History of the Reiche Family
Who was Karl and Lafetra Reiche?
Karl A. Reiche
Karl A Reiche was one of three organizers and a member of the first Board of Directors of the Bristol Rotary Club. He remained a member from 1927 until his death in 1955. During these 28 years he maintained 100 percent attendance at Club meetings. He was President of the Club in 1935 and was District Governor-Elect at the time of his death.
Born at Hartford in 1885, he was graduated from Trinity College in 1908. Thirty years later he was given an honorary master's degree from Trinity. He served as Superintendent of Bristol Public Schools from 1913 until his death, a term of 42 years.
He was the recipient of numerous awards and citations for his contribution to clubs, organizations, and civic activities. In 1936 he was given the Silver Beaver Award, highest recognition of the Bristol Boy Scout Council, for outstanding service. He was President of the Bristol Boy Scout Council in 1940 and was the holder of the Silver Antelope Award in 1950 for outstanding service on the regional level of Scouting. He was President of the Bristol Boy's Club in 1930 and was presented the Bronze Keystone Award for outstanding contribution to the organization. He was one of the organizer of both the Bristol Girls' Club and the Bristol Girl Scout Council. In 1948 he was given the Thanks Bade, highest award give by the Bristol Girl Scout Council.
James Casey, May of Bristol in 1955, said of him, "Karl Reiche did many things for Bristol, but his greatest contribution was in giving us an excellent education program and in preparing our young men and women for the battle of life. I always found him courteous, kind, and exceptionally devoted to duty."
Lafetra Reiche
For several years after her husband's death, and until her own death in 1978, it was Bristol Rotary's custom to have Mrs. Reiche make the annual presentation to the award recipient. She maintained a great interest in this award and followed closely the later careers of those who had received it.
Mrs. Reiche was herself very active in local, state, and national affairs. Locally, she was president and trustee of the Bristol Girls' Club, president of the Women's College Club, Regent of the Katherine Gaylord Chapter of the DAR, and was chosen Woman of Achievement in 1950 by the Bristol Quota Club. On the national level, she was an incorporator and board member of the Girls Clubs of America and was President from 1952 to 1955.
Information provided by "The Reiche Award." (n.d.): n. pag. Rpt. in Vol. 2597. Bristol: n.p., n.d. Print.