Clarence Buurman

On July 31, 2009, Clarence Buurman turned 94. The Rotary Club of Simpsonville sang Happy Birthday to him at their meeting on Wednesday.

It has not been an easy year for Clarence. His wife of more than 65 years passed away in May and Clarence has had some health issues of his own. However, he was at my Installation Banquet and at my official visit to Simpsonville on Wednesday. I sat down with him after the meeting.

Clarence is one of the great stories of 7750, and to really tell it requires understanding some dimensions of Clarence beyond Rotary.

First, he had an outstanding professional career with Emery Industries. His title at the time he became District Governor in 1979 was Vice President and Operations Manager at the company’s Mauldin, SC plant. He has a PhD in Chemistry and was active in many professional organizations. He is a Fellow in the American Institute of Chemists. He spent 17 years on the Board of the Greenwood Genetic Center.

Second, his wife Jean had her own incredible service record with Meals on Wheels, the Literacy Association, PTAs, Garden Clubs and her church. They raised four children and now have 10 grandchildren. If that wasn’t busy enough, they would virtually always have a youth exchange student living with or visiting the house. Clarence served for 17 years as Chairman of Youth Exchange. Over 700 Youth Exchange students from 18 countries have been in the Buurman’s home.

Third, Rotary was not his only community service. He was on the Board and Vice President for the Blue Ridge Council of the Boy Scouts. He was the Founding Chairman of Junior Achievement in Greenville. He was also on the Board of the United Way and the Greenville Chamber of Commerce. .

Clarence became a Rotarian in 1965 at the Rotary Club of Linden, NJ. He was Plant Manager of a Chemical Plant and was expected to join Rotary. When he was transferred to SC in1970, he joined the Rotary Club of Simpsonville. He served his club his club well and in 1979, became District Governor during Rotary’s 75th Anniversary.

Clarence points out that as of April 30, 1979, the District had a total of 32 Paul Harris Fellows and only 8 sustaining members. Today, Simpsonville alone has inducted 63 Paul Harris Fellows. Clarence was #3.

After his retirement, he became more active in international work, working through Rotary and his son-in-law’s International Christian Ministries. Clarence had some level of active involvement on all of the following projects.

· 1987 – Church, School and Training center in Kenya. Clarence worked with the people to convert an old building with no windows, doors or furniture into a useful community building. With help from the Simpsonville Club, they replaced doors and windows and made 30 benches for people to sit on instead of the dirt floor.
· 1989 – Kenya. Built a temporary first aid building since there was no medical clinic for 18 miles.
· 1990 – Project Tools, Kenya. Clarence and District 7750 helped the Nakuru Polytech Training Center to procure tools for the building. The District Governor from Ethiopia came for the Ceremony.
· 1994 – Digging 35 foot well for clean water, Kenya. There was no pump and water had to be lifted in a basket. Installed a pump in 1998. (In 2007, the pump failed and they are back to lifting water in a basket.)
· Kenya. Converted an abandoned building into a medical clinic and an orphanage for boys whose parents had died of AIDS. There was also a sewing training center for young women.
· 1999-200 1– Converted a school dormitory to a regional conference center. There was no meeting place within a radius of 50 miles. Both the President of Kenya and the President of Uganda visited the center.
· 1998 – 2002. – Solar cooking project. District 7750 worked with the Nairobi East Rotary Club on an educational project to demonstrate the potential of cooking with the Sun. Clarence took the Solar Cookers with him.
· 2003 – 2005. Worked with Ralph Byrd and Charles Warne on various Haiti farm and water projects.

Most memorable Moments as District Governor: a joint meeting of 7750 and 7770 in Columbia to recognize Governor Richard Riley as a Paul Harris Fellow. District Conference at the Grove Park Inn with past RI President Charles Keller was in attendance.

Most memorable Service: Visits to Kenya, fording rivers in a Jeep.

Awards: Silver Beaver, Boy Scouts of American
Jefferson Award, WYFF TV
Friend of Education, Greenville County Education Association
Distinguished Service to Mankind, Northwestern College
Service Above Self Award, Rotary International
Order of the Palmetto, given by Governor Campbell
(Jean Buurman also received the Order of the Palmetto from Governor Hodges

Favorite Drink: Bracer
1/3 Canadian Mist
1/3 Sweet Vermouth
1/3 Southern Comofrt
Splash of Bitters
Orange Slice

On behalf of Rotarians everywhere, happy birthday, Clarence. We hope you have many more.