Celebrating Lambda Chi’s Legends & Leaders
by Sean Cox • March 2009 • 6 Comments •
Editor’s Note: The following contains excerpts from: 1992 Cross & Crescent, 2008 Cross & Crescent, and an interview with former Grand High Alpha Rev. S. George “Doc†Dirghalli (Florida 1950).
Lewis A. Plourd (Butler 1949) began service to the General Fraternity in 1950-51, when he served as a traveling secretary (today called ELC) for special visitations. He served both on Lambda Chi Alpha’s Board of Directors (Grand High Kappa 1964-66, Grand High Delta 1966-68, Grand High Beta 1968-70, and Grand High Alpha 1970-74) and the Educational Foundation Board of Directors (Secretary 1977-78). Plourd also was a member of the Executive Committee of the National Interfraternity Conference from 1975 until his untimely death in 1978.
Lew was born on March 5, 1925, in Frenchville, Maine, a French-speaking hamlet bordering Quebec, where he graduated from Madawaska High School. He learned English “the hard way†when he entered the Army Air Corps. After entering the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1943, he trained at Miami Beach and Butler University and was an instructor pilot after three years of service. Plourd returned to Butler and earned his undergraduate degree in physics/chemistry in 1949. At that time, he also was initiated into Lambda Chi Alpha. He both organized and was president of the Philosophy and the Flying Clubs at Butler in addition to being a member of the Commerce Club. He served Alpha-Alpha Zeta as house manager and as chapter secretary.
Professionally, Lew was an attorney in El Centro, California, although he variously engaged in enterprises such as real estate investor, national truck sales investor/exporter, Imperial Valley produce farm owner, rancher, cattle feeder, restaurant owner/operator, and Salton Sea State Park concession owner/operator. During the Korean conflict, Plourd was recalled to three years of active duty as the personal pilot for Gen. James Van Fleet. Afterward, he earned his law degree from the University of Southern California and practiced law in El Centro. He was later admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Service and Stewardship
Lew Plourd personified service and stewardship within the Fraternity. In an interview, Rev. S. George “Doc†Dirghalli (Florida 1950), remembered a story that exemplifies the graciousness of Lew:
“The fraternity was not well paid; George W. Spasyk (Michigan 1949) and I earned $125 a month. That’s how we started, Cyril F. “Duke†Flad (Wittenberg 1940) probably didn’t make much more than that when he started. Duke could not afford a new car. It was Lew who said, ‘Duke, you are going to spend $2,000 on a car that’s used, let me slip you this one grand so you can buy a new one. You deserve a new car.’ That was Lew. He would have said it in a quieter way than I just did. He was generous; with his time, his talent, and his treasure.â€
As Dirghalli expressed, Plourd was not just gracious with his “treasure,†but he was also generous with his time and his talent. He dedicated years of service to the betterment of the Fraternity, and during his tenure as Grand High Alpha, he was instrumental in supporting Fraternity Education.
A Bridge Builder
Not long after Plourd returned from the Korean conflict, he got married. While Lew had a passion for Lambda Chi Alpha, his wife could not understand why he dedicated so much of his time and efforts to the Fraternity. Plourd would try to explain to her how much he loved the Fraternity and how he wanted to keep making the experience better for current and future members, but she could not grasp his passion.
Lewis Plourd truly was a bridge builder for the Fraternity. While he easily could have enjoyed his undergraduate experience and moved on, he stayed involved and paved the way for the Fraternity into the 20th century. When Lew became Grand High Alpha, Lambda Chi was at a turning point. The Fraternal world was torn between keeping old traditions and moving forward. Lew believed in pushing the Fraternity and making it better.
