Posted: 8:00 a.m.Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014

Notable Butler County leaders who died in2014

By Rick McCrabb

Staff Writer

Numerousprominent Butler Countyresidents died during 2014, including a leader at MiamiUniversity, a longtime Middletown grocer, aretired judge, and a radio personality.

ROD CORWIN

RodCorwin, who worked in the jewelry business for 43 years, 29 at Rogers Jewelers,passed away Feb. 14 at LifeCare Hospitals of Dayton. He was 71.

ChelseyGarrett, one of his daughters, said her father, often called “Mr. Middletown,”was loved by so many people.

“Hejust had a caring way about him,” she said.

SusanPhillips, who worked with Corwin for six years at the downtown Rogers location, called him “a large cupid”who had “a warm and friendly personality.” She said Corwin always rememberedpeoples’ names, their taste in jewelry and displayed “a tremendous knowledge”of the industry.

“Healways delivered,” she said.

Corwinwas the store manager when the downtown Rogerslocation, 1000 Central Ave.,closed in February 2009. He called that “a sad day.”

JackieNagy, a saleswoman at the Rogers Towne Mall Galleria store, said customersconstantly ask about Corwin, even though he hasn’t worked there for years.

“Hewas the Rod in Rogers,”she said. “He helped everyone. He was always there for the customers.”

HARRY T. WILKS

HarryT. Wilks, lifelong Hamiltonian and advocate for the arts, schools andcommunity, died March 11, his 89th birthday, at his home.

Creatorof Hamilton’s Pyramid Hill SculpturePark, where he built his home underthe eponymous blue pyramid, Wilks was a trustee of his alma mater, Miami University,whose conference center and scholarship program bear his name, and a dedicatedsponsor for Hamiltonhigh school students through scholarships and the Harry T. Wilks Foundation.

Heserved four years in the Pacific during WWII and returned to the area to attendOhio Universityand Miami University, earning a law degree.

Hisinterest in civic responsibility was evident early on as he served asdemocratic State Representative, Hamilton City Councilman, and the leader ofcampaigns for the YMCA, United Way,Red Cross, and Easter Seals. He, along with his brothers and sister, renovateda building for St. Rapheals Social Services in honor of their parents.

Hewas voted “Outstanding Young Man” by the Chamber of Commerce in 1960 and in1992 was named Hamilton’s“Citizen of the Year.”

Atage 70, he provided a lasting legacy to the community of Hamiltonand the tri-state area by his founding of Pyramid Hill Sculpture Parkon 320 acres which he saved from development and donated to the park. The park,one of the largest in the country, features monumental sculptures set in aparklike setting overlooking the Miami Rivervalley, and offers many artistic and cultural opportunities to the community.

Hislegacy at Miami University(Hamilton and Oxford) supports two causes he was especiallypassionate about, furthering the arts and providing educational opportunity.The Harry TWilks ConferenceCenter and Harry T Wilks LectureSeries were dedicated in Hamiltonin 1992, bringing speakers of international renown to lecture free of charge atthe Miami Hamilton campus.

ROGER W. DILLMAN

RogerW. Dillman, a Middletown native, communityactivist and longtime grocer, died April 4 at Atrium Medical Center. He was 87.

Dillmanowned Dillman food, which had been in business for 87 years before its Central Avenuegrocery store closed in 2013.

Hisson, Steve, said the family business founded in 1926 by his grandfather, Dewey,fed countless families and employed many young people over the years.

“Heenjoyed it very much,” Steve Dillman said. “Co-workers and customers, he lovedthem all.”

Atthe height of the family business, the Dillmans owned three grocery stores in Middletown and one in West Carrollton.They converted two Middletown locations on Roosevelt and University boulevards to Save-A-Lots thensold them in 2011.

