Intriguing People of the Lowcountry

When your friends, colleagues and even your professional adversaries describe you as respected, balanced, insightful, trustworthy, discerning and exceptionally professional, you must be doing something right.

Allen Kupfer is one of the lucky ones.

The Sun City resident and Holocaust survivor has experienced more loss, pain and cruelty in his 92 years than most, yet the experiences have left him with an open heart and an abiding faith in humanity.

Hilton Head Islander Marion Conlin has worn many hats. She’s a Cordon Bleu-trained chef and the author of a cookbook. She’s the former program director of World Affairs Council of Hilton Head. And, even at nearly 90 years old, she’s not slowing down.

“I grew up in the most gorgeous place on earth,” Sheila Morgan says. “Water comes pouring out of the mountains and it’s just the cleanest, prettiest water. Well, of course I don’t know if it’s the cleanest, but I know it’s the prettiest.”

Karen Dembiec was looking for something new.

Her husband, Walt, is one of nearly one million Americans living with Parkinson’s disease, which affects the nerve cells in the brain that produce dopamine. Dembiec, a retired AT&T executive originally from New Jersey, has lived with Parkinson’s for the past 15 years, but things were getting tougher as the disease progressed.

Mike Schlotman is chief financial officer and executive vice president of the Kroger Co. He envisioned and helped engineer the Kroger superstore and revitalization of Shelter Cove on Hilton Head Island.

Alex Brown is a sixth-generation native islander, Camp Hilton Head business executive, mentor at Central Oak Grove Church and the chairman of the Town Planning Commission. If Brown wrote a book, he would call it “Sense of Place.”

Due to a retinal degeneration disorder, Debby Grahl has spent her life gradually losing her sight. Luckily she has enough vision, imagination and resilience to not let the growing darkness stop her from pursuing her dreams.

If you happen to catch Brian Thiem out on the golf course or riding his Harley around Sun City’s Riverbend neighborhood, ignore that far-off look in his eye; he’s just thinking about murder.