Brothers,

As announced on April 13, 2022 (Gamma Delta Psi’s 143rd anniversary) Brothers Dorsey Howard (Beta Alpha #58) and Dave Bartlett (Gamma Alpha #10) were awarded the William F Buchanan Lifetime Achievement Award. On August 20, 2022 both Brothers were given their medallions.

The following is a transcript of the medallion ceremony.

Grand Brother Barry Yeates introduction:

Good morning,

I wish to officially start our ceremony today with my Brothers from Virginia and Canada online together. 

I am grateful to participate in this important occasion for Gamma Delta Psi to honour three Brothers for the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award event: 

• Brother William “Billy” Buchanan (Alpha Eta 249), belatedly
  and posthumously, for whom this award is named

• Brothers Dorsey Howard (Beta Alpha 58) and Dave Bartlett
  (Gamma Alpha 10), two stellar contributors to Gamma Delta Psi’s history and longtime friends receiving this award together today

To provide context, the following is excerpted from the Lifetime Achievement Award description:

“In the tradition of Brother “Billy” Buchanan’s determined historical curiosity, the research skills and complementary talents of Brother Dorsey and Brother Dave have showcased Gamma Delta Psi’s remark-able contributions over more than a century for our brotherhood, and not incidentally to the broader North American fraternal movement.

“In recognition of their extraordinary dedication to keeping our Fraternity’s revered history and membership outreach alive and
thriving over many years in difficult times, we honour:

Brothers Dorsey Howard and Dave Bartlett

This new award was announced on April 13, 2022, the 143rd anniversary of Gamma Delta Psi’s founding, and we are here today to bestow this award in person (virtually).

Two masters of ceremony will deliver the presentation:

• Grand Brother Kevin Stockdale in the South is joined at their home by recipient Brother Dorsey Howard and his wife Debby
• Grand Brother Michael Kuch in the North is joined by recipient Brother Dave Bartlett, accompanied by Brother Troy Adams on behalf of the Fraternity’s International Board of Control

I also wish to acknowledge Brother Bill Schmitt who is unable to join us today but who has coordinated logistics over the long term to facilitate the creation and presentation of the Award. 

Today’s agenda is as follows:

• Grand Brother Stockdale will deliver his tribute in person to Brother Howard in Chester, Virginia
• Grand Brother Kuch will deliver his tribute in person to Brother Bartlett in Mississauga, Ontario
• Both honorees will have the opportunity to speak in response after receiving the Award
• I will close the ceremony after all the remarks and forward copies of Grand Brother Stockdale’s and Kuch’s tributes, along with a recording of today’s ceremony, to Brother Bill Schmitt to communicate to the Brotherhood and for preservation in our historical archives.

Grand Brother Stockdale, Southern master of ceremonies, will now take over. 

Grand Brother Stockdale presenting Brother Dorsey Howard’s medallion

It’s my great honor to be making this presentation to you Brother Dorsey Howard of the Beta Alpha chapter. On behalf of the Grand Brothers of Gamma Delta Psi, I’m honored to present the Virginia portion of the William Buchanan award, while in Ontario, Grand Brother Mike Kuch presents the award to Brother Dave Bartlett of Gamma Alpha chapter. Overseeing this whole project from the beginning was Grand Brother Barry Yeates, with Brother Troy Adams providing liaison with the Board of Trustees. Brother Bill Schmitt coordinated all meetings, discussions, and pin design and procurement.

We’re actually honoring 3 Brothers today. Of course, Dorsey and Dave being the recipients, but also the namesake of this award Brother William Buchanan of Alpha Eta chapter, most likely the first Brother to document our history back in the early 1940s. Other than to a very small group of Brothers, William Buchanan and his research was unknown to the Brotherhood until Dorsey and Dave used their investigative skills to put together in-depth documents on Brother Buchanan, whose life was cut short during World War II.

And it was Dorsey and Dave who brought us much closer to the life of Rho chapters Douglas MacArthur, and his memorial in Norfolk VA.

Over the many years of their research, we learned of Brothers from Wisconsin who were titans of industry, our very close connection with the auto making Ford family and the high society life of Iota chapter. Dave and Dorsey shared their research on Brothers, Canadian and American who served in the Armed Forces, many times making the ultimate sacrifice.

On a regular basis, GDP members were treated to in-depth stories of the Brothers of Alpha Chapter with details from birth, fraternal history, business accomplishments, death and burial location.

When items appeared for sale on the internet, it was this duo that alerted the membership of pins, yearbooks, party favors, programs and other memorabilia relating to our history. Many, many times spending their own funds to ensure that these items would belong in our fraternity family.

