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Tributes
// Chartered December
1st, 1916 |
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Charlotte
Rotary Tributes
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Thomas L. Moore
Charlotte Rotarian Since
1999
Most Recent Rotary
Honor: Rotary
International Four
Avenues of Service
Citation
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Harriman H. Jett
Charlotte Rotarian Since
2004
Most Recent Rotary
Honor: Rotary
International Four
Avenues of Service
Citation
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 In
Honor of William E. "Bill" Loftin, Sr.
By Henry H. Bostic, Jr.
(Editor's Note: The following tribute was
delivered at the April 13, 1999, meeting of the
Rotary Club of Charlotte.)
William E. "Bill" Loftin, Sr. The man we honor
today would never agree with the anonymous wag
who wrote, "History is something that never
happened, written by a man who wasn't there." He
would never concur with Sir Ralph Walpole who
said "All history is a lie." Nor would he side
with the great French General Napoleon when he
remarked that "What is history but a fable
agreed upon?"
No, our honoree would more likely side with H.
G. Wells who said that "Human history is in
essence a history of ideas." Or with the Philip
Skelton who remarked, "History makes us some
amends for the shortness of life." But I know
very well that our own favorite historian would
definitely agree with the great German poet and
dramatist Goethe who said that "The best thing
which we derive from history is the enthusiasm
that it raises in us."
This is one for history, William E. (Bill)
Loftin Sr. This is your day. And I must say, you
gave us all quite a scare earlier this year.
Since last July, President Ronnie and I have
been planning a tribute to honor your
contributions to Charlotte Rotary. I, for one,
am indeed delighted and filled with gratitude
today just to be able to carry out this very
special assignment. It wasn't too many weeks ago
that my heart sank when I learned that you were
in Presbyterian. "Why hadn't we paid tribute to
Bill earlier in the year?" kept running through
my mind. But we never know what miracles life
has in store for us. And, today, Bill, you are
definitely a miracle.
Just as President Ronnie's year at the helm has
been characterized by his peripatetic verse,
Bill's year as president was epitomized by his
love for history. And, boy, did he make sure we
got our lessons. Each and every week for 52
weeks when he headed Charlotte Rotary in
1986-87. Not that we minded, too much? But every
time Bill has gotten up to speak since his
presidency, we just know a history lesson is
likely at hand.
I never will forget inviting President Tom
Hearn, of Wake Forest University, to speak that
year. After Bill's lesson that day, the head of
my alma mater had less than 15 minutes to speak.
Perhaps Bill should have done what President
Ronnie has and start the meeting at Noon!
But there is no denying that Bill Loftin loves
Rotary and, especially, the Rotary Club of
Charlotte. There is no way to calculate the
thousands of hours he has voluntarily spent on
the Charlotte Reporter which he has lovingly
produced since July 1973 - nearly 26 years.
I have had the pleasure of working with Bill on
the Reporter for more than 15 years. Each issue
has to be just right. The historian in him comes
out in each issue. Bill wants the Reporter to be
the "publication of record" for Charlotte Rotary
so that someone 100 years from now can tell who
sat at the head table for today's meeting.
I also serve as the backstop in case a reporter
forgets his assignment. I can tell by the sound
of his voice if he's calling for help. Never
fear, Bill, you and I have already talked, and,
yes, I'm covering this meeting. As an old
reporter, I want to be sure I'm quoted
correctly.
Bill's company has also prepared the club's
roster since 1973. God only knows how many calls
he's had to make to one member or another who
missed the deadline for information.
But his crowning achievement for Charlotte
Rotary was the 75th Anniversary history. Truly,
a labor of love. I can attest that the 75th book
would never have been accomplished without his
dedication and dogged determination. He called
me more than once late at night to encourage me
to get on with an assignment.
Let me share a personal moment. When Tom Warren
died, I had a call from Bill on my voice mail
asking if I would write his obituary for the
Reporter. Bill -- who has in the past written
the obituaries of members -- allowed as how
because of his recent illness he didn't think he
could do the assignment justice. Of course, I
was delighted to do one more thing for Tom and
Bill.
But to tell you how dedicated Bill is, he went
down to the Rotary office and got Tom's file for
me and even copied an article from the 75th
Anniversary History so I'd have all the info I
needed to write the obituary. Then, he waited in
the street later that evening to give me the
information.
To visit Bill's place of business is - fittingly
- to take a step back in time. At Heritage
Printers, you won't be surprised to find out
that they do it the old fashioned way. Bill's
company has one of the largest collections of
linotype, ludlow and foundry type left in the
entire country. There's no buzz of the computer
in this plant. No smell of ozone from electrical
components processing data. This is the real
thing. Just the smell of melted lead and the
unique clickety-clack sound of the linotype
machine sorting letters back into font trays.
Gutenburg would know this is a printer.
And Bill definitely has printers' ink on his
fingers. He is a director and treasurer of
Loftin & Company which was established in
Gastonia by his father in 1898. Additionally,
Bill co-founded McNally & Loftin Publishers Inc.
in 1964 and Graphic Composition Inc. in 1974.
