Honoring a Lasting Legacy: Thank You Charlie Rockwood!

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For all Leon and Gadsden Countians, there is absolutely no doubt that one of our luckiest days ever occurred in 1960 when Charlie Rockwood was hired as an assistant professor of economics at FSU, joining his cherished mother, with President Strozier's having waived the anti-nepotism rule.

Charlie, coupled with his beloved Persis, cut a wide swath through our community of exceedingly high achievement in their profession, abiding community leadership, unfailing kindness, and profound generosity. Of course, Charlie, called CRock by his devoted entourage, was a celebrity and, as we all appreciate, even revered celebrities are subjects of curious speculation. Last year, Charlie insisted that three such conjectures be addressed and, that two be disparaged. In fairness, Charlie indeed was a wise gentleman well on his way to 10 decades of life, but, rumors to the contrary, he had not been born in a covered wagon on the Oregon Trail, although he hinted that a forbear might have been.  And, second, although a proud University of Illinois graduate, he refuted the contention that he had been the roommate of the great early 1920s Illini footballer, the Galloping Ghost Red Grange.

However, Charlie did acknowledge that in high school chemistry lab, he and a pal who would become a professor of physics at Northwestern, in fact, experimentally mixed combustible powdered magnesium with gunpowder, which combination unfortunately created a fierce explosion that blew out 5 lab windows. Charlie considered escaping serious injury and academic expulsion after that detonation as the second luckiest day of his life, though a far distant second to his wedding to his sweetheart Persis.

Born in 1932, Charlie was thoroughly shaped by an era when the American character emphasized personal independence and achievement, self-reliance, societal contribution, and being guided by an internal moral authority and validation. For a man so immensely rich in a dynamic life's experiences, it is unfortunate that Charlie did not complete an autobiography. Possessed of a brilliant, forward thinking, and facile intellect, as well as an optimistic, can-do nature, he appreciated many positive modern developments. Yet, given his demeanor, style, thorough appreciation of tradition and merit, and his boundless virtues, Charlie Rockwood surely would have titled his autobiography, I Came out of the 19th Century! For Charlie was a marvelous embodiment of a late 19th century gentleman of the highest order and one who never broke character. This fact is unsurprising, as Charlie confirmed that his highly accomplished mother's most prominent hope was to turn young Charlie into a gentleman. What of those exceptional virtues and consequential habits that defined Charlie Rockwood as the epitome of a gentleman? Charlie was a person of scrupulous honesty and integrity. His public deportment was impeccable. To him, patience was a philosophical principle. He endured the pain of loss with resignation. He had a strong faith in God and served as a Methodist Sunday school teacher and chairman of his Church’s administrative board. He was above all a patriot, having witnessed his esteemed country’s devastating sacrifices and upheavals, as well as spirited and ethical strivings through a great depression, a world war, and a longer cold war. Charlie possessed an acute sense of propriety and always considered the rights and feelings of others rather than his own. His courteous conduct toward others, especially women, was exemplary. He revered the American work ethic, and he celebrated opportunity and success based on merit. After all, he reasoned, this system had lifted America to greatness and unparalleled prosperity. He respected others who did their jobs well, no matter their station in life. He recognized that same work ethic as a path for his fellow Americans to gain independence and self-respect. Having experienced vital, enduring, and loving relationships with his mother and sisters Alice and Nancy, Charlie venerated women and immensely enjoyed their company, which was cheerfully reciprocated. He was gratified that he proved that a nonagenarian could still be a chick magnet. Charlie was always properly attired, except, perhaps, for his brown tweed jacket which, in fairness, made him easy to spot in a crowd, but appeared as if it too came out of the 19th century. And he loved and esteemed his family. Much like a loyal English subject who would celebrate the exalted Queen Elizabeth the First, Charlie often used the phrase "That woman" to describe the Lady Persis he admired and adored in unrivaled fashion. No subdued suitor, Charlie proudly confirmed, again referring to Persis, that starting in 1960, "I chased that woman for years until she relented!” Charlie, with Persis's wholehearted approval, considered himself pater familias, always keeping in mind there were two independent and very smart, accomplished partners in their marriage, and he cherished the role. He declared with deepest admiration in referring  to Persis that “that woman knew how to make money!” While Persis and he never had children, Charlie dearly loved their nieces and nephew.

