Francis Jackson a Boy Scouts of America member of 57 years passes

Francis is pictured with Una Mae, his wife at an event that honored Francis for his service to Scouting and other organizations.

The Tidewater Council is sad to announce that one of the sons of the Albemarle District has been called home to the lord.  Francis O. Jackson.  A man that inspired Scouts for years to go beyond themselves in service to others.

Captain Rex Bradley Eagle Scout Passes

Rex A. Bradley VIRGINIA BEACH - Rex Arthur Bradley passed away Nov. 13, 2009. A resident of Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay in Virginia Beach, Mr. Bradley was born on April 15, 1917 in Morgantown, W.Va. He was the son of Frederick Arthur Bradley and Jesse Price Bradley of Elkins, W.Va. Mr. Bradley earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Fairmont State University where he was president of the student body. Following graduation, he began his professional career as a high school physics teacher in Cumberland, Md. In January 1941, he was awarded a commission as an ensign in the Supply Corps of the United States Navy. During World War II, he served on the battleship USS Texas while on North Atlantic convoy duty and during the North Africa invasion. He was also a member of the commissioning crew of the cruiser USS Portsmouth. Mr. Bradley served in the Navy for 22 years, retiring as captain. While in the Navy, he earned a Masters of Business Administration Degree with Distinction from Harvard University.

After retiring from the Navy, Mr. Bradley joined Telecable Corp., a former subsidiary of Landmark Communications, as president and general manager. Under his 15 years of leadership, Telecable grew to become one of the top cable television companies in the United States. Mr. Bradley also served as chairman of the National Cable Television Association. After retiring from Telecable, he continued working in the cable industry as an independent consultant. Mr. Bradley served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Norfolk Port Authority, as president of the Norfolk Rotary Club, as a member of the Board of Directors of the local council of the Girl Scouts of America, and participated in numerous United Way Campaigns. He was also a member of the Norfolk Yacht and Country Club and the Norfolk German Club. Mr. Bradley was married for 65 years to the late Eloise Wigg Bradley, a native of Norfolk. He is survived by a daughter, Margaret Rudgard Bradley of Richmond; a son, Rex Arthur Bradley Jr. of Birmingham, Ala.; and two grandsons, Rex Arthur Bradley III and Thomas Rudgard Bradley, also of Birmingham. Mr. Bradley was a lifelong supporter of the Boy Scouts of America. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 1936 in Pine Grove, W.Va. Mr. Bradley was the first of three generations of Eagle Scouts in his family. He proudly participated in the ceremony awarding the rank of Eagle Scout to his grandsons, Rex and Tom, in 2003.

Mrs. Kathleen Brickley

Thank you all for coming out to Kathleen's service.  The showing of Scouters and friends, shows that we are all bond together, in life and as go forth.

Kathleen Brickley passed away on October 31, 2009.  Kathleen was married to Jim Brickley.  She was very

involved with Scouting for her children and continued in Scouting serving in more roles than one can even recall. 

Kathleen moved to Virginia Beach in 1987 as a navy wife, and began what became one of her loves, Boy Scouts of America. 

As a Den Leader in Cub Scout Pack 475, she had 12 boys and three assistant leaders.  "This is fun", she would say. 

That all led to taking on larger roles.  Over the years they included Staff Member of Day Camps, Dad and Lad camping weekends,

Scout Shows, Catholic Committee Retreat-o-rees, Beaver Days and Tiger Days at Pipsico Scout Reservation and

Committee Member of Troop 375 and Troop 363.  She went on many weekend campouts and long term summer camps

with the Troops which led to being selected as a member of the Order of the Arrow.  She was also a member of the

training team, Kempsville Roundtable Staff and Director of the Webelos Leaders training for the last eight years. 

Pow-Wow's, University of Scouting and District Dinners, the list goes on.  Kathleen was always there to register you. 

Kathleen will be deeply missed in the Scouting family.

One cannot measure the lives she has touched but those that know her will remember her well deep with their hearts.

Here are three pictures of Kathleen.  As we said, she didn't like to take the spotlight but you can see that her warm smile

shines through regardless.

