Norwich - When William Stanley and Stanley Israelite ran this city, the back-room politics characteristic of their day often required the presence of a mediator.

”What did we fight about? Everything,” Stanley, 79, said Wednesday as he and his former political rival were honored with Rotary International's prestigious Service Beyond Self Award for their decades of dedication to the betterment of Norwich.

”Bill and I used to clash,” Israelite, 83, told the more than 70 people gathered at the Holiday Inn luncheon. The audience chuckled at his matter-of-fact statement. “We had terrible arguments about things in the city, he from his perspective and me from mine.”

Israelite said he was the one who would place the call to the late Rev. Msgr. Joseph King, pastor of the Cathedral of St. Patrick, who facilitated whenever he and Stanley were ready to meet to thrash out their differences.

”I can see him now,” Israelite said. “I think he's smiling. I don't think he ever thought he'd see this day.”

Stanley said the fights often involved “teammates.” He and the late Phil Shannon, a longtime Democratic political boss in Norwich, were one team. Israelite was paired with the late Milton Jacobson, the rough and ready attorney.

Stanley called King “my pacifier.” The two later worked together to build St. Jude Commons retirement home on land Stanley donated to the effort in the 1980s.

That land is located in the industrial park Israelite founded, now called the Stanley Israelite Norwich Business Park, a legacy forever tying the two men together, as did Wednesday's award presentation.

Along with the award plaque, medallion and lapel pins “the two Stanleys” received, the Norwich Rotary Foundation donated $1,000 in each of their names to the international Rotary Foundation, the charitable arm of Rotary International.

Speakers who tried to sum up the pair's accomplishments Wednesday found themselves challenged.

Dime Bank President James Cronin listed Stanley's varied jobs over the years - newspaper photographer, radio show host, U.S. Marine, stockbroker, philanthropist and state senator among them. Stanley helped establish the New London County United Way, worked to provide clean water for the region, helped “bring order to the chaos” after the Spaulding Pond dam burst in 1963 and lobbied to build the Mohegan-Pequot Bridge to ease traffic.

John Bilda, general manager of Norwich Public Utilities, said he tried to research Israelite's accomplishments in Norwich by asking contemporaries. But he said they didn't talk about how Israelite founded the Norwich industrial park or how he launched the Chamber of Commerce or helped Norwich Public Utilities build infrastructure. Instead, they all told personal stories of how Israelite was there to help them with a particular problem or situation.

Bilda said Israelite's greatest contribution has been in teaching Norwich officials how to care about the people they serve.

None of the past rancor was evident Wednesday as the two greeted each other. Stanley, weakened by chronic breathing difficulties, remained seated as Israelite walked slowly to his table.

”Hey, Stan! You're holding up better than me,” Stanley called out.

”We're both still holding up,” Israelite replied.

Upon accepting the award, Stanley admitted he is not a Rotary member - “I'm not a joiner.” He was, however, introduced as Norwich Rotary's most frequent guest speaker.

Stanley said if the phone rang just before noon on a Wednesday, he knew the scheduled speaker was absent or had canceled. He would come to speak about anything, from his diehard plans to build an industrial jetport in eastern Connecticut to his fascination with Norwich native Benedict Arnold, his books or his effort to establish a museum and library in honor of the 10 presidents, “forgotten founders” who served under the nation's original governing document, the Articles of Confederation.

Stanley has slowed his civic activities recently, citing his declining health. But he remains a member of the Norwich Historical Society he established several years ago and is on the board of directors at St. Jude Commons. And after saying his eighth book on local history was his last, he noted that he is working on a ninth, a collection of the texts of the more than three dozen plaques he erected at noted Norwich historical sites. The book would be distributed free to all Norwich schoolchildren, with space at the end for a final plaque - at the location of the future Forgotten Founders Library.

Israelite still sits on the two boards most associated with his work, the Norwich Community Development Corp., which oversees the business park, and the Board of Public Utilities Commissioners. He still bristles at the years of neglect at the former Norwich Hospital property, where he had volunteered for years.

Israelite recently met with Bilda in an attempt to quantify for his grandchildren all the projects and infrastructure he helped build in Norwich. He told Bilda he wanted them to know how he worked to improve the city for them and their future.

A former downtown jewelry store owner, Israelite said he never got rich on all his work, but he felt he left something important behind to show his love for Norwich.

”We came here when I was four years old,” Israelite said of Norwich. “It educated us. It took care of us. What more can you say about a city? The Norwich I love.”

C.BESSETTE@THEDAY.COM

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