Submitted by  Amanda Allen Morrell,
Latta Rotary Club Public Relations
LATTA—The Latta Rotary Club’s Citizen of the Year recipients for 2017 are Lou and Seba Stoudenmire.

A club committee led by Marsden Cox nominates and selects a worthy candidate each year, and they are featured on the annual Rotary Club calendar along with serving as the marshal in the Latta Christmas Parade.
This year’s couple has dedicated their lives to “service above self” and are more than worthy of this honor.
A special program was held a few weeks ago to reveal the selection to the Stoudenmires and honor them for exemplary service to the Latta community. This is always a special week in the life of Latta Rotary as past recipients of the award attend along with their families and guests.
Seba attended what he thought was a normal Rotary meeting with only the anticipation of a good meal and an interesting program. Lou has not been getting out much because of health issues, so the club made sure to have a video camera on hand to capture the ceremony for her to watch at home.
Seba was surprised by guests that included his son, Paul, and daughter, Gail.

Many individuals in the Latta Rotary Club were taught and influenced by Lou and Seba. Kind words of reverence and love were provided by Henry Brunson, Dr. John Kirby, Glenn Greene, Corky Lane, Harold Kornblut, and Pastor Buddy Bach. Their insights gave everyone in the room a snapshot of this special couple’s impact on the lives of so many.
Seba Walton Stoudenmire was born in the Lone Star community in Calhoun County. After finishing high school, he attended Clemson College. Before graduating, he served for 18 months in the military and was stationed in Japan during the occupation. Afterward, he returned to Clemson and earned a degree in agriculture. He began teaching in Loris in 1951 for the first half of the year. At the end of 1951, he began teaching in Latta which is where he would work his entire career building an ag education program that fostered a love of agriculture in generations of students.
Mary Lou Buckner was born and raised in the Carolina section near Clio. She graduated from Coker College with a degree in education, and she taught English in Jefferson and Lake View before joining the staff in Latta. Later in her career, she attended Francis Marion College to earn a Masters Degree in School Guidance. She worked in education 31 plus years and impacted the career paths of so many young people.
Seba and Lou married in 1953. They had five children: Walton, Paul, David, Gail and James. After their retirements, Seba became interested in woodworking. He and Tom Parham began attending craft shows throughout several states. Of course, Lou and Margaret assisted them and went with them to the shows.
Both Seba and Lou have been active members of Latta Presbyterian Church serving as Deacons and Elders, as well as many other civic activities through the years.
This is a couple that has always opened their hearts and homes to others, and once you know them, you will likely never meet another pair so kind or genuine.
Their lives are full of rich stories related to their devotion to church, family, friends and education. The Latta Rotary Club is pleased to honor such a worthy couple with this award. The club’s motto is “Service Above Self”, and the Stoudenmires are shining examples of this way of life.
This brief article could never do them justice and account for the impact their lives have had on so many. Seba accepted the award on his wife’s behalf with a humble heart and gracious words befitting such a benevolent man.