Mark Campbell

 Mark E. Campbell passed away October 13th 2009. He was born in Germany to Robert and Charity Campbell. He is a Vietnam Veteran, retired Virginia Beach Police Officer and an esteemed Boy Scout Leader. Those left to cherish his memory are a wife of 27 years Maeve Ryan-Campbell and his many children; Tracy of Albany, GA, Charity, Mark, Francis, Brian and Maeve of Virginia Beach, and William of Kingsville, TX. Grandchildren Peter, Robert, Breanne, Nicholas and Mikaylah. Best friend Virgil Hart. He also has two brothers Michael and Matthew Campbell of Virginia Beach. The memorial service was held and we thank everyone that could attend and those that could not attend we thank you for your prayers.

If love could have saved him, he never would have died.

Kermit C. Wood
 

The Tidewater Council wants to recognize troop 63, the leaders and the Scouts for having taken up the role of being the caretakers of Mr. Wood for the last fifteen years of his life.  It's great to know that when there is no one else around that can take care of you, that Scouts and Scouters will live up to the creed of "helping all other people at all times".  Mr. Wood's quality of life was substantially improved and without a doubt extended his many years.  What a great story and what a great example to have set for our entire community.

(Born July 18, 1919 and passed away on September 26, 2009 at the age of 90)

Kermit Wood, the affable Scouter around town, an Eagle Scout from 1937 and a lifetime member of the Scouting movement has passed on to the great reward on September 26, 2009.

Kermit started his Scouting life when he joined in 1931.  He earned his Eagle in 1937 with Troop 3 in Norfolk Virginia.  He has served as a Scoutmaster, an Assistant Scoutmaster and as an Explorer Advisor.  He has been the OA Lodge Advisor as well as advisor to his Order of the Arrow Chapter.  He also was a Vigil Member of the Order of the Arrow.

In 2002, Kermit was honored with the Silver Beaver Award, the council's highest award that it can bestow upon a person in the council's area.

Much can be said about Kermit.  He was well taken care of by his Boy Scout Troop 63.  For some time, Troop 63 and especially several of its members have taken time out of their personal lives to make sure that Kermit was well taken care of in his retirement.  The council salutes the troop for taking care of one of their members and living up to the ideals of Scouting in so doing.

Thank you for your prayers for Kermit.  Scouting was Kermit's family and we will miss him.

David S. Davies

David Davies was a life time Scout, an Eagle Scout, a retired professional Scouter, but always a Scout.  David passed away on September 14, 2009.  David was born on December 14, 1942.

David Davies, a retired professional staff passed away on September 14 in the early hours.

David's total tenure in Scouting exceeded fifty years.  One of his key advocacies was teaching regular kids about individuals with disabilities.  Since the time of the 80's David has led the charge at the national jamboree in terms of the disability awareness program.

David led the charge for many things.  Even when David seemed to be in the back minding his own business, he was helping to lead the charge. 

David's professional career included:

Many great things will be said about David in the days to come and he has left a world with individuals that can take up the charge for David.  Many are and will continue to do so.  He touched so many. 

Thank you for joining David's family in their time of need.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to them.

Nannette Edwards -

Cape Henry District scouter Nannette Edwards, lost her battle with cancer on August 23, 2009. She was most recently the Advancement Chair of Troop 777 after beginning her scouting career at Pack 62 when her sons, Alan and Tommy joined Cub Scouts.  Nannette worked in the Council store for a period of time before taking ill.
Arrangements have been made and are Monday, August 31, at 11am at Church of the Holy Family on Great Neck Road at First Colonial. 
Please keep the Edwards family in your thoughts and prayers.

Lillie Mae Williams -

Veteran Scouter Lillie Mae Williams, of pack and troop 102 passed away August 26.  She worked for many years insuring that boys from inner-city neighborhoods had the chance to be a Scout.  A celebration of her life will be on Monday, August 31 at 11am at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Berkley.

William A. Thompson, Jr.

