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Essentials in
History
Society Past President Gil Lefholz Dead At 74
Friend Jim Bagby shares an appreciation of a great leader of the Society.
Updated: 2/25/2005 5:07:00 PM
By Jim Bagby
We'll remember him as a leader, jovial, loyal, passionate about his hobby and his family, an administrator at every level, a barrel-chested bass of the first order and most of all, dedicated.
But I suspect if you asked Gil Lefholz how he wanted most to be remembered, he'd say "quartet singer." I know that's what he said a few years back, because I picked his brain when I was once asked to do a Harmony College keynote address about quartetting. Gil spent much of his 50-year SPEBSQSA career having his brain picked, because he had so much to contribute.
The man who had the rare distinction of being a two-term president of the Barbershop Harmony Society, on top of so many other offices even he couldn't list them all, recalled his years with the Central States District champion "Kippers" as among his most satisfying experiences. He went on at length about the shows, afterglows, the travels, the people they met, the camaraderie with his quartet brothers, the USO tour and the Kenny Gabler stories that left everyone within earshot laughing until the tears rolled.
We in Kansas City owe Gil more than most because he was one of our most successful membership vice presidents, helping HOA rise into the modern-day ranks of the Century Chapters. From there he became chapter president, CSD president, Society Board Member and then SPEBSQSA president from 1984-87. He remained on various Society committees for another dozen years, and kept his hand in even after that, dispensing advice via telephone and e-mail. And he sang actively with the chorus most of those years, enjoying our district and international success. He chaired or co-chaired two international conventions here and was adviser for a third.
His lung disease and related health problems took their toll the past year or so, and he seldom ventured out, especially after his beloved Donna died last February. But when the chapter created the Joe Stern Lifetime Achievement Award and named him the first recipient, he agreed to strap on an extra oxygen tank and attend the installation/awards ceremony barely six weeks ago, with daughter Kim wheeling him out in style. I hope you were among almost 150 chapter members on hand for that glorious Jan. 8 evening and the brilliant presentation by Gil's good friend and our fellow chapter member, Society Historian David Krause.
Gil was a native of Grand Pass, about 70 miles northeast of Kansas City and not far from where the Lefholz family for years operated an apple orchard. Gil worked 36 years as a maintenance inspector at TWA's KCI overhaul base, before retiring in 1992. He died Feb. 21 at age 74.
Kim requested three songs at Gil's memorial service. About 50 members of the HOA Chorus sang "Friends." A quartet composed of Krause, Mark and John Fortino and Matt Moore did "The Lord's Prayer." And from Gil's aunt's piano bench, arranged by Gil's lifelong good friend, Greg Lyne, "On the Farm in Old Missouri" was sung by the quartet it was arranged for, Rural Route 4.
Rest well, old friend.
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