ROME ARTS HALL OF FAME 2007 Inductees

Francis J. Bellamy

Francis J. Bellamy (May 18, 1855-August 28, 1931) was born in Mount Morris, NY (near Rochester), and moved to Rome with his family when he was two years old. His father was a minister at the First Baptist Church in Rome. Bellamy graduated as valedictorian from RFA 1872.

Grace Carpenter

Grace Carpenter was most likely Rome’s first true patron of the arts. She was born Grace Selden Van Wagenen in 1880 in Oxford, New York, and moved with her family to Rome in 1886. She married Rome industrialist Arthur Carpenter and together they created a magnificent Tudor style home located on West Bloomfield Street which in 1967, became the Rome Art and Community Center.

John F. Flaver

John Flaver was born March 4, 1925 in Islen, PA. Shortly afterwards he moved with his family to Rome, N.Y. He was educated in the Rome city Schools. While in school, he studied clarinet with Eustachio Pinti and performed with the Liberty Club Band and the RFA Band.

He is a U.S. Army veteran, having served in the infantry in Western Europe during WW II, receiving a purple heart. After mustering out after the war’s end in 1945, he returned to Rome, N.Y. and began working in the Rome Manufacturing. He married Conchetta Amoroso in 1946. They have two children, three grand children, and one great grand child.
      John left the Rome Manufacturing in 1957, and started a teaching career in the Clinton Central Schools. He later taught in the N.Y. Mills Schools, St. Mary’s School in Clinton, Rome Catholic High School, St. Peter’s School in Rome, the YMCA Center for the Creative Arts, and was also an adjunct instructor in woodwinds at Hamilton College for twenty five years. In 1966, he became the music director of the Rome Civic Band, while performing with the Utica Symphony Orchestra, and Utica Civic Band. He joined the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra in 1970 and remained with that organization for twenty years.      John taught many private clarinet students in his home, and maintained a woodwind repair shop. For many years he enjoyed the game of golf and playing bocce as a member of the Toccolana club.
      John Flaver’s clarinet playing is best characterized by a beautiful sound, sensitive phrasing, and a total commitment to mastery of the instrument. John also had a command of the bass clarinet and saxophone that was enviable.
      He is a warm person with a pleasing personality, and has always been sympathetic toward the needs of others. His energy, enthusiasm and sense of humor made John popular with many people.
     John Flaver’s clarinet playing is best characterized by a beautiful sound, sensitive phrasing, and a total commitment to mastery of the instrument. John also had a command of the bass clarinet and saxophone that was enviable.
     He is a warm person with a pleasing personality, and has always been sympathetic toward the needs of others. His energy, enthusiasm and sense of humor made John popular with many people.

Flo Hoppe

Flo Hoppe is a full-time studio artist, teacher, lecturer, and author. She was born Flo Fries in Chicago in 1942. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in textile and clothing design from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. With her husband, Don who was in the Air Force, she moved 8 times in 5 years and had three children in two different countries. Their last posting, before being transferred to Rome in 1971, was for three years in Japan.

Janet Foote

Janet Foote came to Rome with her Air Force Family at age 13 in 1956. In 1971 she met and married Rod Foote when they worked together on productions at the Rome Community Theater, forming a partnership that led to the founding of The Chatham Theatre Company in 1982.

Rod Foote

Rod Foote was born in New York City in 1938 and came to Rome in 1955 as an air traffic controller at Griffiss Air Force Base. Once here, he began a lengthy relationship with the Rome Community Theater. He was twice RCT’s president and several years on its board of trustees as well as an award winning actor, director, and designer. He was also active in other upstate theater and opera companies as an actor and director.