MANSFIELD — The Ohio Department of Veterans Services has announced the members of the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Class of 2018, and longtime Board Member and current Board President of the Richland County Veterans Service Commission, Douglas D. Theaker, is one of the inductees.
The Ohio Department of Veterans Services (ODVS) and Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Foundation will honor the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame 2018 Class during its annual Induction Ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 8, at 10 a.m. at the Radiant Life Church in Dublin, Ohio.
The 20-person class will be honored with medals by ODVS Director Chip Tansill and Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor. Theaker is one of 20 outstanding inductees who will be honored for their accomplishments, achievements, and post-military service at the Induction Ceremony. This class represents 13 Ohio counties and four military branches.
Douglas David Theaker, 82, of Richland County, served in the United States Navy during the Korean War. After serving in the military, Doug used his GI Bill to earn his degrees: a bachelor’s degree in social studies from Ashland University and a Master of Science in Education from the University of Akron.
After his retirement from education, he served as the Director of Richland County Job and Family Services. Yet, his passion was to help children from K to 12 and he responded with a “yes” when his peers called on him to become a school board member. He devoted 39 years to the education of children; nine years as an American History teacher at Ontario High school and 30 years serving on boards of education including the Ohio School Board Association, the Ontario Board of Education and the Pioneer Career and Technology Board of Education.
Doug is the longest serving member of the Richland County Veterans Service Commission – since 1983 – and is currently president of the board. Doug is active in every military post in the county: AMVETS 26 and 31 for 40 years, KWVA Chapter 51 for 20 years and serves as president, Richland County Joint Veterans Council for 30 years and is past-president, American Legion Post 16 for 20 years.
For more than 20 years, he has helped raise the flags at the Richland County Courthouse and he has attended every Memorial Day Parade since he returned from the Navy. Doug served as the Memorial Day Grand Marshal. He also is involved in United Way, Boy Scouts Council, Kiwanis and is a 28-year host of the WMFD Rehab Telethon fundraiser.
The Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame was established in 1992 by former Gov. George Voinovich to recognize outstanding professional achievement, service to the community and selfless acts of veterans following their military service.
Charter members of the Hall’s Class of 1992 included the six Ohio military veterans who were elected President of the United States and all Medal of Honor recipients from Ohio. Honorees include astronauts, volunteers, community leaders, safety officers, veteran advocates and former government officials.
The Class of 2018 was chosen from among 119 nominations. The inductees, which range in age from 37 to 88, span 13 different Ohio counties and four major branches of the United States Armed Forces – the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. This year’s class joins 858 Ohio veterans who have been inducted since inception and represent all eras, branches and walks of life.
All Ohio veterans and the general public are invited and encouraged to attend the Induction Ceremony.
The complete list of 2018 Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Inductees follows:
Fredric L. Abrams, Air Force, Warren County
Ronald L. Albers, Air Force, Franklin County
Cassie B. Barlow, Air Force, Greene County
*Francis Leroy Clendenen, Army, Licking County
Dean Cooper, Army, Lawrence County
Haraz N. Ghanbari, Army & Navy, Wood County
James L. Gibson, Navy, Guernsey County
Paul D. Haller, Navy, Jackson County
Ronald J. Hartman, Army, Clermont County
Joseph A. Machado, Army, Fairfield County
Robert P. Milich, Air Force, Mahoning County
*Charles L. Murray, Army, Franklin County
Merle J. Pratt, Navy, Franklin County
Fredrick L. Pumroy, Air Force, Greene County
Clifford Riley, Army, Clermont County
Dana L. Robinson-Street, Navy, Franklin County
Ronald A. Schwachenwald, Army, Lorain County
Douglas D. Theaker, Navy, Richland County
E.J. Thomas, Air Force, Franklin County
Robert J. Wilhelm, Marines, Guernsey County
*Awarded posthumously
