District Governors
District governors provide leadership, motivation, and guidance to Rotary clubs under the general supervision of the Rotary International Board of Directors. Governors act as officers of Rotary International, fostering achievement in their district at the club level.
Rotary District 5060 – 1991-current
2024-2025 Tom Tochterman (Julie)
Tom has been married to Julie since 1981. They have three adult children, two grandchildren, and enjoy the “empty nester” lifestyle. Tom is a fourth-generation Puget Sounder with roots in northern Switzerland. They have owned a home in Chelan since 2004, moved there full-time in 2017, and relocated to Manson in 2020. Tom enjoys traveling, camping, motorcycling, and outdoor activities.
Tom started his career as a military policeman (Security Specialist) in the U.S. Air Force, serving from 1981 to 1987, including three years in Holland and three in Arkansas. After his military service, he joined the family business, Tochterman Investment Company, in Bellevue, Washington. He spent 30 years in this commercial real estate asset company, specializing in class ‘A’ office buildings in Bellevue, Everett, and Vancouver. After retiring, Tom shifted his focus to philanthropy and nature conservation in Africa.
Tom holds a BA in Business Administration from UW Bothell, an MA in Management and Leadership from City University, and a PhD in Management with a specialization in leadership and organizational change from Walden University. His doctoral research focused on environmental leadership and the impact of cognitive dissonance on natural resource consumption and ecosystem degradation.
Tom has a long history of volunteerism through professional associations, church activities, schools, youth programs, and Rotary. He joined Rotary in 1989 with the Bellevue Overlake club and later moved to the South Everett/Mukilteo club, the Rotary Club of Mill Creek, and the Rotary Club of Lake Chelan. Tom is a Paul Harris Fellow +, Past President of the Rotary Clubs of Bellevue Overlake and Lake Chelan, Past Assistant to the District Governor, and has served as District Interact Chair for Districts 5030 and 5050. He is an Honorary member of the Rotary Clubs of Kursk, Russia, and Johannesburg – Rosebank, South Africa. Tom co-founded 911 Glass Rescue, a non-profit affiliate of the Rotary Club of Lake Chelan.
In 2012, Tom founded Rhino Mercy, a US 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Between 2009 and 2012, he frequently traveled to South Africa, where he became aware of the growing threat of poaching and wildlife crime. To combat this, he developed a new approach to anti-poaching, forming an alliance with local stakeholders on the western boundary of Kruger National Park. In 2014, he co-founded the Black Mamba anti-poaching unit, the first all-female unit, which received the UN’s highest environmental award, Champions of the Earth, in 2016.
In April 2022, Tom and Julie launched the ‘Mama Watoto Program’ through Rhino Mercy, feeding over 1,000 primary school students daily in the Masai Mara, Kenya. Tom is also involved in efforts to provide relief to underserved communities in South Africa and Kenya through his Rotary Club of Lake Chelan, focusing on safe drinking water, sanitation, education, and vocational training.
Tom is the immediate past Chair of the Rotary Action Group for Endangered Species and has presented his conservation efforts at Rotary International Conferences and events.
2023-2024 Marjolein Lloyd (Sean)
Born in Amersfoort, the Netherlands, Marjolein immigrated to Canada with her parents and three older brothers as a young toddler. Landing in Montreal, the family loaded into a motorhome and travelled across the country before settling in Maple Ridge, British Columbia…what better way to see the country?! She graduated from Pitt Meadows Secondary near the top of her class and then immediately pursued a degree at Simon Fraser University. But her life path quickly changed when she met a boy (who later became her husband)!
In 1998, Sean and Marjolein relocated to the Okanagan Valley and became franchisees for Little Caesars Pizza. Marjolein worked in the restaurants, but also dabbled in marketing and some of the administrative work as well. Over a 12-year period their business grew to 13 locations throughout BC and even into northern Alberta. They raised their family in the Okanagan and still reside there, but as different opportunities arose and the restaurants were sold, Marjolein’s career path also changed over the years to be able to spend time with the children when they were young. She spent time as a travel consultant for several years and was able to work from home.
Marjolein is a member of the Rotary Club of Kelowna Sunrise, has been a Rotarian since 2001 and has been involved in the Club, District and Zone levels of the organization. Some of her roles have included Club President, Assistant District Governor, Chair of the District Strategic Assistance Committee, ShelterBox Canada Ambassador and Assistant Public Image Coordinator for Rotary Zone 28. Marjolein’s passion lies in facilitation; she has been a Facilitator for Pacific Northwest PETS (Presidents Elect Training Seminar), RLI (Rotary Learning Institute), Multi-Year Planning (formerly Club Visioning), the District Facilitator Training Seminar and the “Membership Matters” seminar. She is also a multiple Paul Harris Fellow and has been recognized by her club and community with several awards. Marjolein is honoured to have the opportunity to serve the District as Governor for the 2023/2024 Rotary year.
Marjolein has been married to Sean (now a business owner in the construction industry) since 2000. She has 2 sons, a stepdaughter, a son-in-law and a grandson who she loves to hang out with. When not volunteering for Rotary, you will find her at Cobs Bread baking in the early morning hours. She has also enjoyed being a Marriage Commissioner in the Central Okanagan since 2013 and performs about 150 weddings in the area every year. She enjoys golfing, hiking, swimming, camping, sewing and reading.
2022-2023 Karl Ruether (Denise)
Karl was born and raised in Germany and came to North America in 1986. He has three grown sons and is married to Denise. They live in Peshastin, Washington. Karl started his career in the Hospitality Industry with a Restaurant Apprenticeship in 1976 at the Sport Hotel, Droste, Germany. As is mandatory in Germany, the required Military Service came next followed by achieving the Serviermeister (Master of Service) Certification in 1984.
In preparation for going to the US, he worked as a restaurant Manager in Southampton England after which Karl went to Cornell University in New York for the summer program. At the completion of this program he worked at one of the hotels at JFK airport, followed by moving to Tucson Arizona to open a new All Suite Property.
In 1987 Karl obtained the CFBE (Certified Food and Beverage Executive) designation. From Tucson it was on to Portland Oregon and then Banff, Canada managing various types of hotels. From here it was San Bernardino California and then Leavenworth Washington’s Bavarian Village where being from Germany was not a pre-requisite, but it helped. Here he opened the Best Western Icicle Inn (1992) which is now known as the Icicle Village resort where he is the General Manager/Partner. In 1995 he obtained the CHA (Certified Hotel Administrator Designation) and after a successful career spanning 40 plus years and four countries, Karl retired from Hotel/Resort operations in December of 2019. Yippee I made it!
Along the way came various volunteer/appointed positions with Best Western International as a Regional Governor, a board position on the Washington State Hotel and Lodging Association board, serving as Chair in 2005-2006. Board member and President Leavenworth Lodging Association. Founding Board member Leavenworth Summer Theater serving here for over 10 years. A Rotarian since 1994 and member of the Leavenworth Rotary Club, President of this Club in 2000. (Presidential Citation Achieved). PDG Jim Adamson Senior was his mentor and friend. Jim sponsored Karl to join Rotary (Thank you Jim). Karl served as Board member of the Leavenworth Chamber of commerce twice, since 1992, and was Chamber Board President for three years.
In July of 2000 he was selected to serve a one-year term on the newly formed Washington State Tourism Advisory Committee. He was the recipient of the ‘Outstanding General Manager of the Year Award’ from the Washington Lodging Association in 2005, as well as the ‘All Star Governor Award’ in 2003 from Best Western International. Karl accepted several Committee assignments in his role as a Best Western Governor that included the Chair of the Education and Training Advisory Committee, a few years back, and then Chairman of the Quality Assurance Advisory Committee (2015).
On July 1st, 2019, Karl was appointed Assistant District Governor for Rotary District 5060. Fellow Rotarians, thank you for the confidence you have placed in me for this important role. I am really looking forward to meeting many if not all of you in this exciting continuation of my Rotary Journey. PDG Marvin Monroe used to say “Rotary is a Journey not a Destination” and it is an honor to serve in this role and work closely with many of you!
2020-2022 Richard DeRock (Robin)
Richard was born in Germany while his father served in the US Army. When his family moved to the US, they settled in Nebraska before relocating to Davis, California in 1969. While in High School, Richard obtained a certification as an Automotive Service Excellence Master Technician, the first 16-year-old to achieve this certification. Richard attended the University of California at Davis (UCD), graduating with degrees in Geology and History. While attending UCD, Richard took a part-time position with the University Transit System and progressed from a driver to a system Manager before graduating.
After graduation, Richard went to work as a Project Manager for a private transit contracting company, running transit systems in Union City, Eastern Contra Costa County, East San Diego County and Orange County California. While he was managing the Orange County Transit service, he met his wife, Robin when she came to his office to complain about one of his drivers. After his Orange County experience, Richard went to work for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority as a regional planner with responsibilities for specialized transportation (elderly and disabled transit) and air quality programs (alternative fuels projects). During his time at the LAMTA, Richard married Robin and they had two children, Alicia and Alex.
In 1990 Richard obtained the agreement of 66 local city governments and the County of Los Angeles to create a Countywide specialized transit agency. In January of 1991, Richard was hired as the first Executive Director of Access Services and led the agency for 11 years during which time it expanded to include some 2,300 employees and provided over 4 million passenger trips per year. In 2000, Access Services was named the best transit operation in North America.
In 2002, Richard and his family relocated to Wenatchee where he took the role of the General Manager/CEO of Link Transit, the public transit system for Chelan and Douglas Counties. At the same time, Robin resumed her nursing career at the Wenatchee Valley Hospital. With his relocation to Wenatchee, Richard joined the Wenatchee Rotary Club and began his Rotary career. In 2003, Richard became the Youth Exchange Officer for the Wenatchee Club and served on the Board of the Wenatchee club for 6 years. In 2004, Robin served as a bus trip chaperon and joined Rotary and the District Youth Exchange Committee in 2005. Richard joined the District Youth Exchange Committee at the same time and served on the committee for 11 years including 4 years as the Committee Chair. Richard and Robin have been active host parents, hosting 17 exchange students over the past 15 years. Both of their children were Youth Exchange Students. Alicia went to Switzerland in 2005-2006 and Alex went to Turkey in 2009-2010.
Richard and Robin are multiple Paul Harris Fellows, and Bequest Society members and Richard is a Paul Harris Society Member. In 2016, Robin transferred to the Wenatchee Sunrise Club due to changes in her job. Soon after, Richard transferred to the Wenatchee North Rotary Club (now Wenatchee Confluence) to serve as its 2017-18 President. Richard continues in his role as the Link Transit CEO and has been very active in State and National transit associations and interfacing with both State and National legislators. Both Richard and Robin look forward to their experience as Governor and Spouse to expand their Rotary friendships and Rotary service.
2019-2020 Dr. Peter Schultz (Susan)
Peter grew up in Toronto before attending the University of Guelph, where he met his wife Susan who was from Vancouver. His professional career began as a Research Scientist with the U.S. Department of Energy (Brookhaven N.Y.), followed by a Faculty position at the University of Western Ontario as a Professor of Physics. His team’s research resulted in approximately 100 academic articles and dozens of invited presentations and consultancies around the world. In 1992-93 Peter was awarded one of only two University of Western Ontario Distinguished Research Scientist positions.
Following academic life Peter & Susan relocated their family to western Canada and created a holding company and restaurant business, both of which they ran for 20 years until selling in 2015. Currently Peter remains active as a Research Advisor to a BC Tech startup Metabolic Insights Inc developing highly sensitive saliva-testing technology for insulin and the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In addition to private enterprise, Peter devoted considerable time & energy to various community associations and projects, including the Downtown Kelowna Association (board member & President), various benefit events, and civic committees for the Planning and Transportation departments of Kelowna’s municipal government.
Peter joined the Kelowna Ogopogo Rotary Club in1997, and after a leave for a few years rejoined the Rotary Club of Kelowna in 2009, and finally the Rotary Now! Kelowna Club in 2020 as the founding charter member. He has served as Club President in 2012-13, Administrative Assistant Governor 2014-17, chair of the Rotary Leadership Institute 2014-17, editor of the District Directory, content webmaster for the District 2014-16, PETS Facilitator 2016-18, District Awards Chair 2014-15, Zone Institute trainer (2016 for “Rotary Now” and 2020 for the D.G. Class) and Chair for the 2017 District Conference in Kelowna. He is a strong supporter of the Rotary Foundation, contributing regularly as a Paul Harris Society member, Bequest Society and Major Donor.
Peter & Susan have 4 amazing children and have enjoyed many adventures together both traveling and living in different parts of the world.
2017-2018 Bill Jenkin (Lisa)
Bill was born and raised in the San Diego area. He received his degree in Business Management from the University of Redlands. He has a daughter, son-in-law, two grandsons and two stepsons. He was an agent for Farmers Insurance for twenty years. Bill also owned a small winery in Ramona CA. In 2007, he relocated by himself to Prosser WA. He began his career with Edward Jones Investments and founded Prosser Vineyard and Winery. He met his wife Lisa while playing coed softball. She is an elementary school teacher. Bill joined Rotary in 2000. He was club President in 2006-2007 and was Rotarian of the Year for the Ramona, CA Club. He was District 5340’s SAA and graduated from the District’s RLI basic and master program. When he relocated to District 5060 he worked with several Past District Governors by starting the District’s Paul Harris Society and Rotarian at Work Day programs. He has been an AG for nearly 6 years and also was the District Membership Chair. He was named the Prosser Rotarian of the Year and club President. He is a Major Donor, Paul Harris Society and Bequest Society member and was awarded the Rotary Foundation District Service Award. Bill enjoys community service and is an elected School Board member. Lisa and Bill enjoyed travelling and enjoyed visiting all our clubs in 2017-2018.2018-2019 – Sherry Chamberlain (Jim)
Rotary Club of Kamloops West since 1999, Past President 2007-2008 and ADG 2009-2011
Sherry was born in Hamilton Ontario and grew up in the lower mainland of British Columbia graduating at Vancouver Langara College with a graphic design and marketing diploma.
Sherry and her husband Jim have no children but many nieces and nephews in the Lower Mainland to share in family values. Sherry has spent most of her career life in advertising and marketing owning a successful advertising/graphics business before moving to Kamloops in 1998. They married in 1998 and a year later Sherry changed her career to sales in the security field. Sherry has worked for Chubb Edwards Security since 2000 attaining the President’s Club five years in a row. Jim is a manager for a large Canadian Corporation. They are avid golfers, and travellers, love good wine and can be seen motorcycling.
Sherry and Jim first volunteered with Crime Stoppers as directors, Sherry in Vancouver and both quickly joined Kamloops and District Crime Stoppers to later become presidents. In 2001 after attending her second Rotary district conference she became aware of the many opportunities to serve internationally and went on her first international project with the Guatemala Textbook Project Team, being the first Canadian to do so. From this experience, her passion led her to other projects in Thailand known as the Children of the Golden Triangle initiative and went back 7 more times to help. Other projects were accomplished in Brazil, Mexico, Vietnam, and Nicaragua. Both Thailand and Brazil have been featured in The Rotarian and the Rotary Video Magazine.
