Department of Veterans Services Class of 2002

On Thursday November 7, 2002 at Veterans Memorial in Columbus, Ohio, 19 members of the Class of 2002 were inducted into the Hall of Fame by Governor Bob Taft and Ronald D. Edwards, director of the Governor's Office of Veterans' Affairs (co-sponsor for the Hall of Fame). The executive committee of the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame determined they wanted only one ceremony a year to honor Ohio's veterans; and decided a central location would be easier for people from all over the state to attend.  At the November ceremony, Gov. Taft and Ron Edwards unveiled the Class of 2002 bronze plaque which is on display at the Ohio Statehouse from mid-January 2003 through mid-June 2003. Virgil M. Brantley Greene County U.S. Army- WWII & Korea Opened Hospitality Home, a modern healthcare facility for the elderly/expanded to open a second facility, Hospitality Home EastvSecretary, Ohio Chapter of the American College of Nursing Home AdministratorsvElder, Sunday school superintendent, teacher and chairman of the Organ Fund Committee for Memorial United Presbyterian ChurchvMember of the Xenia Area Chamber of Commerce Board of DirectorsvPresident of Greene County Historical Society, chaired fund drive to build the Carriage House Museum named in his honorvPresident of the Tecumseh Elementary School Parent Teacher AssociationvA charter member of the Xenia City Schools Educational Endowment Fund, served as president and secretaryvResponsible for the restoration and operation of Collins School, a one-room school offering ‘living history’ experiences to thousands of Miami Valley students Robert E. Braun Hamilton County U.S. Army Emmy Award winning radio and television personalityvHosted Braun and Company, the number one rated live entertainment information program in the MidwestvHosted the game show On the Money and co-hosted Everybody’s Money MattersvCo-hosted the L.A. Jerry Lewis Telethon in 1986-’87vRecorded 20 albums with more than 100 singles on various labelsvActed in a number of motion pictures and television shows including Die Hard I & II, Christmas in Connecticut and hosted Good Day L.A. for WTTV in Los Angelesv   Norman C. Carey Clark County U.S. Army- WWII Practicing attorney for 53 years in SpringfieldvPast president of Wittenberg Alumni Association and a member of the Board of Directors of WittenbergvMember of the Ohio Bar Association and president of the Clark County Bar AssociationvPast president and former Lt. Governor for the Kiwanis, member for 46 yearsvMason for 61 years, past master of H.S. Kissell Lodge, district deputy grand master and a 33rd degree masonvFormer Jaycee and chairman of the Civil War Centennial Committee in Clark CountyvCo-chairman of the Clark County American Revolution BicentennialvMember and past president of the 35th Division Association and the 320th Infantry Regiment AssociationvAwarded the Silver Star Medal twice and the French Croix de Guerre during WWIIv Frank W. Chorpenning Delaware County U.S. Army - WWII, Korea and Vietnam Recipient of U.S.A. Typhus Commission Medal for service during the typhoid epidemic in Japan 1946vEstablished central USAREUR Blood Bank, US Army, Germany 1952vMember, World Health Organizations Study Group 1953-’55vConsultant in blood banking for Nationalist Chinese Army, Taiwan, 1960, commendation from the Chinese Surgeon GeneralvAppointed assistant professor, The Ohio State University, 1963vPast vice-president of the Ohio Academy of SciencevPast division editor of the Ohio Journal of SciencevPast member of the Ohio State University Senate and Advisory Committee on Campus Grievancesv Robert C. Duncan Greene County U.S. Navy Career Naval officer from 1945-’65vChief, Space Program Branch at NASA in the 1960svDeveloped the guidance and control system for the Apollo spacecraft and the lunar module used in the lunar missionvAssistant director of the NASA Electronics Research CentervAssistant Secretary of Defense in the 1980svPublished author and patent holdervMember of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board, NASA Research Advisory Committee and the Boston Museum of SciencevPast president, Polaroid FoundationvAwarded the Legion of Merit by the Secretary of Defense in 1964vPresented the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award from the National Council, Boy Scouts of Americav   Harry J. Ebert Erie County U.S. Navy - WWII Instrumental in starting boys and girls baseball at St. Mary’s Central Catholic High School in 1959vCoached little league and Babe Ruth baseball, was known as Mr. BaseballvInstrumental in starting the St. Mary’s High School Band programvOhio Veterans Home baseball field was named Harry Ebert Field to recognize his contributionsvServed on an LST in