New Painesville clock pays tribute to late City Council member Joe Hada - The News-Herald
Published by: The News-Herald
By: Bryson Durst
Original article found here
Joseph Hada Jr. spent more than three decades helping govern his home city of Painesville, and now a new clock along the city square recognizes his service.
The clock stands on the sidewalk at the intersection of South Park Place and Main Street. Hada’s family said that his grandfather once swept the nearby street surface.
A couple generations later, Hada would serve across the square as a 32-year member of City Council.
The clock was donated by the Hada family after he died on March 21, at the age of 75. Family members gathered with city officials and other community members on Nov. 6 to cut the ribbon.
Current City Council President Jim Fodor said he got to know Hada while they served in elected office.
“I think if you’ve been in Painesville since the ’60s or even before that, the Hada family has been contributing in a very positive way,” Fodor said.
City Manager Doug Lewis described the clock as “a lasting tribute” to Hada. He said he learned a lot of the city’s history from the former councilman.
“The clock is not only a timepiece, but it’s also a symbol of Joe’s enduring commitment and love for our community,” Lewis said. Hada’s daughter, Julia Hada, said that her father’s grandparents were the first generation of the Hada family in Painesville. His grandfather swept streets and worked for the railroad, while his grandmother cleaned the house that became the YMCA.
She said that their son, Joseph Hada Sr., served as a Marine during World War II and later worked at the Diamond Shamrock plant. His wife, Dorothy, was a nurse at Painesville’s Lake East Hospital.
“My grandparents were very civic-minded, volunteering at organizations such as Harvey’s Athletic Boosters, the American Red Cross, and they were active in the Masons and Eastern Star Organizations,” Julia Hada said.
Joseph Hada Jr. was one of their five children.
“A lifelong member of First Church Congregational, my father would peer over at City Hall from the sanctuary every Sunday and knew early on that his path of life was to serve the people of Painesville,” Julia Hada said.
She said that her father was the first member of his family to graduate from college. She was not even born yet when he won his first City Council race in 1982, but she rose to serve as the head of communications for his final campaign.
During his eight terms on council, he served at various times as council president and chair of its economic development committee. He also was a teacher and wrestling coach in the neighboring Mentor School District.
Julia Hada said that her father “believed deeply in the power and promise of immigrants,” and his “final civic act” was to write a letter of recommendation for neighbors who were working to become United States citizens.
The Hada family continues to hold various offices in the community. Joseph Hada Jr.’s wife, Mary Hada, currently serves on Painesville’s Planning Commission. She was also elected on Nov. 4 to the Painesville City School Board, a body on which she previously served.
Their daughter Betsy Hada serves as a teacher and coach in the school district, while their son Joseph Hada serves as city prosecutor.
Fodor said that the family’s legacy “goes on and on.”
“And this is really what a community is made of,” he said. “Several generations establishing that this is where they want to be and they want to make a positive influence.”
According to city officials, the clock was designed by Cincinnati’s Verdin Company and includes an LED backlight, historic design and a GPS component to keep the time accurate and adjusted for daylight savings.
Mary Hada said that the clock installation went smoothly with the cooperation of the city.
“We couldn’t have been happier,” she said. “And I’m just glad to have my husband’s name on something, he’s contributed so much to the city.”
Former City Manager Rita McMahon worked with Hada for 20 of his 32 years on council. She described the clock as an “absolute perfect tribute.”
Julia Hada tied the clock to her father’s years of service.
“As this clock begins its quiet rhythm, let it echo steady, unwaveringly of my father’s life, a life rooted in service, shaped by history and guided by love for the city of Painesville,” she said. “He knew that every moment mattered, and he used his to make a difference.”