B.S. Roberts was inducted into the Tulsa Hall of Fame in 1997

Reverend B.S. Roberts recognized the link between Tulsa’s spiritual life and civic health. His career in the service of the St. John AME Church was combined with an active role in governmental affairs. Reverend Roberts’ acute understanding of private reflection and public activism resulted in reasoned leadership for the entire community.  He led a campaign to register Black voters and pushed for desegregation of Tulsa’s public places and later served two City Council terms, from 1990 to 1994.

Mollie and Richard Williford was inducted into the Tulsa Hall of Fame in 1997

Any study of Tulsa’s history confirms one important fact. Tulsa has been blessed by citizens who have come to the city and adopted it as their “hometown.” In the case of Mollie and Richard Williford, it was a fortunate migration across the Red River from Texas that gave Tulsa two citizens who have greatly impacted the city.

Mollie Blansett had deep roots in Texas. A native of Houston, she attended Stephen F. Austin State College in Nacogdoches, an appropriate institution for a “Daughter of the Republic of Texas.” Her marriage in 1957 to Galveston native and Texas A&M graduate, Richard Williford, would seem to predict a future in which she would be planting blue bonnets forever. However, Mr. Williford was in the oil industry and in true “oil patch” form, the Willifords moved. While Mr. Williford managed his career, Mrs. Williford managed a growing family in various cities in Texas, as well as in Louisiana and Colorado. When, in 1973, it became obvious that hiring moving vans would not occupy all of her attention, Mrs. Williford began volunteering. Her work at Key Elementary would be the beginning of a remarkable volunteer career dedicated to education and service to Tulsans.

A greatly abbreviated list of organizations which Mrs. Williford has served includes: the Mental Health Association, the American Cancer Society, Hillcrest Medical Center, the United Way, and the American Heart Association. In the arena of the Arts and humanities, Mrs. Williford’s has volunteered for, or, has served on the board of directors of the Sinfonia, Philbrook Museum, the Tulsa City-County Library, Sigma Alpha Iota and Tulsa Zoo Friends. Her leadership as President has made a lasting impression on Tulsa Ballet, The Summit and the Tulsa Historical Society.

Richard Williford matched Mrs. Williford’s complete commitment to Tulsa at every step. His successful business career, primarily as an independent oilman, never took precedence over giving back to the community. Mr. Williford served on the board of directors of Hillcrest Medical Center, the Indian Nations Council of Boy Scouts, Tulsa Opera, Gilcrease Museum and the Tulsa River Parks Authority, to name just a few. Additionally, he worked countless hours on behalf of his alma mater, Texas A&M. Whether it was on behalf of the school’s Association of Former Students, University Development Foundation or the Major Gifts Committee of the capital campaign, Mr. Williford showed he was a true “Twelfth Man” in his passionate drive to insure a future of academic excellence at the university. His tragic death in 1996 created a leadership vacuum on both sides of the Red River.

The Williford’s impeccable records of public service have profoundly influenced the Tulsa of 1997. The list of awards they have received equals in length the organizations they have served. And, as great as their influence on the institutions of the city might be, it is no greater than the profound influence they have had with the individual Tulsans who have shared their friendship. Indeed, Tulsa is very fortunate to have won such friends as the Willifords.

Cass A. Mayo & John D. Mayo were inducted into the Tulsa Hall of Fame in 1997

The pioneers who came to Tulsa, I.T., at the turn of the century gave much to the City of Tulsa. Like other pioneers, Cass A. Mayo and John D. Mayo made their mark in business. But the Mayo brothers did much more than most pioneers. They imprinted the city with their unique style, and, as a result, gave Tulsa its identify.

The Mayo brothers, natives of Randolph County, Missouri, joined forces in Tulsa in 1903. Cass came up from Texas, where he had worked in the real estate business. John came directly from the family farm in Missouri. Their first business venture was a furniture store located at Second and Main. The store’s success was due to the fact that the brothers worked seven days a week. But, also playing a part in their success was the fact that the Glenn Pool oil field was discovered in 1905 and they found themselves in the center of one of the largest “booms” in American history. Success brought new locations and the furniture store finally found its permanent home at Fifth And Main in 1908, in a five story building the brothers erected. That building, which eventually was expanded to ten floors, was their first real estate venture in downtown Tulsa. The Mayo brothers real estate portfolio would continue to grow in downtown Tulsa and they became two of the city’s leading landlords.

It was, however, their venture into the hotel business in 1925 that created an institution that was synonymous with Tulsa. The Mayo Hotel reflected the Mayo brothers exacting attention to detail. From the monograms on the flatware, to the careful nurturing of the hotel’s personnel, no detail escaped their critical eye. They created a symbol of quality and elegance that was embraced with pride by every resident Tulsa. The Mayo Hotel was the center of all activity in the city. Weddings, proms, charity balls, parties large and small, all were “special” if they took place at the Mayo. The hotel’s guests, which included every famous visitor to the city, carried the hotel’s reputation of sterling quality, and by extension the sterling quality of Tulsa, all around the world.

While their personal attention to the hotel’s operations was the focus of their concentration, the Mayo brothers gave of their time and talents to help in the development of the city. Both were active in the Commercial Club, which became the Chamber of Commerce. In the days of the “stud horse note,” when private contributions funded the city’s infrastructure improvements, the Mayo name was on every list of donors. Cass was interested in streets and highway improvements and formed tasks forces to plan state-of-the-art expressways. John, who was called the “Grand Old Man of the Arkansas Basin,” worked with elected officials to develop what became the McClellan Kerr Navigation system. Both shared an interest in the airport and were among the largest donors when the Tulsa Municipal Airport was founded in 1928. Their philanthropy extended to every educational, cultural and medical institution in the city.