Sherry has completed the RLI, RIC and VISION programs and has been a facilitator for all including PETS. Sherry and Jim have hosted five exchange students plus a GSE team leader. They have welcomed visiting Rotarians through the Rotary Home Hosting Fellowship. She has received Rotarian of the Year in her club twice, a District Foundation Award and is a Bequest/Paul Harris Society Member and became a Major Foundation Donor. Sherry currently volunteers as a Zone 24 Rotarian Action Group for Peace membership director and hopes more members will join forces for the good of Rotary and world peace goals.
2015-2016 Greg Luring (Jan)
Greg and his wife Jan grew up in small towns in Ohio. They met at Ohio State University, and are the proud parents of two adult daughters, Kimberly and Megan. After serving for 13 years in the U. S. Navy as a Supply Corps officer with the Submarine force, they became McDonald’s franchisees in Yakima WA.
Greg graduated from Ohio State University in 1967 and he was also commissioned as an Ensign in the U. S. Navy. The same week as graduation, he married the former Jan Dillion of Plain City Ohio. They left Ohio as newlyweds bound for their first duty station in Athens, Georgia and never lived in Ohio again.
He graduated from the U. S. Navy Supply Corps School In Athens, GA and was selected to serve in nuclear submarines and graduated from the U. S. Navy Submarine School in New London, Connecticut. While serving in the USS Casimir Pulaski (SSBN 633), from 1968 to 1972, he earned his coveted gold dolphins, signifying he was qualified in Nuclear Submarines.
After serving at various other support commands, he finished up his 13-year Navy career at the U. S. Navy Trident Submarine Refit Facility in Bangor, Washington. He was a Lieutenant Commander when he resigned his commission, in 1980.
Greg and Jan applied and were accepted into the McDonald’s Restaurant Franchisee training program. While still in the Navy, he worked nights and weekends for two years learning every facet of the McDonald’s business. They were awarded their first McDonald’s in Yakima, WA. During their 34 years with McDonald’s, they have grown to 13 restaurants and continue to be very active in the community. Greg and Jan recently received the prestigious Ted Robertson Community Service Award. Greg has served in leadership positions in McDonald’s owner/operator associations and boards. Their McDonald’s continues to lead their five-state region in sales growth, innovation and personnel development. They were honoured when the President of McDonald’s USA came to visit their organization in Yakima.
Greg has been a Rotarian for 34 years and Jan has been a Rotarian for 28 years. Greg is the Founder and a past President of the Yakima Rotary Trust, which has grown to $20 million. As President of the Yakima Rotary Club, he increased membership by a net gain of 22 members.
2014-2015 Bruce Falkins (Donna)
Bruce was born and raised in Vancouver, B.C. and attended the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, completing his degree in Business Management. With Bruce’s passion for sales and marketing it took him to several Multi-National Corporations, including Chevron Canada, Laidlaw Waste Systems and Ecolab (a chemical company), where he accepted a position as Territory Manager, which eventually brought him to the Okanagan Valley. Starting their own business had always been Bruce and Donna’s dream and in 1998 this dream came true when they founded Falkins Advertising (a promotional product business). Bruce has been very active in this industry including sitting on the board of directors for the Promotional Products Association of Canada.
Bruce joined the Rotary Club of Kelowna Sunrise in 1998, holding many positions at club level, including, Fellowship, Membership, Youth Exchange, and Ways and Means chairs. He then served as President in Rotary’s Centennial year 2004-2005. In 2009 Bruce was presented with the District Foundation Service Award for outstanding service in promoting The Rotary Foundation through the Paul Harris Society. He was also Public relations Chair for the District in 2009-2010, before assuming the Assistant Governor position in 2010-2011 and 2011-2012. Bruce is also proud to be one of the original facilitators for the RLI course in the District and has continued to participate in all sessions to date. Bruce is also one of the original “Visioning” facilitators in the District.
Donna has stalwartly supported Bruce in business as well as in the community. She has served her pet project the Heart and Stroke Foundation for many years including chair for the Ladner South Delta area. Bruce and Donna are both multiple Paul Harris Fellows and Bequest Society members. Outside of Rotary Bruce enjoys reading, gardening travelling and attempting to play golf. Donna and Bruce are very proud of their two grown children, and their two young grandchildren.
2016-2017 Vern Nielsen (Willy Burgess)
Vern was born in Dawson Creek, BC and grew up in Alberta receiving his Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Calgary and did graduate studies at the University of British Columbia. He has been a senior executive and entrepreneur in packaged goods, real estate, high-tech and numerous other industries. His experience spans roles at General Foods to being CEO of multiple successful ventures. He was the owner of one of the largest Food Brokerage businesses in western Canada and has done business in Canada, USA, Europe and Asia. Moving to Kelowna from New York where he was Executive Vice President of a segment-leading packaged-goods firm he became very involved in the Okanagan Technology community. Vern has been a director of several companies and not-for-profit organizations including Crime Stoppers, Okanagan Capital Fund, East Meets West Orphanage Foundation, Okanagan College Foundation. He has won numerous awards for his involvement in both business and not for profit organizations including “Okanagan Science and Technology Community Leadership Award 2009”, and the Fred Macklin Memorial award “Kelowna’s Man of the Year 2010”. During his years in Rotary he has served on several committees and projects including; Rotary Pro-Am Golf tournament, Pleasantvale Homes Society, KSS Young Parents Center, founder of Rotary Ski to Tee and Rotary/Snowbirds Air Show, and wrote a monthly Rotary column for local newspaper. Vern visited several Rotary projects in India during his 2007 Rotary trip and including the Amreli Dam project. In 2010-11 he was President of the Rotary Club of Kelowna and received a Rotary International Significant Achievement Award. He was the District Friendship Chair for two years and Assistant Governor in Area 4 for two years. In 2013 he received the Rotary International Avenues of Service Citation. He was an RLI instructor, a Visioning facilitator, a multiple Paul Harris Fellow and a Bequest Society member of the Club Foundation. Vern was an avid skier, boater, motorcycle enthusiast, hiker, and golfer who has three adult children and a very recent first grand-daughter! Sadly, Vern passed away during his year as governor; PDG Greg Luring completed his term.
2013-2014 Darrell Blue (Peg)
Darrell Blue was born in Decatur, Illinois and raised in that state. He graduated from the University of Illinois with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Journalism and Communications. His more than 50-year career in television broadcasting began while a student at the University. In the early years, he produced and directed programs for stations in Illinois. For more than 20 years he was the operations manager of a TV station in Champaign, Illinois. In addition to management responsibilities, he produced and directed college basketball telecasts. During those years, he also taught part-time as an Assistant Professor of Communications at the University of Illinois and an instructor at Illinois State University. After leaving Illinois, he worked for three years as station manager of a TV station in Spokane, Washington, and concluded his career as Vice President and General Manager of two television stations in Yakima and Kennewick, Washington, retiring in 2009.
Darrell’s hobbies include genealogy, reading and serving on various community boards. He has been a Member of the Yakima, WA Rotary Club since 1987 and served three years as Assistant Governor for Area 8 of District 5060. During his years in Rotary, he has served the Yakima Rotary Club as chair of several key committees, including Program, Membership, Foundation, Public Relations and more. Darrell was President of the club in 2003-2004. The Yakima Rotary Club is the largest and oldest club in the District. It was founded in 1919 and currently has more than 300 members. Darrell was the district representative to the Rotary International Council on Legislation in 2019. He was awarded the Harold Henderson Award by the district in 2020.
Peg has a PhD in Educational Psychology and has worked as a mental health counsellor, psychologist and finally as a professor and chair of the graduate program in Counseling at Heritage University in Yakima County. She retired from Heritage in 2002. For several years she served on the board of Humanities Washington. In retirement, she enjoys reading, gardening, and painting.
Both are Paul Harris Fellows and Foundation Benefactors. They have served in many local, state and national professional and civic organizations. They are the parents of four and grandparents of six.
2012-2013 Doug Everett (Jacquie)
Doug was born and educated in Vancouver BC. He graduated from UBC with a BPE and after graduation moved in 1969 to Blind Bay BC with two kids and currently they reside in the same home. Doug received his master’s from UVIC in Educational Psychology (1983). He began his high-school teaching, counselling and coaching career at Chase and once he entered administration he commuted to work in Kamloops gradually returning to Chase in 1995 initially as a vice-principal and eventually becoming the principal in 1998. During his career, Doug coached football, basketball and track while sponsoring student CounterAttack programs for all the Kamloops secondary schools. He became the chairman of the board of the provincial organization called CounterAttack and RoadSense (CARS.BC). Married for 47 years, Doug and Jacquie have continually lived in Blind Bay on Shuswap Lake. They have raised two adult children and are enjoying four very busy grandsons aged 7 to 13 years old and recently re-connected with their 18-year-old granddaughter.
Jacquie has been a consultant with Mary Kay and has donated many volunteer hours as chairperson of the Miss Chase Excellence Program (24 years), chairman of the Terry Fox Run (26 years) and a volunteer with the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
During retirement, Doug assumed the position of president of the Chase Chamber of Commerce and helped re-establish the Chamber as a viable entity in Chase. Doug entered Rotary in 2000 and became the secretary for four years and then president of the Chase Rotary Club during 2005-2006. He is a Paul Harris Fellow and just completed his three-year tenure (2007-2010) as the Area 2 assistant governor for District 5060.
2010-2011 David Stambaugh (Jan)
David was raised in Bremerton, WA and graduated from the University of Puget Sound in 1964. He became a Naval Aviator with three tours in Vietnam. After leaving the Navy, he joined SAFECO Insurance Company. He is a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU). David (now retired) was the Vice President of Operations at SAFECO before becoming an independent management consultant. He formed Stambaugh Associates in 1989 to help companies completely restructure their business processes.
He joined the University Sunrise Rotary in 1982 where he served as chair of several committees. He was a charter member of the Rotary Club of Redmond Rousers and was president in 1991-92. A club goal was to win every award offered to a club of their size at the District 5030 Conference and they did. He joined the Ellensburg Rotary and has been a board member, an area foundation coordinator, assistant governor, and district trainer and helped start RLI in District 5060. A Rotary highlight was a Rotaplast mission to China. Jan was also a vice president at SAFECO, is a CPCU and is very active in the National Association of Insurance Women. She has been an association Regional Vice President and continues to train incoming presidents at their regional and international conferences. David was named King County United Way volunteer of the year and is presently the Board Chair of HopeSource, a Community Action Council that provides the needy with energy assistance, weatherization, transportation, emergency shelter, transitional housing, low-income housing, rent assistance, and oversees the food banks. Dave serves on the Yakima Junior Achievement of Washington Board.
David and Jan have three children and eight grandchildren. David is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow, a member of the Bequest Society and a level three Major Donor. Jan is a Paul Harris Fellow.
2009-2010 Wayne Rimple (Karen)
Wayne was born in Portland, OR, raised in Lynnwood, WA, schooled at Edmonds, WA and Washington State University (WSU) where he met his wife, Karen (Holm). Married for 43 years, Wayne and Karen have two married sons and five grandsons. Wayne is the owner/general manager of Moses Lake Steel Supply. Opened in 1972, his Company covers the upper Columbia Basin for steel and fastener needs. Very civic oriented, Wayne has had the privilege to serve his community in various capacities including mayor and councilman of the City of Moses Lake, City planning commission, County economic development council, County review board, and the local seniors’ center. He is a Past Master of Moses Lake Masonic Lodge. He also served in the U.S. Army Reserves as an Infantry Drill Sergeant. Karen’s volunteer work in the community is highly commended by all. Wayne joined Rotary in 1982 and has held all positions at the club level, serving as President in 2002-03, President of the Board of Directors in 2005-06 and as Assistant Governor from 2003-04 to 2006-07. During his “Service Above Self’ years, he was District Conference Chair in 1999-00 and was appointed 2005-06 Zone 23 Coordinator for the Public Relations Information Group. He is currently serving as chair of the Moses Lake Scholarship Foundation. Both Karen and Wayne are multiple Paul Harris Fellows, Major Donors of The Rotary Foundation, and Foundation Benefactors. They are also great supporters the local Rotary Club’s Foundation and Scholarship programs.2008-2009 Roger Perry (Judith)
Roger is a retired Real Estate Appraiser and has lived in Vernon and Okanagan for the past 19 years. He joined Rotary in 1992 and was a club president in 1999/2000, Assistant Governor for Area 3 from 2002104, District Rotary Foundation Chair from 2004-2007, Area 3 Foundation Coordinator, District Governor Nominee 2006-2007 and District Governor Elect 2007-2008. Roger and Judith both grew up on small farms in Southern Saskatchewan and have lived all their lives in Western Canada. They have three children and six grandchildren. Judith is also a retired Real Estate Appraiser. Hobbies and past activities have included mountain climbing, hiking, adventure trekking, skiing, motorbike touring and more sedate things like reading, travelling and grandchildren.2007-2008 Corwin King (Marianne)
Corwin was a professor of communication at Central Washington University and chair of the Communication Department. He retired in 2009 but continues to teach part-time in a graduate program sponsored by the Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences and Heritage University.
In 2002, he was named a Distinguished University Professor at Central in recognition of his public service work. He joined Rotary in 1978, was club president in 1998-1999, and served as Assistant Governor for Area 8, from 2000 to 2003. Following his year as District Governor, he was a trainer for the Zone Institute Governor Nominees Advanced Training Seminar in Edmonton, AB. He also served as the District Public Image chair, a trainer for the District’s Club Visioning Program, and a district representative to the Board of the Pacific Northwest Presidents Elect Training Seminar.
He’s a third-generation Rotarian. Both his father and grandfather were members of the Yakima Club. Marianne comes from a Rotary family as well. Her father, Elwood (Woody) Miller of Yakima, was Governor of our old District 506 in 1973-1974. Educated as a junior high school social studies teacher, Marianne spent 20 years as a preschool teacher in Ellensburg. Marianne and Corwin have been married for 52 years (in 2018) and have three children and five (wonderful) grandchildren. They’re both Paul Harris Fellows and Benefactors of The Rotary Foundation. They’re active in their church and community and especially enjoy travelling.
2011-2012 Garry Hollingshead (Marion)
Garry was born in Calgary, AB, raised in Edmonton, and attended Canadian Services Colleges Royal Roads, Royal Military College, the University Alberta, and Queens University, Kingston, ON, where he obtained a PhD in civil engineering.
Following graduation from RMC Garry served four years with the Royal Canadian Engineers and, later, seven years on staff at RMC. During the subsequent 30 years in consulting throughout western and northern Canada, his projects were concerned with structural foundations, terrain stability, permafrost, and river engineering.
Garry joined Rotary in Yellowknife, NT (D536) in 1988 and served as program chair and club secretary. Relocation south took him to Prince George-Nechako RC (5040) for four years and ultimately to Summerland RC in 1999. Since becoming a member of the Summerland club, Garry has served as Secretary, Director, and President (2002/03). He has served the District for three years as AG for Area 5, Chair of WCS and Rotary Service, and as the DG’s Special Representative for the formation of the West Kelowna Daybreak Club. In 2002 Garry initiated a WCS program to build Rainwater Harvesting Tanks in the Rift Valley which now has 50,000 beneficiary women and children. In 2006 Garry received the Rotary Foundation District Service Award. June 2010 found him in Venezuela as a non-medical volunteer with Rotaplast. Garry and Marion are both multiple Paul Harris Fellows, Bequest Society members and Major Donors.
