Four central Ohioans among 20 inducted into Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Class of 2023
Since leaving the military, Bruce K. Thorn, an Army veteran from Franklin County, has established himself as an outstanding advocate for veterans, a leader in the business community and has shown a commitment to community engagement, according to the Ohio Department of Veterans Services.
A graduate of the esteemed West Point Military Academy, he became an Airborne Ranger-qualified officer and served in combat. After being discharged, he attended the University of Cincinnati on a full scholarship, where he earned his Master of Business Administration degree.
Thorn, 56, has held several prestigious executive business positions, and is currently president, CEO and a board director of Big Lots Inc. in Columbus.
A member of the Columbus Partnership, he has fought for diversity initiatives, raised funds to support children's mental health and has been committed to veteran support programs such as PetSmart for Patriots and the Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund. He also serves as one of the founding directors of the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus, the department notes.
Thorn is one of four veterans from central Ohio who were among 20 veterans inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Class of 2023 on Thursday during a ceremony held at Ohio State University's Fawcett Center. Three of the veterans were inducted posthumously, including a veteran from Fairfield County.
The state Department of Veterans Services annually selects 20 Ohio veterans who it determines have committed to bettering their community following their military careers. Honorees include astronauts, volunteers, community leaders, safety officers, veteran advocates and former government officials.
Here are brief biographies with photos of the three other central Ohio inductees:
David L. Scheffler
David L. Scheffler, 75, who is stepping down at the end of the year as mayor of Lancaster, Fairfield County, served in the military during the Vietnam War.
Afterward, he earned his certified public accountant license and embarked on a 36-year career that culminated in him becoming a partner with a national CPA and business advisory firm before retiring. Throughout this time, the Department of Veterans Services said Scheffler became became committed to volunteering and giving back to his community.
Scheffler has provided guidance and leadership expertise on several boards and projects, including the Ohio Mayor's Allowance, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and the Ohio Small Business Council. In his capacity as chair of the Fairfield County Airport Authority board, his leadership was vital in the improvement and expansion of the airport, including adding more space for runway zones, increasing runway safety, modernizing the airport's accounting system and incorporating new hangar complexes.
He was first elected mayor in 2017 and during his tenure guided the city of Lancaster through the pandemic as well as economic challenges, such as passing a resolution that created 1,500 jobs in the city. He continues to be an advocate for the veteran community and is a regular attendant at veterans' events.
Michael L. Close
Michael L. Close, 79, a Delaware County native, is a Vietnam veteran who has been dedicated to his community and his country, the department said.
During his career as an attorney, Close provided legal advice to nonprofit organizations that worked in food deprivation, homelessness, prisoner reentry and developmental disabilities. He eventually became a judge on the Franklin County Common Pleas Court and later on Ohio's 10th District Court of Appeals.
Close also served as a mayor and council member in Dublin.
As a former Franklin County Veteran Services Commissioner, he moved the office into office compliance and spearheaded diversity efforts. Close launched a soccer program that would support over 1,000 children in Hilliard annually.
Heath M. Robinson
Fairfield County resident Heath M. Robinson was a combat medic with Ohio Army National Guard who developed a rare autoimmune mucous membrane disease and stage 4 lung cancer a decade after completing his service.
Robinson's doctors insisted that the diseases were the result of exposure to toxic chemicals during his service. After learning of his diagnosis, he discovered that other veterans were exposed to toxic burn pits and he believed they were not receiving proper health care coverage through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Understanding that his time was limited, he spent his remaining years advocating for proper benefits for veterans suffering from service-related illnesses and disease. Heath and his family lobbied Congress to pass legislation to address this issue.
Heath, 39, died May 6, 2020, leaving behind his wife, Danielle, and daughter, Brielle. His family continued to fight and advocate, and on Aug. 2, 2022, Congress passed the Heath Robinson PACT Act, which lists 23 toxic exposure related illnesses and guarantees survivor benefits for family members of veterans who succumb to toxic exposure illness.
For his advocacy on behalf of veterans similarly situated as himself, Robinson was inducted posthumously into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Class of 2023 by the department.
Here are the 16 other Ohioans inducted in the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Class of 2023, including two others posthumously:
Darrin M. Adams, 62, of Shelby County, is a Gulf War and Bosnia veteran. He is a founding sponsor and advocate for both the U.S. Army National Museum and the U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum.