the Pacific for four yearsvMember and past president of the Holy Name and Serra ClubsvPast president and member of the Goodwill Industries Board of DirectorsvServed on the Ohio Veterans Home Board of Trustees for 20 yearsvMember of the Erie County Chamber of Commerce, AMVETS and the Sandusky Kiwanis Clubv Arthur H. Farr Cuyahoga County U.S. Navy - WWII Submarine officer in the Pacific, 1942-’45vAfter the war, started a Cub Scout baseball league in his home parish and coached 5th-6th grade footballvCommissioner of baseball leagues in village and recruited football for University of Michigan for 40 yearsvHolds patents in refrigeration and heat pumps and was president and CEO of Bell Refrigeration Corp.vTen gallon blood donorvSpent 34 years in the United States Power Squadrons, a private, non-profit boating organization dedicated to boating safety through education. Chief commander, 1998-’99vPresently serving on the Environmental Impact Committee of the National Association of State Boating Law Administratorsv Walter N. Foster Hamilton County U.S. Navy- WWII and Korea Member of the board of the Joseph House for Homeless Veteransv Education consultant, National Maritime Historical SocietyvMember of the organizations dedicated to preserving America’s maritime heritagevMember of the Retired Officers Advisory Board, National Security Center and mission to Panama 2001-’02vMember of the Waterfront Advisory Council of Cincinnati Recreation Committee for 20 yearsvFormer member of the Education Committee of the Cincinnati Chamber of CommercevVolunteer with many youth groups and the Statue of Liberty FoundationvGraduate of the University of Cincinnati, Doctor of Education from Columbia University and Juris Doctorate from Chase College of LawvMember of Military Order of the Purple Heart, AMVETS, VFW, American Legion, Ohio LST Association and the U.S. Navy Leaguev William J. Garono Trumbull County U.S. Navy National commander of the Army and Navy Union, U.S.A.vPast Department of Ohio commander of the Army and Navy UnionvMember of St. Patrick Church and the Knights of Columbus #2072vPast president of the Hubbard Lions ClubvServed as 3rd ward councilman, councilman-at-large and part precinct committeeman in HubbardvOrganized the Department of Ohio Army and Navy Union Color Guardv   Thomas L. Hamer Brown County U.S. Army - Mexican War Member of the Ohio House of Representatives in the 1800svServed as speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives in 1829vNominated Ulysses S. Grant to be a cadet at the United States Military Academy at West PointvSelf-taught lawyervEnlisted as a private during the Mexican War and was promoted to brigadier general by President PolkvServed as president of the state Democratic Convention in 1940v Member of U.S. Congress from 1833-1839 and re-elected in 1846v Mathew Lobas Cuyahoga County U.S. Navy - WWII Past national commander of the Polish Legion of American Veterans, U.S.A.vServed as the national 1st vice commander and national adjutant for P.L.A.V.vServed as the state commander and state adjutant for P.L.A.V.vAwarded the 300-hour volunteer pin for his work in Ohio’s Veterans Administration facilitiesvMember of the American Legion, VFW and Island X-9 Navy Seabees Veterans of AmericavPast president of the Joint Veterans Commission of Cuyahoga CountyvPast president of the Memorial Day Association of Greater ClevelandvFlag coordinator of the Memorial Day Association, distributing flags to volunteers who place more than 100,000 flags at gravesites during the month of Mayv Stephan Kowalyk Summit County U.S. Navy - WWII Past national commander of the Army and Navy Union, U.S.A.vPast VFW all state white hat county commandervVeteran of the Year for Chapel Hill Veterans WeekvFormer special aide de-camp to the VFW national commandervHelped originate Veterans Week at Chapel Hill Mall which includes community activities, membership drives, poppy programs and Voice of Democracy programsvReceived Summit County Highpoint Award for 2000 for community servicevRe-established the Summit County Sheriff’s Fraternal Order of Police Association and serves as presidentvReceived a public service award for outstanding servicev Richard C. Meece Franklin and Erie Counties U.S. Army - Vietnam Chairman of the Ohio Veterans Home Resident Oversight CommitteevLife member of AMVETS Post 17 and founding member of AMVETS Post 2001vPast treasurer of the Ohio State Council of the Vietnam Veterans of AmericavOriginator and first director of the Ohio Veterans Hall of FamevImplemented the Ohio Transition Assistance Program that helped thousands of veterans find jobsvMember of Governor’s Task Force on Operation Desert StormvFirst executive director of the Catholic War VeteransvDuring sales career was listed in ‘Who’s Who in