SHELBYVILLE, IL. — Shelbyville as well as Shelby County lost a true friend and strong advocate on Thursday, September 2, 2010.  Former mayor and school board member and what many residents called Mr. Shelbyville, Lowell Goleman passed on.  (See obituary Saturday, September 4 Daily Union.)

The opinion article below was written on May 30, 2006.  The Daily Union has chosen to rerun this article in tribute to one of the greatest men I have ever had the privilege to know.  I had never seen Lowell get aggravated with anyone in all the years I knew him but he was upset with me for writing this article.  He was such a humble man. He shunned praise and the spotlight and this article did not help that situation.  But I like to think he eventually was pleased that it was written.  I know his many friends and family were very happy to see his story in print.

A True Gentleman and a Scholar

Often times people in the newspaper business have to report bad news.  Whether it be about murder trials, child molesters, serious financial problems with local governments, I have seen days when I shake my head and wonder what the world is becoming.  However, there are times when I have the opportunity to report good news, created by good people who care.  Those are the fun stories.

That is what this story is about, a really good person who has devoted his life’s work to making our little piece of the world a better place to live.  A man who has the intelligence, wit,  compassion and perseverance to truly effect change.  A man who embodies the phrase, “a gentleman and a scholar”.

This man has served the City of Shelbyville and the entire county with his tireless efforts to improve life for everyone around him.  He has personally used more of his own finances to get projects off the ground then he should.  I have known this man since I first arrived in Shelbyville five years ago, and I have never heard him say a bad word about anyone.

Whether he is taking on a huge project like being Mayor of Shelbyville, or a small project like making signs for the city entrances recognizing different people with his “Shelbyville The Home of”.  (He once confided in me that he would guess he has volunteered over a thousand hours on the “Shelbyville Home of” project.) He has worked tirelessly to make this small town a better community.

His Eternal Flame project will burn long after we are all gone, silently standing vigil to honor the men and women who have served their country and their county.  This was one of the projects I believe he was the proudest.  In my mind that Eternal Flame will always remind me of him.    

As you have probably guessed by now I am referring to Mr. James Lowell Goleman, a modest and humble man who has touched more lives then this article can ever cover.  Being such an unboastful person, there is probably much most people don’t know about Lowell Goleman.

Lowell and his beautiful wife, Wilma will celebrate 57 years of marriage in September.  They raised four daughters and when Wilma’s sister died they raised her daughter.  They have eight grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.

Lowell was a freshman at the University of Illinois when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.   He finished his freshman year and then joined the military.  After the service he finished his schooling at Eastern and graduated from Bradley University, with a degree in Industrial Engineering.  Lowell retired from  Bondware Company as the Manager of Engineering in 1989.

Lowell  served three years during World War II in B-29 Bombers on the Pacific Islands of Guam, Tinian and Saipan.  He served with a newly developed radar unit designed primarily to bomb Tokyo from high altitudes.

Besides serving 10 years as mayor of Shelbyville, he has served 5 years on the Chamber of Commerce, 9 years on the Shelbyville School Board, organized and directed a Youth Center for 12 years, was Crusade Chairman for the American Cancer Society (5 county area) for 5 years, United Way Chairman of Shelby County 3 years, Hour House Board (Drug and Alcohol Rehab Center of Eastern-Central Illinois) 18 years, Board of Shelby County Community Services for 14 years.  

He has taken on such projects as the Mini Park in downtown Shelbyville, the New Welcome Signs to the city, Heinlein Drive Extension, the Memorial to Mrs. Cochran (Dishwasher Invention) as well as the Eternal Flame, and now the flags representing all the communities in Shelby County.

To this day government leaders, city officials and the everyday man in Shelbyville sings his praises.  

Present Shelbyville Mayor Gary Crowder said “He always places others above himself and he is always looking for ways to make this community a better place to live.  He is very proud of the young people and he wants everyone to succeed and to be able to say their hometown is a place they fondly remember as they grow older.”

Shelby County Clerk and Recorder Kathy Lantz  said, “Lowell Goleman is like the Energizer Bunny--He just keeps going!  Shelbyville is very fortunate to have someone like Mr. Goleman who always has a new idea in the works to promote the area.”

Former Mayor Bill Shoaff fondly remembers all the happy hours he spent at the Shelbyville Youth Center that Lowell and Wilma organized and ran for years.

Lowell will probably not be happy that I have written this article about him.  Like all the truly magnanimous people I have known, who are noble of heart and mind, he would much rather stand in the shadows and let someone else get the glory and honors.  But I cannot help myself, Lowell Goleman is one of the most honorable persons I have ever known, and I would be remiss if I didn’t get up on my soapbox and shout it.

When you see Lowell Goleman, take a minute and thank him for all the wonderful work he has done for the area.  He is truly a gentleman and a scholar.