Sterling H. Dover Scholarship

Sterling H. DOVER May 14, 1912 – November 5, 2003 Long time Seattle resident.
Sterling H. Dover passed away November the 5th 2003 at the home of his daughter in Atlanta, Georgia at the age of ninety-one. Mr. Dover was born on May the 14th 1912 in Keokuk, Iowa. After graduating Keokuk High School he was accepted to the University of Iowa in 1932. Prior to entering the University of Iowa he established Boy Scout Troop #5 Pine Tree Patrol a segregated troop established by the Negro Mission, St. Mary’s the Virgin Episcopal church.
He pledged Gamma Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity in April of 1933. He held several offices during his tenure in the chapter. He graduated in 1937. He moved to Seattle in 1938 to pursue his graduate studies at the University of Washington and marry his fiancé Jane Chandler. He was the first Kappa to become a permanent resident of Washington State. After his arrival in Seattle he reunited his life long associations with Kappa Alpha Psi, YMCA, Boy Scouts and the Red Cross. During his life time he has received numerous accredited awards. Kappa Alpha Psi Seattle Chapter named him Kappa Man of the Year 1976. He served as Chapter and Western Province Historian, was awarded the Elder Watson Diggs award the second highest honor that the Fraternity bestows, the William L. Crump Award, (the national award for historical preservation of Kappa history), he was awarded the Robert L. Harris Province Polemarch Award, John Redfud Award for his long years of service and finally appointed Historian Emeritus of the Western Province.
In 1999 the Idaho State University Epsilon Theta Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi established the Sterling H. Dover Endowment to honor a member that had been active in the Fraternity of 66 years. This scholarship will be awarded annually to an African American graduate or undergraduate that he maintained a 2.5 grade point average. His Scouting awards include the Eagle Badge (scouting’s highest earned achievement), CYO-Certificate of Recognition (for the first successful interracial scout troop in Seattle), Order of the Arrow (National Camping Honorary), The Silver Beaver Award (For Distinguished service to Boyhood), this is one of the highest honors the Boy Scouts Bestows, the Whitney Young Award (for work with inner city youth) and finally the St. George Episcopal Award presented by the Episcopal Church and Boy Scouts of America (for distinguished service leading toward the spiritual physical, mental and moral development of youth). His association with the YMCA has spanned over 50 years. He has been named Volunteer of the Year, Layman of the Year, he served on the board of management, professional aquatic director and corporate member of the Metropolitan YMCA. As a final honor, his name has been entered into the YMCA Golden Book in Geneva Switzerland. He was inducted into the American Red Cross 20 Year Club for his 40 years of service. Mr. Dover is survived by his devoted daughter Lola Gardner and Son-in-Law James Gardner of Atlanta, GA., his Granddaughter Barrissa Gardner of Atlanta, GA., Cousins Kim Beckley, Leon Bland and wife Patricia, Jormel Bland-Cofield Jacques Bland, Leslie Bland and wife Shirley, Leslie Jr., Demetria, Yolanda Bland and Nils Bland. Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 p.m., St. Clement’s Episcopal Church, 1501 32nd Avenue South, Seattle, Washington 98144, (206) 324-3072. Private Interment December 15th, 2003, Mt. Pleasant Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to Idaho State University, Attn: Sterling H. Dover Endowment, Campus Box 8050, Pocatello, ID. 83279.