March 1, 1941 to July 12, 2009 he was 68 years of age

Bill's service was held on July 16.  Both his visitation and his church service was very well attended.  The family wants to thank all of the units and individuals that graciously shared their food at Bill's service. 

Bill truly was a legend and a hero.  He did not ask for much, never wanted credit, but always set the highest example.  A Scouter's Scouter.  It would take a hundred people to fill Bill's shoes. 

William A. Thompson, Jr. or Bill as he was commonly referred to, was a great friend to all, devoted to his family, his community and everything that he touched.

We in Scouting were blessed with his presence.  He devoted a great deal of time to his Scouting passion and he served with distinction with everything that he touched.  Bill did so many things that it would be impossible to know exactly all the things he did over his life for Scouting.  I know that sounds like a cliche, but when you find out he was out doing three or four different Scouting things almost every night, while still attending to his architecture business, his family, his service club, his family farm, the Gregson Center OA Museum, the motorcycle races, his task as a unit commissioner, his role as a board member....and we are only touching the surface.....barely roughing the paint with a wet cloth.  Yet there is so much more as anyone in the Elizabeth River District would tell you especially the units that he worked with.

Bill was not a casual observer or participant in anything that he did.  When he came to do Scouting, he came to work, to support, and enjoy with you everything that was going on in the Scouting program. 

He wasn't afraid to lend his skills as an architect to the tasks at any Scouting project.  He designed most of the buildings at camp.  He helped build with his own hands a lot of the projects.  The climbing tower at camp saw Bill Thompson standing on the very top hammering away.  Bill didn't come alone to camp either, he brought all his business friends and people he had come to know over the years.  The knowledge of his business, coupled with his love of Scouting, and a deep passion to see Scouting prosper are echoed over and over.

Bill always had his camera handy.  He was not just a historian as something that needed to be done, he really was recording everything that he saw and did.  Like the picture taker he was, he was always happy to click and view the moment, but let the youth take the stage.  Bill was bigger than life to those of us that knew many of the things he did, but the one thing that always struck you, he always did his best, always kept his honor, was always well prepared, and you could find no one better to be your friend.

The Tidewater Council will miss Bill a lot but his service to youth will live on in the youth that he has touched.  AND, he touched a lot of them.

Bill Thompson with his wife "Kitty" and Kitty's Mom at the 2009 Elizabeth River District Dinner

Bill Thompson during his tenure as council president with Dan Wood

Bill Thompson working on the construction of the new well house.

D.W. "Si" Simons (80 years old)

A Salute from Si

(Si was involved in Scouting for seventy years from 1938 to 2008)

Si Simons with the then current Chief Scout executive Roy Williams at the National Jamboree in 2005.

Video courtesy of Boys' Life Magazine, and if Si were here, he would say: "Make sure everyone in your unit gets Boys' Life Magazine!"

It is with heavy heart that we have learned that Si Simons, a tower of a man in Scouting has passed away last night, October 24, 2008.  Si's resume in Scouting is so long that at this writing one can't give justice to his long and admirable record to Scouting.

• The family of Si Simons is very appreciative of the overwhelming support that you all showed towards their time of need and in honoring Si with your presence at his service.

• See Si's obituary as printed in the "Virginian-Pilot"

• Click here to see news on camp.  Si was always armed with a camera and took thousands upon thousands of photos.  He was always promoting and so in his honor, we are following his example by adding a few more pictures of camp.

Among the many positions he has held over the year, there appears to be three great stand outs.  His service of nearly fifty years as a Roundtable commissioner; his devotion to the Eagle rank and Eagle recognition dinner; and his overwhelming love for the Pipsico Scout Reservation.

When you go into camp, one can see the many works of Si Simons, they are everywhere from the Gregson Center to the Barn to the staff cabins in Camp Lions.  Si is the person most often cited as changing the summer camp from Kiwanis to Camp Lions.  Si also served as the summer camp director in an emergency one year.

Si was the builder of the tower along with many other Scouters in 1999.  If you do the math, he was just over 70 years of age, working side by side with many Scouters.  The materials for the tower came from a grass roots efforts from all of the units in the council and under Si's leadership the climbing tower was finished. 