Beyond Rotary, Garry and Marion are active in their community and church and enjoy travel. They are very proud of their three adult children and three granddaughters. Garry enjoys golf, reading, guitar and organ while Marion takes pleasure in reading, and quilting and loves to play her harp.
2006-2007 Jeff Den Biesen (Willy)
A retired Community Newspaper Publisher, Jeff den Biesen joined Rotary in 1993 in Salmon Arm. He joined PDG Ken Arthurs as district secretary and administrative assistant when Ken formulated his team for his 1996-97 Governorship. In 1998 Jeff joined the Board of Directors of his Rotary Club as president-elect and served as president from 1998-1999. Following his term of office he took on the secretary job for his club and in 2002 was appointed Assistant Governor for Area 2.
Jeff is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow, and a Benefactor and has twice received the Four Avenues of Service Award for his work on behalf of Rotary. In 1959 Jeff married Willy. The couple have four children and five grandchildren of whom they are very proud. They both had successful businesses and enjoy participating in community affairs that provide them with the opportunity to “Lend a Hand.”
2005-2006 James N. (Jim) Adamson (Carol)
Jim retired in 2003 from 30 years in public education as a teacher, coach, and school counsellor. For the past 11 years, he has worked part-time as a training consultant for disadvantaged youth and dislocated workers at SkillSource Jim was also an adjunct professor for the Masters of Education/Counseling program at Heritage College for three years. Professionally, Jim has served on various state and local committees and advisory boards. He has B.S. and B.A. degrees from WSU and a M.Ed. degree from EWU.
Jim is a member of the Wenatchee Sunrise Rotary Club. He served as club president in 1994-95, and Rotary International District Governor in 2005-06. He was a GSE team leader in England, started the online Rotary Information Course, served 4 years on the PETS Operations Committee, and has been a Membership Matters trainer, RLI facilitator, and District Trainer. Jim and his wife are multiple Paul Harris Fellows and TRF Bequest Society members.
Jim and Carol have two married children and six grandchildren. They enjoy family more than anything else and have fun with their grandkids. They like to travel and enjoy recreational activities like walking, biking, kayaking, and playing golf. They are active in the Wenatchee First Presbyterian Church and have served in various leadership positions and on committees.
2004-2005 Derek Bottomley (Joan)
Deceased
Derek was born on October 15, 1933, in Auldershot and raised in Torpoint, Cornwall, England. After grammar school, Derek began working in a bank before his two years of service in the British Air Force which took him to Hong Kong. His return to banking brought him to Kingsbridge, Devon where he met his future wife, Joan. The opportunity to join The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce brought him and his new bride to British Columbia. Derek quickly became a branch manager and worked at the CIBC for 34 years. Settling in Vancouver where Joan and Derek raised their family of 3 boys and a girl. He was an avid sailor in Vancouver but his landlubbing wife had them trading in the family home for a 36-foot land yacht and they became Snowbirds for 4 years before eventually retiring to Kelowna in 1999.
Derek has been active in Rotary since 1968, served as President of the Arbutus Rotary Club in 1990-91 and District 5060 Governor in Rotary’s Centennial Year 2004-2005. He enjoyed the journey of his life, 56 years of marriage, family, travel, love, music and ‘Service Above Self’. Derek’s earthly journey came to an end on March 31, 2015.
2002-2003 Ken Davis (Liz)
Deceased
Rotary reaches each of us in so many different ways… we cherish the fellowship, and the opportunities to serve, and it is wonderful to share an eager, positive response from Rotarians, as we all move forth in Rotary service!
Ken Davis was born in 1930, in Melfort Saskatchewan, moved to the Fraser Valley in 1944, to a small farm, and after grade 12, began working as an apprentice printer at the Agassiz Advance. Following our 1948 Fraser River Flood, cleaned up the print shop, and soon learned how the Linotype worked and produced hot lead. Moved to work at the Whitehorse Star in 1950, where I met my wife, Liz, we enjoyed the Yukon, moved back to the Fraser Valley, we launched our first newspaper, in 1952 in Whalley called the Whalley Herald. It was easy to start, just go and buy a business license, and find a desk. Our second paper in 1956 was the Chilliwack Advertiser, by this time we were married, with one daughter, Susan. That rolled successfully, until 1964. In 1966 bought a small share in CHWK radio and began his Radio career, working in Chilliwack with a brief stint in Estevan moving to Penticton as major owner of Okanagan Radio, with 5 radio stations, both AM and FM, one in Yellowknife, the family is now 3, Susan in Radio, Bill at UBC and Mike going to school….. Liz is now chairman of Okanagan Symphony, and doing accounting at the Station, I’m now President of the Penticton Chamber, doing Boy Scouts, and was involved in Kinsmen, a City of Penticton alderman, back in Rotary, joined in 1956 in Chilliwack. Liz and I sold Okanagan Radio in 1990, and a year later purchased Okanagan Boat charters, which ended up operating the Casabella Princess a 48-passenger paddle wheeler, about 12 houseboats on Okanagan Lake, 3 sailboats; and marine shop and more… this was busy, selling that in 2005 at 75 to fully retire. In 2002 became District Governor of Rotary, which was very very exciting, and busy, with 60 clubs and close to 3000 members, Liz was very busy she visited 5 continents that year, including a trip to Bolivia with the Rotary Rotoplast team to Cochabamba. We’re in constant contact with our 5 grandchildren and one great-grandchild, plus playing bridge, at our cottage on Okanagan Lake, Liz is in the garden, and I push the lawn mower….. We’ll celebrate our 65 anniversary in 2018. Rotary has been wonderful for us….Ken
2001-2002 Joyce Stewart
Deceased
Joyce C. Stewart began her life on August 21, 1938. In St. Ignatius, MT., and died on April 9, 2009. Joyce grew up in Kelso, WA, attending Kelso schools and graduating high school from St. Mary’s boarding school in Toledo, WA. She received two Masters’s Degrees, one from Fort Wright in Spokane and one from City University, Seattle.
Joyce’s professional career involved teaching junior high in Los Angeles, Havre, Montana and Seattle. She was the Principal of the International Catholic School in Rome, Italy, and spent 13 years working in church parishes in the Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle. In 1986, Joyce accepted a job on the “east side” of the mountains as City Administrator of Chelan, WA and later was elected Mayor of Chelan. Joyce’s true love was always teaching. While still working for Chelan, she taught part-time at Wenatchee Valley College. She was Chelan’s first woman Rotarian, President and District 5060 Governor. Joyce valued her membership in Rotary and continued her active membership until her illness prevented her from attending meetings and events.
She maintained her connection and interest with her club via their newsletters, which she read faithfully. Throughout her life, Joyce’s family always came first, she was the third parent to her younger five sisters and brothers. Joyce was co-owner of Wood and Things Furniture. During her last two careers, Joyce worked as Deputy Director of the Port of Chelan County, overseeing the construction of the Community Technology Center and up until the spring of 2007, she worked for Lake Chelan Community Hospital, as a special projects coordinator.
She died in 2009 after several months of treatment for cancer.
2000-2001 Marvin Munro (Sheran)
Marvin was born May 24, 1940, in Lethbridge, AB. He graduated from high school in Salmon Arm, BC and attended UBC. He started his Chartered Accountancy career in Kamloops, BC in 1960, working for Morgan French, CA who would become Governor of District 5060 in 1970. Marvin graduated in 1965 and has been in public practice since then. He has served on his Professional Association governing body and several provincial committees. He has served as a Director for several public companies, the local hospital board and the University Foundation.
Marvin joined the Rotary Club of Kamloops in 1974 and became President in 1980. In 1999, Marvin and his wife Sheran journeyed to the RI Convention in Singapore where he was elected to serve D5060 as Governor for the 2000/01 year. His theme was “Rotary is a Journey, not a Destination.”
Since then he has served Rotary International as a President’s Representative, on Presidential and Zone Institutes, Past Officers Reunion and Pacific NW PETS.
Marvin and Sheran are TRF Major Donors and he is a Rotary Benefactor. They have 3 daughters, 3 granddaughters and 5 great-grandsons.
1999-2000 Pete Erickson (Melinda)
Retiring after 30 years in the public school system, Pete continued to manage Triple “E” Orchards until it was sold in 2003. He recently retired as the Director of the satellite campus for Heritage University in Moses Lake, Washington, a small private not-for-profit university whose mission is to provide accessible quality higher education to multicultural populations that are educationally isolated. This retirement completes a 50-year career in education.
An active community member, he has been recognized for his many years of service to the Volunteer Fire Department, The Sister City Organization and the Moses Lake Rotary Scholarship Foundation. His service continued at the state level serving 14 years as a Director of the state Middle Level Principals Association. Additionally, he has served as a director for the state chapter of Ducks Unlimited.
A Rotarian since 1980 he has served on a variety of club and district committees and was selected to serve as District Governor in 1999/2000. Following his year as Governor he has served Rotary as a Major gifts Advisor, Program Chair for the Portland Institute, a four-year term on the Northwest PETS committee, and was selected to serve as the district representative to the Council on Legislation in 2004, 2007 and 2010. 2012 completed his four-year term on the executive committee of Pacific Northwest PETS and he chaired the event in 2011.
The Rotary Foundation has recognized him with both the Meritorious Service Award and the Distinguished Service Award. In 2014 RI recognized him with the highest honor by presenting him with the Service Above Self award.
A dedicated family man he was married for 55 years. He has one daughter and two grandchildren. Committed to the mission of the Rotary Foundation he and his entire family are Paul Harris Fellows and he and Melinda are Major Donors and Bequest Society members. The family established an endowed fund in memory of Melinda that will provide a peace seminar each year at Upsala University in Sweden.
2003-2004 Don Moen (Kathryn)
Deceased
Donald G. (Don) Moen was born in Yakima, Washington on October 19, 1931, died on March 24, 2017, in Yakima, WA at age 85.
He graduated from Yakima High School in 1950, and then from Washington State College in 1954 with a degree in Business (Construction Management). After college, he served in the Army for two years and was stationed in Stuttgart, Germany as a member of the Counter Intelligence Corps. Though he met his future wife, Kathryn (Kathy), in Yakima, the two were married in Germany and spent their first years of marriage there in a small poorly heated flat.
After discharge from the service, he joined his father at GH Moen Construction Company. When his father retired, he took over ownership of the company and propelled it to new levels of success. He was the general contractor for many important buildings in Yakima and around the state of Washington, including the Museum of Flight in Seattle, the State Supreme Court building in Olympia, the Washington State University hospital, and over twenty-five buildings on the Central Washington University campus including the award-winning psychology building.
Yakima buildings of note include the SunDome, Children’s Village, eleven buildings on the Yakima Valley Community College campus, and important renovations of the William O. Douglas Federal Building, Capitol Theatre, Davis High School and Yakima Valley Museum. He had a unique ability to build loyalty with both his employees and his clients, and repeat business was common.
Don was also actively engaged in the community, serving many years in Rotary, including a stint as Governor of District 5060 in 2003-2004. He served as an advisory board member and/or officer of the Red Cross, United Way, YMCA, Boy Scouts of America, St. Elizabeth Hospital Foundation, Cowiche Canyon Conservancy, and Yakima School Foundation. Other business associations included the Association of General Contractors, Yakima Construction Federation, Yakima Chamber of Commerce, Carpenters Apprenticeship, and the Yakima Skill Center. He also served on the construction management advisory board for both WSU and CWU.
His time in Germany sparked a lifelong love of travel, starting with weekend sojourns around Europe with his wife, a car, and a pup-tent. Back in Washington, this involved frequent camping trips with his family before upgrading to an Airstream. As the kids grew older, there were yearly backpacking trips along the Pacific Crest Trail with family and friends. His love of travel inspired him to take many international trips, most with the whole family, and some with grandchildren. Ultimately, he embarked on nearly a hundred trips, visiting dozens of countries over five continents.
He was an avid and talented photographer, and entered photographs in the Central Washington State fair nearly every year, earning many awards. A lifelong learner, he loved to read and enjoyed playing bridge with friends and other games with family. He took pride in teaching and playing cribbage with each of his children and grandchildren. He was a lifelong member of Central Lutheran Church, active in church leadership, and enjoyed singing in the choir up until last year.
Don and Kathy had four children, Michael, Stephan, Sandi Culver, and Daniel.
1998-1999 Dr. Warren Cunningham
Deceased
Dr. Warren Cunningham was born in Nipawin, Saskatchewan and received his undergraduate degree from the University of British Columbia. He is a graduate of the University of British Columbia School of Medicine from which he received his Dr. of Medicine in 1958. Warren was a member of the Rotary Club of Vernon and served as its president in 1987 to 1988. He was District Governor of District 5060 in 1998-1999. He was very active in the District serving as Chair of the Foundation Committee from 1991-1993. He was also a team leader for a G.S.E. team in the Netherlands in 1987. From 1989 to 1991 he served as chair of the District G.S.E committee. Following his retirement, he was a member of the Kelowna Okanagan-Mission Rotary Club.
1997-1998 Hank Heffernan
Henry Heffernan is known to all his friends as “Hank”, or sometimes “Dr. Hank.” He graduated with a degree in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Georgia in 1962, a career he pursued for the next 40 years.
Hank was born in rural, upstate New York in 1932., where he, his two sisters and two brothers were raised on a dairy farm.
After graduating from high school in 1949 he attended the State University of New York for two years before being drafted into the army. Following military service, he enrolled at the University of Georgia in pre-veterinary medicine. After two years in that program, he continued to get his DVM degree in 1962 from the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Hank had previously met his wife Ellie in 1955 and they were married in 1957. While in college in Athens, Georgia, the first of their three daughters was born. The other two were born in Washington and Oregon. Following graduation, he held a couple of short-term positions in Veterinary Medicine before opening his practice in Yakima, Washington in 1964.
Hank was a charter member of the Yakima Southwest Rotary Club in 1969, and District Governor in 1997-1998. During his year as Governor, he established the position of Assistant Governor in our district for the first time. Early in 2019, Southwest Rotary celebrated its 50th birthday and honoured Hank as the only Charter member still active in Rotary.
After the death of his wife Ellie, he met Lois Betzing while both were committee members of the Mollie Monroe Davis Scholarship program of the Yakima Rotary Trust. They have been partners since that time. Both enjoy Rotary volunteer work and travel.
1995-1996 Dick Harris (Bonnie)
Deceased
Dick was president of Wenatchee Rotary in 1979/80 and served as the District Governor (DG) for the 1995/96 term. Dick and his wife, Bonnie, have been very active in both the Club and District 5060. Dick and Bonnie have attended 17 Rotary International Conventions!!!
They met while attending WSU in September 1950, where she roomed in the same house & floor with Carmen Bossenbrock. ** Dick served in the USAF in 1954-55 during the Korean conflict. They moved to Wenatchee in 1956, where he worked as a mechanical engineer at Alcoa before becoming manager of Port of Chelan County. They had their two kids here, Leslie and Scott. His DG theme was “Act with Integrity, Serve with love, Work for Peace”.
