Remembering C Clyde Jones; A Community Giant Episode - 255

Dave and Vern share a tribute to C Clyde Jones, reflecting on his century of service, his love for Manhattan, Kansas, and the values he taught by example. From endowments to focus, his voice offers a clear path for nonprofits and young leaders who want to make change that lasts.

• Quiet service over recognition
• Endowment building as core community infrastructure
• Practical advice for young professionals on choosing causes
• Focused missions over scattered initiatives
• Love of place and the case for Manhattan
• K-State ties and civic milestones
• Gratitude, remembrance, and funeral details

Funeral services are scheduled for November 15th at 11 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church. Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home is handling arrangements; updates on their website and on KMAN’s site.

GMCF

CFAs

Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_02 (00:00):
Philanthropy today is brought to you by the Greater
Manhattan Community Foundation.
In this episode, we feature arecently broadcast segment of
the GMTF Community Hour as heardon News Radio KMAN.
And good morning.
Welcome to the GMCF CommunityHour here on News Radio KMAN.
I'm Dave Lewis, going to hostthis program with the presidency

(00:23):
of the Greater ManhattanCommunity Foundation, Vern
Henriks.
Good morning, Vern.

SPEAKER_00 (00:27):
Good morning, Dave.
So we we continue our efforts totry to expand this program to
other states in the UnitedStates this morning, don't we?

SPEAKER_02 (00:35):
So I'm in Missouri.
I am uh at uh the Kansas Cityairport.
Uh we're ready to embark.
Is it all right to say that thatwe're on our honeymoon?
Yeah, okay.
So so yeah.

SPEAKER_00 (00:51):
Well anybody that knows you won't believe it, but
that's uh that's a great Iappreciate it.
Good times for both of you.

SPEAKER_02 (00:58):
So absolutely.
We're looking forward to it verymuch so.
But um we had a little change inflight, and I suppose that that
may have had to do with some ofthe air traffic control
situations, combining flightsand everything.
But we found out yesterday thatthey had combined the flight,
and like, oh my gosh, how are wegonna do this?
So we pulled together sometechnology and then we added a

(01:19):
few things today.
Because, you know, in thissegment, Vern, we like to talk
about some of the things that umare happening at the Greater
Manhattan Community Foundation,some of our partner affiliates,
uh, because there's always somuch going on.
But over the weekend, we got thenews that uh someone who is near
and dear to not just you and mepersonally, but to the entire

(01:42):
community.
And that is the passing of C.
Clyde Jones.
And um, you know, I was thinkingabout the litany of adjectives
that you could use to describe CClyde Jones not just as a
person, but his accomplishments.
And uh so um we've got uhbasically four segments to the

(02:05):
show today.
Um uh the second segment we'regonna be visiting with some
folks from the Armed ForcesCommunity Foundation and then
also Light, MHK, and Jaina forthe foundation will be back to
talk about some of the events.
But Vern, we thought it uh wouldonly be appropriate to to share
some uh see Clyde Jones legacyand history.

(02:27):
And we have um we've we wereable to get him in for a podcast
here.
How long ago was this?
A couple years ago?

SPEAKER_00 (02:35):
Well, we had the when we did the corner
cornerstone awards for our 25thanniversary of the community
foundation, uh uh 25 individualswere identified as instrumental
in the history of the communityfoundation, and obviously C.
Clyde was one of those.
And so um, in reflection overthe weekend of uh uh Clyde's
life and his his efforts throughthe community, I thought of that

(02:57):
uh that video, that recording.
And so uh uh Felix was able tocarve out uh four-minute
segments, uh individual segmentsthat I thought might be very
interesting to show today as wekind of pay tribute to a
gentleman that uh had asignificance in the Greater
Manhattan Community Foundationand where we're at today.
Certainly had a significant uhuh impact on uh nonprofits in

(03:21):
this community.
Shepherd's crossing certainlybeing uh one of the most, and uh
and just even uh Kansas StateUniversity being the first dean
of the College of Businessthere.
So it's just uh uh it's onlynatural that the the two of us
could spend some time and kindof reflect on his life today.

SPEAKER_02 (03:36):
So absolutely.
You know, he is so proud ofeverything with Kansas State,
you know, and he was kind of onethat spearheaded the transition
for football to move fromMemorial Stadium to the KSU
Stadium, which is now BillSnyder family stadium.
And you know, he has a legacythat runs so deep at Kansas
State University, and he wasjust uh on campus in September

(04:00):
to do a lecture at the Collegeof Business Administration, and
um, you know, he kept moving, hekept going.
Uh his mind um we went to go seehim what two weeks ago, three
weeks ago, maybe, and we justhad a wonderful visit with him.
But uh, you know, he wasfrustrated that his body wasn't
keeping up with his mind.