the Midwest’ and ‘Who’s Who in Finance and Industry’vRecipient of two Bronze Stars while serving in Vietnam with the 1st Infantry Divisionv   Rupert E. Ruppert Warren County U.S. Army - Vietnam Recipient, Combat Infantry Badge and Bronze StarvLawyer and public servantvElected to four terms to the Franklin City School Board and three terms as Franklin Township TrusteevPast president, Franklin Rotary Club, Franklin Chamber of Commerce, Citizen of the Year for Franklin in 1993vFormer member of the Ohio governor’s staff and state campaign manager for Senator John Glenn, 1996 vVolunteered as a member of the Franklin Pool Board, Joint Emergency Medical Service, Deardoff Trust, Merger Commission, Charter Commission and Franklin City Planning CommissionvCurrent president of the Warren County Bar Association and Franklin Township TrusteesvVolunteered as acting judge of the Franklin Municipal Court for the past 16 yearsv John A. Ruthven Brown and Hamilton Counties U.S. Navy- WWII  A graduate of the acclaimed Cincinnati Art AcademyvIn 1960, his design of ‘Redhead Ducks’ won the prestigious Federal Duck Stamp competitionvFounded Wildlife Internationals, Inc. in 1971, a publishing company exclusively producing his limited edition lithographs from his orginal paintingsvAwarded Ducks Unlimited’s First Artist of the Year, First Ohio Duck Stamp Print Artist, First Ohio Animal Stamp/Print Artist, Ducks Unlimited’s Pacific Flyway Artist, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Museum Artist’s Exhibition and the Artist of AmericavCreated ‘Eagle to the Moon’ to commemorate the accomplishments of Neil Armstrong and ‘American Bald Eagle’ series which were unveiled by Presidents Ford, Reagan and Bush.vAwarded the Great Living Cincinnatian Award and the Paul Harris Fellow Award through Rotary InternationalvCommissioned by the U.S. Trade and Economic Council, U.S. Air Force Academy and the Hermitage MuseumvAwarded the Ohio Governor’s Award in 1978 and 2001v William R. Schnug Franklin County U.S. Navy - WWII Past president and member of the Board of Directors of Buckeye Boys StatevSupporter of American Legion baseball in the Hilliard and Dublin areasvCharter member of American Legion Post 614vCounty commander for the American LegionvInducted into the Hilliard Area Senior Citizens Hall of FamevInducted into the Ohio Farm Science Review Hall of Fame for work in farming and 4-HvReceived the John Galbreath Award presented by the Hilliard Chamber of Commerce for outstanding community servicevMember of the American Legion Department of Ohio Americanism Committee for 20 yearsv Allen Trimble Highland County U.S. Army - War of 1812 Eighth and tenth governor of the state of OhiovOhio Senate speaker and member of the Ohio House of Representatives in the 1800svMember of the Canal Fund Commissioners to negotiate a loan for building the newly planned Ohio canal systemvClerk of Common Pleas Court and recorder of Highland CountyvAppointed a committee on the common schools, whose work established the basis for Ohio’s public school systemvPresident of the Hillsboro Academy Board of Trustees from 1829-1854vInstrumental in establishing the Ohio State Board of Agriculture and served as the first presidentvInducted into the Ohio Agriculture Hall of Fame in 1968v Edward J. Voisard Auglaize County U.S. Air Force Volunteer Cubmaster and district scouting commissioner for Boy ScoutsvDisaster health service volunteer for the American Red Cross and assisted in 13 national disasters to include TWA Flight 800, Puerto Rico and North Carolina hurricanes, southern Ohio and Iowa floods, World Trade Center, tornadoes in Oklahoma, Mississippi, Texas and Xenia, Ohio and an ice storm in ArkansasvMember of the Knights of Columbus and the American LegionvVeterans service commissioner for Auglaize CountyvCoached and managed little league and American Legion baseball teams for St. MarysvAdministrative director for Buckeye Boys StatevAwarded the ‘Builder of Bridges’ by the St. Marys Chamber of Commerce for distinguished community servicevRecognized as a ‘Top 10 Supervisor’ and ‘Spirit Award’ recipient for local and regional Goodyear plantsv Glenn R. Welch Darke County U.S. Air Force - Vietnam Ohio Army National Guard Scout master and Eagle Scout mentor for the Boy Scouts of AmericavHunter education instructor for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of WildlifevWater quality monitor volunteer, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Scenic RiversvVice-president for the Friends of Darke County ParksvMember of the Board of Directors Darke County Historical SocietyvVolunteer for Adopt a Highway and Darke County ParksvDeacon and usher for Oakland Church of the BrethrenvBeloved science teacher in Greenville City SchoolsvMember of VFW Post 7262v