Marcel Lagesse, CSK OBE PHF
On 20 November 1999, the Republic of Mauritius lost one of its most illustrious sons whilst the Rotary Club of Port Louis, the oldest Rotary Club in Mauritius, lost one of its longest serving and dedicated members in the person of Past President, Past District Governor, MARCEL LAGESSE.
Marcel Lagesse was a prominent architect, artist, painter and a great philanthropist.
A Charter member of Rotary Club of Port Louis in November 1964, Marcel Lagesse designed the Club banner. He symbolised all the values and ideals of the true Rotarian: Service Above Self, always enthusiatic, generous and ready to serve his profession, community, society, country and the world at large with the highest ethical standards.
As the 5th Club President from 1968 to 1969, he initiated the "FLEURIR MAURICE" Competition with every village, sugar estate, municipality and district of Mauritius taking part annually. This competition has been running for several decades.
The following year, Rotary Club of Port Louis was chosen to host the 1st District Conference of Rotary to be held in Mauritius and none other than Marcel Lagesse was appointed as Conference Chairman. The District Conference was a huge success and thanks to Marcel Lagesse's outstanding leadership, the club received the Paul Harris trophy.
Thanking the District Governor for the award, Marcel Lagesse said: "I don't think what we have done was special. You asked us to do a job, so we did it in the only Rotary manner, with the right Rotary spirit."
Three years later in 1973, Marcel Lagesse became the 1st Mauritian to be chosen as District 220 Governor of Rotary International and as such became an Ambassador of the Rotarian spirit, establishing goodwill and friendship among people in Africa and the Indian Ocean islands.
In 1983, PDG Marcel Lagesse, together with the late PP Robert Antoine, launched the METIERS D'ART Competition to promote skilled craftmanship in Mauritius. Organised every two years, the Metiers D'Art Competition demanded an immense organisation which the Rotary Club of Port Louis could not undertake alone.
During his long,fruitful and artistic career, Marcel Lagesse designed several important buildings and churches. As a talented painter, he has produced several works of international merit, illustrating his refined taste and love for the beauty of nature and the caring human environment. He is also well known for his use of glass engraving as a medium of artistic creativity.
He formed MIROVERRE Ltee in 1963.
Just before he died, he saw the completion of the Millenium Monument at Wooton, based on his conception and design. Visitors are inspired by the eternal values carried by the words inscribed on its walls. Marcel Lagesse had charisma and he could drive others to do almost anything and do it well.
We at the Rotary Club of Port Louis cherish the hope that young Mauritians will remember the legacy left by MARCEL LAGESSE "Qu'importe si je meurs, si mon oeuvre doit demeurer..."
President Philip AH-CHUEN, 21 April 2004