Kim M. Ebner, was first nominated to the Minerva High School Hall of Fame in 1996 by Donna Hafer. Since more information was needed to continue with the nomination, she was not inducted at that time. Linda Hanson has since added more information. We find that Ebner makes an excellent member of the Minerva High School Alumni Hall of Fame.
While a student at Minerva High, Ebner was active in both symphonic and marching bands. She was also active in pep and ski clubs all four years. After graduation she enrolled in the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. She received an associates degree in 1979, and achieved the deans list in visual communications.
After graduation she accepted a position with Hallmark Cards Inc. in Kansas City. During her years at Hallmark (1979-2008), Ebner was a Senior Artist with the creation and product development team for all Hallmark products, including Shoebox greetings, Fresh Ink, package design, gift wrap and party. She also worked in the typography design/layout, and created and developed a Fresh Inkstore concept and merchandising prototype.
From 2008 to the present, Ebner has been active in her freelance Graphic Design business, Modern Interior Design and her Fine Art. Her graphic design business includes logos, t-shirts, product labels, postcards, banners, greeting cards, magazine layout/design and illustrations.
In her interior design business Ebner creates modern interior architectural design for clients. Her design acumen has been recognized in national media. In 2000 her personal home was featured in the Better Homes and Gardens"Remodeling Ideas” magazine. In 2009 her design for the “Ebner/Connelly" residence was featured in Spaces magazine and the Kansas City Star. She was also awarded the "Design Excellence” Bronze award from Kansas City Home and Garden magazine. In 2010 she won a second "Design Excellence” Bronze award from Kansas City Home and Garden magazine for "Kitchen Design” at the Fleming/Foos residence, Fairway Ranch, Kansas. This design was also featured in Spaces and Kansas City Home and Garden magazines in 2011.
Ebner then moved to Santa Fe, NM, to explore her fine art. During this time, she acted as an Art Advisor for Mark White Fine Art Gallery on Canyon Road, Santa Fe, in addition to working on her art. Her art pieces have been exhibited and sold in both Santa Fe and Kansas City.
Ebner returned to Kansas City, Missouri, in 2012 and continues to create her artwork and architectural designs. She has also resumed her charitable activities such as donation of art pieces to organizations focused on animal rescue and AIDS prevention and education.
Working for Hallmark was a dream Kim shared with her family and, after completing her education, she headed to Kansas City and made the dream a reality. Within a few weeks of her move from Minerva, however, her father, Cyril, died suddenly. Kim returned home and was very aware that her responsibilities as a daughter might require her to remain. Her mother, Shirley, would have none of it. Kim's dad was very proud and supportive of Kim's move to Hallmark. He wouldn't have wanted her to give it up. The dream remained alive.
Kim is an excellent role model for young women. Donna Hafer, who first nominated her for the Alumni Hall of Fame, felt it would be "beneficial for young people to realize that artistic abilities can be as worthwhile as others that people may consider to be more lucrative.”
Judy Englant Hale, Class of 1958, was nominated by her sister, Ruth Englant Betz. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Kent State University with a major in chemistry and attended graduate school at Case Western Reserve and the University of Kentucky. She also studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Judy is currently employed as manager of technical information with Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. This position takes her not only to many cities in throughout the United States, but also to Europe and Australia.
In this capacity she oversees fifty people and an annual budget of four million dollars. Her department is responsible for all technical publications purchased by Goodyear through its libraries. This department is also responsible for the use of computers throughout Goodyear Research and Development and is responsible for assuring that Goodyear Research and Development realizes a return on its thirty million annual investment in computer technology.
Mrs. Hale is active in two professional societies--the Rubber Division of the American Chemical Society and the Industrial Technical Information Managers’ Group. She also serves on the Advisory Board for Automation of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. As manager of technical information, she holds the highest position of any woman in the Research and Development Division of Goodyear. She was twice nominated as Akron's Woman of the Year.
Mrs. Hale is the founder of Technical and Business Women of Goodyear whose top priority is working with children as they pass through the Summit County Children’s Services and Akron Public Schools. She has participated in various service projects with Zonta, a service organization for professional women. She has worked with Harvest House, a home for battered women. She is also involved with Kent State University's program to encourage students in mathematics and science.
