Marion is losing selfless volunteer Randee Loomis
Randee Loomis believes 'volunteerism' is a duty
Staff writer
Marion's Randee Loomis doesn't think her involvement in clubs, organizations, and civic projects is anything out of the ordinary.
"I don't think I'm an exception," Randee said recently. "There are tons of us walking around."
Most people, however, would disagree.
During the more than 20 years since Randee and her husband Larry moved to town, Randee has been involved in countless projects, held dozens of offices, and has put in untold hours of community service.
Just to name a few, Randee's been involved in various capacities at Eastmoor United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women, Girl and Boy Scouts, Marion County Republican Women, St. Luke Hospital Auxiliary, the Marion Food Bank, and Marion Housing Authority.
And that's not the entire list.
No wonder Marion civic leaders are shaking their heads and wondering how they'll ever replace her.
"When I think of community volunteers, the first name that comes to mind is Randee Loomis," Marion's Eileen Sieger wrote in an e-mail.
"Over the 20-some years I've known Randee, I have worked with her and witnessed the countless hours of her time she has given cheerfully and selflessly to individuals and many, many organizations in the Marion community," Sieger said.
"She is always there for friends in time of need, which I can personally attribute to upon many occasions," Sieger added.
In December Marion will lose this tireless volunteer when Randee and Larry, retired president of Marion National Bank, leave Marion and move to Manhattan.
"I'm sad to leave Marion. It's been a wonderful place for us to live and raise our family. But we're ready for a new challenge. And I'm ready to put my own stamp on a different house," she said with a smile.
Also in Manhattan, the Loomises hope to become more involved in Kansas State University activities. Larry is a K-State alumnus.
Randee said it was natural for her to get involved in clubs and organizations in Marion because she needs "something to do."
"I'm a real people person. I have to be involved. I'd worked a number of years before I had kids and I need to keep busy," she explained. "I'm a joiner and a doer. That goes back to high school."
Both Kansas natives, Randee from Maryville and Larry from Ionia, the two — ironically enough — met in Phoenix, Ariz., where both were working. Larry's family had moved to Marion after his father and uncle purchased Marion National Bank. Randee and Larry married and spent six years in Phoenix before they moved to Wichita so Larry could work in another family owned bank.
Later, they moved to Marion joining Larry's family at Marion National Bank.
After years of working and being involved, Randee and Larry were "older parents" when their daughter Ashley was born some 28 years ago. Two years later, their son Brian, was born.
"We were older parents then, but not by today's standards. I'd already worked a number of years and I needed to keep busy," Randee explained.
Leaving the work force to raise her children, Randee found other ways to fill her spare time. That led to her involvement in the various groups.
"After we came to Marion I didn't work our first 10 years here so I was able to be involved in church, Sunday School, Boy and Girls Scouts," she said. "Activities my children were participating in."
She and another friend were den mothers for her son's Boy Scout troop. While her daughter was a Girl Scout, Randee was a leader holding various jobs within that organization.
Church responsibilities were an important part of Randee's life both then and now. She's been a mover and shaker with Eastmoor's Bible school and involved with its Sunday school program for 17 years.
"When my kids were in high school they'd help," she added. "I've had a lot of church jobs."
She's served on the church's education and nominating committees. During the church's expansion project, Randee held the trustee job.
"Let's just say it was challenging," she said laughing.
Currently, Randee along with Joni Crofoot serve on the church's facility improvement (decorating) committee. In this capacity, the two have been instrumental in landscaping the courtyard on the west side.
"It's all been done with memorial money," she explained. "So anything we do has to be coordinated with the memorial committee. But Joni and I do all the legwork, meet with contractors, and oversee the project while work is being done."
The two also do some of the Christmas decorating at the church.
Over the years, Randee has been very involved in United Methodist Women. She's held several offices and is currently serving as vice-president. She's also been involved with the Marion County Emergency Food Bank, Church Women United and Marion Ministerial Alliance. She volunteers once a month at the food bank.
"If stocking or something else needs to be done I do that, or write thank you notes or whatever. I'm on a list to come in if someone needs something when the food bank is closed," she added.
In another church related activity, Randee and her friend Joni recently took over handling the canteen during visits by the Red Cross Bloodmobile.
"We make the arrangements for the food and people from the various churches bring it in. That only happens twice a year, so we thought we could handle that," she said with a laugh.
Moving to the realm of city organizations, Randee is a member of the Marion Housing Authority board for Hilltop Manor.
"I've really enjoyed doing that," she said.
Over the years, she's also been involved with Marion County Republican Women and was involved with the Marion Arts Council, a group which no longer exists.
"We'd do plays, sponsor art shows and things like that. But it got to where the same people were always doing everything," she explained, noting burn-out contributed to the group's demise.
"But now some of the things the arts council did have come back through Marion REC (recreation commission), so I'm glad of that," she said.
Another organization Randee has enjoyed is St. Luke Hospital Auxiliary. She's been chairman of the auxiliary's pie booth which works in conjunction with the Kiwanis Club during Old Settlers' Day.
"That's a big job," she said smiling.
Recently, Randee became a member of the hospital auxiliary's executive committee and was due to step up as president during 2004.
She's been president of Chapter DB of PEO, a local philanthropic and education organization, for three years, and is a member of the 20th Century Club.
"The 20th Century Club is my fun club. I don't have any office in that other than hostessing. I just go and enjoy," she said. That organization donates to EMS and other such groups, is involved with Community Christmas, and helps conduct the tree lighting ceremony in the park after Thanksgiving.
And over the years, she also served as a room mother at school and later a member of the MHS Booster Club.
Although volunteer activities have kept her busy over the years, Randee also found time to hold down several jobs. While her daughter was in fifth or sixth grade and her son was in third she worked as a para for the special education program. Later, she worked five or six years as an administrative assistant for the music department at Tabor College in Hillsboro. She even worked for awhile at Kitchen Corner in Hillsboro before it relocated out of town.
"After leaving work, that's when I plunged in," she said smiling. "I missed all the activities."
Over the years, Randee hasn't been the only Loomis involved in Marion organizations. Larry was a longtime member of Kiwanis, was on the city commission and served on the school board, among other activities.
"Larry likes to golf," Randee said. "He's already picked out a golf course in Manhattan and played it a few times."
Randee said her number one leisure activity is reading, followed by sewing, arts and crafts, activities she hopes to enjoy once they move to Manhattan.
"Other than my church and PEO, I plan on just hanging out when I get to Manhattan," she said smiling. "But they have music groups and the alumni organization."
As the Loomises prepare to leave Marion, Randee said her years here are something she "wouldn't trade for anything."
"We raised both our kids here and this is the place they'll always call home," Randee said. "But with their chosen fields, they will both probably live in bigger cities."
Daughter Ashley, 28, is a doctor. Currently, she is finishing her residency at the University of Wisconsin Children's Hospital. On July 1, she will start a fellowship in pediatric critical care at Children's Medical Center in Dallas.
Son Brian, 26, is attending graduate school at the University of the Redlands in Redlands, Calif. He's studying applications involving GIS systems (Geographic Information Systems).
As for Randee, she believes volunteerism is one's duty.
"I feel it's important to give back to our communities," she said. "I believe if everybody does some, then everyone is taken care of."
