 |
FRANKLIN COUNTY
REPUBLICAN PARTY
101 WEST NASH STREET
P.O. BOX 909
LOUISBURG, NORTH CAROLINA 27549
(919) 496-1469
www.FranklinNCGOP.com
In Memory of Robert Rector
by
Granville, Warren, Franklin GOP and Chairman Linda Daves
|
|
Robert,
with
Nancy,
holding
his
prestigious
James
E.
Broyhill
award
at the
2007
N.C.
Republican
Party's
Hall
of
Fame
Dinner
in
Cary.
Funeral
Service
Sermon
| November 16,
2008 Under the Dome News and Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) Longtime GOP activist dies Robert Rector, a longtime Republican activist who presided over North Carolina's 2004 Electoral College, has died. Rector, 63, a political science and history professor at Louisburg College, was active in the state GOP for 30 years. He presided over the Electoral College in 2004 when it cast its ballots for President Bush's second term. Rector created the N.C. County Chairman's Association and traveled across the state training activists and candidates. He is a member of the N.C. GOP Hall of Fame. "Through his mentorship of younger Republicans, he was able to pass along the wisdom and tools for a new generation of committed conservatives," state GOP Chairwoman Linda Daves said. (See print edition here) |
Granville County GOP Chairman Robert Rector, 63, died 3:30 a.m. December 12, 2008 in Georgia. He was going to Texas with his son, Andrew. Robert will be sorely missed by all of us. He has been active in politics for over 30 years, started the Republican N.C. County Chairmans Association in 1990, and was chairman of Franklin and Granville counties. He was also the 1st District chairman. He was inducted into the N.C. Republican Party's Hall of Fame and later received the prestigious James E. Broyhill award in 2007. -John Edwards, Chairman, Franklin County Republican Party
Nancy
can be
reached
at
(919)
603-4565.
Address:
418
Hancock
St.,
Oxford,
NC
27565
Robert
“Bob”
Elmer
Rector
Funeral
services
will be
held on
Monday,
December
15, 2008
at 2:00 PM
in the
Gentry-Newell
& Vaughan
Funeral
Chapel
(503
College
St.,
Oxford, NC
27565.
(919)
693-5191) by
the Rev.
Gene
Brooks and
the Rev.
Terry
Howard.
Burial
will be in
Douglas,
Texas.
Robert “Bob” Elmer Rector a resident of Oxford died Friday, December 12, 2008. He was a native of Zionsville, Indiana and was the son of the late Elmer Virgil and Lera Wilson Rector. He was a Professor of American History and Government at Louisburg College, where he has taught for over 36 years. He was a graduate of East Texas A & M at Commerce, Texas and did his graduate studies at the University of South Carolina. He was a member of Amis Chapel Baptist Church and the Giddens. He was involved in Scouting and was an Eagle Scout. Mr. Rector was a member of the Sons of the Confederates, the Granville Co. Republican Party Chairman, the First District Chairman and a member of the Republican Party Association.
Surviving is his wife, Nancy Lamp Rector, a daughter, Amanda Elizabeth Rector of Oxford; three sons, Robert Rector, Jr. of Creedmoor, Andrew Jackson Rector and Jeb Stuart Rector both of Oxford; two brothers, Baker Rector of Dallas, Texas and Virgil Rector of Commerce, Texas.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Granville County Republican Party Oxford, NC 27565 or to the Douglas Baptist Church, Douglas, Texas.
The family will receive friends Sunday from 6:00 until 8:00 PM at the Gentry-Newell & Vaughan Funeral Home, 503 College St., Oxford, NC 27565. (919) 693-5191 Online memorials
www.gnvfh.com select obituaries.
ROBERT
RECTOR
(1945-2008)
North
Carolina
Republicans
lost a
dear
friend
and
committed
member
of the
Republican
Party
this
week in
Robert
Rector.
Robert
was an
active
part of
building
the GOP
in North
Carolina
for over
30
years.
His
efforts
to
further
conservative
principles
and
support
Republican
candidates
cannot
be
overstated.