She has volunteered her time, energy and know-how to Junior Achievement as well as the March of Dimes. Judy is an asset to her community and a loving and giving person. She and her husband, Arthur Hale, live in Stow.
Ruth Ann Englant Betz, class of 1948, was nominated by Michael Gallina, class of 1978, and Lynnette Gallina, class of 1982. Betz' family moved to the Minerva area from Canton a month before her tenth birthday. Ruth Ann has been a loyal fan of Minerva--the town, the schools, and the people. She is intelligent, compassionate, and generous. These traits have served her well throughout her life.
Betz was a good student showing promise early in life. She bypassed the last half of fourth grade and skipped to the middle of fifth grade. In high school she showed leadership by serving as a cheerleader. She was also the lead in the senior class play and served as class secretary. During high school she worked during summers at the Minerva Dairy. After graduation, she was employed by the Minerva office of the Natural Gas Company of West Virginia. In 1955, she entered Kent State University's cadet teacher program. While attending Kent summers and nights, she began her teaching career at West Elementary in January of 1958. She received her Bachelor of Science in Education degree from Kent in 1964. While there, she was inducted into Kappa Delta Pi, an international honor society for educators. Her interest in art led her to taking classes at the Canton Art Museum. At West Elementary, she taught seventh and eight grades, and was advisor to the cheerleaders, Jr. Hi Y and Jr. Tri Hi Y.
With the building of the new Minerva High School, the seventh and eighth grades in Minerva moved to the old high school building on North Market Street. This became Minerva Junior High and later, Frances Hazen Junior High. At the junior high, Betz taught eighth grade and continued advising the seventh and eighth grade cheerleaders. She served as cheerleader advisor for seventeen years. During this time she taught several subjects, but her main teaching assignments were English and Ohio History. For a time, she served on the negotiating committee of the Minerva Local Teachers' Association. She was also secretary of the Minerva High School Band Boosters. She retired from teaching in 1986.
For years Betz has served our local community. For the past twenty-two years, she has volunteered at the Haas Museum of the Minerva Area Historical Society where her main duty is cataloging new acquisitions. She also serves as trustee of the organization. Since 1991 she has been the treasurer and trustee of the Minerva Education Foundation and Alumni Association where her duties are many. She has served as the Minerva High School/Dr. William Powell Scholarship liaison for Tiger Woods Foundation. She has also served on the Alumni Hall of Fame Construction Committee. As a member of Kappa Delta Pi, she was secretary of the Stark County Chapter, and served in many other capacities. Her work with the Church of God over the years has included initiating a church library, serving on several fund-raising committees, and creating floral arrangements for the church's Basket Shop.
She lost her husband to a brain aneurysm in 2003 after fifty-two years of marriage. Her daughters, Diane Granger and Debby Wolpert, son-in-law, David Wolpert, grandchildren Andy (Sheri) Wolpert, Melissa (Shawn) Eaton, Doug and Matt Granger, and great-grandsons, Trent and Calvin Wolpert and Grant and Alec Eaton are the joy of her life.
While such a list of activities would be enough to keep anyone more than busy, it does not capture even half the ways in which Betz continually helps people. Above all else, she is a true giver. She constantly provides love, support, and affection to her family, friends, and acquaintances.
Rudy Evanich, was nominated by Barbara Reider, class of 1979. In her nomination letter, Reider wrote, "I am pleased to nominate Rudy Evanich, Minerva High School Class of 1978, for membership in the Minerva High School Hall of Fame. I hope you will agree that his personal integrity, commitment to the community, and business success are worthy of consideration.”
Evanich graduated with a degree in accounting Case Western Reserve University in 1983, where he also received four collegiate letters in football. That same year, he opened his business, Evanich Accounting & Tax, LLC. His firm has created jobs for eight employees. During a recent year, his firm prepared tax returns for over 1,000 individuals and businesses. He processes payroll and payroll taxes for over 50 companies, and prepares the books and financial statements for over 75 companies. Rudy also meets with clients to discuss tax planning and business consulting. He prepares necessary government documents for the creation of new businesses. His entrepreneurial talents have provided much-needed services for local residents.
