Leela H. White
June 15, 1944—March 3—2020
Denver Rotary Club 31 Member – 18 years
“Machine Shops—Sales, Marketing”

Compiled by Carolyn Smith and read by Jim Mack, April 15, 2021

Fellow Rotarians and guests, we have lost a loyal member of the Denver Rotary Club.  We pause today in memory of our friend and fellow Rotarian, Leela Hohmann White.

Lee died after a fall at home on March 3, 2020 with her devoted family gathered around.

Lee was the youngest of four daughters born to Lee and Irene Hohmann in Denver on June 15,1944.  Her father, also Lee, had immigrated from France to become a businessman and restauranteur in Denver.

Lee was a mountain girl.  When she was five, her Dad purchased a cabin on 13 acres in the foothills west of Denver.  So that Lee could get to school and to see her friends, her parents bought her a horse, Prince.  Her parents fostered the independence that characterized her life and created the strong character that we came to know and love.

Lee attended the one room school near her home until Ralston Elementary was completed in 1955.  At aged 10, she rode the three miles to the new school.  Prince was content during the day in the corral built by the school for the horses of many of the young students.  Lee went on to Golden High School and Colorado Women’s College where she studied Business and Business Law.

Lee met Jim White, the man who would become her husband, in the summer of 1959 at a party in the mountains near her home. She was only 14 but, even at that young age, she decided she would be Mrs. Jim White someday.  Sure enough, while still college students, they were married five years later on August 31, 1963.

Jim completed his degree as Engineer at Colorado School of Mines and Lee finished her Associate in Arts Degree at CWC while still newlyweds.  They moved often those first post college years after Jim joined Shell Oil Company and then served as an officer in the Army Corps of Engineers.  Their twin sons, Scott and Eric, were born at Fort Belvoir, Virginia in 1966.

The family returned to Denver in 1968.  Jim resumed his job with Shell for a couple of years until joining his father in the family businesses: Denver Air Machinery Company and Denver Machine Shop, Inc.  Lee was recruited to help run those businesses as Sales and Marketing VP and eventually became Jim’s business partner and the co-owner of Denver Machine Shop.  I remember the considerable pride Lee displayed when introducing me to the Shop some years ago.  Each of the employees in turn had only praise for her and her importance to the company’s success particularly during the tough times of the 1980s.

Lee kept quiet about the constant severe pain she suffered from scoliosis and the surgeries that were the result.  She had 17 vertebrae fused in five separate operations beginning when she was 30 years old.  Somehow, she continued the annual family tradition to cut down their Christmas tree.  And she loved hiking with friends and family members despite continuous pain.  Typically concerned about others with the same condition rather than herself, she started and continued to lead the support group, “People for Scoliosis”.

Lee was a devoted mother and grandmother.  Their daughter, Tanya, was born in Denver in 1972 on the birthday of her six-year-old twin brothers.  Lee was proud that her three children completed college and were married before she 50 years old.  In her later years, she devoted her love and attention to her six grandchildren: JB, Aleece, Heather Lee, Kevin, April and Victoria.  They loved her in return.  Lee’s happiest moments were when the family was all together.

To say that Lee was a member of Denver Rotary for 18 years is a bit misleading.  She was an active Rotary wife for 30 additional years attending District and International Conventions and joining Jim in his many Rotary fund raising and other Club activities.  I introduced Lee to become a member of Denver Rotary in her own right in March of 2001.  As a member, she continued her mentorship for the High School Scholarship Awards, Denver Kids, and she supported students in Rotary exchange programs.  She was a Denver Rotary Club Foundation Fellow and The Rotary Foundation Paul Harris Fellow +1.

We express deepest sympathy to Jim, Eric and Steph, Scott and Laura, Tanya and Eric and JB, Aleece, Heather Lee, Kevin, April and Victoria.

We miss Lee.  She brought a special spirit to every greeting.  The day was always brighter for each contact with her.