Here is a picture of Si on one of the many long work days building the tower in 1999.

Progress towards building the tower in 1999

The finished Tower

Yet there was one project at camp that Si always wanted to complete.  In 2008, the executive board of the Tidewater Council, announced that Si was to chair the "Barn Project".  This project was to stabilize the barn's structure, renew all of its integrity as a structure and prepare it for many potential uses. 

This was the last project that Si was working on at the time of his passing.  Without a doubt Si talked and worked on many things, but the barn remains and always was, the project that he wanted to accomplish above everything else.

More photos of camp.  Just the way Si would have liked it, filled up with boys and all having fun.

A boat on the way to the boat float race.

Bounce house fun at camp

More fun on the bounce house

And if you show up at the Veterans' Day Parade, you can march where Si has marched many a time.

Once an Eagle always an Eagle, Si ubiquitous at Eagle recognition dinners

One can see Si walking along the gray sandy beaches of camp.

Let's all join in prayer for Si and know that he was well prepared to meet his maker.  There is no doubt his life was filled with good works.

*****

Larry Asby

Larry Asby, 67, passed away Aug. 9, 2008,  after a courageous battle with emphysema.   Born in Plymouth, N.C., he was the son of the late Harold Edison Asby and Belia Mae Asby. Larry was a U.S. Marine and served two tours in Vietnam. He later retired from the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves after 30 years of service. He devoted much of his life to the Boy Scouts of America, where he served on the Tidewater Council, earned the distinguished Silver Beaver Award, and mentored many young men to become Eagle Scouts. He also received the Vigil Award, Order of the Arrow, District Award of Merit and the Elizabeth River Service Award numerous times. He was Commissioner of the Year, an original starter of the Webeloree, Legends of Council, assistant Scout master for Troop No. 6 and No. 413 and assistant district commissioner for the Elizabeth River Council.
    Larry is survived by two adult children, Dawn M. McElroy and husband Brian of Pensacola, Fla., and Benjamin H. Asby and wife Lisa of Chesapeake and their mother, Patti Pluess of Chesapeake; three grandchildren, Patrick, Patricia “P.J.” and Colton; brothers, Earl Asby, Homer Asby and John Al Asby; sisters, Brenda Wright and Linda Collins; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
    The graveside service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Wednesday in Woodlawn Memorial Gardens. The Rev. Charles L. Moseley will officiate.
    The viewing will begin today with the family receiving friends from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Great Bridge Chapel of Oman Funeral Home & Crematory, 653 Cedar Road, Chesapeake.
    In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Tidewater Council, Boy Scouts of America, 1032 Heatherwood Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23455. Friends are invited to send condolences and sign the online guestbook at

www.omanfh.com.

"Charlie" Charles L. Glanville

It is with deep sadness to inform you that board member, Charles Glanville, passed away this past Sunday, May 25, 2008.  His obituary is in Tuesday's edition of the Virginian-Pilot paper.  Service was tomorrow, Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at Great Bridge Baptist Church, 640 S. Battlefield Blvd., Chesapeake. 

Mr. Glanville first joined Scouting in 1927 as a Boy Scout with Troop 27 at James Monroe Elementary School in Norfolk, Virginia.  Over the past 80 years, he has received numerous awards to include the Silver Antelope and Silver Beaver.  He was instrumental in forming the religious committee for Baptists in Scouting representing Virginia and later becoming President of the National Baptist Program.  He has served as the Vice President as well as President of Area One from the Commonwealth of Virginia.  His tenure has additionally included South East Region Board Vice President and in the 80’s he was a member of the National Engineering Committee which helped build the National Camp at Fort A. P. Hill.  He was Tidewater Council President from 1973-1975.

The highest award a district can earn in the Tidewater Council is called the Charlie Glanville award.  It's based on producing results.  Charlie was a man dedicated to the principles of Scouting and securing results for youth.  At one point during his presidency in the Tidewater Council, Charlie signed a note using his own funds, to make sure that the Tidewater Council, Boy Scouts of America could still operate.