In 2002 Evanich first ran for public office and was elected as the Paris Township fiscal officer. He continues to hold this position with elections occurring every four years. Obviously the citizens of Paris Township trust him. Among his many duties are to receive and distribute township funds, create the annual budget, prepare bank reconciliations, sign contracts on behalf of the township, work with the state auditor to ensure the township’s financial statements are in good form, and keep all meeting minutes.
In 2012 the Sandy Creek Joint Fire District was created to provide services to the Village of Minerva, residents of Paris Township and residents of West Township. A levy was passed in November 2012 to help fund the fire district. He created a budget of $700,000 and now manages the funds for the fire district.
Evanich is busy as he serves as a director of the Paris and Washington Township Homer Insurance Company, and he is a grain farmer, growing many acres of corn and soybeans each year. He and his wife Judie live in the Minerva area and are members of Minerva United Methodist Church.
Several years ago, he worked with the Minerva School Board members Jan Kishman and Susan Crawford, Athletic Director Don Spinell, and then Superintendent Doug Marrah to start the MHS Girls’ Golf Team. After only three years of competition, in 2009 the golf team advanced to the Ohio State Tournament. Three Evanich daughters--Ashley, Heather, and Melissa--have competed on the Minerva Girls’ Golf Tearn and continued their golf careers in college.
Evanich is a Past Commodore of the Point Yacht Club located at Cedar Point Marina where he served as trustee for four years. He has served as Fleet Captain, Rear Commodore, Vice Commodore, and in 2009 as Commodore. He is also a member of the Huron Yacht Club in Huron, Ohio.
Reider summarized her nomination of Evanich by writing: “I could name many other contributions Rudy has made to the Minerva community and the Minerva High School athletic program, however, they do not begin to measure his personal character, integrity and devotion to his family. In life these are his greatest successes.
Gordon E. Evans, Class of 1953, was nominated by Jeff Evans and the Evans family with supporting letters from Donald E. Rutledge, Ed McNabb, Lee and Sally Heston, and the Board of Directors of the Carrollton Farmers Exchange Company.
In 1957 Evans, who had earned college money by working summers at Metropolitan Brick, earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics Degree from Wooster College. After graduation he entered the Navy via the Aviation Officer Candidate Program. He received his commission as an Ensign in October 1957, and joined the fleet serving with Air Anti-submarine Squadron twenty-one. Aboard the U.S.S. Kearsarge, he completed two cruises to the Western Pacific over the next three years.
In 1960 he married Sue Thomas of Minerva, Class of 1955. The next two years he attended Aviation Safety School in Southern California and reported to Advanced Training Squadron 151 in Texas as the Aviation Safety Officer and flight instructor.
Evans then transitioned to jet aircraft deploying to the Mediterranean area aboard the U.S.S. Shangrila and the U.S.S. John F. Kennedy. His next assignment was in Washington, D.C. and then back to Florida and on to the Mediterranean for seven months aboard the U.S.S Franklin D. Roosevelt. During his years as a Naval Aviator, Evans amassed nearly 5,000 hours and 800 carrier landings.
In the fall of 1976, Evans was assigned to the Commander of Light Attack Wing One as Chief Staff Officer. During this period, the Evans family of five, including children Holly, Whitney and Will, ages 14, 12 and 7, decided to leave his promising career and concentrate on raising the children.
On January 1, 1978, Evans retired from the US Navy to become a farmer. Evans has been a member and past president of the Carrollton Board of Education, serving from 1980 to 1992. He is also a member and past president of the board for Carroll County Farmers Exchange, and has served on the Carroll County Regional Planning Commission and the Carroll County Cattlemen's Association.
"During the time that Evans served on the Carrollton Board of Education," Donald Rutledge wrote, "he (Evans) was always considerate in listening to any problem and approached a solution with common sense . . . During the decade that Gordon served on the Board, the Carrollton Exempted Village School District grew both educationally and academically thanks to his vision for better schools."
The Evans family wrote, "Gordy is the eldest of seven children of Lynn and Sue Evans. As the eldest, he was called upon to lead and teach the younger ones as Mom and Dad directed. When Dad enlisted in the Army to serve in World War II, Gordy served as 'the man of the house.' As we grew and followed him, we became aware of the high standards he set for us in school, church, and the community.
The Evans Family is proud of our brother Gordy for his long history of service and leadership. We love and respect him for the strong force and positive example that he provides for his siblings, our children and our grandchildren."