McCrabb: These ‘Most Intriguing’ people make the years fly by


HONORABLE MENTION

Those who earned reporter Rick McCrabb’s Most Intriguing honorable mention were:

  • Elsa Croucher and her late husband, Jim, who, because of their work after their daughter was killed by an ex-boyfriend, the Ohio Domestic Violence Network announced the newly established Croucher Family Award for Outstanding Advocacy
  • Julie Kenniston, director of training and education at Butler County Children Services who spoke at a domestic violence rally at the Middletown City Building
  • Bob Miller, a World War II veteran who went skydiving on his 90th birthday
  • George Ragheb, one of the owners of SA Mary Ohio, which purchased the Towne Mall and has been one of the drivers of its resurgence
  • Middletown's Kyle Schwarber, an All-American catcher at Indiana University
  • Nicole Slone, who turned in a found wallet that contained $1,102
  • Monroe High School grads Jake Essig, Derek Garde and Nick Streibick and Isaac Beal of Greenfield, Ind., who dribbled a soccer ball from Monroe to Toledo to raise money and awareness for a Life-Line Toledo, the city's medical unit

I will never forget 2013 for personal and professional reasons. My daughter, Hannah, went from being my little girl to a high school freshman seemingly overnight, and The Middletown Journal, where I have worked and called home since 1987, merged with the Hamilton JournalNews to form the Journal-News.

I’m proud to say that my daughter and the newspaper are progressing nicely. Thanks for asking.

Throughout the year, whether in meetings, on street corners or over the phone, I met amazing people — my “10 Most Intriguing People of 2013.” It’s because of you, the people throughout Butler and Warren counties, that I have stayed in this business for 26 years, nearly half of my life.

You invite me into your homes, offer me something cold to drink, and open your hearts up to me, and the thousands of readers of this newspaper and thousands more on the Internet.

Here are my 10 Most Intriguing People of 2013, in alphabetical order:

Bill Akers Sr.

I have added his name to the list of people I wished I had met. After talking to those closest to Akers, who passed away in 2013, I'm sure I would have cherished our friendship.

From the age of 8, Akers worked various jobs from delivering newspapers and selling magazines to setting pins in a bowling alley. He was a short-order cook and washed dishes at a local restaurant helping his poverty-stricken family survive the Great Depression.

He founded Akers Packaging Service on Oct. 7, 1963, and also owned Crystal Tissue Co., Crystal Creative Products and Saratoga Board Mills. With business partner, Perry Thatcher, he owned Ample Industries in Franklin and the historic Manchester Inn.

Quote: "He loved Middletown," his son Bill Akers Jr. said. "He always wanted to do what was right; what was best for the city."

Joshua Back

This summer, while filing up his kerosene tank at Speedway, 3501 Roosevelt Blvd., Joshua Back was in the right place at the right time.

And he made the right decision.

He was approached by a panicked eldery man who said he was just robbed at knife-point. Back then saw a man running from the gas station. Back, 23, said he wouldn’t want somebody robbing someone the age of his grandfather, so he chased the suspect.

He followed him to the Williamsburg Apartments at 1225 Jackson Lane. He chased the man on foot and said he saw him enter the apartment complex. He yelled to him: "You are done. You can't hide. I'm calling police."

Back stayed there until Middletown police officers arrived.

Police found Jessy Byrd, who matched the description of the robbery suspect, in an apartment. And they found a steak knife lying by the front door and a gray sweatshirt lying on the closet floor. Byrd was charged with aggravated robbery.

Quote: "Not really," Back said when asked if he considered himself a hero. "It could have been a lot worse."

Zoe Bruce

Zoe Bruce, 13, a eighth-grader at Monroe Junior High School, showed the value of sports and how they can teach kids life lessons.

When others, especially those her age, would have quit after such a horrific gymnastics accident, Zoe refused to walk away from what she loved. In fact, in the more than three years since, she has gotten better, improved her all-around scores, and proved all the doubters wrong.

On Dec. 10, 2009, during practice at Cincinnati Gymnastic Academy in Fairfield, she slipped off the high bar and fell face first.

She was lifeless for a second or two. She melted into the mat. The gym became eerily quiet.

She endured major pediatric orthopaedic surgery, and some thought her gymnastics career was over before it really got started.

Quote: "She showed us that if you really want something, to go for it," her mother Tiffany Bruce said. "She truly is an inspiration."

Dr. John Burley

In 1958, the Trenton Lions Club, knowing the city needed a dentist, offered to give Dr. John Burley, a recent Ohio State graduate, a $5,000 note to purchase dental equipment.

For that investment, Trenton received its first dentist and a man who kept his practice there, built his home there, raised his family there, and a man who became an active member of the community.

