This week's speaker is Tom Esselman, President, Historic West Bottoms.
Tom Esselman is from Kansas City, where, for 22 years, he was an executive with Hallmark Cards, taking early retirement to begin working in the nonprofit arena. He has led Connecting For Good, and PCs for People KC, both nonprofits dedicated to affordable devices and digital services for low income communities. Since 2024, Tom has been leading DPO-KC, focused on assisting both local civic and philanthropic organizations, and local nonprofits with support for digital access programs and services. Tom also co-chairs the Anchors for Digital Opportunity national policy group of SHLB (Schools, Health, Libraries Broadband Coalition). Tom serves as President of the Historic West Bottoms Association, advocating for the adaptive reuse and development of one of the Kansas City area’s oldest and most historically significant neighborhoods. Tom’s wife Mary is President and CEO of Operation Breakthrough, serving hundreds of Kansas City’s most vulnerable children and families. Tom is a graduate of Georgetown University and the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. Tom and Mary have 4 kids and (so far) 9 grandkids.
President Tim Tholen welcomed all to the Club with the Camp for Kids at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. We stood for the Pledge of Allegiance. Then, dispensing with the normal battery of announcements, Pat Bolin, Chair of the Memorial Committee, took the podium and commenced our annual Memorial Meeting with an invocation. A moment of silence took place in honor of recently-departed Club 13 member, Alan Warne.
Remembrances of three Club members were then eloquently presently. Jim Porter began by reverently sharing thoughts regarding past Club President, Woody Davis, who passed on December 7, 2024, at the age of 93 years. Woody was the consummate servant leader having served as President in no less than nine civic and professional organizations to which he belonged. Besides forging a highly successful career as a business and estate planning attorney in private law firms bearing his name, Woody served in the military and clerked for Charles Whitaker on the U.S. Supreme Court. Woody’s love of music, traveling, and scrapbooking, and his legendary sense of humor, never tired. Perhaps Woody’s greatest legacy was his marriage to Louise and their children, our own Past President Tom Davis, and two daughters.
Pat Bolin then shared remarks regarding Ed Knisley whose wife, Gloria, and two daughters were in attendance. Ed passed away on December 24, 2024, at the age of 90 years. In 1970, he and Gloria started a Lanier dictation equipment dealership, Electronic Office Systems, which is still in business today despite all the changes in technology over the years. Ed was an affable guy who listened more than he talked. His quiet demeanor belied his love of adventure which often took the form of water sports, including scuba diving, water skiing, sailing, and power boat racing. Ed was also a woodworker and a private pilot. Pat saw Ed as “dynamic, yet understated; accomplished, but humble.” He was comfortable among his nuclear and Rotary families, and Club members were comfortable around Ed.
Lastly, Rev. George Gordon, presented remarks regarding Bill Kort who passed away on February 27, 2025, at the age of 78 years. George did his homework on Bill, who he had only seen from across the room at Rotary meetings. George remarked that Bill “always looked like a guy you could trust,” and his investigation of Bill’s life supported that conclusion. Bill was involved in many civic organizations and was a family man, a theme among all of those memorialized today. Rabbi Michael Zedek paid Bill two of the highest compliments a person of the Jewish faith could be paid: he was a “real mensch” and an “ish tov” meaning he was a good and rare person of integrity genuinely concerned about others and the world. Bill, a stockbroker, was instrumental in developing an investment strategy for funds under the stewardship of the Kansas City Rotary Club Foundation. According to Phil Kinney, he helped stabilize the Foundation’s investment plan and gave sound investment advice. According to Marc Horner, he could explain investment strategy in simple terms which all could understand. Sally Bibb defined Bill as the “right kind of Yes Man” who would always say “yes” when called upon to assist the Foundation, the Camp, or the Club.
Pat Bolin then read a poem and President Tim led us in in the Four Way Test and the meeting was adjourned.
Dr. Alan Warne passed away peacefully in Kansas City, Missouri, at the age of 79.
Born in South Dakota on August 24, 1945, to Maynard and Ione Warne, Alan dedicated his life to education, international relations, and public service.
He earned a degree in Political Science and Economics from Arizona State University and began his career working with international students. He served as a foreign student advisor and later as Director of International Student Affairs at the University of Kentucky. His professional journey also took him to Temple University in Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Council for International Visitors, where he continued his commitment to global education and outreach.
Alan later relocated to Kansas City, serving as CEO of Programs at People to People International and then as Associate Director for Program Development at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Throughout his career, he was known for his strategic mind, his ability to identify opportunities for growth, and his dedication to moving projects forward.
Honest, thoughtful, and always willing to lend a hand, Alan was admired for his intelligence, integrity, and unique perspective. He was a remarkable and engaging man who valued education deeply.
He is survived by his wife, Dr. Joan Caulfield; his children, Alan Warne Jr. (Christy), Andrea White; six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; his sister, Jane (Joe), and many extended family and friends.
A funeral service will be held at Ward Parkway Presbyterian Church at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 10.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Ward Parkway Presbyterian Church, Kingswood Senior Living Community, or Rockhurst University in Alan’s memory.
Our first group this summer was Kansas City Indian Center. They have been coming to the camp for 44 years! It was a fantastic week to be at the Rotary Youth Camp!!!
BAGEL RUN VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
We need volunteers for July 5 and July 26.
I have created a Bagel Run Google Spreadsheet that everyone can access and edit (just type your name in the Volunteer column). It is for the entire year, so feel free to sign up beyond the next two months. Click this link to sign up.
Dr. Alan Warne passed away peacefully in Kansas City, Missouri, at the age of 79.
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