THOMASVILLE- The John Lee of Nansemond Chapter, National Society Colonial Dames Seventeenth Century, presented its Community Service Award to Eugene H. McNease. McNease is a native Georgian, moving to Thomasville in 1993. He retired in April 2012, as Thomasville District Manager, Social Security Administration, with 44 years of service.

McNease has served on the board of the United Way of Thomasville for twenty years and for the last six years, Chairman, enabling the agency to far exceed its goals. He is on the board of the Open Door Adoption Agency, a non-profit Christian domestic and international adoption agency. He has served on the Rose City Federal Credit Union Board since 1993, holding the positions of Vice Chairman and Chairman, helping oversee the merger with Envision Credit Union.

McNease has served his church as a deacon and finance committee chairman. He is also involved in Community Transformation, Incorporated promoting prayer throughout the Thomasville community.

He has received many awards through his voluntary work with Rotary projects, one special award is the Sheffield Leadership Award. He has served on the golf committee, raising funds for the United Way. In 2007, he and seven other Rotarians founded the International Tennis Fellowship of Rotarians, serving as Chair and President since 2015. This fellowship raises funds for Rotary’s social programs in more than 17 countries around the world, targeting the eradication of polio. The world championship of the International Tennis Fellowship was held at the historic Glen Arven Country Club, Thomasville, Georgia, in 2016. Gene, as he is called, also helped found the Rotary Club Junior Tennis Tournament.

McNease and his wife, Sandra, have two children, Tiffany and Anthony, both attaining the rank of Commander in the United States Navy, Anthony being a graduate of United States Naval Academy. Tiffany’s son is a sophomore at the Naval Academy and is the kicker for the Navy football team.

A colleague of McNease’s said, “He has the most wonderful kind, caring, and giving attitude.” Gene embodies the ideals of Rotary: “Service Above Self”, and the international Rotary theme: “Create Hope in the World.”