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Arthur Storer was born on April 20, 1920 in Nottingham, England,
the son of a coal miner who had fought in World War I. During WW
II Arthur himself served as an Underwater Mine Demolition Expert
in the Royal Navy. When Arthur returned home from the war, he became
a schoolteacher and then a Headmaster until his retirement. He married
Ivy Mardo and they had a son.
After Ivy died in 1992, Arthur came to Texas to live with
his son, Roger Storer, and daughter-in-law, Lark Doley. He enjoyed touring
this country, which was his new home. Arthur joined Today Toastmasters
and began to speak about his experiences in England. Everyone loved to
hear Arthur speak. His warmth, wit, and wisdom along with his British
accent engaged all who heard him. His presentations were given “with
a twinkle in his eye”. He especially enjoyed talking with people
on the proper way to make tea. Arthur traveled with Roger and Lark on
all their Toastmasters journeys, to other clubs as well as District, Regional,
and, International conferences. Arthur loved meeting Toastmasters from
around the world, and they loved meeting him.
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In May 1997, Arthur passed away from complications following
triple bypass heart surgery. His family held a memorial service for him
on the Flagship Texas on Lake Travis, where friends from all over the
District came to say a few words in remembrance of him. His ashes have
been spread over Lake Travis in central Texas, the three U.S. coasts,
and in his home country on the River Thames. At the memorial service several
Toastmaster friends believed that it would be wonderful for his legacy
to go on, and they chartered a club in his name.
As a gift from him to District 55, his family has used his
estate to set up an annual gift – The Arthur Storer Heart of Gold
Award. It is given to a Toastmaster who best represents the ideals of
Toastmasters. It helps to pay for that person to attend the annual Toastmasters
International Convention in August because he thought this was an experience
that everyone should get to enjoy. It is presented at the District 55
Spring Conference by his family.
Arthur loved the sea as much as he loved Toastmasters. Whenever Arthur
visited a city close to a navigable body of water, he would take a cruise.
In San Francisco he cruised the bay to Sausilito. In Boston he cruised
to Cape Cod. In St. Louis he took a steamboat ride on the Mississippi
River. In Corpus Christi he toured the “Third Coast”. Because
of his love of the sea, Arthur began collecting lighthouse memorabilia.
In April 1997, when Arthur turned 77, he received a mounted print of Portland
Head Lighthouse in Maine.
After Arthur’s death, Roger and Lark visited the Portland Head lighthouse.
Upon seeing this magnificent structure they decided to build a Texas lighthouse
home in Arthur’s honor. Today Arthur’s Lighthouse is on a
hill overlooking Lake Travis in Austin, Texas. It is a tribute to a man
who love the sea and who loved the light of living even more.
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