Dick passed away June 20, 2019, after an extended illness. On the day of his death our club president Peter Van Well wrote this message to the club and district leaders.
Wenatchee Rotarians… “It is with deep regret to inform you of the death of Richard “Dick” Harris. Dick died this morning at the Highgate care facility in Wenatchee. He had been there since late winter and had recently been having respiratory issues. Dick was a past president (1979-1980) and a past District 5060 Governor (1995-1996). He joined the club in 1972. He was a multiple Paul Harris and Paul Scea fellow. Dick was well known for the many Rotary friends he had throughout the world. Dick and Bonnie attended numerous International Conventions and made friends that they would correspond with and quite often visit. Dick was always there with a warm smile and a witty joke, and he was always there to lend a hand. I cannot think of a single person who genuinely loved Rotary more than Dick. We will miss you, Dear Friend. Your service and dedication to Wenatchee Rotary is a high-water mark few, if any, of us will attain. Thank you and God bless you! Service information will be made available as soon as possible. Please keep Bonnie and their family in your thoughts and prayers. We lost a good one today, Friends.”
On March 1, 2018, the club honoured Dick with special recognition for his long-time service to Rotary. Read Dick’s obituary here.
1994-1995 Adolf Illichmann (Theresa)
Deceased
PDG Adolf was born in Austria but moved with his family to Czechoslovakia when he was very young. Following WWII the family moved to West Germany where they weren’t very welcome because they were Czech citizens. In search of a new and exotic experience, he and his uncle eventually joined the French Foreign Legion.
When war broke out in Indo-China he was transferred to Viet Nam. At the battle of Dien Bien Phu, he was in a company of 34 Legionnaires who were engaged in hand-to-hand battle. As one of 6 survivors of that battle, he was captured and incarcerated in jungle prison camps where he was held for five months. Following that war, Adolf was awarded two French Croix de Guerre medals and recently received a belated Medialle Militate from the French government honouring those who served in Viet Nam.
Adolf and his family eventually emigrated to Canada from Germany, settling in Calgary, Alberta where he found employment as a butcher. In 1967 he moved to Kelowna with his wife Theresia and three sons where they established his successful business Illichmann Meats.
He is a long-time member of the Rotary Club of Kelowna Capri (joining in 1980) and an honorary member of the Rotary Club of Waidhofen, Austria. His Rotary service included:
- Major Donor Level 2 Benefactor, Pioneer, 7 years Perfect Attendance
- President – Rotary Club of Kelowna Capri 1987 – 88
- Assistant District Governor 1991 – 93
- District Governor D. 5060 1994 – 95
- Life Honorary Member Rotary Club of Weidhofen
- Four Avenues of Service Citation 2000 – 01
He died on March 11, 2019. Obituary link
1993-1994 Bill Bailey (Terri Jean)
Bill B. Bailey was a businessman in Moses Lake, WA, where he operated four small businesses. They included a general contracting business, BNB works, dealing with underground utility and irrigation work, and a trucking business specializing in hauling heavy machinery. He also operated Basin Property Management, Inc.
Bill graduated from California State Polytechnic University in 1966 with a B. S. in Business Administration and has worked in livestock production, with row crop farming, food processing and county fair management.
Bill has been active in several professional and vocational organizations, and volunteer boards and was on the Moses Lake Planning Commission. Of course, he is also a member of the Moses Lake Rotary Club, joining in 1977. He is a Paul Harris Fellow and Foundation Benefactor.
1996-1997 Ken Arthurs
Deceased
Ken Arthurs was born “Kenneth Ernest Joseph Arthurs” in 1934 in Montreal, Quebec. As he was growing up he lived in Ontario and then moved to Calgary, Alberta where he met and married Lenora (Lenny) Kavalinas. They then moved back to Ontario where they opened a Canadian Tire franchise. In 1979 the couple moved to Salmon Arm where he worked in mobile home sales before opening Ken’s Office Supply.
As a longtime member of the Salmon Arm Rotary Club, he joined many fellow Rotarians in supporting the Southern Interior Rotary Lodge associated with the B.C. Cancer Agency in Kelowna. This $1 million project was the highlight of his many community achievements.
Serving as District Governor in 1996-1997 he and Lenny promoted the fellowship of Rotary. He was a generous supporter of The Rotary Foundation and a multiple Paul Harris Fellow. He supported the Shuswap Lake Hospital Foundation in Salmon Arm and the SPCA.
Ken was an avid fan of hockey, baseball and golf, and a member of the Salmon Arm Golf Club. For 20 years served as a referee in the Ontario Hockey Association. He died in 2017 at the age of 83.
1992-1993 Dr. Glenn Martin
Deceased
Dr. Glenn M. Martin MD C.M. FRCP, was a charter member of the Rotary Club of Kamloops (Daybreak), serving as its first president in 1986. He introduced the concept of “no head table” during that time to promote fellowship, and set the tone for the club which has grown from the original 33 members to over 100. He was a mentor to all members who joined the club and a great supporter of the district, serving as District Governor in 1992-93. Glenn was a Paul Harris +5 and distinguished by his club with Honorary membership in his later years. Glenn passed away after a brief illness on Wednesday 8 April 2015.
1991-1992 Ollie Nelson (Ann)
Deceased
Oliver “Ollie” Nelson was born in Red Wing, Minnesota in 1927 and attended George William College (a YMCA school) in Chicago. Ollie began his career with the YMCA in Grand Rapids, Michigan and Fargo, North Dakota before moving to Yakima in 1963 to become the Executive Director of the Yakima YMCA, a position he held for 25 years until his retirement in 1988. He joined the Yakima Rotary Club in 1963 and was club president in 1972-73. He was also the first District Governor of the newly-formed District 5060 in 1991-1992.
Ollie was extremely active in community affairs, serving as Chair of the Yakima Speech & Hearing Center (which was founded by the Yakima Rotary Club), The Yakima Sunfair Parade and much more.
Ollie met his wife Ann on a bike outing in Chicago in 1948. The two had never met before, but they began their life-long partnership and marriage that has included bicycling from Yakima to Indiana on a two-seater to Ann’s 50th high school reunion. He was a multiple Paul Harris Fellow. A colleague and friend once said “that what distinguishes his leadership is the “Ollieness” in Ollie – hard to describe but easily felt by the lives he has touched.”
Ollie passed away on September 28, 2019. Obituary link
Ollie was the first district governor of District 5060.
Rotary District 506 – 1957-1991
1990-1991 Jack Peters (Betty)
Deceased
Jack Peters was the sixth of ten children born to a Mennonite farm family in Osler, Saskatchewan. His ancestors immigrated to Manitoba from Russia in 1874 and then moved on to Saskatchewan about two years later. In 1954 Jack met Betty at a party and asked her to dance. He says that although he stepped on her toes a few times, she agreed to marry him a year later. Their marriage has given them three daughters, Sheila, Sharon and Sandra, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Shortly after they were married Jack took a job with Lloyds Tire Company in Grand Prairie, Alberta. He later joined Dunlop Canada and worked for them in several locations until 1968 when they moved to Vernon, BC. There, he started Peters Tirecraft. That business grew to include a wholesale network of 250 dealers and 7 Tirecraft stores. They sold the company and retired in 1988 after 34 years in the tire and battery business.
Jack served as President of the Vernon Rotary Club in 1982-1983 and was District Governor of District 506 in 1990-1991. He was instrumental in installing the Rotary wheel on the plinth at the International border at Oroville/Osoyoos.
He has received many Rotary honors including the first Harold Henderson Award for significant service to District 5060. He is currently an Honorary member of the Vernon Rotary Club. In addition to Rotary, Jack enjoys golf, curling, travel and listening to music.
Jack passed in Vernon on 23 June 2022, after a brief stay in the hospital.
1989-1990 Carl Tymm
Deceased
Past District Governor Carl Tymm died in 2015 at the age of 84. Carl joined the Penticton (B.C.) Rotary club in 1971, and served as the club president in 1977. In 1989-90 he served as District Governor. In addition to Rotary, he was a longtime member of Penticton Freemasons and Shrine.
His friends in those organizations remember him for his favourite motto, “do good, be good, and have fun doing it.” He was an extremely positive individual who loved being of service. He greatly enjoyed being a greeter at Rotary events such as the club’s fall wine festival. He also represented the Penticton Rotary club on a goodwill trip to South Korea.
Carl was a Canadian Army reservist and a member of a local ham radio club. He had three children and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
1988-1989 Dr. Alfred (Al) Stojowski (Alice)
Deceased
Dr. Stojowski was born and raised in New York City. His Father was a concert pianist in New York and taught at the Julliard School in New York, the famous musical academy known for setting the standard in musical education worldwide. His Mother was from Peru and was a linguist. She also had an interest in Piano. She travelled to the US and while in New York, sought out the country’s most renowned concert pianist at the time and asked him who she should study with. His recommendation was to his student there in New York, Dr. Stojowski’s father. Eventually, the two were married. Dr. Stojowski can correctly boast that his parents were set up by the Nation’s most renowned concert pianist.
Dr. Stojowski attended prep school, college, and medical school at the distinguished Columbia University in New York.
He was married to Alice Stojowski, a former Nurse in the Army Nurse Corps, for 63 years before her passing in 2009. He has three children, Peter, Pam, and Jorden.
While in medical school, he befriended another medical student, from Wenatchee, Washington. His friend became an orthopedic surgeon while Dr. Stojowski became a thoracic surgeon. A thoracic surgeon required additional years of residency than orthopedics, so his friend was finished with his schooling first. He returned to Wenatchee and reached out to Dr. Stojowski, recommending that he consider locating to Wenatchee after his residency was finished. Dr. Stojowski came west to see the area fell in love with it, and has been here ever since.
At his friend’s recommendation, Dr. Stojowski moved to Wenatchee and set up a practice at the Wenatchee Valley Clinic. He was the only thoracic surgeon in the Valley at the time.
Dr. Ed Cadman (Rotary Titan, member for over 40 years, not only local chapter president but Rotary International President) suggested that Dr. Stojowski join our local Rotary club. Dr. Cadman was his sponsor. In 1961 Dr. Stojowski joined the Wenatchee Rotary. Dr. Ed Cadman started the Rotary Polio Plus movement to eradicate Polio around the world. The project became the focus of the global Rotary International Organization. Today, it has taken what was the epidemic that was polio and virtually obliterated it from the globe. Dr. Stojowski was a vital part of the initial project efforts with Dr. Cadman – launching the global project here from Wenatchee. From 1967-68 Dr. Stojowski was the president of the Wenatchee Rotary Club and later became District Governor (1988-89).
While District Governor, he spoke at a Rotary International meeting in Canada. To give you an idea of the kind of man he was, during his speech, he addressed the future of Rotary. At the time, Rotary accepted only male members. He told the crowd that the next essential step for Rotary was the admission of women Rotarians. He was booed off the stage. What happened shortly thereafter? Women members.
He attended multiple rotary international conventions, including those in Munich and Korea. There he learned another Rotary lesson. While attending the function in South Korea, this is after the Korean War, even though the countries were staunchly separate and opposed, there were North Korean Rotary members and delegates in attendance. This speaks volumes for the collegial fellowship of Rotary worldwide.
He is a Paul Harris Fellow and Wenatchee Rotary Foundation Paul SCEA Fellow.
Dr. Stojowski believed in actively participating in and working for the betterment of the community. Not only was he a busy thoracic surgeon, the only one in the valley for many years, and took on leadership roles in Rotary, he was a member of the Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce as well, and even served a term as its president. He was also a longtime and accomplished participant in the local Wenatchee Musical Theatre. He had hoped to make age 100, which he did. He passed away on October 19, 2019. Read his amazing obituary HERE.
From his memorial service, read the handout listing 36 AMAZING FACTS ABOUT AL – PAGE 1 PAGE 2.
1987-1988 Chuck Kuhn (Betty-Ann)
Chuck Kuhn was born in Whitemouth, Manitoba and graduated from high school in Vernon, BC. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy from the University of British Columbia in 1958 and married Betty-Ann in 1961. They had two children.
Owner of the North Kamloops Pharmacy since 1965, Chuck joined the Rotary Club of Kamloops North in 1967. In 1971-72, he was the club president. He served as district Secretary in 1975-76 and was the District Governor’s special representative for the formation of the Kamloops West Rotary Club.
His community activities included five years as a School Trustee, a member of the Kamloops, Recreation and Culture Commission and many more. When not involved in community, business or Rotary endeavours, he enjoyed athletics and travel. Chuck served as District Governor in 1987-88.
1986-1987 Julian Agranoff (Sylvia)
Deceased
Julian Agranoff was born in Chicago, Illinois on February 9, 1927 and moved with his family to Southern California in 1931. In 1938 the family relocated to Soap Lake where Julian’s father managed a resort hotel.
He graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Architecture and Civil Engineering. During World War II Julian served in the Navy Air Corps. Following the war, he and Sylvia Cutler were married in 1948.
They are the parents of three daughters and have nine grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
Julian’s career has included work with the US Bureau of Reclamation and the Corps of Engineers. He was also the Grant County planning Director for 21 years and had a State Farm Insurance Agency for 16 years. He also served on the Ephrata Port Commission and Ephrata School Board.
Julian has been a member of the Ephrata Rotary club for 55 years, serving in almost every office in the club. He was Governor of District 506 in 1986-1987. His Rotary service has included leading a GSE team to England. He was chair of the district GSE Committee for 5 years, and served on Rotary’s Council on Legislation three times.
1985-1986 W.R. (Bill) Fennell (Pat)
Deceased
William Raymond “Bill” Fennell joined the Rotary Club of Kelowna Capri East in 1971. In addition to publishing the Kelowna and Area Five Club Roster, Bill also served on the executive committee of the club as Treasurer, Secretary, Vice President, and President. He was the District Governor’s Special Representative for the formation of Rotary Clubs in Okanagan Mission and Westbank, District Rotary Information chairman, area coordinator for Group Study Exchange and District 506 Extension Committee Chair.
Bill was born in Calgary, Alberta in 1931, and was educated there and in Manitoba. He received a Professional Engineer designation in 1960 and worked for some time in the oil industry. Following that, he entered the accounting field, studying in the United States and England. He then established a public accounting firm known as Fennell, Horton, Butler and Schneider.
He and his wife Shirley Anne had two children, Pamela and Jonathan. Bill was the District Governor in 1985-1986. He passed away on February 15, 2021, in Kelowna, BC. Read Bill’s obituary HERE.
1984-1985 Dr. Arthur (Art) Borchardt (Muriel)
Deceased
Dr. Arthur Ernest Walter (Art) Borchardt was born Aug. 21, 1918, in Ramona, S.D. to Albert Borchardt and Olga (Hannemann) Borchardt, and died October 25, 2009, in Yakima. He was raised on a dairy farm with six siblings. He knew from an early age that he wanted to be a doctor and left home to attend Des Moines Still College of Osteopathy and Surgery.
He began his medical practice in Lidgerwood, N.D., during WWII. Art often made house calls by a horse-drawn sleigh in the harsh winters, delivering babies in farm homes. In 1946 he and his wife Muriel moved to Seattle, where he practiced at Waldo Hospital. They moved to Sunnyside in 1948 with their three-week-old daughter, Judy. Daughter Kay joined the family in 1950. Art practiced in Sunnyside, Washington until he retired from active practice in 1984. He remained active in the profession until the age of 80. As the first osteopathic physician in the Lower Yakima Valley, Art was responsible for bringing other doctors of Osteopathic medicine to the Valley, splitting his practice several times as he mentored the new physicians.
He was instrumental in founding and building Sunnyside General Hospital, and Sunnyside Medical Center and founded Lower Valley Hospice. Art also was a past president of the Washington Osteopathic Medical Association.
Always active in community affairs, he was a Rotarian and Paul Harris Fellow and also served as Governor of District 506 in Rotary year 1984-1985. He and Muriel sponsored and mentored Rotary Exchange students from Chile, Paraguay and Denmark, who lived with the family and attended high school in Sunnyside.
He was an avid hiker, enjoying backpacking trips into the Goat Rocks area of the North Cascades.
1983-1984 Gordon Richardson (Sunny)
Deceased
PDG Gordon D Richardson August 12, 1928 – July 26, 2018
Gordon was from the Rotary Club of Vernon which he joined in 1970. He was their club president in 1972-1973. In 1983 he became District Governor of District 506. There were 40 clubs and they appreciated all their club visits at that time. They had a wonderful district conference with over 800 in attendance. Gordon supported the Rotary Foundation and was a Paul Harris Fellow. He was a Rotary International President’s aide to RI President Rep and Past RI Director Theodore D. Griley II. The Rotary Club of Vernon made him an honorary member in the last four years.
Gordon and his wife Sunny loved to downhill ski at Silver Star Mountain and golf at Hillview Golf Course. Gordon will be missed by all.
Gordon was born on August 12th, 1928 in Vegreville, Alberta and passed away on July 26th, 2018 in the North Okanagan Hospice at the age of 89 years. Gordon will be lovingly remembered by his wife Sunny, to whom he was married for 66 years; two sons, Dale (Sonja) and Wayne; one daughter, Lynn (Ian) Cobb; seven grandchildren, Isaac (Lindsey), Trevor, Adam (Erin), Riley, Kyle, Clark and Lee; two great-grandchildren, Jacob and Emily; two brothers, George (Keitha) and Jimmy; one sister, Lorraine; and numerous nieces, nephews and extended family members. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Elwood and Lloyd; and one daughter-in-law, Susan.
1982-1983 Ray Shutt
Deceased
Ray Levi Shutt was a graduate of Lincoln High School in Seattle where he met the love of his life, Ruth Hillock. They were both born in Seattle, in 1916 and she was a year later in 1917. They were married in January 1943. Later that year they moved to Wenatchee where both lived the rest of their lives. Ray was a member of the Wenatchee Rotary Club and was its president in 1978-79. He went on to serve as District Governor in 1982-83.
He and Ruth enjoyed travel and took many trips to Europe, Asia, and around the United States. Their favorite vacation spot however was Hawaii. Somehow in addition to Rotary, travel and other community activities, Ray found time to serve as the Director General of the Wenatchee Apple Blossom Festival in 1973. He died in Wenatchee on December 29, 1990.
1981-1982 Peter Wing
Deceased
Peter Wing was born in Kamloops, B.C. and lived there most of his life. In 1934 he became a member of the Kamloops Board of Trade. In 1996 he became the first person of Chinese descent in North America to be elected mayor when he started a three-year term as mayor of Kamloops.
During his term as mayor, Wing was also President of the Union of British Columbia Municipalities. Wing was also the first native-born mayor of Kamloops and served as District Governor of Rotary District 506 in 1981-1982. In 1976, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada and was awarded the Order of British Columbia in 1990. In 1999, the city of Kamloops was renamed the Peter Wing Rotary Rose Garden in his honour.
On 27 December 2007, he died of a stroke at the age of 93 in Vancouver.
1980-1981 Edgar (Ed) Johnson
Deceased
F. Edgar (Ed) Johnson was born on December 23, 1912, in Magrath, Alberta Canada. At the age of 10, he moved with his family to Yakima, Washington; where he spent the remainder of his life. He was extremely active in the LDS Church, where he had several leadership positions including Branch President, Bishop, High Council, and Stake President. Married in 1934, he first entered the fruit business with J. M. Perry and C. M. Holtzinger. In 1948 he became a partner in a fruit processing brokerage, and became full owner after a fire destroyed the plant in Sunnyside in the early 1950s; the firm then became known as Johnson Fruit & Cold Storage until he retired in 1986.
He was noted for his love of his community, church, worldwide travel, a family that eventually reached 25 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren before his death, and Rotary. He was President of the Yakima Rotary Club in 1976-77, District Governor in 1980-81, and other leadership offices in the organization. Having suffered a heart attack in 1968, he also was a charter member of CAPRI, the special exercise program at the YMCA for heart attack survivors.
He passed away on September 12, 1996, in Yakima.
1979-1980 Thomas (Tom) Watt
Deceased
Thomas MacRea Alexander (Tom) Watt was born in North Vancouver, BC in 1919, and married Yvonne Louise Wrench in 1946. They had three daughters, Judith, Lynda and Diane. In addition to world travel, he and Yvonne could regularly be found dancing at the Palomar Supper Club and the Panorama Roof Ballroom in Vancouver.
Tom was President of the Penticton Rotary Club in 1970-71 and served as District Governor of District 506 in 1979-1980. He worked as a pharmacist and both he and Yvonne were Paul Harris Fellows. He died in North Vancouver on June 8, 1991.
1978-1979 A. Bert Christianson
Deceased
Bert Christianson was a native of Council Bluffs, Iowa and received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of North Dakota. He later earned a Master’s degree in music from the University of Idaho. In 1944 when he was stationed at Vancouver Barracks, Washington he met Shirley Beckett and they were married the following year in Vancouver.
In 1947, they moved to Ellensburg, Washington where he was director of bands and professor of music for 31 years at Central Washington University. At Central he taught Woodwinds, conducting, and music education and led several different bands. He was a member of the American Band Masters Association and was the recipient of several awards. They included induction into the Washington Music Educators Association Hall of Fame.
Bert and Shirley were very active in the Ellensburg community and were longtime members of Grace Episcopal Church. After his retirement, they moved to Leavenworth, WA and later relocated to Wenatchee. He died in Cashmere in 2004 at the age of 90. Bert was a longtime member of the Ellensburg Rotary Club and served as District Governor of Rotary District 506 in 1978-1979.
1977-1978 Henry (Hank) Shaw
Deceased
Henry A. (Hank) Shaw was born in British Columbia in 1908 and died in Kelowna, BC in 1993 at the age of 85. He was a member of the Kelowna Rotary Club although he first joined Rotary in Shanghai, China in 1947. He was a member of the Shanghai club until its termination due to political strife in 1949 and was in attendance at the last meeting of that club.
Originally with the American Confectionary Export firm in Shanghai in 1933, Henry was appointed manager of a bakery, restaurant and airport catering company in 1946 and held that position until all foreign operations were terminated in 1949. He and his wife Mary and their three daughters then moved to Kelowna. There, he was self-employed with feed manufacturing, cattle raising and turkey raising operations in Kamloops.
Hank was President of the Kelowna Rotary Club in 1957-1958 and District Governor in 1977-1978.
1976-1977 James T. (Jim) Adamson (Carol)
Deceased
James T. “Jim” Adamson Sr. was active in the Moses Lake and Leavenworth Rotary Clubs for over 50 years and served as Governor of Rotary District 506 in 1976-1977.
He was born and raised in Chehalis, WA, and attended Central Washington College of Education where he captained the varsity basketball team and was president of the student government. He earned his bachelor’s degree in education in 1948 and a master’s degree in 1955.
For most of his life, Jim was involved with sports and education. He was both a high school PE teacher and a multi-sport coach at Leavenworth and Moses Lake High Schools. He also was principal of Peshastin Dryden High School before returning to Moses Lake where he worked until his retirement in 1979.
He was an Eagle Scout in his youth and served in the U.S. Army from 1942-1946 in the European Theater of Operations.
Jim was a founding member of the Cascade Medical Center Foundation and its president from 1992-2006. He was a long-time member of the Moses Lake Presbyterian Church and the Plain Community Church.
One of Jim’s favourite hobbies was woodworking, and many people and charitable organizations, including Rotary, have been recipients of his handiwork. He also enjoyed classical music, oil painting and travelling with friends and family. Jim was married for 68 years to Carol Burgess Adamson and they had three sons, six grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren.
1975-1976 Thomas (Tom) Kobayashi
Deceased
Toru (Thomas) Kobayashi was a member of the Kamloops North Rotary Club when he was selected to be District Governor of District 506 in 1975-1976. He and four other members of his club appeared in an article in The Rotarian in 1960 when they were recognized for planting 100 trees in Kamloops Centennial Park. 75 of the trees were to recognize the 75th anniversary of RI and 25 recognized the 25th anniversary of their club.
Tom was born in Stevenson, British Columbia in 1918, and died in Kamloops in 2005. He and his wife Rose operated the Kamloops Optical Company. In addition to Rotary, he enjoyed all sports but particularly loved curling, badminton and fishing.
1974-1975 Lev Craven (Maude)
Deceased
Although “Lev” Craven was named Leavitt after his mother’s family, throughout his life, he was known as “Lev.” Leavitt Homer Craven was born on September 9, 1911, in Idaho Falls, Idaho. He managed J. C. Penny stores for 38 years, and for 23 of those years was the manager of the Wenatchee store. He married Mary Maude Galloway in Weiser, Idaho on the 4th of July, 1936.
Lev joined the Wenatchee Rotary Club in 1952 and was its president in 1959-1960. He was District Governor of District 506 in 1974-1975. As a member of the Wenatchee club, he served on several committees and was appointed by then District Governor Ed Cadman to determine if there were enough businesses to start another club. He reported back that there was tremendous potential for another club and on December 12, 1968, the Wenatchee North Club was born. Lev died on January 18, 1990, in Wenatchee, Washington. In 2018, Wenatchee North was renamed Wenatchee Confluence Rotary.
1973-1974 Elwood (Woody) Miller
Deceased
Woody was born in Prosser, WA, on November 29, 1916, and passed away on May 28, 1992, in Yakima, WA. After attending Prosser schools and graduating from the University of Washington with a degree in transportation, he served as an officer in the U.S. Navy during WWII and eventually retired from the Navy Reserves with the rank of Lt. Commander. Following the war, he moved with his wife, Anne, to Yakima where he was employed by Bell Wyman Chrysler Dodge, and later owned Yakima Transfer and Storage. He joined the Yakima Rotary Club in 1951, was club president in 1959-60, and served as Governor of (then) District 506 in 1973-74. In 1977, he was awarded the District Citation for Meritorious Service. Along with his Rotary service, Woody was an elder in the First Presbyterian Church of Yakima, a long-time board member of the Salvation Army, and a member of the Board of Yakima Memorial Hospital. He is survived by three daughters, all married to Rotarians, and a grandson Rotarian.
1972-1973 HD "Dick" Prichard
Deceased
Dick Pritchard was born in Worcestershire, England in 1912 and moved to Canada in 1914, settling in the Okanogan Valley. After completing school in Armstrong, B.C., he received a teacher training diploma from Victoria Normal School and a B. A. degree from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.
Before retirement in 1969, he served as supervising principal of Penticton Secondary Schools for 25 years. His wife’s name was Jean. He was very active in his community’s life. Dick joined Rotary in 1957 and was president of the Penticton Rotary Club in 1961-1962. He served as Governor of District 506 in 1972-1973.
1971-1972 Perry Mitchell
Deceased
Perry Howard Mitchell was born on a farm near Weiser, Idaho 1903, one of ten children of Alonzo and Olive Mitchell. He grew up in Idaho and Washington. In 1925, while still a student in Bellingham, Washington, he met and married Dorothy A. Asher. At the time, she worked as a telephone operator. Perry died in May of 1978 in Coupeville, Washington. In 1971-1972 Perry Mitchell served as the District Governor of Rotary District 506.
His career in Education included a teaching position in Renton, Washington in 1940, where he eventually became a school principal. His choice also led him to Central Washington College (now Central Washington University) where he worked for many years as the Registrar. From 1958 to 1961, he was the acting president of the college.
1970-1971 Morgan French
Morgan French was born in Alberta, Canada in 1910 and graduated from the University of Alberta in 1934 with a Bachelor’s degree in commerce. He became a Chartered Accountant in 1937 and moved to Kamloops in 1944. A year following his arrival in Kamloops he joined the Kamloops Rotary Club and in 1948-49 was the club’s president. In addition to leading the club, over the years, he served as its secretary, treasurer and accountant. He was involved in the District and served on several committees. In 1970-71 he was Governor of District 506. Morgan and his wife Mildred had two children.
1969-1970 John E. Jones
John Elmer Jones was born in 1917 in Kellogg, Idaho and graduated from Kellogg High School. He attended the University of Idaho and studied accounting until World War II. He then joined the Army Air Corps and served as a financial officer in Italy. After the war, he taught accounting at the University of Idaho where he met Ruth Marie Curtis. They were married in Boise, Idaho in 1945.
They then moved to Salt Lake City, Utah where John was a member of an accounting firm. He later worked in accounting for firms in Boise, Idaho and Moses Lake, Washington. While living in Moses Lake, he was elected mayor and was largely responsible for an arrangement with Japan Air Lines to train their pilots at the old Larson Air Force base, located there. He was a member of the Moses Lake Rotary Club and elected to be District Governor of District 506 in 1969-1970.
Following retirement in 1976 John lived in Elkhorn, Nevada, Boise, Idaho and finally in Sun City, Arizona. Again, he was active in Rotary in all thee locations. During his retirement years, he spent much time playing golf and participating in the activities of his Rotary Clubs. John died at his home in Peoria, Arizona on October 29, 2006.
1968-1969 Dr. Edward (Ed) Cadman, PRIP
Dr. Ed Cadman, Rotary International President, and a leader in the creation of Rotary’s PolioPlus initiative. Dr. Cadman was president of Wenatchee Rotary 1962-63, PDG ‘68-69, RIP ‘85-86. The photo was from the cover of The Rotarian magazine.
Read more in The Rotarian, July 1985 cover story. Watch the video of Ed’s year as RI president HERE.
1967-1968 Dr. Harold Henderson, PRIVP
A member of the Rotary Club of Kelowna since 1950, Harold was club President in 1955, District 5060 Governor 1967-1968, Director of Rotary International 1976-1978, a Nominating Committee member for President of Rotary International 4 times and Third Vice-President of Rotary International in 1977-1978. In addition to outstanding service to Rotary, Harold was recognized in the community and country, awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Medal (National award) in 1977, the Key to the City of Kelowna in 1986 and in 1997 was named the Male Citizen of the Year for Kelowna. PRIVP Dr. Harold Henderson passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 30, 2014, at the age of 94 with family at his side.
1966-1967 W.A. (Bill) Luce
William “Bill” Luce was born in 1897 and raised by William and Celia Luce on a five-acre apple orchard in Massachusetts. He moved to Washington State in 1920 after graduating from the Massachusetts Agricultural College and found his first job at the Birchmount Orchard in Wenatchee. He went on to become a horticultural investigator for Chelan County and later worked as a horticultural consultant. In 1942 he was appointed tree fruit cooperative extension agent in Yakima, a position he held until his retirement in 1962. He wrote for various publications including the Good Fruit Grower and Better Fruit.
Bill was a charter member of the Yakima Pomological Club and helped form the Northwest Dwarf Tree Association. After his retirement, he worked as an orchard consultant and columnist for the Good Fruit Grower. From 1952 to 1968 he had a three-acre hobby and demonstration orchard in Yakima. In 1972 he published a book entitled Washington State Tree Fruit Industry… A Brief History.
Bill was awarded the American Pomological Society’s Wilder Medal in 1962 and served as president of the Washington State Horticultural Association in 1964. He was a long-time member of the Yakima Rotary Club and served as District Governor of District 506 in 1966-1967. At the time of his death in 1994, he was survived by his wife Barbara.
The Bill Luce Memorial Scholarship fund was created by the Washington State Horticultural Association Research and Scholarship Foundation in 1990. Scholarships from this fund are awarded to students enrolled in Washington State University’s Department of Horticulture and Landscape, pursuing a career in the tree fruit industry.
1965-1966 Francis Atkinson
Dr. Francis Edward (Ted) Atkinson was born September 15, 1905, in Vancouver and died May 2, 1992 in Summerland, BC. In 1962. Ted received a Bachelor’s Degree in Food Science at Oregon State University in Corvallis in the 1920s. Throughout his career, he worked at the Federal Agricultural Research Station in Summerland and acted as head of the food processing lab for many years. In the early 60s, working out of a pickers’ cabin on his orchard, Ted started producing fruit jelly candies to raise funds for his local Rotary Club.
He soon turned to commercial production and what began as a fundraising effort grew into a retirement project and blossomed into Summerland Sweets! The business he founded is still in operation, selling candy, syrups, nuts, fruit snacks and more. His granddaughter and her husband now operate Sleeping Giant Winery on property adjacent to the company.
He was married to Inez (Ina) Newstrom. and served as Governor of Rotary District 506 in 1965-66.
1964-1965 Victor Boullion
Victor Bouillon was born in Seattle, Washington on March 20, 1890 and was educated in the Seattle Public Schools and at the University of Washington. Upon graduation, he became the assistant registrar at the U. of W. In 1926, he became the cashier and manager of the Washington National Bank of Ellensburg in Ellensburg, Washington. Victor set the longest tenure record of a Central Washington State College (Central Washington University) Board of Trustees member, serving from 1931 until 1964. He was a member of the Ellensburg Rotary club and served as Governor of Rotary District 506 in 1964-1965. He and his wife Edna lived at 1010 E. Third Avenue. Victor died on December 13, 1969 at the age of 79 years.1963-1964 Leo Lowe
Leo Edward Lowe was born in River Falls, Wisconsin in 1895, and died in Wenatchee, Washington in 1979. He married Effie Dorothea Lobben in Helena, Montana in May of 1925. He attended the University of Minnesota and graduated from the State College of Wisconsin in River Falls.
He was manager of the Washington Growers Clearing House Association in Wenatchee, Washington. As a member of the Wenatchee Rotary Club, he served as it’s president in 1946, and was District Governor in 1963-64.
1962-1963 Jim Passmore
James D. “Jim” Passmore was born in Toronto, Ontario on April 6, 1905. When he was ten years old, his family moved to Saskatchewan where he lived for the next 30 years. During his time there, he operated chain stores and worked in importing and general merchandise. It was there that he met his wife Miss Clara Blanchard with whom he raised two children.
In 1944 Jim and Clara moved to Kamloops where he was engaged in business until his retirement in 1950. In 1944, he was introduced to the Kamloops Rotary Club by its founding president, Robert W. Irving. Jim served as president of that club from 1952 to 1953 and as District Governor from 1962-1963.
In addition to Rotary, he enjoyed golf and his volunteer time with several service organizations including The Canadian Red Cross, The Salvation Army, The Thompson Valley United Appeal and The Canadian Cancer Society. He
1961-1962 Oscar Boose
Oscar Lesley Boose was born in Berlin, Pennsylvania on March 10, 1882. After completing high school, he was a country school teacher for three years so that he could save enough money to go to college. He enrolled at the University of Michigan and graduated from there in 1908. While in law school, he worked for one summer for the Consolidated Coal Company and for two summers as a surrey driver in Yellowstone National Park.
He and a school friend, V. O. Nicholson, were admitted to the Michigan State Bar Association in 1908, and then travelled west by railroad, stopping for the summer to work for the Yellowstone Transportation Company. They then continued on west by train to Yakima, where they took a spur down to Sunnyside, Washington where Oscar’s brother, Harvey, worked for the local bank.
Harvey convinced Oscar and Nichoson to stay in Sunnyside and the pair opened their law practice there on November 4, 1908, as the State of Washington did not then require a separate examination for lawyers who had been already admitted to the bar in another state. Nichoson moved on in two years, Oscar stayed on in solo practice until he was later joined by Roger Garrison. He was Governor of Rotary District 506 in 1961-1962. Oscar retired from active practice on July 1, 1958, and passed away on September 23, 1976.
1960-1961 Lyman Partridge
Lyman M. Partridge was born in Provo, Utah and was a graduate of Brigham Young University and Columbia University. He received a Ph.D degree from the University of Michigan. He joined the Ellensburg, Washington Rotary Club in 1945, and was president of that club. He was the head of the Speech Department of Central Washington State College until 1964.
Dr. Lyman was a member of the Fort Simco Executive Council of the Boy Scouts of America and received the Silver Beaver Award from that council in 1962. He led the first Group Study Team from District 506 to New Zealand in 1959 and was District Governor from 1960-1961.
He and his wife Louise later moved to Los Alamitos, California where he again served as District Governor of District 532 in 1971-72.
1959-1960 Ray Corner
Ray W. Corner was born in St. Lambert, Quebec, Canada, and joined the Kelowna Rotary Club in 1931. He served as the club president and in 1959-60 was District Governor of District 506 in 1959-60. After moving to British Columbia, Ray was engaged in poultry production, orchard operation and municipal administration.
During World War I, he was an officer in the Royal Flying Corps, the Royal Air Force and the Canadian Air Force. After the war, he was a member of the regional advisory committee which placed retired personnel on the land under the Veterans Land Act.
1958-1959 Jesse Widby
Jesse Howard Widby was born on November 23, 1903, in Quincy, Washington and died in 1961. On December 16, 1931, he married a school teacher from Kentucky named Loretta McKee. She spent her summers in Wenatchee and on one vacation trip Jesse and Loretta met. In 1935 they built their small dream home on the ranch and orchard his parents owned in East Wenatchee. Later they moved to Wenatchee where they became joint owners of the Wenatchee and Waterville Chevrolet businesses. He was president of Wenatchee Rotary in 1940-41.In 1960, Jesse was elected mayor of Wenatchee, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, E. J. Widby who was mayor in the 1930’s. On March 28, 1961, Jesse died after serving as mayor for little more than one year. He and Loretta are buried in the Wenatchee City Cemetery. Jesse served as Governor of Rotary District 506 in 1958-1959.
[Note – only his high school photo is currently available.]
1957-1958 John (Jack) Larson
Born on a farm in Brookville, Kansas in 1904; Jack Larson and his family moved to Silverton, Oregon, where he began his career in the bakery business. He married there in 1926, moved to Wenatchee, Washington for a few years, and then moved to Yakima in 1934 to take a position with Cecil Gholson, owner of a local combination grocery, bakery, restaurant, and meat market. When the business failed in 1940, Jack bought the bakery equipment and opened what became known as Larson’s Bakery on North Second Street. The butter bars and butterhorns were among the bakery specialties, and often customers would add extra butter and nuts for an extremely sweet and tasty treat. He sold this business in 1960, but local realtor Omar Andrews and he had bought the adjacent building, formerly the home of the Republic Publishing Company, in 1954. This building housed a brokerage firm, Investors’ Services, where Larson eventually became a full-time financial advisor.
Larson was active in community affairs, serving as an elder of the First Presbyterian Church and the Board of the Chamber of Commerce. He was elected to the Yakima City Council in 1959 and during his 12 years on the council, he was instrumental in street improvements, saving the Metropolitan Parks District, the construction of a new sewage and wastewater treatment plant, and the creation of the Sister City relationship with Itayangi, Amori, Japan. Larson was elected Mayor by his fellow council members for nine years of his terms in office.
Joining the Yakima Rotary Club soon after he arrived in town, Jack was President of the Yakima Rotary Club in 1950 and Rotary District Governor in 1957-58. He passed away in December 1998 at the age of 94.
Jack was the first governor of District 506.
Rotary District 153 – 1947-1957
1956-1957 John Coe
John Coe was born on May 14, 1900, in Surrey, England and died on January 24, 1979, in Penticton, BC. He and his wife Gladys were the parents of two sons. John was a pioneer orchardist in Penticton for forty-eight years and served for many years as President of the Penticton Cooperative Growers.
He served in the Royal Flying Corps in World War I and was an alderman of the city of Penticton for ten years. John was involved in many civic projects in Penticton and served on the Board of the Okanagan Summer School of the Arts for sixteen years. He was its chairman in 1976. John was a member of the Penticton Rotary Club and District Governor in 1956-1957.
1955-1956 WR Green
Wilbur Robert Green was born in 1896 in Tangent, Oregon. Married to Lillian Cicily Bullen of Victoria, BC, they were the parents of four daughters. Bob, as he was known to everyone, was a member of the Spokane Rotary Club and editor of its bulletin, The Hub, for many years.
He served as District Governor of District 153 in Rotary year 1955-1956. During that year, he presided over the division of the district into two new districts. The Eastern portion became District 508 and the Western half became District 506. Those then eventually became 5080 and 5060 respectively.
Lillian died in 1940, and twenty-five years later in 1965, Bob remarried. His second wife was Doris Ella Muir who was born in Layton, England. Bob died in 1979 and is buried in Spokane, Washington.
1954-1955 J.C. Jeppson
Jay Carl (J.C.) Jeppson was born Nov3, 1893 in Millville, Utah. He married Zola Call, April 5, 1919 in Jacksonville, FL. He was active in the LDS church and held a number of leadership posts. When he lived in Lewiston, Idaho he was president of the Lewiston Rotary Club and District Governor of District 153. He was also active in the Boy Scouts. During WW I, he served as a Lt. in the Army. He managed J. C. Penny stores in Dillion, Montana, Tremonton, Utah, and Lewiston, ID. While living in Lewiston, he was post commander of the American Legion. He died in 1970 at the age of 76 in in Salt Lake City, UT.1953-1954 Dolph Browne
Adolphus “Dolph” Browne was born on Pope’s Road in Cork, Ireland on December 26, 1892. He was the eighth of nine children. In 1912, his parents and all the children emigrated to Canada where they settled briefly in Edmonton, Alberta. As a young man, Dolph moved around a lot but eventually made his home in Vernon, BC where he had a successful career in the fruit industry.
After moving to Vernon, he developed a lifelong love for Curling and served as President of the Vernon Curling Club for 14 years beginning in 1936. In 1942 he ran for City Council in Vernon and served as Alderman for four years.
In 1953-54 Dolph served as Governor of Rotary District 153 which included Eastern British Columbia, Eastern Washington, Northern Idaho and part of Montana. As he travelled the district visiting clubs he was joined by his wife Florence, known as “Florrie” who was a musician. She often played the piano and sang for the clubs they visited. Dolph died on February 3, 1974, as they were leaving Vancouver for a vacation in Hawaii.
1952-1953 Edwin Smith
Edwin Smith was a member of the Wenatchee Rotary Club and was its president in 1939-1940. He was born in Lodi, New York in 1888, and died in Wenatchee, Washington in 1978. His wife Kathleen Philpott Smith was born in Dresden, Ontario in 1890 and immigrated to the United States in 1927. She died in Wenatchee in 1982.
Edwin was a horticulturist for the Bureau of Plant Industry, Soils, and Agriculture Engineering. His principal responsibility was the handling, transportation and storage investigations of fruit and vegetables at the Wenatchee field station. Edwin was a member of the Wenatchee Rotary club and was its president in 1939-1940. He served as District Governor of District 153 in 1952-1953.
1951-1952 Sidney Woodcock
Sidney Herbert Woodcock was born in Cumberland, Wisconsin in 1890, and arrived in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho in 1919 after having lived a short time in Spokane, Washington. He married Viola McKimmey in June 1921. He was a pharmacist and served two years as President of the Idaho Pharmacists Association in 1931 and 1932.
Shortly after arriving in Coeur d’Alene in 1921, Sidney became a charter member of the Coeur d’Alene Rotary Club. At the time of his death in 1969, he held 47 years of perfect attendance in that club. Sidney was District Governor of Rotary District 153 in 1951-1952. In addition to Rotary, he was active in the Presbyterian Church, Masonic Lodge, and Scottish Rite Shrine.
1950-1951 Harry Harrison
Harry Douglas Harrison was born in Fernie, BC, in 1910 and died in Nelson in 1989. His early career led him to the Canadian Pacific Telegraph System in 1926 where he worked in many capacities until 1936. In that year, he joined his wife’s family business, Peebles Motors, an automobile dealership, and converted it into the Peebles Motor Inn. He was its manager until his retirement in 1978. With his wife, Louise they raised two daughters and two sons. Both loved travel and over 30 years attended many Rotary conferences and conventions, including Rome and Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Harry was a member of the Nelson Rotary Club and served as Governor of District 153 in 1950-1951. He was a much sought-after Rotary speaker and spoke to Rotary and other service clubs across Canada and the U.S. In Nelson, he was very active in community affairs and served on the board of the Kootenay Lake District Hospital for 13 years, four of those as its president. He was also active in the Masons, Shrine, and was an honorary life member of the Nelson Chamber of Commerce.
1949-1950 Roscoe Sheller
Roscoe Abner Sheller was born in Lanark, Illinois in 1889 and died in Sunnyside, WA in 1969. His parents moved to Sunnyside, Washington in 1899 to farm the newly irrigated lands east of the Cascade Mountains. He attended the Acme School at Sunnyside during his early childhood and later other public schools. He married Ivy Ethel Benjamin in about 1910 in Sunnyside.
As a young man in 1915, Roscoe rode for the first time in a Model T automobile, which had been introduced seven years earlier by Henry Ford. He subsequently joined the local dealership and made his living selling the cars to skeptical consumers wary about abandoning their horse-and-buggy habits. In his 1965 memoir, “Me and the Model T: The Great Race Across the U.S.,” Sheller wrote of his personal experiences with the iconic “Tin Lizzie” and his role in its groundbreaking success. He was the author of twenty-two books and numerous newspaper articles about the history of people and places in the Northwest.
He served as District Governor of District 153 in Rotary year 1949-1950.
