May 28, 2009

OBITUARIES

Charles L Ryan

Charles L. “Charlie” Ryan of Yellow Springs died at 10:45 a.m. Thursday, May 21, in Springfield Regional Medical Center. He was 83.

He was born July 6, 1925, in South Charleston to James and Anna (Corrigan) Ryan. He retried in 1980 as a process engineer at Navistar after 35 years of service.

Charlie was a life member of St. Paul Catholic Church, Yellow Springs, where he served on the finance committee, a past member of Knights of Columbus #3737, a past member of the board of directors of the IH Credit Union and a U.S. Army veteran. He loved being with people and was an avid gardener, golfer and bowler.

Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Betty A. (Geis); daughter, Beth Bumgardner, son and daughter-in-law, David and Shelia Ryan, all of Springfield; two grandchildren, Jeff (Janel) Bumgardner and Steve (Emily) Bumgardner; two great grandsons, Brady and Carter Bumgardner; and a sister, Alice JoAnn Ryan, Springfield. The family would like to express their appreciation to Drs. McKee and Dahdah, to the staff at Community Hospital 2 South and to the staff of Villa Springfield for all their excellent care.

A mass of Christian burial was held at 10 a.m. Wednesday in St. Raphael Catholic Church, Springfield. Burial followed in St. Paul Cemetery, Yellow Springs. Memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association.

James Hiles

James A. “Jay” Hiles of Fairborn, died Thursday, May 7, in the Patriot Ridge Community. He was 91.

He was born Aug. 29, 1917, in Dayton, the son of the late Gordon and Anna (Beckman) Hiles. Jay served his country in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II and followed with employment in civil service with the Air Force Logistics Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base as a computer systems analyst, retiring in 1976 after 40 years of combined federal service.

He enjoyed bicycling and was a past president of the Wright-Patterson bicycling club. Jay was also an avid square dancer with the Shooting Stars square dance and round dance clubs.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Robert.

Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Jean; three children and their spouses, Jeanine and Scott Clark of Yellow Springs; Jeff Hiles of Fairborn, Jerome and Lori Hiles of Fairborn; a grandson, Ajay Hiles of Fairborn; a brother, Julius Hiles of Dayton; and a nephew, Gordon Hiles of Jamestown.

A gathering of family and friends was held in the Belton-Stroup Funeral Home, 422 East Dayton-Yellow Springs Road, Fairborn. Memorial contributions, if desired, may be made to Vitas Hospice, 3055 Kettering Blvd., Suite 218, Moraine, Ohio 45439.

Philip Hammond

John Philip Hammond of Yellow Springs passed away May 20. He was 85.

Philip was born December 24, 1923, in Port Clinton, Ohio, to William A. Hammond and Olive D. Hammond. The family moved to Yellow Springs in 1930, where his father was a professor at Antioch College. During his small town childhood, Philip formed many lifelong friendships. He graduated from Bryan High School in 1941, served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and received his bachelors degree in Chemistry from Miami University in 1950. He married Jackie Nickel in 1953 and together, they built the only house they ever lived in. He was the very best father to his two children.

Philip worked with his father at the W.A. Hammond Drierite Co. in Xenia and on the family farm. He became the manager of the Drierite business in the 1960s and remained so until his retirement. Under his guidance the business grew and Drierite became used and recognized worldwide. He was innovative in designing new products and production equipment. He ran his company with wisdom, a sense of fairness and a sense of humor. Providing good jobs and quality products were his priorities in business.

His love of the water and boating brought Philip happiness throughout his entire life. He kept a boat on Lake Erie for many years and navigated the Great Lakes and intercoastal waterways, as well as the Atlantic Ocean.

Philip is survived by his wife, Jackie, son Jim (Libby), daughter Joan (Randy) and grandchildren Katie, Sarah, and Joey. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Robert and nephew Bill. Services will be private at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Yellow Springs United Methodist Church (202 S. Winter St., Yellow Springs, OH 45387) or the Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church (1801 St. Paris Pike, Springfield, OH 45504).

Harold Bair

Harold Roger Bair died May 25 at his home in Gahanna. He was 91. Born in Mt. Vernon, Ohio, on Nov. 1, 1917, he was a resident of Yellow Springs from 1941 to 1961.

Harold graduated from Mt. Vernon High School in 1935 and retired as a machinist from Defense Supply Construction Center. He attended Stonybrook United Methodist Church after moving to Gahanna and was a member of many organizations, including the Ohio Genealogical Society, Whitehall Lodge #761 F&AM for 65 years and Scottish Rite Valley of Columbus. In his retirement he enjoyed volunteering for Ohio Historical Center, Eastview Food Pantry, American Red Cross Blood Bank and Masonic Services Association of Franklin County. 

He was preceded in death by parents Harold and Olive Rogers Bair and sister Phyllis Bair Copland. He is survived by his loving wife of 68 years, Anita Cochran Bair; daughters Nancy (James) Johnston of Powell, Ohio, Patricia (Richard) Smith of Empire, Mich., JoAnne (Richard) McClead of Gahanna, and son Roger (Gwenn) Bair of Westerville, Ohio; grandchildren, Diane (Brad) Linville, Darren (Kristin) Smith, Rebecca Smith, Ryan (Amanda Wheeler) McClead, Megan (Scott) Anzur, Erin (Mark) Curtis, Waverly (David) Eisenbart, and Wyndra Bair; great grandchildren Cole and Hunter Linville, Spencer and Cameron Smith, Samuel and Jackson Anzur, Jessa and Erica Curtis; brother Harry S. (Peg) Bair of Georgetown, Texas and many other extended family members and friends.

The funeral service and celebration of life were held May 28 with interment at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Columbus.

Ray Schiff memorial set

A memorial service will be held for Ray Schiff on Sunday, June 7, beginning 1 p.m., at the Glen Helen Building. Schiff died on Feb. 10. He was a long time Yellow Springs resident, having come here in 1957 to work at YSI.