Don Nickles: “On June 19, the people of Oklahoma, and many others around the world lost a great servant and friend with the passing of…”

“On June 19, the people of Oklahoma, and many others around the world lost a great servant and friend with the passing of Charles Kothe. He was 89. Charles Kothe, a long time Tulsa resident and nationally recognized attorney who specialized in labor law, was born October 12, 1912. Kothe received his B.A. degree from the University of Tulsa in 1934 and his J.D. degree, with honors, from the University of Oklahoma in 1938. In his Tulsa based law practice he served as labor relations counsel to companies in various industries throughout the country. During his six year tenure as Vice President of Industrial Relations at the National Manufacturers Association he authored two books on labor relations and conducted seminars on Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. He was personally commended for this activity by President Lyndon Johnson, and later served as an advisor to Secretaries of Labor Mitchell, Goldberg, and Wirtz. In 1990, he was appointed by the White House to serve as a member of the Federal Service Impasses Panel. In business, he was an Officer and Director of several corporations, including T.D. Williamson, Inc.; Coburn Optical Co.; and Macnick. Known as a compelling speaker, he appeared as the keynote speaker at conventions and conferences across the Nation. He was named Tulsa Citizen of the Year in 1946, was named as a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Tulsa, and is listed in the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame.”