SPEAKER_00 (04:19):
Yes, well, and uh and uh when he had to move away
from uh move out of the house uhfor for some assistance.
Uh you know, he uh he acceptedthat, but uh he he lived over a
hundred years at home, and uhthere's not many people that can
say that for sure.

SPEAKER_02 (04:34):
So what a legacy, what a legacy.
Well, let's go ahead and kickinto some of these uh memories
that we have here, Vern.

SPEAKER_00 (04:43):
And uh so the the first uh of all that information
here.

SPEAKER_02 (04:47):
So I'm just gonna let you introduce the segments.

SPEAKER_00 (04:49):
Yeah, so the first video was when I uh uh asked uh
C Clyde what his uh what histhoughts were when uh when I
called him and and mentioned tohim and informed him that he'd
been uh uh selected as one ofthe 25 awardees for the
community foundation awardsevent.
So um we'll let the studio playthat segment.

SPEAKER_03 (05:09):
But I called you and let you know that you received
the Point of Son Award.
What were your thoughts andfeelings?

SPEAKER_04 (05:15):
I'm gonna say something that sounds a little
bit self-effacing.
I don't seek recognition of whatI do.
I never never sought it.
So when something comes inthrough the back door like that,
I feel very gratified.
Uh I lost my wife on A1, 2016.
She was the one who alwayslooked at her saying, wow,

(05:37):
wonderful people need torecognize you.
I I didn't seek recognition.
I I like to keep it quiet.
And uh one reason to keep itquiet.
I didn't necessarily want to getinvolved with another
organization.
But with the communityfoundation uh day one I wouldn't

(05:58):
support you and his purpose anduh how it operates, centralizing
really the organizationalefforts to grow the endowment.
I'm so happy this is endowment.

SPEAKER_00 (06:15):
Well, it's it's so it's amazing to hear his voice
today, Dave, you know, just inthis whole process and re
reliving these memories, and uhit's uh it's pretty sentimental,
that's for sure.

SPEAKER_02 (06:26):
So yeah, yeah.
And we may be uh both uh sharingsome tears 120 miles apart.
Yeah, but um, you know, the man,you know, even at that age, and
that that was just what a coupleof years ago, correct?

SPEAKER_00 (06:42):
Right.
Yeah, but he sounded good,sounded strong.

SPEAKER_02 (06:45):
How alert he was and how optimism.

SPEAKER_00 (06:48):
Yeah.
Well, the next video that wecarved out was uh I asked him
about advice that he would giveyoung professionals uh this day
and age.
So let's play that segment.

SPEAKER_03 (06:58):
What would you tell a younger C5 Jones in life?
What advice would you have forthat individual or others in
their 30s about philanthropy andgetting involved?

SPEAKER_04 (07:09):
I I have advised quite a few youngers going in
that direction.
I tell them, first of all, watchfor the opportunity.
Most people don't see them.
So watch for them.

(07:30):
Make sure you have a passion forwhat that organization is doing.
Don't always want that, youdon't feel passionate because
you won't be a good advocate.
So for one, you really feelstrongly about being also
checking the organizationcarefully and then support his

(07:54):
mission.
Don't go around say, I don'tlike ideas, I don't like any of
that.
You can have criticism, takethem to the organization itself,
don't make them public.

SPEAKER_00 (08:09):
What wise uh sage advice, Dave?
Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_02 (08:15):
He had plenty of that to share with everybody,
didn't he?

SPEAKER_00 (08:18):
He did.
I mean, he had life, lots oflife experiences, and uh uh I
often use the phrase don't sweatthe small stuff.
And uh, you know, C Clyde wasone of those that saw the big
picture, didn't get down in theweeds of things, and uh was
certainly willing to give youhis thoughts, and uh, but in a
in a meaningful and uh certainlyprofessorial way that as he was,

(08:40):
and uh uh certainly exciting tolisten to him and have a
conversation with him all thetime.
So the next video is a uh nextsegment.
Yeah, the next one is uh whenlooking 25 years ahead.
I asked him about the community,you know, the community
foundation we were celebrating25 years at that time, and so I
said, What uh looking ahead,what are your thoughts there?

SPEAKER_03 (09:04):
Well, we've had 25 years of the Greater Manhattan
Community Foundation.
We've been involved inpractically every one of them in
some way, shape, or form.
But now we've got 25 years aheadof us.
So where do you feel?
The Greater Manhattan CommunityFoundation should focus its
attention or give some thoughtto this community area.

