Lloyd E. Church Passed Away April 3, 2014

Posted on Thu, Apr 3, 2014

Member of Troop 48 since 1933

Lloyd E. Church, Eagle Scout and Scoutmaster from Troop 48 passed away at age 92 on Thursday April 3, 2014 in Charlotte, NC. A memorial service was held on Saturday April 5, 2014 in Charlotte.  

Lloyd was a part of Troop 48 since its founding in 1929. His dad, Charles H. Church, was the Troop's second Scoutmaster and by the time Lloyd was old enough to officially join the troop, he had already helped build the Troop cabin at Camp Currier and had been attending many of  the Troop campouts with his older brother Charles and younger brother Eugene. Lloyd earned his Eagle Scout award in 1939. In 1959, while Scoutmaster, Lloyd was honored with the Silver Beaver award, the highest honor a council can bestow to someone who has impacted the lives of Scouts and others. Lloyd recently celebrated his 80th year as a member of the Boy Scouts of America and was presented with his 80 year Veteran pin. 

The hardware business (Church Hardware on McLemore in South Memphis followed by their store on Raines Road in Whitehaven) kept Lloyd very busy on weekends which prevented him from attending many campouts while he earned a living. But he was always present at Scout meetings teaching skills and preparing his Scouts for camporees. He will be remembered for his unwavering dedication to Scouting and expecting no less than the best out of his Scouts. That very same tradition exists today in Troop 48 because of the groundwork Lloyd helped build and maintained. Assistant Scoutmaster Ed Provine learned as a Scout under the tutelage of Lloyd Church, and eventually took over as Scoutmaster from him in the mid 1960's. Scouts from the 1970's will remember that when "Mr. Church" spoke, you listened! He was a big man with a soft heart and loved helping others. 

Lloyd served his country in WWII shortly after graduating from high school as a U.S. Marine and was involved in the The Battles of Cape Gloucester, Okinawa and Peleliu, all in the Pacific theater of World War II. He used his Scouting skill of Morse Code to become a radio operator during the war, something which he later said probably saved his life.

The Church name will forever be linked to Troop 48. Lloyd's dad's namesake trophy (the Charles H. Church Award) remains THE highest honor the committee and leaders can bestow on a Boy Scout in Troop 48. Lloyd also carved the special "Flying Eagle" that sits atop the Troop's Honor Roll of Eagle Scouts plaque. 

 

Lloyd is survived by his sister, Mary Alma Wilkinson of Memphis, Son, Tom Church of California and daughter, Trudy Griffin of Charlotte, NC. 

More information will be shared about Lloyd and his service to Troop 48.

 

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