▁Kansas ▁City ▁for ▁char itable ▁giving ▁in ▁the ▁region . ▁Over ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁thirty ▁years , ▁the ▁Foundation ▁don ated ▁millions ▁of ▁dollars ▁to ▁univers ities , ▁museum s , ▁and ▁other ▁cultural ▁institutions ▁in ▁the ▁Kansas ▁City ▁area ▁and ▁across ▁the ▁Mid west . ▁Helen ▁became ▁president ▁and ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁foundation ▁following ▁Kenneth ' s ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁( she ▁held ▁these ▁positions ▁until ▁the ▁dissol ution ▁of ▁the ▁foundation ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 ). ▁ ▁Short ly ▁after ▁Kenneth ▁Sp encer ' s ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁Helen ▁was ▁approached ▁about ▁don ating ▁her ▁husband ' s ▁personal ▁papers ▁and ▁business ▁records ▁to ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Kansas . ▁She ▁agreed , ▁and ▁by ▁October ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁attention ▁turned ▁to ▁how ▁and ▁where ▁the ▁materials ▁would ▁be ▁hous ed ▁as ▁a ▁special ▁mem orial ▁library . ▁K U ' s ▁Watson ▁Library ▁was ▁de emed ▁un su itable , ▁as ▁the ▁facility ' s ▁lack ▁of ▁space ▁already ▁h inder ed ▁li br ari ans ' ▁efforts ▁to ▁process ▁and ▁make ▁available ▁special ▁collections ▁materials . ▁ ▁" U pon ▁reflect ing ▁on ▁this ," ▁Helen ▁later ▁re called , ▁" and ▁knowing ▁that ▁a ▁university ▁g ains ▁prom in ence ▁through ▁its ▁Gr adu ate ▁College , ▁I ▁was ▁inspired ▁to ▁give ▁this ▁gradu ate ▁research ▁library ." ▁Helen ▁was ▁also ▁inspired ▁to ▁establish ▁the ▁library ▁so ▁as ▁to ▁help ▁combat ▁the ▁ex od us