Eugene is home to numerous businesses and organizations that have enriched the community for multiple generations. These long-standing local institutions have earned the community’s continued support decade after decade. For over half a century, the St. Clair family has been an integral part of Eugene’s real estate landscape.
The St. Clair legacy in Eugene began in 1971 when Ed St. Clair, fresh out of college with an MBA, and his wife, Adrienne, settled into their first home on Broadway. Ed’s father, Bill, had invested in small properties after he came West to recover from tuberculosis. He fell in love with the wide-open spaces of Arizona and Oregon, and Ed was happy to follow suit.
“Ed was smart, very intuitive,” says Adrienne about her husband. “He was able to advise other people on investing really well.”
Adrienne joined the business in the early 1970s, initially helping Ed with clerical work. Their three children, Ed, Jim, and Will, were born in the following years. Today, the St. Clair real estate legacy continues through Adrienne and their children. Two of their sons, Jim, and Ed, and Ed’s wife, Katie, are also realtors in Eugene, and Will, located in Seattle, is a consultant. Adrienne got her real estate broker’s license in 1999, along with her sister, Jane Cooper, and brother, Jim Crane. Jane’s son-in-law works for Jim’s businesses, St Clair Properties and Campus Connection Property Management.
But what truly sets the St. Clair family apart is their unwavering commitment to community service. Ed was an active Rotarian and served on the board of directors for Lane Memorial Blood Bank. Adrienne served on the boards of the Junior League, Relief Nursery, YMCA, and as a founding board member of the Eugene Education Foundation. Ed was a Cub Scout leader throughout his children’s young years. And both Ed and Adrienne independently received the Golden Apple Award from 4J as school volunteers.
“We all work very hard to make sure that we give back to the community,” she emphasizes.
They passed this spirit of community service to the next generation with all three sons and their wives being involved as volunteers in schools, coaching, and serving on non- profit boards.
“I am so proud of our family’s commitment to volunteering in the community,” she says.
The St. Clair family’s connection to Eugene runs deep. Two of the boys married girls the family had known since childhood. Ed built their family home with his own hands over 18 years, literally cutting down trees and framing and finishing himself.
“We’re all kind of perfectionists,” Adrienne says. “We try really hard to do things the right way and not just be in it for the quick buck. We’re always interested in helping make sure this community and the schools are as safe and as healthy as they can possibly be.”
Ed and Adrienne met on a blind date (the only boy Adrienne ever dated) while both were students at the University of Arizona. “He was a cowboy, living on ranches and riding horses,” she recalls. “Growing up in Connecticut, I was really intrigued. He enchanted the heck out of me.” They dated 4 1/2 years, then married after college. They were married 48 years when Ed passed away in 2019. “I’m a really lucky woman,” Adrienne says. “I’m so blessed.”
