Published January 13, 1995 in the San Diego Union-Tribune "During nearly a decade as national executive director of YMCAs, Robert W. Harlan earned a reputation for promoting social consciousness, ethnic diversity and international cooperation. Dr. Harlan, a resident of Alpine for the past 10 years, died of liver cancer Monday at Grossmont Hospital. He was 73.When he retired from the YMCA in 1980, he was director of 2,100 YMCAs throughout the country, encompassing 13 million members.Dr. Harlan, who earned his doctorate in adult education and business administration at Ohio State University, was named national director of YMCAs in 1971.He outlined an agenda to heighten the role of Young Men's Christian Associations in inner cities. He stressed diversity among the organization's leadership, helped establish partnerships with independent YMCAs in 90 countries and promoted coalitions among youth-serving agencies.Dr. Harlan recruited Donald M. Payne, currently a Democratic congressman from New Jersey and chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, as president of the National Council of YMCAs.He also welcomed into the YMCA executive ranks the late Belford V. Lawson, who was a Washington attorney and civil rights leader, and A. Leon Higginbotham Jr., a senior federal appeals court judge. Dr. Harlan was a founding member of the Coalition of National Voluntary Organizations and was active in the Geneva-based World Alliance of YMCAs. He visited 30 foreign countries during his tenure, including what was then the Soviet Union, where he was instrumental in creating an exchange program for youth workers.Before retiring in Alpine, Dr. Harlan served four years as executive vice president of the Independent Sector, a Washington-based coalition of charity organizations, foundations and corporate benefactors.He was born in London Mills, a rural village in Illinois. While attending Whittier College in the 1940s, he began a career with the YMCA that would take him to Monrovia, Bakersfield and several other regional offices.He earned a bachelor's degree at the University of Southern California and later received a John R. Mott YMCA Fellowship, which enabled him to pursue his doctoral studies at Ohio State. Dr. Harlan is survived by Effie Louella, his wife of 49 years; four daughters, Nancy Billings of Long Beach, Linda Ucciferri of Westfield, N.J., Kathryn Hocksmeier of Ashland, Ore., and Betsy Haines of Alpine; a brother, Dale, of Benson, Ariz.; and eight grandsons.Cremation was planned. Services were held at Alpine Community Church.Donations are suggested to the Robert W. Harlan YMCA International Endowment to promote the exchange of YMCA directors between the United States and more than 100 other countries."

Submitted by: Candace Young-Mayo 46888015