By Mitch Lehman
San Marino Tribune
The Rotary Club of San Marino heard from its own members on April 20 who presented “craft talks” as the featured speakers.
New member Jason Ramos, who heads up the South Pasadena San Marino YMCA spoke first, with longtime realtor Lois Derry following Ramos by delivering presentations that highlighted their professions.
Ramos shared how youth sports and travel were especially important during his formative years. A love of travel led him to visit 48 of the 50 states, with only the Dakotas remaining on his personal list. He has also traveled to Mexico and Central America as well as one month in India as part of the Rotary Group Study Exchange. The experience made Ramos want to join Rotary as a member.
He also shared a tragic experience of being caught in the Route 91 Harvest Festival mass shooting in Las Vegas in 2017, where 58 music fans were killed and 850 were injured. His fiancé was wounded in the foot and a bullet passed through his clothing. They had to hide out in a small hotel until they were sure it was safe. The incident convinced the couple to get serious about their relationship and they were married the following year.
Derry joined Rotary in 1989, sponsored by legendary member Bill Steele. That was around the time Rotary had just begun accepting female members and there were only four women on the roster.
A member now for more than 30 years, Derry shared that this was her first craft talk. Derry was born in Los Angles and has lived in the area her entire life. She grew up in Monterey Park and lived in Arcadia in the early 1960s before moving to San Marino. In those days, Arcadia was rural, with many horse properties. She still lives in the same house in San Marino where she moved in mid-1960s and, together with her late husband, Bill, raised three kids.
Derry has been in the real estate business for decades, starting in title insurance, then savings and loan escrow and finally as a broker-owner with Coldwell Banker. She talked about the real estate business in the days before computers, MLS, no fax or cellphones and no e-signatures. Derry looked back in fondness about the personal nature of the real estate business. It involved a lot of driving around to get signatures for each offer and counteroffer.
She said she enjoyed traveling with her husband and continued to travel after his passing. As for Rotary, she has fond memories of her involvement with the RYLA program, which she served as a volunteer.
