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 todd wetherington | daily herald Lee Bone addresses the crowd gathered for Thursday night’s Boy Scouts Distinguished Citizen Award Dinner at Chockoyotte Country Club. The Roanoke Rapids native was honored for his years of service to the Boy Scouts and the Roanoke Valley. |
As the guests finished their dinner, courtesy of david’s restaurant, Hackenburg introduced the night’s first speaker, Bone’s daughter Leslie, a UNC graduate who is currently doing her first year residency for pediatrics at Wake Forest University.
“I’ve had the pleasure of knowing him for 27 years, but I know most of you have known him even longer,” she began. “In my opinion the best decision my father ever made was marrying my mother,” she continued, stating that the couple first met at East Carolina University, where Bone impressed his future wife by picking her up for their first date in a new Jaguar. “I know where I got my love of beautiful cars,” quipped Bone, who expressed admiration for her father’s skill at building everything from trailers to fences and barns as an extension of his support for her childhood love of horses.
“My father built a wonderful life in Roanoke Rapids for our family,” she stated. “He was born and raised in this town and thankfully he was able to convince my mom to raise our family here as well.”
Bone praised her father’s work ethic. As the owner of Quality Pontiac Buick and Bone’s Toyota in Roanoke Rapids, she stated her father “takes great pride in his business and his community. He’s dedicated to the people who helped him build a foundation of service and now he’s helping pass that on to others.”
Bone was followed by Ronnie Ansley, a native of Gaston currently working as an attorney in Raleigh. Ansley regaled the crowd with stories from his years working with Bone in Boy Scout Troop 245, where he served as an assistant scout master. Ansley said Bone embodies the Boy Scout law of being trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. As an example, Ansley offered an episode from his days in Bone’s Boy Scout troop. “He allowed us to slide down a hill in the snow. The snow was gone and all that was left was the red clay; we were covered in it, it ruined everyone’s clothes. He showed loyalty by making sure we didn’t get in trouble because he was the leader and he was the one who let us do that. He kept us from getting in a situation where we wouldn’t be able to sit down later for other reasons.”
Ansley went on to praise Bone for his friendliness. “Lee always had a smile on his face. He was nice in every way, even when you did something that was so outrageous that you knew you had to come to justice. He was always a positive role model and no one is more deserving of this award.”
Bones son, Wyatt, was the night’s next speaker. As he proudly recalled his years growing up with his parents, Bone said his father was always a wonderful teacher, schooling him in the finer points of gun cleaning, car maintenance and woodworking. “If you ever had a question or got stuck, he was always ready to help,” said Bone, who said his father also was kind enough to give him “Bone quality custom paint jobs” for his Pinewood Derby cars during his time in the Boy Scouts.
Local attorney Carrie Whitaker, the night’s final guest speaker, told of meeting Bone’s father, Troy, in 1968. Troy told Whitaker that his son was coming back to take over the car business. “Lee’s had great accomplishments,” said Whitaker, who ran down a list which included Bones’ stints as Scout master of Boy Scout Troop 245 and the provisional Scout master of the Morehead District Summer Camp as well as his service as chairman for Boy Scout Troop 134. Whitaker also listed Bone’s service as a member of the board of the East Carolina Council of the Boy Scouts of America. “Lee’s also a TV star,” joked Whitaker, referring to one of Bone’s car ads. “Who can ever forget those immortal words he spoke, “The deals are on!”
Whitaker closed by quoting the poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling, which he felt summed up Bone’s life.
“If you can fill the unforgiving minute,
With 60 seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the earth and everything that is in it,
And — which is more — you’ll be a Man my son.”
Following Whitakers remarks, Clint Gowen presented Bone with the Distinguished Citizens Award, a painting depicting portraits of his family members surrounded by images of his car dealership and a favorite pier in Nags Head.
After thanking the friends who spoke on his behalf, Bone expressed his appreciation for the staff of his auto dealerships, of whom he said, “If it weren’t for you, I couldn’t have taken the time to do all these endeavors. I sincerely thank you for doing your part to help me do my part.”
Speaking of his wife, Carol, whom he called a “smart, talented woman,” Bone said she taught him the importance that listening plays in building a successful relationship. “I learned that real quick after I married her,” he joked.
After 42 years of service to the Boy Scouts, Bone said he has no plans to retire any time soon. “What memories I have,” he stated movingly. “I’ve already been through two generations of Scouts and I hope to go through at least two more.”
Bone closed by thanking everyone in attendance and stating, “What I’ve accomplished isn’t about what I’ve done for the Boy Scouts, it’s about what the Boy Scouts have done for me. Tonight without a doubt will be my finest memory.”
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