Mort Scholar (passed away on 10 January 2019 aged 89 years )

[Extracted from Hahndorf Community Association facebook site 21 Jan 2019]

I hope you won't mind me posting this but it is a Hahndorf community matter.
My father, MORT SCHOLAR, passed away last week. He was a TIRELESS volunteer and contributor to the local community. He was a 45+ year member of the Hahndorf Lions Club, and also served the local primary school and institute at different times, Some of his achievements which were mostly done within the Lion's Club include:

• The Hahndorf Swapmeet - he proposed and pushed for this event to take place annually some 15 years ago. Now it is one of the Lion's Clubs major fund raising activities, which other local clubs and associations also benefit from - Hahndorf CFS, Netball Club, and Novita.
• Anzac day dawn service - About 20 years ago, this had either ceased to exist or was just about to. Dad provided support to the then surviving members of the local RSL to resurrect a local service. I think he was also instrumental in getting the current war memorial installed. He MC'd the event from the beginning until 2014 when his health had deteriorated to a point where he was no longer able to undertake this role. What started out with small numbers attending, now attracts the massive crowd that has been witnessed in recent times.
• Anglican Church (on English Street; now shut down). He was a tireless and enthusiastic supporter of this church.
• Hahndorf Christmas Carols at the institute. He was a major contributor, performer and driving force for this event.
• Windsor Avenue tree planting commemoration memorial.

And these are just the things I can think of where he was a major driving force. Not to mention all the other Lion's Club activities he would volunteer for - Christmas Stocking ticket sales and other working bee tasks. He also used to collect for the Salvo's down every street appeal. The list goes on and on!

The Hahndorf community has benefited greatly from Mort Scholar's selfless and generous actions. I'd always wished that he had received some formal recognition for his efforts. Not that he would have believed he would deserve anything. Perhaps something could be named in his honour one day.

I feel compelled to put this out there, especially now that he is gone. His efforts seem to be over and above average, and he deserves the highest acknowledgement and appropriate recognition accordingly.

Regards, Jamie Scholar.

An Obituary to Henry Morton Stanley Scholar (known as MORT) 1929-2019

[Extracted from Hahndorf Village Voice Issue No. 57]

Mort contributed so much to the Hahndorf community throughout his life.  His father came to Australia from England in the early 1920s and was headmaster of the Kongarong Primary School (which was Mort’s first school). He married and had a son, MORT.  Mort in turn married and had two sons, Brian and Jamie and a daughter, Jane, (dec).

Mort led an amazingly active life which included:

• 47 years of faithful and innovative service to the Lions Club International, becoming President in 1985 in Hahndorf;
• He was instrumental with Eileen Henningsen in the creation of the town Choir and annual concert held at either the Oval or the Institute; followed by a repeat at the Hahndorf Nursing Home and then again at St Pauls;
• Mort was the major Fund Raiser for the Club and was instrumental in the Swapmeet coming to Hahndorf, from which the funds went to extend the Oval facilities, better lighting for the tennis courts for the netball girls’ practices, etc;
• He helped to generate the placing of a memorial to the WW2 personnel in Alec Johnston Park where the Lions hosted the regular Anzac Day Service and Mort was the MC for that and also for Remembrance Day for many years until his failing health precluded him from these positions;
• MORT played a very active part of the then Annual Schutzenfest and would always see it through to the end, at which time he would start handing out strawberries and icecream to all;
• Blueberry Hill was another of Mort’s interests; however, vandalism ceased the project; he would be pleased to know that this is now on the Agenda as a Walking/Cycling Trail.
• What a wonderful man he was; with his rather brusque manner and great heart he achieved so much and there are many stories that could be told;
• He loved music and Slim Dusty was his favourite.

So, Mort Scholar you will always be remembered for all you did for Hahndorf and the area.

For your excellent service you were awarded the prestigious James Richardson Award which is highly regarded by Lions members; and you were one of the 13 Life Members granted Life Membership of the International Association of Lions Clubs.

THANK YOU MORT—REST IN PEACE