SPEAKER_04 (09:25):
Um I have a strong advocacy for keeping focus.
Uh when I see an organizationsending out fives in too many
directions, you can't have themor three or four at a time and
do it well.
So I urge you and otherfoundation execs keep your focus

(09:48):
on purpose.
And uh you know, four or fiveinitiatives appropriate taxing
organization in terms of theability to do them all well.

SPEAKER_00 (10:02):
Well, Eric, and again, the such good advice for
our nonprofit community.
I hope they're listening today.
I know there's there's a lot ofthings that that are taxing many
of our nonprofits these days aswe uh hit the year end, and uh
listening to C Clyde to uhnavigate those and is probably
very wise.
So well, the last uh the lastone I'm gonna pull up is uh

(10:24):
pretty fitting.
Uh, you know, I just asked uh CClyde, you know, was there's
anything else that he would liketo reflect on?
And uh certain it was his lovefor Manhattan, Kansas, and so I
think it's a perfect uh end ofthe the segments that we've got
here today.

SPEAKER_04 (10:41):
I'd like to tell you about my love affair with
Manhattan.
I came here in 1960, expectingto be here three to five years.
Uh back in the 60s, the only wayto get is a pay raise and
academic person.
So I came here in the 60s, so Icould say three to five years.

(11:02):
And uh I fell in love with CMan.
I had three small children,never a better city in the world
to raise kids at that time.
We had a very low crime rate,and uh I never locked my car in
an apartment.

(11:24):
I I just found this to be a kindof a town I wanted my wife and I
to live in the school system.
Uh see my kids were five, seven,and nine years old.
So they went through all threegraduating K State.

(11:45):
So they went through all ourgrades here in the high school
and uh I look back on that Ithink we've had a tremendous
education system in Manhattan.
There are a lot of competitors alot of people saying it's so
good.

(12:05):
I tell you to compare it toother places we're very good.
Look at our students whograduate and go to college,
their ACT and SAT score areright up to the top 10%.

SPEAKER_00 (12:25):
Well, Dave, I uh it was a pleasure to be able to
kind of revisit with C Clydethis morning and get some advice
from him.
And uh I know as you mentionedearlier, it's very uh very
emotional to to kind of havethat conversation with him this
morning.
I hope our listeners uh enjoyeduh visiting with C Clyde one

(12:45):
more time or listening to him,and uh, but uh what a special
man for sure.

SPEAKER_02 (12:52):
No doubt about it.
And uh, you know, I thought itwas uh rather poetic that uh he
passed just a couple days uhbefore what would have been
Midge's 100th birthday.
And so imagine that celebrationin heaven right now.
So it's uh I think he's beenlooking forward to that.
And uh, you know, for those ofus that knew him and loved him

(13:13):
deeply, we know what a great manhe was, what a great friend he
was, uh, not just to us asindividuals, but to this entire
community.
His impact is uh it the impactthat he had is just uh you know
so deep.
And uh, you know, the man hadjust about as great a heart as

(13:34):
anyone that you and I have everknown in our lives.
And uh he was like a fatherfigure to me and to many others
around, and uh, we are all thebetter for knowing C.
Clyde Jones and loving him forthe man he was for 102 years and
10 months.
Crazy.

SPEAKER_00 (13:51):
Indeed.

SPEAKER_02 (13:53):
Beautiful man.
Well, Vern, uh thanks forgetting all that arranged on a
real quick notice.
We started talking about thisyesterday, and uh I think that
this is a wonderful andobviously a very fitting tribute
to um to C.
Klein Jones, who passed awayFriday at the age of 102.

(14:14):
Funeral services are scheduledfor November 15th at 11 a.m.
at the first uh United MethodistChurch.
The YML funeral home is handlingthe arrangement.
And uh there will be updates onthe obituary there uh on uh
their website, and also that'llbe carried on on K-Man's website
as well.

(14:34):
So, Vern, you have a good day.
Thanks for uh being patient withme at uh in getting this airport
show up and running today.

SPEAKER_00 (14:42):
Indeed, and uh thanks for working with us this
morning, and uh certainly ashout out to Felix for pulling
these videos together and theseaudios together pretty quickly.

SPEAKER_02 (14:50):
So Felix got run through the buzzsaw here in the
last couple of days, and wecertainly appreciate him uh uh
getting us all done.
So all right, Bern, we'll talkto you later.
Have a good week, sir.
See you next week.
You as well.