This fund was created by friends and community leaders to acknowledge Louʹs lifetime of service. The fund was presented to him on the occasion of his retirement from the Board of Trustees of Washington Federal (now Washington Financial).
Professionally, Lou was Chairman of Waller Corporation, a local general construction company that he formed in 1986. He served as Vice Chairman of the Washington County Council on Economic Development, Chairman of the Interstate Contractors Supply, Chairman of Washington Federal Savings Bank, President of Kiwanis, Chairman of The Washington Hospital, and Founding Trustee and Chairman of the Washington County Community Foundation.
It might be a shorter list to name those agencies and causes that Lou Waller did not help in his lifetime of serving our community. He has a long list of accomplishments and awards as evidence of his many community service contributions.
A religious man, Lou remained active in his church, actually giving the sermon on a number of occasions. He served on the Board of Deacons, as a Trustee and Treasurer of the Nazareth Baptist Church. In 1964, he was honored with the church’s Layman of the Year Award.
As an African‐American, he championed for equal rights for blacks. He served in various capacities at the N.A.A.C.P. both at the local and state levels. In 1965, he was honored by the Washington N.A.A.C.P with its Human Rights Award. Lou authored the series “The American Negro” published in the Observer Reporter and also received the Renaissance Publications 1993 Black Trailblazer Award.
Lou’s belief in education is evident by his support of area colleges. He served on the Board of Trustees of Waynesburg College, receiving an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in 1983. He also served as the Secretary‐Treasurer of the ABCDE Fund that awards annual scholarships to area black students pursuing higher education.
Earlier in Lou’s community service career, he was extremely active with the Jaycees. He was selected by the National Jaycees as One of the Most Outstanding Men of America in 1965, and received the Washington Jaycees’ Man of the Year Award in 1969. Lou also served as an advisor for Junior Achievement and in 1983 received the T.S. Fitch Pioneer Award. The Sons of the American Revolution presented him with a Silver Medal in 1995. And in 1999, he received the Clyde J. Tracanna Volunteer of the Year Award from United Way of Washington County.
Throughout the Washington community, Lou had a reputation as a non‐profit fundraiser. He was often called upon to lead annual fundraising campaigns as well as capital fund drives. Just some of the agencies that Lou raised funds for over the years include, United Way, Y.M.C.A., Y.W.C.A., The Washington Hospital, Citizens Library, Washington Park, LeMoyne Center, Boy Scouts of America, Presbyterian Association on Aging, The Salvation Army, and the Washington County Community Foundation.
During his many years of service, he worked with numerous volunteers and knew first‐hand those volunteers who have made a difference. In 1997, Lou led the campaign to create a permanent fund at the Washington County Community Foundation in honor of Joan Griffin, long‐time friend and fellow volunteer. The Friends of Joan Griffin Fund, which was presented to Joan at her retirement dinner. It permitted her to contribute to her favorite charities despite the fact that she could no longer volunteer for them. Bob Griffin knew how much this fund meant to his mother. Wishing to honor Lou in a similar way, Bob led the fundraising effort to create a permanent fund at the Foundation in Lou’s name.