Tributes to H. Hanly Hammel, Jr. Presented at Rotary Club on June 17, 2014

H. Hanly Hammel Jr., 94,  died June 4, 2014 following a day watching the CUBS and wearing an IU basketball T-shirt and ball cap.  In lieu of a eulogy, the Club decided that member tributes to his 63 years of Rotary service were more in keeping with his philosophy of modesty. The following were given at the June 17 Club meeting:

GUS GUSTAFSON says HANLY was a modest fellow.  He left that impression with me.  Not many knew HANLY well – a “private person”, yet he was a very nice man – polite, reasonable and calm man.  I doubt if you will hear from a Rotarian with a grievance.  He carried our banner high – or would he have kept his membership for so long?   He was involved in Rotary projects like the saving of Fort Ouiatenon – a favorite of Ted Reser and Bud Baugh!

JANE TURNER remembers that HAMLY always entered with a smile on his face, sat close to the front of the room and thoroughly enjoyed the meeting.   After I became the Executive Secretary, he would often hand me a piece of paper with a suggestion for Ripples or a request to sing a certain song.   His favorite part of Ripples was the “Thought” at the end.  The more humorous, the better he liked it.  When I think of HANLY, I smile.

HANLY used to tell people he had an office that was built on real estate that didn’t really exist.  It was built over an alley on the west side of the courthouse.


BOB VERPLANK and HANLY were ringing the bell for Salvation Army in front of Loeb’s Department Store in 1964.  The clock on the Lafayette National Bank Building showed  –16 degrees.  To keep warm and to entertain themselves, HANLY and BOB sang the song “Salvation Army”.