Cass Mayo died in 1949. His brother, John, lived to the remarkable age of 91 and died in 1972. While their children admirably continued their fathers’ tradition of giving to Tulsa, the deaths of Cass and John Mayo were deeply felt by Tulsans. For most, it was impossible to conceive of a City of Tulsa that did not include its two most significant pioneers.

James Maxwell was inducted into the Tulsa Hall of Fame in 1997

Youth may have been one reason for his tremendous energy. James Maxwell was the youngest person ever to have been elected Mayor of the City of Tulsa. More likely, it was his passionate feelings for his hometown that gave him the stamina to repeatedly work sixteen hour days in the service of Tulsa.

Following his graduation from Tulsa Central High School in 1944, Maxwell enlisted in the Army and served in combat duty in Burma and China. He returned to Oklahoma following the war and attended OSU, where he demonstrated an early talent for government as President of the Student Senate. Subsequently, Maxwell also earned degrees from OU.

It was during his four consecutive terms as Mayor (1958-66), that Maxwell made an indelible mark on Tulsa. The city, like all of the US, was experiencing dramatic economic and social changes during the period of his administration. Maxwell’s initiatives were among the most progressive in the country and, as a result, he laid the groundwork for three decades of successful development. Among these actions were: the establishment of Civil Service for city employees; master plans for the development of the Civic Center, expressways and the Tulsa International Airport; acquisition of the Thomas Gilcrease Collection by the city; and the creation of the Tulsa City-County Library System. Maxwell’s policies for the integration of public accommodations, policies well ahead of national trends, helped to defuse a potentially tense racial climate and were among his proudest achievements. No simple “policy wonk,” Maxwell had an innate talent for inspiring others to work equally hard. His abilities to match the right person with the right task got things done. And, his seemingly effortless social grace made him welcomed in all social arenas.

Maxwell’s career following his service as Mayor included a brief stint as a political consultant in Washington, DC, and a longer period managing the family’s downtown Tulsa florist shop. At the time of his death in 1984, he was once again active in government as program director for the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. This was a natural position for Maxwell, who thrived on service to the citizens of Tulsa and Oklahoma. More than once, this effective public servant said of himself, “I love government, but I don’t care for politics.”

Nancy and Raymond Feldman were inducted into the Tulsa Hall of Fame in 1997

A partnership of 51 years is a remarkable achievement, particularly between attorneys. In the case of Nancy and Raymond Feldman, it has been a partnership marked by adventure, long hours at work and a deep commitment to the citizens of Tulsa.

Nancy Feldman became a Tulsan in 1946, when her marriage to a “Tulsa boy,” Raymond, brought the recent law school graduates of the University of Chicago to the city. Although the demands on her time included raising a young, growing family and establishing a teaching career in sociology at the University of Tulsa, Mrs. Feldman could not help being affected by the racial segregation that pervaded Tulsa in the early 1950’s. Her reaction was to join the board of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and to become an active volunteer for the organization. That belief in the equality of all humans, led her to service with the Tulsa Urban League and the Tulsa Center for the Physically Limited. As a founder and first president of The Center, Mrs. Feldman demonstrated her recognition that barriers other than race prevented equal participation in society.

Raymond Feldman’s service to improving the climate of justice compliments Mrs. Feldman’s activities. A Tulsa native and 1938 graduate of Tulsa Central High School, Mr. Feldman returned to the city following law school. After a brief stint working for another attorney, he began a firm which provided the foundations for the current Feldman Hall Franden Woodard & Farris. His legal background made him an effective volunteer for the Oklahoma Civil Liberties Union, as well as the Oklahoma Human Rights Commission and the Tulsa Human Rights Commission.

The complimentary nature of the Feldmans’ partnership extends to Tulsa’s health and human services community. Mr. Feldman’s service as chairman of the Tulsa Chapter of the American Red Cross is matched by Mrs. Feldman’s activities on behalf of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Recognizing that prevention may be the best remedy, the Feldmans have helped Tulsans to be prepared for the responsibilities of coping with natural disasters, as well as to being well prepared for the responsibilities of coping with a family. Tulsa’s Arts and education communities also have benefited from the Feldmans’ unique partnership. Active on the board of the Tulsa Ballet Theatre, Mrs. Feldman served as the Ballet’s president from 1978-1981. Mr. Feldman put his efforts into service for the Tulsa Arts and Humanities Council. Together, they established the Council’s annual award made to individuals who excel in the Arts, “The Jingle Feldman Award,” as a living memorial to their late daughter. A similar approach to combining the Arts and education is evidenced in Mr. Feldman’s involvement as one of the founders of the Simon Estes Education Foundation. And, while Mr. Feldman has been busy providing money for education, Mrs. Feldman recently has been busy collecting money for education. Her tenure as a board member and past president of Roger’s University placed her at the center of the university’s recent, rapid growth within the community.

The Feldmans’ records of long hours of work and commitment to Tulsans could be an adventure in itself, however, the Feldmans find adventure in other places as well. The Feldmans travel. And, the Feldmans seldom travel in armchairs. Their annual treks through some of the most remote parts of the planet have become a Tulsa legend. Their Tulsa home is well known for the collection of souvenirs, ranging from high art to high kitsch, they have brought back from their travels. And while these trips form a deeply personal aspect in the Feldmans’ continuing search for education and awareness, they have generated benefits for Tulsa, as well. The Tulsa Global Alliance, an organization dedicated to connecting Tulsa to the world, had Nancy Feldman as one of its founders.