~~~  Please help Darrell's family with your donation ~~~

Dear friends,

It is with immense sadness and a very heavy heart that I announce the  
passing of our friend and colleague, Darrell Lofton.  Darrell's wife  
Bobette called me early Thursday morning to tell me that Darrell had  
passed away during the night.

It goes without saying that this is a terrible shock for all of us in  
both the Northrop and Dale Carnegie communities.  As many of you know,  
Darrell retired from Northrop about a month ago and came to work for  
the Dale Carnegie organization full time.  Those of you who have had  
the pleasure of seeing Darrell in action as a Dale Carnegie instructor  
or who worked with him onsite know very well his kind heart, his  
genuine spirit, his commitment to integrity, and his beautiful smile.

Darrell taught a class with me the night before he passed.  At one point in the  
evening, we were talking about the importance of using gestures while  
presenting.  Darrell got up and with more enthusiasm than I can  
describe, was acting out as many gestures as time would allow for.  I  
was thinking, "Man!  That guy sure is enthusiastic!"  He also stayed a  
few minutes after class to give positive reinforcement to one of our  
other instructors...something he always took the time to do whenever  
he saw someone doing something well.  A tremendous good finder and an  
enthusiastic person, he always was...

We do not yet know the cause of his death and obviously it will be a  
bit of time until we have information.

In the meantime, please keep Darrell's wife Bobette, his children, and  
his grandchildren in your thoughts and prayers today.  I would also  
ask you to keep those in the ME organization, our staff, and those  
that worked with Darrell closely in your prayers as well.

When we are born, we cry and the world rejoices.  It is said that we  
should live our lives in such a way that when we pass on, the world  
cries, and we rejoice.  I can think of no better example of a life  
lived with enthusiasm and love than of my friend, Darrell Lofton.

We hope you will contribute to offset the cost of Darrell's funeral expenses by making a donation to the Lofton Family.  The typical cost of a standard funeral is over $6,000.