Carolyn Destefani, 56, a trustee in Sugarcreek Township, Greene County, is an Air Force veteran who served in the Gulf War and regularly contributes to veterans projects and organizations as well as her community.
Terry Johnson, 58, an Air Force veteran from Montgomery County, was a teacher and coach in public education for more than a quarter-century.
Donald J. Keehan, 87, of Lorain County, served with the Marines in the Korean War and was CEO of Advanced Polymer Coatings, a polymer and resins manufacturing company in Avon, Ohio. Keehan died last year and was inducted posthumously.
Paul M. Keller, 75, of Greene County, served in both the Vietnam and Korean wars with the Air Force and Air Force Reserve and dedicated his life to community service. He worked diligently to provide home ownership opportunities to first-time homebuyers as well as military families being transferred to the Dayton area.
John C. Looker, 75, of Warren County, was an Army veteran who served in the Vietnam War and has dedicated his time to improving veterans' education, employment and economic wellbeing.
Lester L. Lyles, 77, of Montgomery County, was the son of a Tuskegee airman and had a distinguished military career in his own right, culminating as commander of the U.S. Air Force Material Command at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Among many military and service awards, Lester received the NAACP’s Roy Wilkins Renown Service Award for outstanding contributions to military equal opportunity policies and programs.
Laurel A. Mayer, 86, an Air Force veteran from Fairborn, Greene County, joined Sinclair Community College faculty after his discharge and had a 35-year career there before retiring as a professor emeritus.
Charles E. McGee, of Cuyahoga County, a Tuskegee airman who served in three wars, died last year at the age of 102 and was inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame posthumously. After leaving the service, he led a quiet life of service and later returned to college to earn his bachelor's degree at 58. An ambassador of the Tuskegee Airmen Inc. and two-time national president, he and other airmen were presented with the Congressional Gold Medal, the nation’s highest civilian award.
Timothy E. McMonagle, 78, of Cuyahoga County, served as an Army combat medic in Vietnam. After returning home, he completed his law degree and worked for three years at Legal Aid before going into private practice. He helped other Vietnam veterans who needed assistance to form the Northern Ohio Chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America and was named to their original board of directors. He served 28 years as a trial and appellate court judge and several times on the Ohio Supreme Court, when selected.
Michael P. Monahan, 75, of Clermont County, served in the Army in the Vietnam War as a scout dog handler with Chico for the 46th Scout Dog Platoon in Tay Ninh. After his discharge, he worked in construction for 22 years as a pipefitter. One day, he attended a life-changing personal growth seminar and began volunteering with Life Success Seminars to help others achieve their full potential.
Jack L. Patterson, 77, of West Lafayette, Coshocton County, served with the Army in the Korean and Vietnam era and worked at Western and Southern Life Insurance Co. for 35 years following his service. As a chaplain for a Military Honor Guard, he has conducted over 1,100 military funerals. He is president of the Coshocton County Veterans Council and previously served as a police officer, council members and for 24 years as mayor of West Lafayette.
Stephen L. Rosedale, 80, of Hamilton County, spent two years in the Army after graduating from the University of Cincinnati. As a young man, he developed a passion for caring, and became the founder and chairman of the board for CommuniCare Family of Cos., a diversified health care organization.
Donald P. Scott, 61, of Mahoning County, a 30-year veteran completed an active duty tour in 2006, then served in the Army Reserve until retiring in 2012 at the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was a career law enforcement officer and attorney.
Purcell Taylor Jr., 82, of Warren County, served with the Marine Corps in Vietnam, Cuba and Quemoy-Matsu. A lifelong researcher and educator, he is a renowned forensic psychologist and was the first African American at the University of Cincinnati to earn a doctorate degree in school psychology in 1977.
Robert A. Walkup, 75, of Williams County, is a Vietnam Navy and Army Reserve veteran who has dedicated his life to service and improving his community while honoring his fellow veterans. Bob has been commander of the American Legion Post 307 in Pioneer for the past 25 years. He manages and oversees the American Legion Bar and Restaurant, which is open to the public, and has helped the Legion post to become financially sound.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Four central Ohioans among 20 inducted into Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame
