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Chapter June 2003 Luncheon

Chapter June Luncheon includes Change of Command/New Board Member Elections and First Lifetime Member Awards.

The June luncheon was the venue for a Chapter business meeting and the conduct of some important Chapter business.

The first, unfortunate duty, was to inform the Chapter of the loss of another member of the Class of '42. Chapter member Captain Thomas O. Marshall, USNR (Ret.) passed away on June 12th in Americus, GA. Capt. Marshall had served as Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court.

During the February 2001 luncheon I snapped a picture of the six representatives of the Class of '42 who were present. They included Paul Smith, Charlie Hill, Bill Brewster, Bill Carver, Art Warner, and Tom Marshall. We sadly, now, have only three of the six still with us. We first lost Bill Carver, then Art Warner, and now Tom Marshall. They were not only members of the Atlanta Chapter, but they were members of the Greatest Generation, and we are deeply saddened by their loss.

(Click on image below for a full-sized picture.)

Class of '42 at Feb 2001 luncheon.
(l-to-r seated: Bill Carver, Charlie Hill, Bill Bewster
l-to-r standing: Paul Smith, Tom Marshall, Art Warner)

First Chapter Lifetime Member Awards

It seemed only fitting that we also planned to award the Chapter's first two Lifetime Chapter Membership awards at the luncheon. The Lifetime Member status is to be bestowed only upon those senior Chapter members who have demonstrated a longstanding support of, and participation in, the Atlanta Chapter. Certificates bestowing Lifetime Chapter Membership status were presented to two members of the Class of '35: Captain William Bomar Wideman, USN (Ret.), and Captain George Albert O'Connell, USN (Ret.) These alumni are an inspiration to all of us.

Chapter President Bob Schultz '71, presents George O'Connell '35 with his Chapter Lifetime Membership certificate.

Bob Schultz '71 presents Bill Wideman '35 with his Chapter Lifetime Membership certificate.

l-to-r: Incoming Chapter President Bill Rentz '55, Bill Wideman '35, George O'Connell '35, and outgoing Chapter President Bob Schultz '71.

Jim Ravenel '45 snapped this picture of four generations of Bill Widemans at Bill's 90th birthday party on this past May 11th. (l-to-r: Bill (senior), Bill the 4th, Bill the 3rd, and Bill Jr.

Stewart Caldwell '65, Director for Brigade Support briefly updated the luncheon attendees on last January's USNA Gospel Choir visit during the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. Stewart showed off a framed picture of the choir at the Ebenezer Baptist Chuch, signed by all of the choir members. See the article on the Gospel Choir visit on this site for more information.

Carl McCallum '60, next gave an update on the 29th Annual LobsterFest just held on June 8th. His real purpose for being there, however, was to show off the seven members of the Class of 60 that he "rounded up" to attend the luncheon.

(Click on image below for a full-sized picture.)

Class of '60 at June luncheon:
(l-to-r Mike Midas, Gene Chancy, Roy Buehler, Bill Callaway,
Carl McCallum, Joe Peek, Clint Johnson.)

Chapter Change of Command

The next order of business was the election into office of the nominated slate of officers to serve on the Board of Directors for the next on-year term. The nominating committee, appointed by Chapter President Bob Schultz '71, and chaired by Paul Hurst '62, submitted the slate of nominated officers to the Board at the June Board of Directors meeting on June 17th. That slate of officers was put before the assembled Chapter members at the June luncheon and unanimously voted into office.

Your new Chapter Board officers are as follows:

New incoming officers for the next one-year term are:

President: Bill Rentz ’55 relieves Bob Schultz '71
Vice President: Steve Frederick ’72 relieves Lorie Moore '64
Membership Director: Dick Fitgerald ’62 relieves Geoff Anderson '87
Director: Joe Frazar ’65
Director: Mitch Rowland ’71
Director: Lee Whitfield ’71.

Officers returning for a second one-year term are:

VP Info Systems: Mike Herger ’90
Treasurer: Nick Ward ’74
Secretary: Matt Kirby ’94
Director, Brigade Support: Stew Caldwell ’65
Director: Eric Busko ’88

The following officers are appointed by the Board, not elected:

Webmaster – Bob Schultz ’71
Admissions Awareness Rep – Tim Phillips ‘89

NOTE: Also serving on the Board of Directors are all past Chapter Presidents who are still members of the Atlanta Chapter. Our area Blue & Gold Coordinator, Cindy Miller '90, also serves on the Board.

Address by Incoming Chapter President, and immediate past Chapter Trustee Bill Rentz '55

Incoming Chapter President Bill Rentz '55, also just completed his tour as Chapter Trustee. Bill provided a summary of items from the May '03 Board of Trustees meeting in Annapolis and gave us his thoughts on taking the helm of the Atlanta Chapter, a job he held before in 1991 and 1992.

Click the link below to read his complete remarks:

Bill Rentz President's Corner