Lexington’s Lew Ryan celebrates 100th birthday:
https://www.richlandsource.com/open_source/lexingtons-lew-ryan-celebrates-100th-birthday/article_0d6afe10-9fb4-11ec-a370-c349c1d61e09.html
Mansfield mayor cites accomplishments in annual ‘State of the City’ report:
Mary N. Pittenger:
Source Daily promo vertical.mp4Lewis Ryan can still remember the days when Main Street in Lexington was a brick road and farmers rode their horses into town, tying them up on hitching posts before walking up the weathered stairs of Lexington Presbyterian Church.
In fact, the 100-year-old may just be Lexington’s oldest resident. He celebrated his centennial birthday earlier this month. Friends threw Ryan a surprise birthday party at Kell Hardware, where he received a commendation from the Village of Lexington.
Mayor Brian White even declared March “Lewis Ryan Month.” Fire trucks drove by and honked their horns in celebration.
Ryan is a frequent visitor at Kell’s. Sometimes he stops in to look for a tool or ask advice on a home repair. But typically, he’s just there to chat with the employees over a cup of coffee. In fact, according to Peyton Humes, an employee at Kell’s, Ryan has stopped by nearly every day for the last 20 years.
Matthew Ryan said his grandfather is still fairly independent. He drives during the day and still does most of his own home repairs. When he’s not at Kell’s, he enjoys spending time with loved ones either in-person or over-the-phone.
Ryan credits his longevity and good health to a sensible diet and regular exercise. He still golfs whenever he can. He also rides about eight miles each day on a decades-old stationary bike in the corner of his dining room.
Ryan spent his early years in the farming community of Palmyra, then moved to Lexington when he was about 10 years old. For a while, his family lived in a house located where Lexington’s post office sits today.
His parents later moved into an old house on Frederick Street. According to Ryan, the previous owner, a man by the name of Dr. Oaks, sold it to them for just $1.
And despite his age, Lew still carries many childhood memories. He can still tell you the layout of Lexington during his boyhood – where every shop was located, where friends and family lived. Ryan graduated from Lexington High School in 1940. There were 32 students in his class.
As a kid, Ryan and his friends played a lot of baseball. He and his brother nearly went pro. They were set to play for a “farm club” for the Detroit Tigers, but were drafted into the Army before they got the chance to play.
Ryan met his wife Alice at a roller skating rink in Mansfield after coming home from the war. He and Alice had two sons and a daughter and were married for 70 years.
Ryan also owned a Sinclair Service station for over 30 years. The station was located at the current site of Buck’s Bar and Grill. Ryan has accomplished a lot in his 100 years, but he says the thing he’s most proud of is his family. The walls of his home are covered in pictures – from old black-and-white photos to 8-by-10s of grandchildren.
Ashland’s Earl Thomas played pro basketball
Next, some local history. Did you know that Ashland-native, Earl Thomas, was a professional basketball player?
He played for Ashland High School, was an all-Big 10 center at OSU, and finished his career in the National Basketball League for the Cincinnati Comellos in 1937, then for the Indianapolis Kautskys in 1938.
In his post-basketball life, Thomas worked as a regional sales manager for Penton Publishing Company.
Theaker delivers State of the City report
Next, Economic development, a new Ohio Air National Guard mission and continued success with initiatives found in the Mansfield Rising plan were highlighted Monday when Mayor Tim Theaker issued his annual “State of the City” report. The 11-page document has highlights for each city department in the mayor’s administration.
Theaker said the city “continued on its path to make great things happen throughout 2021, despite the (COVID-19) pandemic’s attempt to again hinder progress.”
For one, economic development remained strong. Companies like Hess Industries, the Mansfield Art Center, Edge Plastics, the Ohio District 5 Area Agency on Aging, Niss Aviation, and the Ohio Bird Sanctuary all completed projects throughout the year.
The mayor also noted he was thrilled when the 179th Airlift Wing was chosen to become the home of the first Air National Guard cyberspace wing in the country.
And work continued on Mansfield Rising projects, including community branding, the conversion of Diamond Street to two-way traffic, the facade improvement grant program, free public wi-fi in the downtown area, a pop-up linear park, beautification efforts and the creation of the Mansfield Public Arts Commission.
As for 2022 Theaker says the focus will be to continue the collaborative work with a host of city partners to make Mansfield more vibrant, attractive, strong and proud.
Mary Pittenger
Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember Mary Pittenger. Mary was born in Pikeville, Kentucky in 1950. She worked at General Motors, was a devout Christian and believed strongly that there was always a reason for what you were going through.
Mary was caring and compassionate and always willing to lend a helping hand. She loved visiting the beach, country music, reading, and walking. Mary leaves behind her sons. her grandchildren, her siblings, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Thank you for taking a moment with us today to remember and celebrate Mary’s life.
