Kingston Rotary Club recently lost one of its most distinguished and beloved Rotarians, Rea Mowery.

Rea was generous to both the Rotary Club and to the Kingston community. His philanthropy resulted in financing a major portion of the picnic pavilion in Village Green Park, which was subsequently named for Rea.

Rea was born on May 22, 1923, in Harrisburg, Pa., to Laura Margaret Bruner and Oscar Rea Mowery Sr., a baker, piano player and railroad worker who died when Rea was 10.

Rea grew up in a family of sisters, and perhaps this influenced his good manners and chivalry to females.

Rea studied printing, worked as a fireman on the Pennsylvania Railroad and then joined the Marine Corps to serve in the Pacific during World War II.

After the war, he earned a BA in sociology from San Diego State College while working for the San Diego YMCA.

Called up for the Korean War, Rea rejoined the Marine Corps, staying through three tours of duty in Vietnam. He retired in 1968 as a Marine Gunner (Warrant Officer CW0-3), with numerous awards, decorations and friends earned over his long career.

Rea had a lifelong enjoyment of the outdoors, an unsurpassed ability to survive difficult situations, and more stories than he had time to share.

As a civilian, Rea worked with the Rancho Santa Fe Association for 14 years and then became a founding officer of Rancho Santa Fe National Bank. He retired from the bank just before his 79th birthday. Rea supported the Rancho Santa Fe community and schools through work in the San Diego Boys and Girls Club, Boy Scouts of America, Red Cross, Historical Society, Library Guild, Garden Club, and other organizations. His community work earned him the title “Mr. Rancho Santa Fe.”

A 35-year member of Rancho Santa Fe Rotary Club, Rea served as president, a member of the board of directors, and as assistant district governor. He also helped establish the Kingston Rotary Club, traveling between the two communities for more than 10 years.

In 2002, he moved fulltime to Kingston and became a great asset to the Kingston Rotary Club. Near the beginning of each Rotary meeting, Rea shared his “Rotary Moment.” Rotarians looked forward to these “moments,” where Rea shared a bit of Rotary’s history and significant events.

When Rea was not busy doing community work, he enjoyed cooking, woodworking, playing the organ, camping, hiking, and fishing. He was an avid historian who studied Abraham Lincoln and the Battle of Gettysburg. Rea’s great-grandfather fought at Gettysburg in an Artillery Regiment for the Union Army at age 14. He traveled frequently to Gettysburg to attend conventions and commemorative events.

Rea married the love of his life, Betty Willett, in San Diego in 1945. They raised four children as they moved from one duty station to another. When Betty became ill, Rea cared for Betty in their home in Kingston until her death in January 2011. They had many grandchildren and great-grandchildren who will miss this wonderful man.

His generosity was shared with both his Rotary Club and the greater Kingston community. He funded several community projects and left a substantial bequest to the Village Green Foundation. Rotary meetings just won’t be the same without Rea and his “Rotary Moment.”

Kingston Rotary is always looking for new members who like to involve themselves in community projects. Meetings are held every Wednesday at noon at the North Kitsap Fire & Rescue station on Miller Bay Road in Kingston. We gather at 11:45 a.m. to socialize before lunch and the meeting. For more information on joining Rotary, contact Fredrick Branchflower at fbranchflower@comcast.net.