Opening Delivery: Saying goodbye

Charlie Revere was old school, molded over time into a polite and respectful person and rising from an era when values and one’s actions meant more in society than they seem to today.

After the president of Revere Gas was inducted into the LP Gas Hall of Fame in April, we received a couple of handwritten thank-you notes from him that expressed how humbled he felt to be recognized and complimented by his peers (see below for a video of his induction speech). And those propane industry peers responded to him, engaging him at meetings and events, and following his lead.

Revere exuded the whole package for a person, not only as a quality individual but also as a leader. He served the propane industry for more than 50 years but died last month in his Virginia home at the age of 76 (click here for our news coverage).

The response to Revere’s death and the outpouring of support for his family have been unlike anything we’ve seen following the death of an industry member. Many of those people who knew Revere or worked with him have expressed their sympathies to his family and offered a thought or memory about him on our Facebook page and website.

Reading through the many posts was a moving experience. Here’s a sample of several that stood out to us:

■ Alan Chance: When he talks, you always make sure to listen closely to every word. He just had a way to talk to everyone, in a special kind of way. I can’t begin to say what he meant to us at Revere Gas. He impacted so many people, most of [whom] he probably didn’t know that he did because he just treated everyone with the utmost respect, even if they didn’t do the same.

■ Gerry Misel: Charlie was a wise and good man. The industry lost a titan!

■ Dan Myers: A greater man has not been born. So sad to be there and suddenly gone. We all will miss him dearly.

■ James Devens: Charlie was an incredible man and a great friend to all that knew him. He contributed such goodness to this world and was a true gentleman.

■ Shannon DeShazo: There are no words that could possibly describe what Charlie means to his employees. He is topnotch. We will forever miss his wisdom, the stories and that great smile!

Diane Sofranec, our digital editor, has compiled some of these messages in a Blue Flame Blog post, and she shares links to them and to Revere’s memorable speech at this year’s hall of fame induction ceremony. These sympathetic wishes really provide a window into Revere’s life and reveal the impact he made on so many lives.

The propane industry also lost two other members in the past two months: Melvin Moore, owner of Mutual Propane in California, and William Roland Roberts, the founder of Dealers LP Equipment in the Southeast. We mourn their loss and send our sympathies to their families.