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| Rotary Club of Green Valley Honors Karl Leebrick On His 100th Birthday 68 years in Rotary Club with perfect attendance! |
| Friends and club members including Jack Carter, Orji Isiogu and Katie Carter,visited with Karl throughout the morning. |
Joyce Finkelstein presented Karl with the Rotary 100 Book.
Not a pride of lions or a murder of crows …what do we call a happy gathering of Rotarians? That’s certainly
what we had for the celebration of Karl Leebrick’s 100th birthday.
The program was organized by Past-ADG and Past President Joyce Finkelstein, who was our MC, and Scott
Lamb, who put together a video interview of Karl. We heard greetings and congratulations from RI President
Barry Rassin, whose letter was read by Past RI Director Phil Silvers, as well as congratulations and comments
from District Governor Kirk Reed. Club President Jill Leach provided some background about Karl.
Karl was born in Berkeley, CA, in 1918. His father, an educator, was president of Kent State from 1938 to 1943.
Karl studied pre-med at New York’s Syracuse University and ended with a degree in biology. He enlisted in the
army, went through OTS, and worked in hospital administration. The GI Bill paid for his Masters in conservation
from the University of Michigan. He worked for a time in Glacier National Park, lived in a log cabin with his
wife, son and daughter, and settled on a farm on the East Coast. He worked for the New York Conservation
Department as a wildlife manager and permit agent, retiring at age 55 (1973) and settling in Green Valley in
1976. Karl has 5 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. He volunteers at the Vensel Shoppe at La Posada,
repairing goods that have been donated so they can be sold. He’s cut back from 6 days a week to make time for
poker. Karl, who has been a Rotarian for 68 years, has never missed a meeting.
Special Tributes
Bill McGibbon, who has been in our Club since its earliest days, said Karl’s comment to him was, “Good start,
kid.” Comments from Mary Fisher, Julie Reppenhagen and Phil Silvers included “grace, integrity, tolerance, and
giving.” Karl was given a certificate for the tree the Club planted in his honor at the Desert Meadows Park just
off Abrego and Continental. The young lady who presented it is not quite yet a member of the Valle Verde Club.
We also presented him with the Rotary 100 Book.
Karl himself spoke for several minutes, and then we all raised glasses of bubbly (not quite real champagne) in his
honor and sang happy birthday. Some of us, it seems, had not waited to attack our cupcakes.
what we had for the celebration of Karl Leebrick’s 100th birthday.
The program was organized by Past-ADG and Past President Joyce Finkelstein, who was our MC, and Scott
Lamb, who put together a video interview of Karl. We heard greetings and congratulations from RI President
Barry Rassin, whose letter was read by Past RI Director Phil Silvers, as well as congratulations and comments
from District Governor Kirk Reed. Club President Jill Leach provided some background about Karl.
Karl was born in Berkeley, CA, in 1918. His father, an educator, was president of Kent State from 1938 to 1943.
Karl studied pre-med at New York’s Syracuse University and ended with a degree in biology. He enlisted in the
army, went through OTS, and worked in hospital administration. The GI Bill paid for his Masters in conservation
from the University of Michigan. He worked for a time in Glacier National Park, lived in a log cabin with his
wife, son and daughter, and settled on a farm on the East Coast. He worked for the New York Conservation
Department as a wildlife manager and permit agent, retiring at age 55 (1973) and settling in Green Valley in
1976. Karl has 5 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. He volunteers at the Vensel Shoppe at La Posada,
repairing goods that have been donated so they can be sold. He’s cut back from 6 days a week to make time for
poker. Karl, who has been a Rotarian for 68 years, has never missed a meeting.
Special Tributes
Bill McGibbon, who has been in our Club since its earliest days, said Karl’s comment to him was, “Good start,
kid.” Comments from Mary Fisher, Julie Reppenhagen and Phil Silvers included “grace, integrity, tolerance, and
giving.” Karl was given a certificate for the tree the Club planted in his honor at the Desert Meadows Park just
off Abrego and Continental. The young lady who presented it is not quite yet a member of the Valle Verde Club.
We also presented him with the Rotary 100 Book.
Karl himself spoke for several minutes, and then we all raised glasses of bubbly (not quite real champagne) in his
honor and sang happy birthday. Some of us, it seems, had not waited to attack our cupcakes.
| A toast and cupcakes to celebrate the occasion. |
(Left to right) Phil Silvers, Past RI Director; Eugene Freisen; Kirk
Reed, current District Governor; and Michael Drake, Past District
Governor, were on hand to pay respects.
Reed, current District Governor; and Michael Drake, Past District
Governor, were on hand to pay respects.
| Karl's special friend, Olivia, presented him with a gift. |
| Michael Drake and Joyce Finkelstein share a special moment with Karl |
District Governor Kirk Reed wishes Karl Leebrick a happy 100th
birthday.
birthday.