Hewas active in many city organizations over the years, including serving on theBank One board of directors, chairman of the board of Middletown Hospital,senior citizen ambassador award recipient, Middletown Rotary member of the year2000, basketball official for 25 years, charter member of Middletown BasketballAssociation, past commander of American Legion, Miami University Founders Cluband an original member of Middletown Community Foundation.

Healso served in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II.

JOHN E. DOLIBOIS

JohnE. Dolibois, a Miami University official and the last survivor of a team thatinterrogated top-ranking Nazis for the Nuremberg Trials, died May 2 at his homein Cincinnati. He was 95.

Miami University’svice president emeritus for university relations, Dolibois was born Dec. 4,1918, in Luxembourg.In 1931 at the age of 12, he immigrated with his father to Ohio on July 4.

InMarch 1945, Dolibois became a member of the five-member Army Intelligence teamthat interrogated the highest-ranking Nazi war criminals, leading to theNuremberg War Crimes Trials. This included Hermann Goering, credited as thearchitect of the Nazi industrial machine and second-in-command under AdolfHitler.

Heorganized the university’s first fund-raising campaign, for $14 million, from1978-1981, which raised funds to build the university’s art museum, Marcumconference center and Yager football stadium, and to increase the number ofscholarships. Dolibois also helped establish a study abroad program in Luxembourg in1968. The Luxembourg centerwas renamed the Miami University John E. Dolibois European Centerin 1987.

Hisson, Bob Dolibois, said his father’s outstanding quality was his strong senseof loyalty.

“Hecarried that everywhere he went. He created a strong sense of trust which ledto success at Miami,”he said. “He never considered himself a fund-raiser. He saw it as matchingpeople’s wishes to the needs of the university.”

ANTHONY VALEN

Longtime ButlerCounty judge Anthony Valen died June17 while at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesotafrom complications with pneumonia. He was 82.

Theformer Butler County Common Pleas and 12th District Court of Appeals judge wasinstrumental in the construction of the Veterans Memorial at Woodside Cemetery,and was known for his respect for the police and dedication to the GreekOrthodox community.

Valen,the son of Greek immigrants and a Middletownnative, is survived by his wife, Carol, and four children, Irene Zalants,Angela Retzios, Connie Hodson and Gus Valen.

“Hewas very passionate about the veterans, and from that passion he had theVeterans Memorial built with money just from the area,” said Carol Valen, hiswife of 53 years.

Shealso said her husband “loved his job” and when he made his decisions “he neversecond-guessed himself. I don’t think he ever had an agenda for himself. Somewould say he was humble. I say he was a plain man and honest.”

GusValen said his dad was a proud member of the Middletown community. The judge took pridethe 12th District Court of Appeals was in downtown; supported the constructionof Fenwick High School; co-chaired the Healthy Kids Campaign at Atrium MedicalCenter and supported the hospital’s Maternal ChildHealth Center;and his family was the long-time owner of The Liberty Restaurant in downtown Middletown.

BUTCH HUBBLE

Lester“Butch” Hubble Jr., director of the Booker T. Washington Community Center, diedOct. 19. He was 70.

Hubblewas best known for guiding the Booker T. Washington Community Center in theheart of the city’s Second Ward, founding an influential community council andtwice seeking a seat on the Butler County Commission. Hubble, who had beenbattling a lengthy illness, died while in the care of Hospice of Hamilton.

Bornin Cincinnati, he moved to Hamiltonin 1960, graduated from Garfield High School in 1962. Hejoined the U.S. Navy and retired in 1988 as a commissioned officer.

Hewas a member of the Pilgrim Baptist church, an avid golfer, philanthropist, andworld traveler.

Hubblewas honored in 2013 with SELF’sJanet Clemmons Community Service Award.

“Hewas a real hands-on person with a huge heart, big heart,” Jeff Diver, executivedirector of Supports to Encourage Low-Income Families, told the Journal-News inOctober.

TheBooker T. Washington Community Center and the Hamilton Rotary Club each held a dedicationceremony for Hubble earlier this month.

