Milam County Historical Commission
Milam County, Texas
Milam County, Texas
All Credit for this article
goes to
Bill Cooke
and the Rockdale Reporter
goes to
Bill Cooke
and the Rockdale Reporter
Charter Lions Photo a Blast From Town’s Civic Past
Spoiling the Broth by Bill Cooke
Rockdale Reporter - October 17, 2013
Rockdale Lions Club was chartered in 1941. The photo (Below) was brought to my desk by Pam Love Holmes whose father, the late Harold Love, was a loyal, active Lion for decades. Harold served his club in every office and was governor of District 2S3, one of the largest districts in Lions International.
The photo was among Mr. Love’s files that Pam has been perusing. She brought it to me because my father is in the group.
The photo was taken in the Rockdale Elementary School Cafetorium, which was used for most of our town’s civic functions through the 1950s, ‘60s and 70’s.
This occasion was the Lions’ 30th-year charter banquet, in March of 1971. And the group consists of seven charter members from 1941, all long-since deceased.
They are: Seated (L-R): C.W. Matson, owner/operator of the Dixie and Reel Drive-In Theaters; George Lumpkins, oil company consignee who operated a full-service station adjacent to City Hall (now the police station). Mr. Lumpkins’ daughter is Judy Slusher who is active on many local civic fronts to this day, obviously taking that lead from her father.
Standing (L-R): Clyde Franklin, postmaster; Frank Brandon, lumber and hardware store operator; W.H Cooke, Reporter publisher; H.D. “Farmer” Maxwell, high school principal; and Dr. A.A. Urban, dentist. All of these men were very active business and civic leaders in their day.
Reporter coverage of that 30th-year charter banquet noted that several charter members were deceased in 1971, and several others were not in attendance, some having moved from Rockdale.
Other charter members from 1941 were listed as T.B. Ryan, Rockdale State Bank; W.S. Duke, drug store owner; W.P. Hogan, Ford-Mercury dealer; E.A. Camp, attorney; N.M. Bullock, Rainbow Courts; Howard Suttle; H.H. Coffield, oilman-industrialist; W.E. Gaither, Ford-Mercury dealer; Dr. John T. Richards, physician who established Rockdale’s hospital; N.M. Stricker, variety store operator; W.T. Pearson Jr., realtor and florist; C.E. Prewitt, pharmacy owner; S.T. Schroeder; David McGuyer; Q.W. Joiner, department store manager; Dr. T.S. Barkley, physician; and Louis G. Gest, Chevrolet-Buick dealer.
Special thanks to 58-year Lion Jim Currey who joined the club in 1955. Jim was mucho helpful with this article. Also, Jim’s American Legion Post 358 membership is about to hit 60 years.
And, thank you, Pam Love Holmes, for the photo which jogged a lot of pleasant memories for me and, I’m sure, many others.
bill@rockdalereporter.com
Spoiling the Broth by Bill Cooke
Rockdale Reporter - October 17, 2013
Rockdale Lions Club was chartered in 1941. The photo (Below) was brought to my desk by Pam Love Holmes whose father, the late Harold Love, was a loyal, active Lion for decades. Harold served his club in every office and was governor of District 2S3, one of the largest districts in Lions International.
The photo was among Mr. Love’s files that Pam has been perusing. She brought it to me because my father is in the group.
The photo was taken in the Rockdale Elementary School Cafetorium, which was used for most of our town’s civic functions through the 1950s, ‘60s and 70’s.
This occasion was the Lions’ 30th-year charter banquet, in March of 1971. And the group consists of seven charter members from 1941, all long-since deceased.
They are: Seated (L-R): C.W. Matson, owner/operator of the Dixie and Reel Drive-In Theaters; George Lumpkins, oil company consignee who operated a full-service station adjacent to City Hall (now the police station). Mr. Lumpkins’ daughter is Judy Slusher who is active on many local civic fronts to this day, obviously taking that lead from her father.
Standing (L-R): Clyde Franklin, postmaster; Frank Brandon, lumber and hardware store operator; W.H Cooke, Reporter publisher; H.D. “Farmer” Maxwell, high school principal; and Dr. A.A. Urban, dentist. All of these men were very active business and civic leaders in their day.
Reporter coverage of that 30th-year charter banquet noted that several charter members were deceased in 1971, and several others were not in attendance, some having moved from Rockdale.
Other charter members from 1941 were listed as T.B. Ryan, Rockdale State Bank; W.S. Duke, drug store owner; W.P. Hogan, Ford-Mercury dealer; E.A. Camp, attorney; N.M. Bullock, Rainbow Courts; Howard Suttle; H.H. Coffield, oilman-industrialist; W.E. Gaither, Ford-Mercury dealer; Dr. John T. Richards, physician who established Rockdale’s hospital; N.M. Stricker, variety store operator; W.T. Pearson Jr., realtor and florist; C.E. Prewitt, pharmacy owner; S.T. Schroeder; David McGuyer; Q.W. Joiner, department store manager; Dr. T.S. Barkley, physician; and Louis G. Gest, Chevrolet-Buick dealer.
Special thanks to 58-year Lion Jim Currey who joined the club in 1955. Jim was mucho helpful with this article. Also, Jim’s American Legion Post 358 membership is about to hit 60 years.
And, thank you, Pam Love Holmes, for the photo which jogged a lot of pleasant memories for me and, I’m sure, many others.
bill@rockdalereporter.com
Seated (L-R): C.W. Matson, George Lumpkins.
Standing (L-R): Clyde Franklin, Frank Brandon, W.H Cooke, H.D. “Farmer” Maxwell, and Dr. A.A. Urban, All of these men were very active business and civic leaders in their day.
Standing (L-R): Clyde Franklin, Frank Brandon, W.H Cooke, H.D. “Farmer” Maxwell, and Dr. A.A. Urban, All of these men were very active business and civic leaders in their day.