William Bill Sergeant

SERGEANT, WILLIAM T. (BILL) - age 91 of Knoxville passed away on Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011, at home, surrounded by family. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. David Evins Sergeant of Richmond, VA. Born in Richmond on Oct. 17, 1919, he graduated from Virginia Tech with a B.S. degree in General Science. He was preceded in death by his first wife of 34 years, Isabelle Morrison Sergeant (1981), and his second wife of twenty years, Carolyn Bolling Wilson Sergeant (2004). He was Chairman Emeritus of Rotary International's PolioPlus Committee, which is charged with directing Rotary's global efforts to eradicate polio worldwide. He held the chairman's role for 12 years. He served as Vice President of Rotary International in 1981-82 and as a Trustee of the Rotary Foundation in 1991-92. He twice chaired Rotary International's Council on Legislation, and continued to attend those international legislative meetings without fail, until last year. He was a Past District 6780 Governor and a Past President of the Rotary Club of Oak Ridge. He was known around the world to many as "Mr. Rotary". In 1998 he received the first Kellogg/Hannah Neil "International World of Children Award" for his work on eradicating polio. In 2005 the Rotary Clubs of Knoxville, as a Centennial Project, commissioned a Hungarian artist to create a large sculpture of him atop a globe administering polio vaccine to a child. That sculpture stands at the entrance to Krutch Park in downtown Knoxville. In 2006, the U.S. House of Representatives adopted a Resolution recognizing his outstanding leadership for a polio- free world and in the same year he was selected by a jury of medical leaders to receive the Fries Foundation Award for his global public health achievements. Both UNICEF and the World Health Organization honored him in 2007 for his tireless efforts to eradicate polio. In January 2007 the University of My sore in India honored him with an Honorary Doctorate of Laws at its convocation, the only non-Indian so honored. Sergeant came to Oak Ridge in 1944 as a captain in the U.S. Army, after serving two years in Puerto Rico as a military chief of police. He was assigned by the Manhattan Project team to be in command of the 1,000 guards, civilian police and 200 Military Police responsible for the physical protection of the four wartime facilities. After W orld War II, Sergeant rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel of Oak Ridge's Engineer Combat Battalion serving in Korea, then returned to Oak Ridge - with a Bronze Star - and continued to be in charge of local security for the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission. He was the recipient of the Columbus Award from the Oak Ridge Chapter of the Knights of Columbus for his civic affairs work in Oak Ridge. After retirement in 1979 as Director of Safeguards and Security for the U.S. Department of Energy-Oak Ridge Operations, he was a nuclear weapons security consultant and an insurance manager. He is survived by four children from his marriage to Isabelle, son David of Chattanooga, (and wife, Joyce) daughters Kathy Sergeant, (and husband, Fred Heitman), Patty Daughtrey, (and husband, Tom), and Barbara Hood, all of Knoxville; seven grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. A graveside service will be held at 11:30am Friday, Feb. 18, at the East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery with full military honors. A Celebration of Life service will follow at 12:30 p.m. at The Episcopal Church of the Ascension, 800 South Northshore Drive. The family will receive friends at the church following the celebration service. Arrangements are being handled by Rose Mortuary Mann Heritage Chapel. www.rosemortuary.com

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William Bill Sergeant

October 17, 1919 - February 13, 2011