When the Rotary Club of Hamburg held its annual “passing of the gavel” ceremonies two years ago, along with welcoming new President Dale Stanley, the then-72-year-old organization also honored Larry Wilson for 60 years of service to the club and W. Thompson “Tom” Eaton for 50 years. To mark the momentous occasion on June 24, 2014, incoming Rotary District 7090 Governor Jack Amico of West Seneca presided at the affair held June 24 at J.P.’s Pub in Lake View.
 
An active Rotarian until his recent illness, Larry Wilson passed away on October 12, 2016 at the age of 97. He was a past president of the club in 1965-66.  

 
 
A native of Vermont, Wilson served in the U.S. Navy for three years during World War II and continued for 28 years in the Ready U.S. Naval Reserve throughout the Cold War. He retired from the E.F. McCarthy Co., a distributer of industrial supplies in 1986.
Rotarians Earl Knauss and Tom Johnston presented Wilson, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, with a pin and an authentic brass Navy Captain’s bell, which Knauss installed in the former captain’s home. Knauss, Johnston and Wilson regaled those in attendance in a lively story about an early Rotary project in which the club raised money for a local widow to purchase a cow to replace one that had died, leaving the family in need. Wilson also led the effort on projects including raising funds for the driver education program at Hamburg High School in the 1960s, for park benches in the Village of Hamburg and assisted in numerous efforts throughout the years.
Wilson said his proudest moment as a Rotarian was knowing that when he was president of the club, its membership swelled beyond 80. The club created a morning club 25 years ago, resulting in two clubs with smaller numbers.