Burley, who opened his practice in October 1958, retired on July 3, his 79th birthday.

His son, Dr. Alan Burley, 57, continues the practice.

He served for 26 years on the Trenton and Edgewood Board of Education, and was president many of those years. He spent more than 15 years on various boards for Middletown Regional Hospital. He has been a member of Trenton Lions Club since 1958 and has served in many leadership positions. He has served on the Board of Trustees at First United Methodist Church in Middletown, and has volunteered on the Crystal Apple committee.

Quote: "To be honest, I enjoy working," Dr. John Burley said. "This is where I like to be. But I wanted to get out before I died with my boots on."

Cris Carter

Throughout my career here, I've heard hundreds of stories about Cris Carter, the wide receiver who played at Middletown High School, The Ohio State University and for 16 seasons in the NFL, mostly notably 12 years with the Minnesota Vikings.

Most of the stories were negative.

Let me set the record straight: Carter is a class act.

Over the summer, he was enshrined into the Professional Football Hall of Fame, and leading up to the induction, we wrote a series of stories on his life and produced a special section in recognition of his accomplishment. I interviewed Carter on the phone one afternoon after he finished golfing at Augusta National, home of the Masters.

I was hoping for 15 minutes.

He gave me more than one hour.

He was equally gracious when he visited Middletown, toured his hometown, was honored at MHS, and was a keynote speaker at the Pigskin Roundball Spectacular.

Quote: "When people ask me where I'm from, I tell them Middletown, Ohio," Carter said. "I'm proud of my roots."

Mel Hagemeyer

His part-time job turned into a lifetime love affair.

Mel Hagemeyer started at Lebanon Raceway when he was a sophomore at Ohio State, worked his way up to general manager, and on Dec. 7 — the last day of operations at the Warren County Fairgrounds — retired after 45 years.

Hagemeyer, 65, the general manager at the Warren County harness track for two decades, said he wanted to retire before the operations were moved to Miami Valley Gaming & Racing on Ohio 63.

Quote: "This became a way of life," Hagemeyer said. "It was a 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week job."

The Rev. Donald Jordan

Last summer, the Rev. Donald Jordan, longtime funeral director, was recognized for 60 years in the burial business.

During our interview in his office on South Main Street, Jordan said he couldn’t remember a time when he wasn’t interested in funerals. While other boys in the neighborhood wanted to play in the park, Jordan preferred to spend his time at the C.L. Maxberry Funeral Home, just down the street.

He became one of the city’s most successful businessman, one of its most recognized faces.

After opening a Middletown funeral home in 1953, he expanded to Hamilton in 1959 and to Cincinnati, purchasing the Lee Funeral Home in 1966, the Houston Funeral Home in 1972, the Pierce and Peoples Funeral Home in 1974, the Wrassman Funeral Home in 1976, and the Denman-Radel Funeral Home in 1988. Green Funeral Home in Hamilton was purchased in 1990, Thompson Funeral Home in Cincinnati in 1997 and Jones & Simpson Funeral Home in Covington, Ky. in 1999. His most recent acquisition was the Lavenia’s Home for Funerals and the Summer’s Funeral Home both located in Indianapolis.

Quote: "Not that we didn't charge them, we just didn't get paid," he said when asked about performing free funerals. "We never turned anyone away."

The Rev. James Kinser

The Rev. James Kinser practiced what he preached.

The longtime pastor at Bonita Drive Church of Christ and Crosspointe Church of God in Middletown collapsed in 90-degree heat this summer while mowing the lawn of a woman who was out of town at church camp. Family and friends tried to revive him on the scene. He was transported to Atrium Medical Center, where he died. He was 73.

Kinser also served as chaplain at Hospice Care of Middletown and was a volunteer on-call chaplain at Atrium. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army. Before coming to Middletown, he served as a pastor in Indiana and Iowa.

Quote: "He was one of the guys who'd drive down the street, stop and help anyone," said Amy Cornwell, secretary at Crosspointe. "I never knew anyone quite like him."

David and Jennifer Mangus

Who doesn't enjoy a good love story, especially when baseball is involved?

David “Squid” Mangus, who has attended 45 consecutive Cincinnati Reds Opening Days, and Jennifer got married in the fall and they threw a reception with a baseball flavor.

They converted the VFW reception hall into Great American Ball Park without the $8 beers. There were hot dogs, popcorn and peanuts and even some of the Reds mascots made appearances.

Quotes: "We wanted it to be fun," said Mangus, 53, a 1978 Fenwick High School graduate. "We wanted people to remember the night and feel better when they left." His wife added: "We're a fun-loving couple and we want to have a good time."

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