This Resolution was accepted by a standing vote of the members of The Rotary Club of Denver and others at the Warwick Hotel and on Zoom on April 15, 2021.

PHIL PANKEY
June 23, 1929 – September 14, 2020
“Medical and Dental Billing”

Compiled and read by Steve Mast, November 12, 2020

Good afternoon family members of Phil Pankey, fellow Rotarians and guests.  We pause today to present this Memorial Resolution in memory and celebration of the life of our friend and fellow Rotarian, Phil Pankey.

Let me first recognize the family members and friends of Phil’s who have joined us today – Phil’s son Ralph Pankey, his wife Susan and daughter Tori, of Windsor, CO.  Phil’s daughter Jill Pankey Scheer and her husband Scott, of Littleton.  Scott’s father has been a long-time member of the Littleton Rotary Club.  Also joining us is our good friend Bob Martin who is a member and Past President of the Highlands Ranch Rotary Club.  Bob and his wife, our dearly departed Past President Sue Fox, were longtime friends of Phil’s.  As a matter of fact, Phil introduced Sue to our Club.

Phil was born in Harrisburg, Illinois.  He graduated from the University of Colorado with a B.S. in 1951 and an M.S. in 1956.  And on this Veteran’s day celebration it should be noted that Phil served in the Navy from 1953 to 1958 and as a Lieutenant Commander in the Naval Reserve until 1977.

He joined the Denver Rotary Club in 1958.  Phil was the founder, owner and President of the Medical Administration Company, a billing and accounting service for doctors and dentists. He sold his company in 1976.

In looking through Phil’s membership file I wasn’t surprised to see recommendation letters for Phil describing him as “a young man of sterling character and pleasing personality” & “a young, successful and very industrious worker on anything to which he sets his mind”.  And the Credit Bureau report that the Club got from the Associated Credit Bureaus of America stated that the “subject is well regarded by all informants”.  And I was pleased to see that he paid his “admission fee” of $100 and his first quarter’s dues of $25.96.

As many of you remember, in August 2018 we celebrated Phil’s 60 years of perfect attendance. Phil remained a member of Club 31 even after moving to Mexico where he actively participated and made up missed meetings at the Rotary Club of Manzanillo.

Of course, he could not celebrate 60 years of perfect attendance without first celebrating his 50-year anniversary with the Club in May 2008. Phil was a member of Rotary for a total of 62 years, was a Denver Rotary Club Foundation Fellow, a Rotary Foundation Paul Harris Fellow +1, and a contributor to our Club’s Centennial Project, The Player statue outside Coors Field. He was also a Club Board Director and a Club Secretary for President Pres Smith. In addition to serving on the Club board, Phil was also a board member for the Denver Athletic Club and was instrumental in forming our 35+ year meeting location with them.

In addition to Phil’s love and commitment to Rotary, he was also committed to the people and small businesses of Colorado when he served as the State representative for House District 38, Littleton from 1983 to 1998. During his tenure, Phil received the Law-Maker of the Year Award by For the Record Publication (1996), the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Guardian of Small Business Award (1998), and in 2009 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Denver Athletic Club…just to name a few.  During one of his award presentations, it was mentioned, “Phil was chosen for his dedicated work standing up on behalf of the average citizen and against special interests”.  I met Phil through Denver Rotary.  When he was a House Representative, I fondly remember him hosting Darlene’s and my kids, Brian and Lauren on the House floor.  Phil let them sit in “his chair” and explained the political process to them both.

It was an honor to have known Phil and witnessed his dedication to Rotary and the good things we can do. He will be dearly missed by Rotary, in the Denver and the Manzanillo communities.

Madam President and fellow Rotarians, I move for the adoption of this Resolution for Phil Pankey by a standing vote of the membership and others present.

This Resolution was accepted by a standing vote of the members of
The Rotary Club of Denver and others via Zoom on November 12, 2020.​​​​​​​