Ashland Police deal with Dead on Arrival; NASA astronaut with ties to Ashland; Remembering Clara Killinger
Riding with Ashland Police means learning how to deal with Dead on Arrival
NASA astronaut, Ashland native Robert Springer to address hometown on March 10:
Clara Killinger:
You may have already seen Staff Reporter Dillon Carr’s series about a typical shift for an Ashland Police officer. Carr spent 12 hours over two days with a couple Ashland Police officers earlier this year. And one of the many challenges of the job that came to light was dealing with “Dead on Arrival”.
Carr rode with Ashland Police officer Adam Srnis while documenting a typical day for an Ashland police officer. The officer is a young, chipper man who seems to genuinely love his job. He’s firm with people, but also has a respectable humility about him.
But as Carr and Srinis were on the road patrolling they got word that quote “Landlord called in a DOA, elderly man. Ex-wife is on scene.”
Carr later learns that this DOA call would be the second Srinis has responded to in a week.
They get to the scene. The man’s apartment was on the second floor of a multi-residential house. They climbed the stairs and walked in, immediately greeted by concerned faces and the smell of putrefaction — the fifth stage of a decaying body.
There were five living people in that apartment — the man’s landlord, the man’s ex-wife, two police officers and Carr. In the living room the two officers had their flashlights beaming downward toward the floor. That’s where the body was. He lay on the floor, shirtless. He had died wearing only his sweatpants. The landlord had found him. He lives in one of the units below.
After days of noticing his neighbor’s mail piling in the wall-mounted mailbox, he decided to check in. He knocked for a while. No answer. He had a key, so he unlocked the door and went upstairs.
The ex-wife said it was somewhat normal for the extended family to not hear from him for days at a time. But too much time had passed. The landlord made some difficult calls that day. He honored the dead man, his friend and neighbor, by smiling at photos and acknowledging a life lived well.
The ex-wife, in grief, mixed up her tenses. Their marriage had ended years before, but the relationship, and the memory attached to that relationship, was still very much alive in those moments. Pearce, another police officer, found a way to get the job done by allowing herself to be fascinated by the scientific process.
And Srnis did his job. He evaluated and secured the scene. But the encounter with the dead body caused his stomach to turn. For Carr, the experience reinforced the idea that everyone processes death differently. There’s no playbook. To read his full piece use the link in our show notes.
Thomas F. Olin was Archway Cookies chairman
Next, some local history. Did you know that Thomas F. Olin was the chairman of Archway Cookies? In 1964, he joined as bakery general manager.
He expanded the bakery and put an emphasis on freshness and quality… eventually producing nearly 10 million cookies a week. Olin served on the board of the Ashland Public Library, was vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce, and many more clubs and associations.
In 1983, Olin purchased Archway as a partner and took on the role of chairman and co-chief executive officer. By the time of his death, in 1996, Archway Cookies had become the third largest cookie brand in the United States.
Astronaut Col. Springer returns home for Ashland event
Next, astronaut and Ashland native, Col. Robert Springer, will be the featured speaker as part of the Ashland County Historical Society’s 2022 Spring Speaker Series. The event takes place on Thursday, March 10 starting at 6:30 p.m. in the Ashland High School, Little Theatre.
Come and hear Col. Springer’s, noteworthy experiences as a decorated Vietnam War Veteran, Navy Test Pilot, and NASA astronaut. His impressive career covers 4,500 hours of flying time and 237 hours in space. This event is a terrific opportunity to hear first-hand the experiences of someone who has a little perspective to say the least.
Admission is free for this event. Seating will be on a first come, first-serve basis. The event will start promptly at 6:30 p.m. and doors will open at 6 p.m.
Clara Killinger
Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember Clara Killinger of Mansfield. Born in 1936, Clara was a member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church and worked for many years as a telephone operator for Ohio Bell and Sprint. A very hard worker, she continued well past retirement age.
Clara was an avid reader and couldn’t get enough of Danielle Steele’s books. She enjoyed playing games, especially Farkle and Skip-Bo and was a dog lover. Clara was an avid fan of The Ohio State Buckeyes and the Dallas Cowboys – especially Troy Aikman.
Clara was a very loving person and would always put everyone’s needs above her own. She will truly be missed by all who knew her.
She is survived by her daughter, her unofficial grandson, her brother, her nieces and nephews, numerous great nieces and nephews; and her faithful companion, her dog Ricky.
Thank you for taking a moment with us today to remember and celebrate Clara’s life.