A graduate of Davidson College, Bill did
graduate study at Harvard Business School and
the University of North Carolina. Prior to
founding Heritage Printers in 1956, he held
positions with Florida State University Harvard
University, Chance Vought Aircraft and
Burlington Mills.
He has served as class secretary and reunion
chairman for his graduating class at Davidson.
He also is a member of Avondale Presbyterian
Church, where he has served in a variety of
positions.
Son Bill Jr. says of his dad - who's 79 - "I
know that up until his recent health problems
Dad was working six-day weeks - a hard act for a
son to follow or keep up with. He remains an
inspiration for his family and co-workers, whom
he considers members of the family. He 'lives to
work' not 'works to live.'"
And Bill truly remains an inspiration to all of
us in Rotary. If each of us could only exhibit
the same dedication and hard work. He lives
"Service above Self" every day. It is truly my
great honor to recognize William E. Loftin, Sr.,
for all his many, many contributions to
Charlotte Rotary since 1970.
Bill, if you and your lovely wife Martha Jane
will come down front here in front of the
podium, I'd like to present you a token of the
club's gratitude. The club has made a gift to
the Rotary Foundation in your honor, taking you
to the third level to your Paul Harris
Fellowship. W know you would appreciate that as
much as anything we could do. Here's a pin in
token of that gift. And thank you again for all
you've done for Charlotte Rotary and our
community. Bill, we truly appreciate your
service to Charlotte Rotary.
Celebrating with Bill today are several members
of his family. (He and Martha Jane have four
children, eight grandchildren and two
great-grandchildren.) Let me just take an
opportunity to introduce those here today.
Daughter Judy and her husband Walter Hobbs,
granddaughter Laura Hobbs, daughter Martha
Whitfield and her oldest son Forest, the
grandson of long-time club member Hamp
Whitfield, and club member Bill, Jr., and his
wife Nan. Also, here today is Cathy Parris, one
of Bill's long-time employees.
[back to top] |
 R.
Powell Majors
Charlotte Rotarian from 1938 to 2007
Most Recent Rotary Honor: Rotary International
Service Above Self Award
Presentation Date: October 28, 2004
A Charlotte Rotarian for nearly 70 years and
president in 1946-47, Powell was the elder
statesman of our club and was considered by many
our best club historian. At nearly 101 years
old, he drove himself to Rotary every week and
was often seen working out and tutoring at the
local YMCA.
The following are excerpts from his nomination:
"Powell Majors is a quintessential Rotarian
reflecting the purest form of Service Above
Self. He initiated and fostered service projects
throughout his life as well as his (then) 66
years in Rotary. As a young Rotarian he was
interested in young people with service to the
Boys Choir, Boy Scouts and Junior Rotarians; as
a maturing Rotarian he served the community at
the Red Cross and Kidney Foundation; his service
to education involved tutoring and
administration at Central Piedmont Community
College; as an aging Rotarian he devotes
leadership to Senior groups and continues with
tutoring.
As a business executive (at Lance, Inc. from
1943 - 1968), he was a bedrock of ethics for his
company. As Secretary-Treasurer he maintained
perfection in the company's business. He served
as mentor for many of the other employees.
His spiritual and charitable service has been
demonstrated during 70 years of membership at
his church (Dilworth United Methodist). There he
served on committees to house the homeless,
clothe and feed the hungry. He held significant
leadership roles in the church and its
conference.
Highlights of Accomplishments
1928 graduate of University of Florida;
Secretary-Treasurer at Lance, inc. from 1943
until retirement in 1968; resumed work in 1971
as director of Central Piedmont Community
College Foundation until 1990; Founded the
Charlotte Rotary Boys Choir which raised money
to fund scholarships for foreign students and
also appeared at the RI Convention in New York
in 1949; participated in ceremonial tree
planting during official visits by Rotary
founder Paul Harris in 1939; Rotary
International president Carl Miller in 1964;
Rotary International president Clem Renouf in
1978 and Rotary International president William
Skelton in 1983. Active member of Dilworth
United Methodist Church since 1934; received
honorary PhD from Phieffer University in 1995 in
recognition of his community service.
About the Award
The Rotary International Service Above Self
Award is given to individual Rotarians who have
rendered exemplary humanitarian Rotary service
that embodies Rotary's motto of "Service Above
Self." This award recognizes outstanding efforts
in the promotion of RI objectives in any avenue
of service and constitutes Rotary's highest
honor for a Rotarian. Only 150 Rotarians
worldwide may receive this award each year.
[back to top] |
 Thomas
L. Moore
Charlotte Rotarian Since: 1999
Most Recent Rotary Honor: Rotary International
Four Avenues of Service Citation
Presentation Date:
February 28, 2006
Thomas is known to many as "The Piano Man," as
he provides the weekly musical accompaniment and
often musical leadership to the club. A friend
to all he meets, he rarely takes no for an
answer when approaching people to share their
musical talents with the club, and with the
community at large. He uses music as a tool for
self-expression, fellowship and service and
encourages others, regardless of how they
perceive their talent, to do the same.