1948-1949 Alfred Carlson
Alfred William Carlson was born in Canada in 1892 and died in Spokane, Washington in 1980. He married Lena A. Wilson in 1922 and served in the military during World War II. He and a business partner founded the Wylie-Carlson Pharmacy in Spokane around 1920 and operated it for the next 50 years.
Alfred was Governor of District 153 in 1948-1949. By coincidence, his adoptive father, William “Billy” Schuppel was Governor of District 510 in Oregon the same year. Continuing the family tradition, Alfred’s son Bill was president of the Spokane Rotary club in 1976-77.
1947-1948 Herbert Clark
Herbert Clark worked and traveled around the world until he settled in Trail, B.C. in 1913 and took a job at the Lead-Zinc smelter. He was born in Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia in 1885 and served his apprenticeship in Amherst, Nova Scotia. His wife, Alice Woodhall was born in Edinburgh, Scotland and came to Canada in 1915. They were married May 16, 1916. Herb eventually became foreman of the machine shop at the smelter and later was named “Master Mechanic.” They had two daughters, Constance May and Edna Jean.
He was elected mayor of Trail in 1924, serving for six years, until he retired in 1929. He again served as mayor of Trail from 1940 to 1946. For many years he was chairman of the Hospital Board and was very active in the Trail Masonic Lodge, as well as Rotary. Herb’s family remembered that he seemed to have some sort of meeting every night. He remained active in Rotary until his death in 1970 at the age of 85. In the 1947-1948 Rotary year, he was Governor of District 153.
Rotary District 103 – 1945-1947
1946-1947 Clarence W. Ernst
Clarence Ernst was born in Seattle in 1898, served in World War I, and returned to the University of Washington to graduate with a degree in Business Administration with the Class of 1920. During the summer of 1919, due to a nationwide manpower shortage, the Seattle YMCA recruited groups of high school boys to work in the Alaskan fish canneries. Ernst volunteered to lead one such group of 30 young men for a summer of work at the Pacific American Fisheries Cannery in Hoonah Bay, Alaska. And this began a lifelong affiliation between Ernst and the YMCA. Following his graduation from the University of Washington, he was recruited to the job of Boy’s Work Secretary at the Yakima YMCA, and he was promoted to General Secretary in 1925. Married in 1921, he and his wife Josephine had one son. Despite many offers to move to YMCA organizations in larger cities, he stayed in Yakima and retired in 1963.
Ernst, however, was not just a successful “Y” leader. He was the singles handball champion of Yakima, headed numerous community fund drives—including Community Chest (now United Way), and led the first People For People tour behind the Iron Curtain in 1961 under the auspices of the United States State Department.
He joined the Yakima Rotary Club in 1924, was elected club president in 1935, fulfilled the duties of club secretary from 1943 to 1963, and served as District Governor in 1945. In a 1964 Salute to Clarence Ernst in the Yakima Club Rotary newsletter, it was said …he was always ready to serve whenever he was needed…We salute Clarence Ernst—Mr. Rotary.
After retirement, Clarence and Josephine moved to California to be closer to their son. In California, he was active in the Burlingame Rotary Club. He died in California in December 1979.
1945-1946 Robert W. Irving
Dr. Robert Washington Irving was the founding president of the Kamloops Rotary Club in 1922 and served as Governor of District 103 in Rotary year 1945-1946. Better known as “Dr. Bob” he served on several district committees and was appointed to the Canadian Advisory Council of B.C. from 1926 to 1928. Dr. Bob was born in Ingersoll, Ontario in 1875 and graduated from Toronto University in 1902.
He was appointed the first medical superintendent of the Tranquille Tuberculosis Sanitorium in Kamloops from 1907-1909. The facility was later called Padova City, and closed in 1953. In 1910 he founded the Irving Clinic which he operated for many years. He was also a member of the Kamloops School Board.
Rotary District 101 – 1943-1945
1944-1945 W.D. Shannon
William Day Shannon was born on June 28, 1881, in Parkville, New York and Died on June 24, 1976 in Seattle. He was married to Mary Agnes Lovejoy in 1912. He was a civil engineer, state legislator, and civic leader. Shannon was the supervising engineer for the construction of the Baker River dam and hydropower plant near Concrete, Washington and the Shuffleton steam plant in Renton. He also worked at the Puget Power and Light Company.
Shannon was elected to the Washington State Senate and served from 1941 to 1963. He was also appointed by U. S. President Harry Truman to the Hoover Commission in 1954-1955 to study reorganization of the Government. He was a member of the U. S. War Production Board from 1941 to 1943 and belonged to many civic organizations in Seattle. He served Rotary District 101 as Governor in 1944-1945.
1943-1944 Robert Cheyne
Robert Cheyne was a chartered accountant and lived in Kelowna, BC until the end of his year as District Governor in 1944. He joined the Kelowna Rotary Club in 1933 and was its president from 1938-1939. During his year as Governor, District 101 had 95 clubs and over five thousand Rotarians. Although World War II was raging, he managed to visit all the clubs in his district. His theme for the year was: “To enjoy Rotary, you have to work at it.”
After leaving Kelowna, he moved to Victoria, BC and went to work for the Pacific Sheet Metal Works, Inc. and joined the Victoria Rotary Club. About 1964 he went to Scotland to assist in the settlement of the estate of a relative of his wife. While there he purchased a tract of land overlooking the Firth of Forth and built a western ranch-style home.
In 1967 he established the Rotary Club of North Berwick, Scotland and was its first president. Before he died in 1977 Robert was instrumental in planning and building homes for the elderly in the area. He described this as his “special Rotary project.”
1942-1943 Fred K. Jones
Fred K. Jones was born in Sommerville, Massachusetts in 1881, and lived there until leaving for Harvard College. He graduated in 1902 and moved to Spokane, Washington in 1909. There he worked as a brakeman for the Northern Pacific for nine years before joining an early real estate company.
Fred was a member of the Spokane Rotary Club, and served as its president in 1940-1941. In April, 1942 he was appointed Governor of District 101, to fill the uncompleted term of William R. Dowrey, and was on the Board of Rotary International in 1945-1946. He also served on the Rotary Council on Legislation in 1942.
Fred was a civic leader in Spokane serving as President of the Spokane Chamber of Commerce in 1933 and 1934. In that role, he presided over the opening bids for construction of the Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River. In July of 1947, he suffered a fatal heart attack while walking to his office in downtown Spokane. In 1984, members of Jones’ family established the Fred K. Jones Memorial Award to honor the outstanding Rotarian of the Year in the Spokane Rotary Club 21.
1941-1942 William R. Dowry
William Ritchie (Dick) Dowrey was born in a small town in Texas and grew up in Grand Junction, Colorado where he worked in his father’s wholesale grocery business. In World War I he served in the U. S. Army Calvary and was in the officers’ training camp when the war ended.On returning to the family company, he helped establish the first mass grocery business with three Piggley Wiggley Stores in Grand Junction. In the early 1920’s he moved to Canada establishing the Piggley Wiggley chain in British Columbia and Alberta.
After first joining Rotary in Grand Junction in 1919, he became a member of the Vancouver club when he moved to Canada in 1925. Dick was President of that club in 1934-35. He then served as District Governor in 1941-1942 and was elected a Director of Rotary International in 1946.
1940-1941 Vincent “Nig” Borleske
Raymond Vincent Borleske was known to all of his close friends as “Nig”. He was born in Albert Lea, Minnesota in 1887 and died in Walla Walla, Washington in 1957. In his younger days, he played minor-league baseball and college football. Although he had a law degree, he was the head football coach at Whitman College in Walla Walla for most of his professional life. He held that position from 1915 to 1946. For 32 years, he was also Athletic Director for the school.
Like most District Governors of Rotary, he was a civic leader serving community organizations like the Y.M.C.A., the Community Chest (now the United Way), and the Chamber of Commerce. From 1948 to 1954, he was also the Mayor of Walla Walla.
A dedicated Rotarian, he joined the Walla Walla Rotary Club in 1921 and served a year as its president. “Nig” then went on to serve Rotary District 101 as Governor in 1940-1941. He was also a “field representative” for Rotary International in the Middle West during that time.
During his coaching years, he was approached regarding a position at Oregon State University in Corvallis. At the time he elected to remain in Walla Walla, explaining that he valued his Rotary classification more than a post at a larger institution where membership in Rotary might not be available. At the time of his death, he was manager of the Marcus Whitman Hotel in Walla Walla.
1938-1939 Marshall E. Cornett
In addition to his leadership role in Rotary, Marshall Cornett served in the Oregon State Senate for seven years and was Senate President in 1947. He was born in rural Southeastern Kentucky in 1898. He served in the U. S. Army during World War I and then settled in Klamath Falls, Oregon where he eventually established a very successful automobile dealership. Cornett also owned three radio stations in the Klamath Falls area. In June of 1922, he married Olive Byram in Kake, Alaska. As a past president of the Klamath Falls Rotary Club, he was elected to serve Rotary District 101 as Governor in 1939-1940.
In 1947, Cornett, Oregon Governor-elect Snell, and the Oregon Secretary of State headed for a ranch near Kittredge, Oregon on a small plane for a goose hunting outing. They departed from Klamath Falls early one afternoon, and never arrived at the ranch. The plane encountered very stormy weather along the way causing it to crash. All three officials as well as the pilot were killed. A state funeral was held for the three at the State Capitol of Salem, Oregon. Cornett’s remains were interred near his birthplace in Burning Springs, Kentucky.
1939-1940 H. Cline Fixott
Henry Cline Fixott, a pioneering Oregon dentist was born in 1878 in Arachat, Nova Scotia and died in Portland in 1992. He graduated from the North Pacific Dental College which is now the University of Oregon Dental School. As an early expert in dental X-ray, he wrote several papers about the use of radiology in dentistry. He also taught at the dental school until his retirement in 1947.
Dr. Fixott served on the Portland City Council in the early 1900s and was very active in Portland civic affairs. In addition to his 35 years as a Rotarian, he was a member of both Masons and The Shrine. He and his wife Eva Jane (Scott) were members of the Episcopal Church and he also served as trustee and treasurer of Good Samaritan Hospital.
As District Governor in 1940, he was the chair of a Rotary International Vocational Service Assembly in Havana, Cuba where he led a discussion of vocational service in clubs of 35 members or less.
1937-1938 Fred R. Smith
Fred Randolph Smith was born November 14, 1871, in Detroit, Michigan and moved to Tacoma in the early 1890s. In 1896 he married Lela Etna Cranney, granddaughter of Thomas Coupe, the pioneer founder of Coupeville, Washington on Whidbey Island. His nickname was “Concrete” because, for many years, he owned and managed an important cement casting plant in Tacoma.
Fred was a member of The Tacoma Rotary Club and was its president from 1932 to 1933. He served as District Governor of District 101 in 1937-1938. During his 30 years as a member of the Tacoma club, he maintained perfect attendance. Fred died in Los Angeles after a brief illness and his remains are interred in the family burial plot in Coupeville.
Rotary District 102 – 1936-1937
Washington, Oregon, Alaska, British Columbia, Idaho
1936-1937 Charles A. Mowry
Charles A. Mowry was a long-time member of the Spokane Rotary Club and was also a member of the Knights Templar Lodge No. 5 in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. He never married and lived for 30 years at the Spokane City and University Club. He was born in Saginaw, Michigan and died in Spokane following a long illness in 1945. For many years he was the owner of the Spokane Culvert Company.Rotary District 1 – 1918-1936
1935-1936 Stanley Long
Born in Rossburg, Ohio, Stanley Long attended law school in Chicago before moving to Seattle in the early 1900’s. He built and sold his first house in Seattle in 1906 and went on building them or fifty years. Doing business as the Long Building Company, he developed several of the residential neighborhoods on Seattle’s First Hill.
During his lengthy career, Long was active in nearly all of Seattle’s leading major civic organizations. He joined the Seattle Rotary Club in 1913, and was its president in 1928. He was District Governor of Rotary District #1 in 1935-1936, and later served as a Director of Rotary International.
During his presidency of the Seattle Rotary Club, the club raised $25,000 for Children’s Orthopedic Hospital (now Seattle Children’s Hospital). He remained active in the organization his entire life. Long was active in the Municipal League, served as a trustee of Seattle General Hospital and was a member of the Rainier Club and the Masons.
A long-time resident of Queen Anne Hill, Stanley Long died on August 15, 1959, after an extended illness. He left his wife Blanche, three sons and two daughters.
1934-1935 Percy B. Scurrah
Percy Basil Scurrah was once described by a colleague who said: “If Rotary were an academic institution instead of what it is, Percy Scurrah would undoubtedly qualify for a Doctorate without further ado. Few men have had such a deep and thorough knowledge of Rotary and such a wide and practical experience as that accumulated by Percy during his career.”
He was born in 1893 in Brechin, Ontario and died in 1970 in Victoria, BC where he was honored as “one of Victoria’s greatest citizens.” In 1910 when he moved to Victoria, Percy obtained an interest in a major clothing store and shortly after that, bought the business, renaming it Scurrah’s clothing Store. The store was a Victoria landmark until it closed in1962. In 1914 he married Mabel Dynes and they were married for 55 years.
Percy joined the Victoria Rotary Club in 1924 and maintained perfect attendance for 46 years until a few weeks before his death. He served Rotary as District Governor in 1934-1935 and was a Director of Rotary International in 1937-1938. In 1955 he was elected mayor of Victoria and served in that capacity for three terms. Among his accomplishments in Victoria were pulling the city out of financial difficulty, replacing the “shaky” Point Ellice Bridge and bringing the BC Ferries to Victoria.
1933-1934 William J. Dinsmore
On August 8, 1934, the 30th annual conference of Rotary District #1 was held in Tacoma, Washington. At the gathering of approximately 1000 Rotarians, District Governor William J. Dinsmore and his wife Aida (Undenberg) Dinsmore hosted a dinner at the Hotel Winthrop. It was followed by the Governor’s Ball at the Scottish Rite Cathedral.
“Bill” as he preferred to be called was born in London, England in 1887. After emigrating to the United States, he settled in Seattle before moving to Aberdeen, Washington where he ran an oil distribution business. Following retirement, he moved to Tacoma where he and his golf-minded partner Sam Allen built the Allenmore Golf Course. The partners were a little immodest in naming the course after themselves….Allen-More. That course is now known as the Tacoma Elks (Allenmore) Golf Course.
In Aberdeen he completed the term of the previous club president in 1928 and then served a full year in 1928-1929. He moved to Tacoma in 1930 and held membership under the classification “Public Golf Links.” Bill was District Governor of Rotary District #1 in 1933-1934. Shortly after completing his term as Governor, he returned briefly to Seattle before living in Portland until his death in 1959.
1932-1933 William McGilchrist, Jr.
District Governor William Gilchrist Jr. was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1885 and moved with his parents to the United States when he was six years old. The family settled on a 30-acre fruit ranch a few miles south of Salem, Oregon which his father operated for a few years. When Bill was a young adult, the family moved to Salem where the Senior Gilchrist purchased a restaurant. After working in the family business for a few years, Bill purchased a furniture store which he ran until 1918. He was also actively involved in real estate. In 1912 he married Eva Savage.Bill McGilchrist was active in the Masons, the Elks Lodge and Rotary. He served on the board of the Salem Chamber of Commerce and the YMCA. In his last few years, he suffered from a heart ailment which took his life in 1947. His remains were interred at Mount Crest Abby Mausoleum in Salem.
