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A SALUTE TO OUR DEDICATED ALUMNI
Merit Citation Award Recipients John Wilson
Every two years in conjunction with Supreme Chapter, the National Council of Pi Kappa Phi has the honor of selecting the recipients of the Merit Citation Award. This award goes to a very select group of brothers who have shown great loyalty, dedication, and unselfishness in working with their fraternity. In all, only 108 brothers have received the award since it was first given in 1934. This year seven individuals have been awarded the Merit Citation Award for their outstanding service to Pi Kappa Phi. John Cullum Wilson was initiated into Eta Chapter at Emory University in 1926. While keeping involved with a busy career as Executive Vice-President of the American Red Cross, he has always had time for Pi Kappa Phi. He has served the National Fraternity unselfishly as National Treasurer, National Vice-President, and as a Trustee to the Pi Kappa Phi Foundation. In 1977, he was extended the fraternity's highest honor, being named Mr. Pi Kappa Phi for that year. It is fitting that John Wilson be recognized for his meritorious service to Pi Kappa Phi with the Merit Citation Award. The success of many chapters over a period of time is often due to the continuous contributions of concerned alumni. Some chapters are fortunate to have alumni benefactors who keep coming back to share their physical and financial resources. The Lambda Chapter at the University of Georgia is lucky to have such an alumnus. Floyd Leroy Langston, Lambda '50, has financed and supervised numerous renovations and additions to the Lambda Chapter house. Readily providing both labor and materials to the chapter, Leroy has been an inspiration to all the members of the Lambda Chapter. A perfect example of an alumnus who gives back to his chapter to insure that a positive fraternity experience continues, Leroy Langston is a deserving recipient of the Merit Citation Award.
Ernest Stanhope DeLaney, Jr., Mu Duke University '38, for several years has been active with the alumni in the city of Charlotte, North Carolina. He has served as a legal advisor to the relocation of the Administrative Office to Charlotte and for the purchasing of the various headquarters buildings in Charlotte, North Carolina. He has served two terms as National Chancellor for Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity. Since going off the National Council, he has continued to serve as legal advisor both to the Administrative Office and the National Council. For his invaluable service, Ernest DeLaney receives the Merit Citation Award. Earl Drais Layman is an alumnus initiate (1958) of Alpha Iota Chapter at Auburn University. There he served as Chapter Advisor for several years. Upon relocating to Knoxville, Tennessee, he became Chapter Advisor for Alpha Sigma Chapter and served in that capacity during some very tumultuous years. The stability he offered was the success factor for the continued survival and current success of that chapter. He later moved to Seattle, Washington, and while there was instrumental in the reactivation of Alpha Delta Chapter following which he'served as Chapter Advisor for that group. During the difficult years of the early 70s, the chapter charter was lost; but Earl continued his efforts and has been instrumental in frequent alumni meetings in Seattle, Washington, maintaining a high degree of interest level on the part of alumni in that area. We show our appreciation to Earl Layman with the Merit Citation Award. Every chapter goes through cycles with good years and not so good years. Some, unfortunately, go through such troubled times that the chapter's very existence is threatened. When the Alpha Tau Chapter at Rensselaer Polytechnic had that problem in the early 70s, they were fortunate to have Gordon Barnes Wright, Alpha Tau '55, who virtually
Ernest DeLaney, Jr.
saved the chapter from a very difficult time. He served as Chapter Advisor for several years and now serves on the Alumni Housing Corporation. Gordon Wright's constant concern and effort for his chapter has made him one of the key individuals in making Alpha Tau the successful chapter it is today and has also made him a Merit Citation Award recipient. James Burton Beal, Jr., Gamma Omega '72, has been the Chapter Advisor of Gamma Omega Chapter since it was chartered in 1971. He has maintained a constant level of activity that has helped the chapter grow and prosper. He has also been in charge of that chapter's total housing arrangements for that entire period of time. Jim Beal has single-handedly directed the efforts of the alumni association of that chapter. Through his efforts, funds were borrowed from the Omicron Club for the initial purchase of the present chapter home. He has been instrumental in the
Birds of a feather... In 1943 two Pi Kapps stopped in front of their Officers' Club for a picture which later became the cover for the STAR AND LAMP (above). First Lieutenant Cornelius (Corky) Smith (left) and First Lieutenant Robert Peters were then stationed in the Southwest Pacific. Lieutenant Smith was a flying officer and Lieutenant Peters was a ground officer in the same group squadron. Nearly forty years later the 80th Fighter Squadron, known as the "Headhunters" had a reunion at Cocoa Beach, Florida. Corky Smith and "Salty" Peters posed for a newer, but similar picture. Both now retired Air Force Colonels, Smith lives in Columbia, South Carolina, and Peters lives in Indian Harbor Beach, Florida.
Leroy Langston
Earl Layman
chapter's continued survival and success on his campus and becomes the first Merit Citation Award recipient from Gamma Omega. Few alumni of any fraternity can claim the extent of involvement in their fraternity as this Merit Citation Award recipient. Pi Kappa Phi is honored to recognize Theodore Anthony Scharfenstein, Jr., Beta Beta '58, for his numerour activities and contributions. After graduating from Florida Southern he went to work for Pi Kappa Phi as a field secretary and eventually became Assistant Executive Director. Through the years he has served in many capacities including Chapter Advisor, Area Governor, National Vice-President and National President. He has been Pi Kappa Phi's representative to the National Interfraternity Conference and has participated in the chartering of fifteen Pi Kapp Chapters. Ted has most recently been serving his fraternity as a Trustee to the Pi Kappa Phi Foundation.
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