The following are excerpts from his nomination:
Club Service
"Rotary's first Avenue of Service involves
actions a Rotarian must take within the club to
help it function successfully. When Thomas Moore
arrives on Tuesdays and takes a seat at the
piano, there is no question in anyone's mind
that the weekly meeting of the Rotary Club of
Charlotte is functioning successfully. Since
becoming a member in 1999, Thomas has graciously
shared his musical talents by providing
beautiful music while others scurry around
socializing and eating their lunch. And what a
contribution his accompaniment is to the weekly
song!"
Vocational Service
"Vocational Service is the adherence to and
promotion of the highest ethical standards in
all occupations, including the contribution of
one's vocational talents to the problems and
needs of society. Dr. Thomas Moore is nationally
recognized as an early childhood consultant,
keynote speaker, workshop leader, and children's
recording artist. In his varied career, Moore
has given a solo voice recital at Carnegie
Recital Hall, hosted a children's television
show, taught preschool, directed a children's
choir, and composed two symphony pieces for
children. As Thomas says, he is not a
performer…instead he uses music as a tool to
teach. His keynotes merge music with solid
speaking content to create an inspiring
experience for his audience."
Community Service
"Community Service comprises varied efforts to
improve the quality of life for those who live
within their club's locality. There are many
examples of Thomas' contribution to community: A
celebration for children and families has been
held on New Year's Eve (afternoon) for
twenty-six years; numerous speaking engagements
at local elementary schools or the Community
College to teach others of the experience of
learning through music; contributing columnist
for the Charlotte Observer; Associate for Church
in the Round Service at Myers Park United
Methodist Church, which is an alternative, more
informal service incorporating drums, saxophone
and other instrumentation with an
intergenerational choir."
International Service
"The aim of International Service is to
encourage and foster the advancement of
international understanding, goodwill, and peace
through a world fellowship of business and
professional persons united in the ideal of
service. Thomas has worked to spread goodwill
and peace all over the world through his
delivery of more than 800 speeches and workshops
in the United States and abroad. From a keynote
address to 1,200 K-12 teachers at Harvard
University, to teacher-training workshops in
Denmark, Italy, Germany, and Nigeria, Thomas
works everyday to create learning experiences
that educate and encourage teachers."
About the Award
Recognizing that the strength of the Rotary
ideal is founded on the service carried out by
club members worldwide, this citation program
provides a means for Rotary clubs to personally
recognize a member of the club for outstanding
efforts in the Four Avenues of Service. The
citation commends the service carried out by an
individual Rotarian in the club, thereby
reinforcing the importance, which Rotary places
on the personal involvement of each member in
Rotary service activities. The nominee must have
consistently demonstrated the support of the
Object of Rotary through participation in
service activities in each of the four avenues
of service: Club Service, International Service,
Vocational Service and Community Service.
[back to top] |
 Harriman
H. Jett
Charlotte Rotarian Since: 2004
Most Recent Rotary Honor: Rotary International
Four Avenues of Service Citation
Presentation Date: May 22, 2007
Club Service
Rotary's first Avenue of Service involves
actions a Rotarian must take within the club to
help it function successfully. Harriman Jett
devotes hours of preparation to ensure the AV
and computer systems function properly and are
in sync for each club meeting. He not only
researched and recommended the proper AV
equipment for the club to purchase, but also
produces and edits material, including print or
photography, and provides AV services through
his own personal computer. He is absolutely the
go-to man for the club's computer or AV needs.
Vocational Service
Vocational Service is the adherence to and
promotion of the highest ethical standards in
all occupations, including the contribution of
one's vocational talents to the problems and
needs of society. When Harriman Jett was
proposed for membership, his sponsor touted his
fabulous computer skills…he instructs classes on
computers, would be glad to help out in the
Rotary office, etc. The vocation he failed to
mention is that Harriman is also a retired
surgeon. His attention to detail and work ethic
as a medical professional is personified in
everything he does. As retired surgeon, he
continues to be involved as a consultant to
medical organizations, insurance companies, and
boards.
Community Service
Community Service comprises varied efforts to
improve the quality of life for those who live
within their club's locality. Harriman combines
his medical and computer skills through
involvement in several community organizations:
teaching computer classes to seniors at the
Shepherd's Center; serves as President and
maintains the website of the St. Andrew Society
of Charlotte (an organization whose members have
an interest in Scottish heritage and history);
handles the website for the Lake Norman Power
Squadron; provides medical and legal consulting
to insurance company; and is chairman and
maintains the website for the Welton Society
(senior physicians in a sub branch of the
medical society).
International Service
The aim of International Service is to encourage
and foster the advancement of international
understanding, goodwill, and peace through a
world fellowship of business and professional
persons united in the ideal of service. Harriman
joined Rotary in 2004 and is a supporter of The
Rotary Foundation.
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