William McGilchrist served Rotary District #1 as Governor in 1932-1933. During his year as Governor, there were 70 clubs in the District.
1931-1932 J. Lyman Trumbull
“Acting Deputy District Governor.” He filled in from March through June 1932. John Lyman Trumbull was born in Adair County, Iowa in 1890 and eventually settled in Vancouver, B.C. He owned the J. Lyman Trumbull company, which was an importer of tea, coffee and spices. In 1928 he was the president of the Vancouver Rotary Club. Lyman Trumbull was very active in the civic life of Vancouver, serving on several boards. He was a director of the B. C. Power Corporation, and in 1928 served as president of the Vancouver Rotary Club.
In March of 1932, District Governor Morgan Eastman requested a leave of absence and Lyman Trumbull was selected to complete his term. In 1941-1942 he was appointed by Rotary International President Tom J. Davis to be a member of the Canadian Regional Extension Committee of Rotary International.
1931-1932 Morgan Eastman
In April 1931, the Vancouver Sun announced that Morgan Q. Eastman of Vancouver “was elected governor of Rotary International in the first district by unanimous vote at the annual district convention here yesterday.” Eastman was president of the Canadian Association of Advertising Agencies. He was a fifth-generation Canadian although he wasn’t born in Canada. His ancestors emigrated to Canada in 1778, but his parents relocated to Minnesota for a short while and he was born there in 1890.
He was educated in Indiana and made his way back to Vernon, BC where was manager of a department store in 1914 and 1915. He relocated to Vancouver in 1918 where he founded Eastman Advertising Company which he ran until 1931 when it merged with another advertising agency. As Vice President of that agency, he became established as one of Canada’s most respected advertising executives. After serving as president of the Vancouver Rotary Club, he was elected District Governor in 1931.
In March of 1932, Morgan found it necessary to be away from Vancouver for business reasons until June. During those four months, Lyman Trumbull of Vancouver was selected to be “Acting Deputy Governor,” completing Eastman’s term of office. Morgan Eastman died on January 6, 1950 in Toronto, Ontario. He was survived by his wife Flossie (Milligan) Eastman and his son Richard. He and Flossie were married in Victoria in 1909.
1930-1931 Albert B. Reynolds
Dr. Albert Barnard Reynolds, a Portland optometrist was born in 1883 near Chico, California and died in Portland in 1963. He was a graduate of Chico State College and the California College of Optometry. He joined the Portland Rotary club in 1916 and was District Governor of Rotary District #1 in 1930-1931. In addition to Rotary, he was a member of the Scottish Rite Shrine, Al Kader Shrine, the Portland Executive Association and the Aero Club. Albert’s wife, Emily Marie Shipp was born in England.1929-1930 Arthur T. R. Cunningham
Dr. Albert T. R. Cunningham was a prominent Spokane Valley physician who was born April 27 1873 in Loraine, Ohio.He attended Grade and High School there and then went on to receive his undergraduate degree from Oberlin college.After graduation he went to Western Reserve Medical College where he earned his doctorate in 1900. Albert (always known as A. T. R. Cunningham) moved to Spokane, WA in 1901 where he and his wife Emma Lou lived until his retirement in 1943. After retirement, he moved to Honolulu, Hawaii where he died in 1945.Both he and his wife are buried on the Island of Oahu.
When in Spokane, Albert was on the staff of St, Luke’s Hospital.In addition to Rotary, Dr. Cunningham loved to play golf and was a member of two Spokane area golf clubs. He was also on the board of the Y. M. C. A., and active in the local medical associations. Under his leadership, the Spokane Rotary club established a fund to treat children with cleft palate and other conditions. He was District Governor in 1929-1930.
1928-1929 John F. Casper
John F. Casper, from Walla Walla, Washington was the Governor of Rotary District #1 in 1928-1929. He was born in Springfield, Ohio but moved to Walla Walla in 1903. Two months later, he married Elizabeth Stine, a member of a pioneer family in the area. Casper attended Wittenberg College in Springfield before receiving a degree in pharmacy from The Ohio State University. After moving to Washington, he began a career in wheat farming.
“Jack” Casper served a term as president of the Walla Walla chamber of Commerce and was president of the Rotary club in 1927-1928. The following year, he was chosen to be District Governor of Rotary District #1. In addition to involvement in The Shrine he was one of the founders of the Boy Scouts in Walla Walla and served as president of the Blue Mountain Council of the Scouts. He died in Walla Walla in 1949.
1927-1928 Henry H. “Hank” Manny
One of Rotary District #1’s most popular Governors, Henry Haven (Hank) Manny was the son on John Pels Manny, inventor of the Manny farm reaper and mower. He was born May 7, 1877 in Rockford, Illinois. Living most of his adult life in Seattle, he worked in the Telephone Supply business, wholesale hardware, and eventually was Vice President of Hubbard & Company, a tool manufacturer. Hank Many was a member of the Seattle Rotary Club and District Governor of Rotary District #1 in 1927-1928.
On December 29, 1927, Many and his wife Catherine took a ferry from his home in Hunts Point on Lake Washington to Seattle for dinner with friends. As the boat approached the ferry dock, Manny attempted to start the car. When the starter failed, he got out and cranked the engine to get it started. At the first turn of the crank, the engine engaged and the car lunged backwards, crashing through the chain at the stern of the boat, and plunged into forty-five feet of water. He yelled at his wife to jump but she was unable to get clear of the car. Manny then dived into the water in an attempt to rescue her but was unsuccessful. Henry Manny lived in Seattle, until his death on March 15, 1942.
1926-1927 James H. Beatty
James H. Beatty was a member of the British Columbia Parliament, President and managing director of the University School and manager of Sprott-Shaw Schools of commerce in Victoria. He joined the Victoria Rotary Club in 1913 and was on the Board of Directors of Rotary International in 1933. James served as District Governor of Rotary District #1 in 1926-1927.
He was born in Frankford on the Trent River in Ontario, and received his early education there and later in Colbourn and Toronto. He moved west in 1908 and became associated with the Sprott-Shaw School and Rockford Academy. While not a charter member of the Victoria Rotary Club, he joined it about three months after it was established, serving as President in 1924-1925.
1925-1926 Edmund W. Campbell
Edmund (Ed) W. Campbell of Seattle, and District Governor of Rotary in 1925-1926, was born in Davis County Iowa on a farm, and educated in the public schools there. He began his business career in the retail lumber business in Des Moines, Iowa. Following that he moved to Los Angeles for about three years and then moved to Seattle in what he called “the best section of the United States.” He joined the Seattle Rotary Club about 1920 and served on several committees in the club. He was elected club president in 1925.
Campbell was involved in several business investments in the Seattle area including the Linden Record Company and the Puget Sound Savings and Loan Association. At one time, he served as President of the S&L. In October of 1931, he and his business partners were found guilty of embezzling funds from both S&L and Linden. Both Campbell and his partner were sentenced to five to fifteen years in prison. That sentence was reaffirmed on appeal.
1924-1925 Frank C. Riggs & Robert A. Booth
Frank C. Riggs was a pioneer in the automobile industry and one of the first car dealers in the Northwest. After twenty years in the automobile industry, he transferred his interest to bulb raising and nut growing and became an outstanding figure in both industries.
Frank was born in Watseka, Illinois, in 1867 and started his professional career in the bicycle industry in Syracuse, New York. He then moved to the rubber tire industry from 1905 to 1907 and was vice president of the Fisk Rubber Company in Chicago. Riggs became vice president of sales for the Packard Motor Company until 1915 and eventually was general manager of the Willys-Overland Company on the West Coast.
In the 1920’s he became one of the first commercial growers of daffodils in the Pacific Northwest. Frank was one of the early sponsors of the Portland Rose Festival and served as a judge at the festival for many years. He was an active Rotarian and served as president of the Portland Rotary Club in 1912. In 1924-1925 he was District Governor of Rotary’s District #1. Frank Riggs died at age 81 in 1949 in Portland Oregon.
Robert A. Booth, one of the founders of a major Oregon lumber company and the son of a Methodist Circuit Rider, was born May 15, 1858, in Yamhill County, Oregon. He graduated from Umpqua Academy in Wilbur, Oregon, in 1875 and attended Heald Business College in San Francisco. He received honorary degrees from the College of Puget Sound, Tacoma, in 1922, Willamette University in 1923 and the University of Oregon in 1929.
Booth was more than a successful businessman. He was a State Senator for two terms in the Oregon Legislature. He was also the leader in formulating the Oregon highway system and was chairman of its Highway Commission. His civic activities included involvement in the State Parks Commission, Rotary, the Boy Scouts, Portland and Eugene Chambers of Commerce and the Oregon Land and Livestock Commission. He was appointed District Governor in 1924-1925 but resigned in July. He was temporarily replaced by PDG Miles Higley, who served briefly as Acting Governor. Frank Riggs was then chosen to complete the term for the Rotary year.
Robert Booth married Clintona A. LaRout in 1881, and they had four children. He died in Eugene, Oregon, on April 28, 1944.
1923-1924 Miles M. Higley
Miles Morrell Higley, president of the Northwest Business College in Spokane was selected to be Governor at the District Conference in March 1923. His term began three months later July 1 of that year. After his year of service, he wax chosen to be “Acting Governor,” replacing Robert Booth who resigned shortly after the start of the year.
Higley was born in St. Charles, Minnesota on November 24, 1867, and married Mae Florence Shields in 1897. As a young man in Minnesota, he worked on his father’s farm when not fishing and hunting. He described his younger life by saying “I am a real Yankee, even if I was born in Minnesota and lived on a farm until I was 15. I did what the average farm boy does, getting up at five o’clock to do chores before going to school.”
After moving to Spokane in 1897, he worked at the Griffith Plumbing and Heating company as a bookkeeper. From that position, he moved to the business college and remained there for his entire career. He loved fancy cars, and at one time owned eleven of them. Higley always described Rotary as “one of the greatest developers of men of all organizations.” Miles Higley died in Seattle, Washington in 1940.
1922-1923 Frank H. Lamb
Pioneer timberman and industrialist from Hoquaim, Washington, Frank H. Lamb wrote a number of books, one of which contributed significantly to the study of “broad leafed trees” and their impact on temperate forests of the world. He also wrote a book in 1924 titled The Future of Rotary when he was Vice President of Rotary International. Frank was District Governor in 1922-1923.
He was born in Imslaytown, New Jersey in 1875 and moved to Houaim in the summer of 1897. He lived there the remainder of his life. In addition to his contribution to the timber industry, Frank Lamb was one of the key leaders that pushed the Washington State Legislature to adopt the Port District Act. This legislation allowed communities to form and own public port districts.
Frank Lamb studied Botany at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, where he met and married Alice Emmerson. He died while on family vacation in Imlaystown, New Jersey in 1951. His remains were interred in Hoquaim.
1921-1922 Ernest L. Skeel
Ernst Laughlin “Ernie” Skeel, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, migrated to Seattle in 1907 and practiced law there for 44 years. He was better known for his wide-ranging business interests, his advocacy of economic development, and his wide-ranging civic contributions. At various times he headed the Municipal League of Seattle, the Seattle Chamber of Commerce, the Commercial Club, the Seattle Rotary Club, and in 1949 headed a committee formed to prevent the Boing Airplane Company from transferring bomber production to its plant in Wichita, Kansas.
Ernst Skeel earned his law degree in 1906 at Western Reserve University in Cleveland and worked his way through law school as a football coach at the nearby College of Wooster. In 1908 he married Marguerite Willard who later said “the most outstanding thing I did in college was marry the football coach.”
Ernie Skeel was a founder of the Seattle Rotary club in 1909 and helped establish clubs elsewhere in the state and in Alaska. He served as president of the Seattle club in 1914, and finally was Northwest District Governor in 1921-1922. As one of the early leaders in the district he wrote much of the early Constitution and By-laws of Rotary International. Ernst Skeel died in 1952 after a long illness.
1920-1921 Nelson G. Pike
He became District Governor in 1920-1921 when replaced Charles Cochran who resigned in December of 1920. Pike was born February 6, 1867, in Clarence, Iowa where he learned the trade of carpenter. In 1890, he moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa where he was employed in a lumber mill, doing construction work. He then lived for about ten years in Sheridan, Wyoming before moving to Portland in 1910.
In Portland, he opened a photographic supply store known as Pike & O’Neill Photo Supply Company. He eventually sold the store to the Eastman Kodak company. Later for several years, he was vice-president of the Portland Trust & Savings Bank until his retirement in about 1941.
In 1916, Nelson was elected president of the Portland Rotary Club and served as district Governor in 1920-1921. At his District Conference, he introduced the delegates to the concept of a “wheel” to be used in defining the attributes of a Rotary Club. The presentation was repeated at the next international convention of Rotary. Nelson G. Pike died in Portland at the age of 78 in 1945
1919-1920 Clayton Williams & Charles Cochran
Clayton M. Williams was born in Romulus, New York on December 22, 1878. After graduating from high school there, he attended the University of Missouri Law School, graduating in 1907. After graduation that year, he married Grace Lucille Parker and they immediately moved to Everett, Washington where they raised three children.
“Clayt” as he was known, was not only active in Rotary but was also a leader in the Elks club, the Chamber of Commerce, his church, the Boy Scouts and the school board. It was said at the time that there was nothing in Everett in which he was not involved.
He first became interested in Rotary in 1916 when he was elected the Charter president of the Everett Rotary Club. He and the Rotary Club were instrumental in starting the National Guard in Everett and having the Everett Armory built. After his year as club president Clayt’s interest in Rotary continued and he served as Governor helping form 16 new clubs. He also laid the groundwork for ten more to be chartered the following year.
Charles E. Cochran was a graduate of Oregon State Normal College in Monmouth, with a Law degree from the University of Michigan; he practiced law in Portland. He and his brother George of LaGrande, Oregon were partners in the Law firm of Cochran and Cochran. For several years, he represented Union Pacific Lines as an assistant general attorney. He was married to Nellie Virginia Ghormley in 1905 and they had two daughters.
Cochran was a Shriner and a Rotarian, having been a member of the Portland Rotary Club and was District Governor of Rotary District #1 in 1919-1920. He was on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Rotary in 1924-1925. He died at the age of fifty in Hot Lake, Oregon. Cochran was selected to be District Governor for 1920-1921 but resigned in December of 1920 and was replaced by Nelson Pike.
1918-1919 Alex R. McFarlane
When Alex McFarlane died in 1975 at the age of 88, he was the last surviving charter member of the Vancouver Rotary Club. For 41 years he was the Secretary of the Northwest Commercial Travelers Association. In his early career, he worked in the tea and coffee business and later in the wholesale hardware industry.
Alex had a distinguished career in Rotary and for his many contributions to the Rotary cause and his profound knowledge of Rotary, he was affectionately known as “Mr. Rotary.” He was president of the Vancouver club from 1915 to 1916, was district Governor of District 22 from 1918-1919, and was a director of Rotary International from 1924-1925. He served on the Rotary International Board as chairman of the Canadian Advisory Committee.