advocacy for a home-based palliative care program, the five siblings made a significant donation to seed the initiative at Montage Health in Monterey. This experience reinforced their philanthropic mission and helped catalyze their continued support for Northwestern, where Dr. Snorf earned his medical degree and later completed his residency.
Scholarship and Stewardship
Charlie Snorf, MD, established the Snorf Family Scholarship nearly 30 years ago to honor his father, Lowell D. Snorf, MD, who taught internal medicine at Northwestern. Now, all five children continue to deepen their connection with Northwestern in memory of Charlie Snorf.
In May, Kevin and David Hicks attended Feinberg’s annual Commitment to Scholarships Luncheon, where they had the opportunity to meet with Snorf Scholars and hear from many other medical scholars hailing from all walks of life.
Kevin Hicks spoke warmly of the scholars’ energy, gratitude, and potential, noting how meaningful it is to witness the ripple effects of their support. David remarked that Charlie and his mother would be touched to meet the talented beneficiaries of the Snorf Scholarship. “I think they could see people with intention because they lived with intention,” David Hicks said of his mother and stepfather.
Snorf Scholar Khizar Nandoliya ’21 of Chicago, a third-year medical student and first-generation college student, said he views his medical school career as the culmination of a lifelong interest in neurology and a newer fascination with biomedical engineering he picked up while a double major in biology and chemistry at Northwestern. Between his second and third year of medical school, Nandoliya worked under John A. Rogers, PhD, and Craig M. Horbinski, MD, PhD, to develop localized drug delivery devices for high-grade meningiomas.
A Snorf Scholar since his first year at Feinberg, Nandoliya said his academic experience has been greatly enhanced by the tuition support provided by the scholarship.
“Without the financial freedom this scholarship provides, I would not be able to dream of pursuing a seven-year neurosurgery residency,” he said.
For Carolyn Snorf Akcan, Dr. Snorf’s youngest daughter, giving to scholarships is about providing that financial flexibility for aspiring doctors.
“The sheer cost of medical school is so steep,” she said. “Giving to scholarships is a wonderful way to honor my father’s legacy and to help people graduate without huge loans hanging over their heads.”
The family also supports Feinberg faculty through an endowed professorship, a position reserved for the medical school’s most distinguished and productive physicians and scientists. Endowed professorships help the school attract and recruit world-class investigators to Northwestern.
In 2016, the family established the Dr. Charles and Leslie Snorf Professorship of Orthopaedic Surgery to benefit a distinguished faculty member in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. The professorship is held by Michael A. Terry, MD.
For more information about supporting scholarships, please contact Larry Kuhn at larry-kuhn@northwestern.edu or 312-503-1717.
This story was published in the September 2025 issue of The Philanthropist, a newsletter for supporters and friends of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. View our publications here.