In 1990,
he
created
the
North
Carolina
County
Chairmen's
Association
and
travelled
the
state
training
activists
and
candidates
for
local
and
statewide
offices.
For his
lifetime
of work
on
behalf
of
fellow
Republicans,
Robert
was
inducted
into the
NCGOP
Hall of
Fame and
was
honored
with the
esteemed
James T.
Broyhill
award.
NCGOP
Chairman
Linda
Daves
said,
"Robert
was not
only a
great
American
and
committed
Republican,
he was a
dear
friend,
a
beloved
husband
and
father.
We were
blessed
to have
his
commitment
and hard
work set
the tone
for
countless
campaigns
over the
years,
but we
were
more
blessed
to have
his
friendship
and his
presence.
His
effect
on the
Republican
Party in
North
Carolina
cannot
be
overestimated.
Robert
never
saw a
hill too
steep to
climb.
Robert
symbolized
everything
that is
right
about
the
grassroots.
Through
his
mentorship
of
younger
Republicans,
he was
able to
pass
along
the
wisdom
and
tools
for a
new
generation
of
committed
conservatives.
His
legacy
in North
Carolina
politics
will not
be
forgotten.
As we
honor
him now,
we are
thankful
for his
work but
we are
more
thankful
for his
friendship."
The
Granville County
GOP
sadly announces the passing
of its chair Robert Elmer Rector December 12, 2008.
1945-2008
The Funeral Service was held today in
Oxford and is posted in Pastor Gene Brooks
Blog
Share your comments to the In Memory of Robert Rector Blog at
Granville
Alive. Click the posted note beside the title.
There is a "How To" sticky note at the top to guide you through the process.
This website will be collecting material for a tribute page to Robert. We would
be happy to have your input. Send an email to
granvillegop@gmail.com
with your thoughts or links and sites or Blogs. We will
give credit to all who write.
Robert was active in Republican party politics for well over 30 years. He has
been GOP chairman of Franklin and Granville counties. In 1990, he created the
North Carolina County Chairmans Association. He has criss crossed the state
training candidates and activists from local to statewide offices.
Robert was inducted into the North Carolina Republican Party's Hall of Fame,
while receiving the prestigious James E. Broyhill award. The
nomination by Mike
Wilburt
We will all miss Robert whose life was the Republican Party. While we would be
sleeping, Robert would be up in the wee hours of the morning planning political
strategies to help candidates across the state. -John Edwards
Their are nice tributes to Robert from our friends at
Warren County,
Franklin
County, and
NC GOP The
Funeral Obit
2008© Republican Party of
Granville County, NC
Website questions or comments? Email the
webmaster
From Warren County
GOP:
It is with much sadness that I report to you the passing of a great Republican
and friend, Robert Rector.
Robert Rector committed nearly 40 years of his life to the Republican Party in North Carolina and to our area of the state in particular.
Robert Rector was a dear friend of the Warren County Republican Party, and a dear personal friend of mine. His friendship and service to the GOP will be sorely missed.
Robert's dedication, work and accomplishments are too great to list here, so please, take just a moment and read the letter I proudly submitted last year to the NCGOP nominating Robert Rector for the prestigious James E. Broyhill Lifetime Achievement Award
Please remember Robert in your prayers, and please pray for Christ's comfort for his wife Nancy, his daughter Amanda and his sons Rob, Jeb and Andrew.
Thank You,
Mike Wilburt
Warren County Republican
Party
Letter of Nomination
from the 1st Congressional District
James E. Broyhill Award
Robert Rector’s thirty-one year history with the North Carolina Republican Party exemplifies extraordinary effort in developing and nurturing fundamental grassroots political activity. I am honored to place his name in nomination for the 2007 James E. Broyhill Award.
In 1976 Robert Rector began sponsoring the Louisburg College Republicans. Almost twenty years before the advent of the 72-hour program, Mr. Rector was practicing various elements of the strategy in Franklin County. In 1984 he initiated a telephone survey which resulted in an 81% increase in county Republican voter registration. Repeating this program in 1986, 1988, and 1990, the voter registration ratio of Democrats to Republicans dropped from 13:1 to 5:1.
Robert Rector was elected chairman of the Franklin County GOP in 1987, a post he would hold for the next 14 years. In 1988, under his leadership, the Franklin County Republican Party won the Holshouser Award in the Five Star Program as the number one grassroots organization in the state. During his tenure as chairman, Franklin County consistently achieved 100% precinct organization, 100% Republican registrars and judges, and 100% observers in every election cycle. In 1988, Mr. Rector led a GOTV effort that resulted in three precincts realizing turnouts of 91%, 86% and 85%. Overall, that year, Franklin County’s GOP turnout was 75%.
By 1990 Mr. Rector was comparing tax lists to voter lists to do surveys and door to door voter registration in favorable areas. Meetings were held in every precinct to identify favorable Democrats, and followed up with telephone confirmations. In November 1990, Franklin County elected the first ever Republican Sheriff, the first Republican County Commissioner since 1897, a Republican state legislator and a school board member.
That same year, with the encouragement of then NCGOP state chairman Jack Hawke, Robert Rector founded and organized the North Carolina Republican County Chairman’s Association. The primary goals of the organization were to promote grassroots activities and represent the county parties’ interests on the NCGOP Central Committee. Mr. Rector served in this role from 1991 until 2007. As chairman of this group, Robert Rector organized and conducted approximately 70 grassroots seminars in every corner of the state for local party officials, activists and local candidates. Elements of the 72 Hour Program were always used in the seminar format.
Additionally, Robert Rector spoke to local party leaders and candidates all across the state. Using the principles he advocated, many local party leaders reported their effectiveness had increased, and local candidates won in counties where the odds were not favorable.
Since 2001, Mr. Rector has served as the chairman of the Granville County Republican Party. In that time, attendance at county conventions increased from ten to over eighty. All of Granville County’s precincts are organized and all voting precincts have Republican judges, observers and parity in precinct election workers.
In 2003 Robert Rector led the County Chairman’s Association, in cooperation with the NCGOP and the RNC, in the most comprehensive training program of local party officials and activists ever undertaken across North Carolina. More than 400 people attended and many notes of appreciation were received. Among them one from Marcia Spiegal, former president of the NC Federation of Republican Women who stated of all the conferences of this type she has ever attended, Robert Rector’s training program was “the best”.
Robert Rector was elected vice-chairman of the First District Republican Party in 2003 and in 2005 was elected to be the chairman. He serves in that capacity today in addition to his role as chairman in Granville County.
In 1984 Mr. Rector served as an alternate to the Republican National Convention, and in1992 as a delegate. He was a presidential elector in 2000 and 2004. In 2004 he also served as President of the North Carolina Electoral College.
Robert Rector was a candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives in 1986 and 1992. In 1988 he was a candidate for Franklin County Clerk of Court.
Mr. Rector has twice served on the NCGOP Plan of Organization Committee, and has served on the Rules Committee.
Robert Rector is a recipient of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine Award from Governor Martin.
In addition to his remarkable service to our party, Robert Rector is also committed to serving his community. He has been a member of the Rotary Club, Gideon’s, Boy Scouts of America, 4-H Advisory committees, and the Dixie Youth League. Mr. Rector has been vice-chairman and chairman of the Franklin County Livestock Association. He is a charter member Poplar Springs Grays Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
Robert Rector is a member of Amis Chapel Baptist Church where he serves as president of the Middle Adult Sunday School Class. He is married to the former Nancy Lamp Rector of Granville County and is the father of four.
The service, efforts and achievements of Robert Rector clearly meet the criteria established for the James E. Broyhill Award. It is fitting and appropriate that he be recognized as the recipient of this prestigious honor in 2007.
Respectfully,
Mike Wilburt
Mike Wilburt
Chairman, Warren County Republican Party
Vice-chairman, First District Republican Party