I was especially pleased how Dorsey and Dave were able to reestablish good, friendly relations with some of our most honored Brothers, in particular Grand Brothers William Fermoile, Grand Brother Doug Jamieson and Grand Brother James Fermoile. I know that many new facts about our fraternity were gleaned from their conversations.

Thank you Brother Dorsey Howard and Dave Bartlett.

Fraternally submitted,
Kevin Stockdale

Grand Brother Kuch’s presentation to Brother Dave Bartlett

To Brothers Dorsey and Dave, we are so very fortunate and honored to be part of this wonderful moment as you are both presented with the William F. Buchanan Lifetime Achievement Award in the company of Grand Brothers Barry and Kevin, and Brother Troy.

Brother Dave, as Grand Brother Kevin referenced in the presentation to Brother Dorsey and in our earlier online announcement and discussions of the award, the work that you have done as a founding member of the Historical Society and countless endeavours before its inception, reaches far, far beyond what any of the most zealous followers, readers and students of the History of Gamma Delta Psi could ever have imagined.

We congratulate you (and Dorsey) as the first recipient of the Buchanan Award.  An honor so richly deserved and long past due.

Dave, of the incalculable hours invested in research, writing, and publishing scores of information and sharing documents, in writing long-form, descriptive essays with great detail, clarity and conviction, of journaling and cataloging your finds, of procuring and helping to preserve cherished Fraternity jewellery and items of membership, we are in awe and praise of your many accomplishments in elevating our knowledge and appreciation of Gamma Delta Psi.

… Of your investigative prowess and diligence, in never being deterred but determined with resolute drive to enlighten us with a wealth of new discoveries into the lives of Gamma Alumni from yesterday, we are grateful and dearly indebted to you.

You have accomplished this so selflessly, in the absence of ego or expectations of accolades; with passion and a desire to learn and teach others, and I suspect, unknowing that your work would find an audience and place in the archives.  You have persevered and served the Crescent so admirably, and now finally, recognized formally for your mastery, your commitment, and your grace.

I am – we all are – proud to have enjoyed your friendship and Brotherhood for many years.  You have continued a great legacy from our native Gamma Alpha Chapter of Gamma Delta Psi, in reverence of our Chapter History … helping to establish a benchmark (along with Brother Harry Oswin, late Brother Bruce Johnstone and others), of which all subsequent Gamma Alpha Brothers proudly drove toward our Annual Convention in hopes to claim the Douglas Jamieson Historian’s Award for many years.  You set the standard high and have served as an exemplary example of enduring Brotherhood for six decades …

Before I close, I offer our thanks to Debbie and Sheila, for their love and support and encouragement as you and Dorsey have spent countless nights absent … at your computers … researching … writing … never stopping.

Brother Dave, we thank you, and honor you with a small token of our appreciation with this newly created jewelry of a silver Crescent and on a Silver medallion with Garnet and Silver pendant, yours forever.

Michael Kuch
Gamma Alpha #114

Here is the description of the new award

Brother William F. Buchanan* Lifetime Achievement Award

For Gamma Delta Psi’s 143^rd anniversary this April 13, 2022, on behalf of the Brotherhood past and present, the Grand Brothers in cooperation with our Board of Trustees announce the creation and bestowal of a new Lifetime Achievement Award. It is named for Brother William F. (Billy) Buchanan, whose contributions are given below. 

In recognition of their extraordinary dedication to keeping our Fraternity’s revered history and membership outreach alive and thriving over many years in difficult times, we honour two Brothers and true friends: 

Dorsey Howard (Beta Alpha #58)  ―  Dave Bartlett (Gamma Alpha #10)

In the tradition of Brother Billy Buchanan’s determined historical curiosity, the research skills and complementary talents of Brother Dorsey and Brother Dave have showcased Gamma Delta Psi’s remarkable story over more than a century for our Brotherhood and not incidentally to the broader North American fraternal movement. 

Let us join together in bonds this day to bow our heads to Brother Buchanan and pass the grip virtually online in acknowledgement of two special Brothers whose enduring achievements have delivered mutual benefit and deeply meaningful enjoyment to us wherever we may be as lifelong members of Gamma Delta Psi. 

* Brother William Frank Buchanan (Alpha Eta #249), for whom this award is named, was the paramount figure in the collection, preservation and dissemination of Gamma Delta Psi history during the 1930s and 1940s.  Our Historical Society Newsletter of November 2012 commemorated his life and service to the Fraternity and to his country as a U.S. Marine who was killed in action at 21 years of age in Okinawa in World War II.  With this new Lifetime Achievement Award we pay homage to Brother Buchanan’s memory and legacy.  May he rest in peace in Nirvana Chapter—once a Brother, always a Brother.