On Monday December 20 I attended the memorial service for one of this community’s most exceptional people, Stanley C. Smoyer. Stan died December 15, having celebrated his 98th birthday in August. He has left a bigger-than-life legacy through the people and organizations he touched along the way. As a community, we owe him an enormous debt of gratitude for showing us how to be active, effective, and happy contributors of time, talent and treasure to family, friends, civic groups, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations alike.

Quite simply, and not to diminish the contributions of many others, the Community Foundation would not be here were it not for Stan and his generosity, vision, and leadership. The first gift we booked was from Stan (November 18, 1991), he was our second board chair, our first and so far only Trustee Emeritus, and one of our most loyal friends and cheerleaders right up to the end.

He was a wonderful and bighearted friend. His memory will forever be a part of this organization for me. We were teammates, partners, colleagues, allies.

Thank you, Stan.