Four of the club’s members, who’ve been ingrained in the Rotary culture, were honored for more than 200 years of combined service to the city, but all had served the city beyond their time in the service club.
The honored members are: Richard Underwood, founder of Richard’s Pizza; the late Ricardo Bethart, founder of Bethart printing; Robert Weigel, one-time Hamilton mayor and owner of Weigel Funeral Home; and George Jonson, who served on Hamilton City Council for a decade and Hamilton City Schools for more than 30 years.
They were recognized at last week’s Rotary club meeting for serving at least 50 years in Rotary.
Jonson, 90, said he had always wanted to be in Rotary, calling his 59 years in the club “a wonderful experience.”
“I saw the different things that Rotary did, and when I joined, I saw even more things,” he said at the Sept. 5 meeting.
One of his favorite things he did with Rotary was help with the Rotary Presents productions.
Weigel, who served on Hamilton City Council as a council member, vice mayor and mayor, said meetings were, and still are, a who’s who of greater Hamilton.
“I joined Rotary because my grandfather was a Rotarian for many, many years,” said Weigel of Robert Klaus, the founder of what is now known as Weigel Funeral Home. But he said he “wanted to be involved in the community.”
From bank presidents to a majority of city council members were a part of the club.
“You made a lot of friendships, worked on some real fun projects,” he said at the Sept. 5 meeting. “These were good people to know and good contacts.” Fifty years later, the 77-year-old still enjoys coming to lunch every Thursday, “and have a couple of laughs.”
Rich Bethart, whose father Ricardo Bethart passed away at 92 on Aug. 8, said his dad “was in love with Rotary.” While his dad consistently asked for a decade for him to join, he finally did for one primary reason: “So I could have lunch with my dad once a week.”
“My dad loved this club, and I wanted to say, ‘Thank you,’ because you mean a lot to me and you meant a lot to him, and I appreciate all your support,” Bethart said, whose father had been a member for 50 years.
Underwood, famous in greater Hamilton for his steak hoagie, couldn’t make the Sept. 5 meeting, but his daughter, Karen Underwood Kramer, hated to miss Rotary meetings. He’s been a member for 53 years.
While he was a member of many organizations in the Hamilton area, Kramer said, “I think Hamilton Rotary was his favorite.”
The 95-year-old Underwood would be focused on Rotary even on vacation. His wife, Peggy, was able to attend the ceremony, said, “We always went to a Rotary whenever we traveled.”
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