STEPHEN CROAKE

StephenCroake, a longtime Middletown banker, died Nov.2 at Atrium Medical Center.He was 64.

Hegraduated from Middletown High School in 1968 and from MiamiUniversity and attended the University of Georgia for Advanced Bank Degrees. Hewas past president and CEO of American Savings Bank where he had worked for 30years. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church where he had served as adeacon and was on the Board of Directors of Ohio Presbyterian RetirementServices Foundation Board. He was a member of Brown’s Run Country Club,Middletown Elks Lodge No. 257, was a former member of Middletown Rotary and hadbeen guest conductor of the Middletown Symphony.

WARREN JOHNSON

WarrenJohnson, who called thousands of games on WPFB radio for 28 years, died Nov. 9.He was 90.

Hewas elected to the Butler County Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.

Johnsonserved his country during World War II U. S. Army Signal Corps. He saw heavycombat in the battle of Okinawa and wasawarded a Bronze Star. He then served occupation duty in Korea. While inKoreahe participated in the Armed Forces Pacific Olympics. He was the starting endon the undefeated all American G.I. football team, the Korean All-Stars. Headditionally won the individual Armed Services Ping-Pong championship.

Hewas a graduate of the University of Cincinnati’sConservatory of Music Radio Department and began what would become a lifetimecareer in radio broadcasting, sales and station management.

LEONARD ‘LEN’ KAHNY

Leonard“Len” Kahny, a longtime volunteer in the Middletowncommunity and a player in the Cincinnati Reds minor league system, died Nov. 19at Otterbein-Middletown. He was 103.

Hevolunteered for the Butler County American Red Cross for 22 years, and left theorganization when he was 98.

“Hewas such an incredible volunteer who cared about people, who cared about hiscommunity and who cared about the Red Cross,” said Christine Birhanzl, directorof the Butler County Red Cross. “I never saw that man down. He always had asmile on his face; always had a story to tell.”

In1934, Kahny signed a contract to play shortstop with the Cincinnati Reds. Twoyears later, he played with the Durham Bulls in the North Carolina PiedmontLeague. In November of that year he married Helen Smith Hanner, a student nursehe met while playing with the Mount Airy Reds.

In1940 he joined Aeronca Manufacturing in Middletownand retired as purchasing agent in 1975.

Hebegan picture framing to accommodate his wife’s collection of antique prints.He taught this craft for many years at the Middletown Arts Center where he alsovolunteered. In 1983 he and his wife helped form the Art Committee at theMiddletown Library where he was Treasurer of the Friends until recently.

PattBelisle,director of the Middletown Arts Center,said whenever Kahny attended an exhibit, typically accompanied by his daughter,Michaele Malkowicz, he always attracted a crowd.

“Theycouldn’t talk enough to him,” Belisle said. “He will be missed.”

Shestill can’t believe that he was 103.

“That’sphenomenal,” she said. “He will always have a place here in Middletown in a lot of peoples’ hearts.”

HELEN RAMSDELL

HelenGerber Ramsdell, who taught voice lessons for more than 90 years, died Dec. 23at Mount Pleasant Retirement Village.She was 107.

Shewas a voice instructor for thousands of students since she was 16. Ramsdelltaught voice lessons to students at her home on Central Avenue in Middletown for many years and at MiamiUniversity Middletown for 10 years after her husband, Robert, died in 1964.

MarthaJohnson, 77, said her mother’s “whole life was centered around music.”

Ramsdell,who moved to Middletown to live with herpaternal uncle, Dr. David Gerber, graduated from MiddletownHigh School in 1925 and later from Western Collegefor Women in Oxford.She attended the College Conservatory of Music in Cincinnatiand traveled to Italy withDr. Gerber and his family in 1930-31 to study at the renowned La Scala opera inMilan.

Sheserved as music director of the First Baptist Churchin Middletown for nearly four decades(1933-1972), taught at Miami University for 10 years,and was the choral director for the Middletown School of Nursing.