Charlie Rockwood was among the most spontaneously humorous and witty, good natured gentlemen, invariably and mirthfully making himself the figure of fun, never a passive bystander. As a boy, tired of bounding to the Virginia reel in dance class for nearly a year, Charlie’s mother admonished him there would be no skipping dancing class unless there were a genuine emergency. Charlie's and a buddy’s lighting each other’s neckties on fire, much to Charlie’s chagrin, did not qualify in his mother's judgement as that much sought emergency. Charlie would enjoy quail hunting most of his adult life, but he quit several years  ago, justifying that decision as follows: “I never shot anyone and I thought that might be a good stopping point!” Charlie had one more task in the process of retiring his shotgun: attempting to explain to his dog Tiny that the bird-hunting game was over. Charlie lamented his failure to communicate as follows, “I am just not that fluent in dog!” Charlie was chairman of Governor Graham's Economic Advisory Committee for most of the latter’s eight years in office. On one occasion the Governor and Charlie posed for an official photo. Charlie advised the Governor if the latter would say something nice about Charlie that Charlie would smile for the camera. The Governor did and Charlie produced a near- Pepsodent quality smile. Charlie recalled that his very first attempt at ordering a beer in a bar ended badly when he mispronounced Schlitz. The bartender was not amused. A beer neophyte, Charlie promptly left to research a beer brand he could pronounce. Moreover, Charlie was thrifty. People, like Charlie, who lived through the Depression knew the value of hard-earned money. Naturally, when recounting his favorite presidents, Charlie declared Calvin Coolidge as one. Why? Because silent Cal, who of late has been favorably treated by scholars, maintained a strictly efficient, economical government, and respected the public's money. In Charlie's opinion, that Coolidge-esque fiscal philosophy was almost as righteous as the New Testament. Further, Charlie maintained self-restraint and humility, while avoiding conceited or self-important behavior. It is a tribute to Charlie’s deeply-rooted modesty and deference to the woman he so loved and admired that the Dr. Persis Rockwood School of Marketing is devoid of Charlie’s name. As much as Charlie was a traditional gentleman of the first rank, he also was unrivaled in possessing qualities of the heart, the greatest of human qualities, among them gratitude, courage, love, accountability, compassion, empathy, and generosity.

Charlie gave many decades of service to the Big Bend and Florida State University. Thank heavens that another FSU President, on this latter occasion John Champion, granted Charlie's second exemption to the anti-nepotism rule, this time to allow Charlie to retain his faculty position upon his long-sought marriage to tenured professor Persis Emmett. Few North Floridians can rival Charlie's munificence.  His remarkable, steadfast devotion to our community, and his philanthropy were extraordinary. Charlie, like others of his generation, knew the scourge of polio first hand, as it ravaged successive generations until the Salk vaccine ended its reign of terror. A man of deep Christian faith, he used his formidable influence to further Rotary’s magnificent Polio Plus, and generously helped finance that vastly effective campaign which has nearly eradicated polio from the world. Moved especially by his much loved sister's struggles with polio, Charlie created the local Rotary Youth Camp, which annually serves thousands of campers with disabilities, with a goal of enhancing social skills and opportunities for success in recreational activities. Further, Charlie has been an important benefactor of Lemoyne Arts, The Biletnikoff Award which has provided nearly 7 million dollars in scholarships to over 380 seniors in Big Bend schools, two treasured Methodist congregations, the Tallahassee Museum, the FSU School of Music, the FSU School of Social Sciences, the Tallahassee Rotary Club, the FSU School of Business, Good News Outreach, the Suwannee River Area Council of Boy Scouts, and numerous other worthy causes that Charlie's innate modesty prevented him from publicizing. All along, his gifts have provided the tools for other talented persons to add value to their organizations and society, to help others help themselves. Old School Charlie realized that people acquire self-esteem through work, through striving and accomplishments, not by idleness or mere existence. He was a firm believer in everyone's building sweat equity for a good cause, not simply receiving gifts. What a happy life this man lived! Charlie realized every man’s dream: to be married to the woman he loved and share their mutual bounty, no small amount of which was created by "That woman, Persis." He was our energetic, dynamic, wise, and gentlemanly leader, a foresightful guide whose example every person should emulate. For all of his immense financial generosity, his greatest gift to all of us was essentially Charlie Rockwood himself, the man whose persona, selfless role, and abundant and formidable qualities of the heart imparted to all of us so much wisdom, good cheer, moral support, and emotional sustenance. Charlie was never a passive investor in life or community; he earned his own equity the old fashioned way- -through dedicated work and service, and, most of all, by means of a loving heart. Charlie, indeed, in every way was a willingness of the heart. All of us who knew and admired Charlie Rockwood, a man who was unrivalled in his exemplary humanitarian service, will forever cherish him as a forthright and faithful friend, and we proudly salute him as one of the greatest Leon Countians of his time.