Livingpower For all who have made a living and now wish to make a life
North Carolina
Retired
Governmental
Employees’
Association
NCRGEA Board of Directors
V. Vann Langston, Raleigh,
President (Dist. 8)
Martha Sue Hall, Albemarle,
Vice President (Dist. 6)
Michael R. Taylor, Emerald Isle,
Secretary/Treasurer (Dist. 9)
Linda S. Suggs, Morrisville,
Past President (Dist. 8)
Richard Rogers, Raleigh,
Executive Director
District Directors
District 1
Edward J. Sheary, Weaverville
George W. “Chuck” Wooten, Sylva
District 2
Cecil E. Wood, Wilkesboro
J. Thomas Lundy, Hickory
District 3
Larry F. Kepley, Lexington
Ben L. Neal, Clemmons
District 4
Alice L. Bordsen, Mebane
Thomas W. Lane, Butner
District 5
Tony E. Perry, Camden
Karl E. Sanders, Rocky Mount
District 6
Evelyn C. Gerdes, Charlotte
District 7
N. Frank Lewis, Lillington
Beverly D. Stewart, Whispering Pines
District 8
George B. Chapman, Raleigh
Suzanne P. Merrill, Raleigh
Michele T. Nelson, Raleigh
District 9
Melissa E. Bartlett, Carolina Beach
Michael R. Taylor, Emerald Isle
Volume 36, Number 4 July-August 2020
President’s Message
Continued on Page 2
By V. Vann Langston
Each year, someone is blessed to
serve as your association president. I
am honored to serve you as the 2020-
2021 Board President for our Association.
You can’t imagine how thrilled I
am to be associated with such a dedicated
group of retired public servants
as the membership of NCRGEA.
While we continue to work through
the four purposes of government as stated in the Preamble of
the United States Constitution. I think they speak to our call as
public servants and to the purpose of government:
• Establish justice;
• Insure domestic tranquility;
• Provide for the common defense;
• Promote the general welfare.
Please think about these four purposes. Each one of us who
those very purposes—for every North Carolinian! This is an accomplishment
of which we all should be immensely proud. Our
work has made our state the wonderful place it is.
I bet you are still helping fellow North Carolinians as we all
seek to persevere through the COVID pandemic. That is what we
do! But please be careful and stay safe. Our Association is doing
more too. You will continue to hear more from us going forward.
It is interesting that during crises like our current pandemic
or other exigencies such as wars, we all come to appreciate the
essential and necessary role government plays, the role our
founding fathers created. I am concerned that in the last twelve
years or so, it seems like the public is less appreciative of both