Dirghalli says, “Lew brought the Fraternity into its humanity. He defused the pompousness.†Lew was the first Grand High Alpha to do away with the Grand High march. The march was an extremely complex and out-dated entrance that the Grand High Zeta would always do at General Fraternity events. By defusing the pompousness of the Grand High Zeta, Lew made it possible for them to become regular people that General Fraternity and staff members could relate to. Tozier Brown (Denver 1936) put it best when he stated, ‘Plourd’s tireless energy and his inexhaustible well of fraternalism marked him among all of the brothers that I have ever known. To the very end he was hopeful, helpful, and humorous – a magnificent combination.’”
Incurable Idealism
“Standards, ideals, service –- these are the hallmarks of our Fraternity. It is only in the last area, however, that the observer will find a great degree of change, since Lambda Chi Alpha’s standards and ideals remain basic and fundamental –- they need only reaffirmation and constant renewal…to the charge of incurable idealism, Lambda Chi Alpha happily pleads guilty.†Lewis Plourd
Lew was a member of the 4th degree of the Knights of Columbus, the Elks, and the Roman Catholic Church. He married Elaine M. McCloud in 1953; they had six children: Stephen (Z-ψ 382), Christopher (A-A 937), William, Martin, Lisa, and Jeffrey. Lew Plourd died on August 29, 1978.
John Gezelius Says:
March 2nd, 2009 at 6:35 pmI regret that I never had an opportunity to meet Lew. National events and fraternity leaders were the farthest thing from my mind when I was an undergraduate. General Assembly? Grand High Zeta? The closest thing we ever got from HQ was the Chapter Consultant twice a year. As I reflect on it now, I wish that I would have had the opportunity to meet these folks early on – but perhaps it just wasn’t the right time or place for me to do so. But I still regret not having taken the time to seek these folks out when i was younger. It would have been a genuine treasure to have met and spoken with Lew – those Brothers who had a chance to do so are very fortunate men indeed.
Murphy Osaborne Says:
March 2nd, 2009 at 8:20 pmLew was one of the giants of our fraternity. It was because of so many Lambda Chi Alpha giants that we have maintained the quality and integrity of our brotherhood. Thank you for the inciteful article and for recognizing some of the people who have caused us to cherish our fraternity.
William G Schultz (Bill) Says:
March 3rd, 2009 at 5:36 amI was very saddened to learn of Brother Lew Plourd’s passing.
He certainly had a huge impact on our fraternity, and with his guidance, along with George Spasyk, was able to irraticate hazing once and for all.
I am more proud of this that our fraternity forged this new policy at a time it was still very popular by other fraternities.
Lew Plourd was a man of convictions and integrity; and I will miss his warmth and sincerity to good work for the young men of Lambda Chi Alpha.
God Bless him!
Bart Barnes Says:
March 3rd, 2009 at 2:50 pmI was fortunate to meet Lew Plourd at the 1971 Leadership Seminar in Muncie, IN. I often think of that event, the people I met and the experiences we shared at a critical turning point in Lambda Chi Alpha’s history. Lew Plourd was truly a “people person”, one of those who “stood out” in life’s journey.
Tom Earp Says:
March 3rd, 2009 at 5:34 pmIt never ceases me to read about the Brothers who were instrumental with our founding in @1909.
It started in one mind and spread to others.
The Brothers who are being present here are some who had a dream also and kept this dream alive. I had the same dream as others have had and affiliated with LXA. Since 1939 with the merger of TKN and LXA for the largest in Greek History, our History has been ever growing. It is for one reason only, it is for the love of what we as Brothers feel.
As I said, I had an idea, but, it has taken every Btother to make is work whether my Zeta or any others!
We are doing things right and lets keep doing it!
In ZAX,
Tom Earp
LX Z #1
Pittsburg State University, Kansas.
marty plourd Says:
November 10th, 2009 at 2:18 pmSorry it took so long for me to pick up this story. My name is Marty Plourd, I’m Lew’s #4 son. As such, and like most children, I’m very proud of my father’s lifetime achievements. Also and more important is that Lambda Chi was not merely among his achievements but, (aside from God and Family) one of the most treasured. It makes me so proud to see my father’s works still being recognized over thirty years after his death.
Thank You,
Marty Plourd