(This piece was written for the Centennial Rotary Show Program)
Bob Dean’s story has deep Traverse City roots and shows dedication to family, career, community involvement, and Rotary.
Bob’s family moved here in the Great Depression. His grandfather built many local landmarks, including Central Methodist Church, Central School, and the Carnegie Library. His father was “Clerk of the Works” for Grandpa, taking care of all the building details.
Bob graduated from Michigan State and, in 1945, joined the U. S. Air Force. After only a year, the war ended and he was discharged. He met his wife, Arlene, when they were both working at the Morgan Canning Company. They married in 1950 and raised four kids: Linda, Barb, Mary Kay, and David. They have eight grandchildren and nine (going on 11) great-grands. Mary Kay, a retired teacher, is currently active in the TC Sunrise Rotary Club.
As a young man, Bob took over the family business, Red Mill Lumber. At its height, the company had four retail stores, as well as a truss manufacturing business.
Bob joined Rotary in 1958, when the club was full of the “good old boys.” While they had a lot of fun, they got a lot of good work done in town. He does the usual Rotary jobs, ringing the Salvation Army bells, Tag Day, and was a volunteer at the NMC Barbecue for over fifty years. The biggest change he’s seen is when women came into the club, “We lost between a quarter and a third of our members: some pretty good guys when that happened. Women bring more stability and civility.”
Bob served on the Rotary Charities board, and was president in 1999-2000. A highlight was when he and Rob Collier recruited Glen Chown to head the new GT Regional Land Conservancy. He was also involved in the formation of the Community Foundation, Home Stretch, and he helped bring Habitat for Humanity to Traverse City.
Bob served on the School Board, the planning commission, and zoning boards of appeals for TC and Peninsula Township, and was VP of the Chamber of Commerce.
At 92, you might think Bob would be slowing down. While he admits he’s not quite as active as he used to be, he’s still in attendance at weekly Rotary meetings. “Rotary keeps me active, maintains my friendships, and keeps me knowing what’s going on in town,” he says. At an age when many folks look back to the “old days,” Bob says the younger, more diverse make-up of Rotary is a breath of fresh air and we must continue to evolve to remain vital.
In reflection, he quotes from books he’s recently read and is keen in his recollection of names, dates, and local changes he’s seen over his lifetime. When asked about his life’s successes, he calmly and humbly says: “I guess I’ve been in the right place at the right time.”
In October 2020 Bob will be celebrating his 93rd Birthday and 62 years as a member of the Rotary Club of Traverse City
Paul LaPorte and Bob Dean