James B. Waller was nominated by Richard L. Everett with supporting letters written by Michael R. Gallina, Gregory B. Horn, David Harp and George Horvath. Jim worked as a machinist at the Timken Company in Canton, retiring after 37 years service to that company. After high school graduation Jim married the former Shirla Crawford They have two children, Sharri and Mike and four grandchildren. During the time he and Shirla were raising their family, he was involved in many community activities. He coached Hot Stove/Little league baseball for 14 years. He has been active for many years in Minerva Lions Club and Athletic Booster Club, and promoted and assisted in the development of the Minerva Senior Center. He served as village councilman for fourteen years and mayor for sixteen years, and has been re-elected mayor for another four years.
Minerva's former Village Administrator Gregory Horn said, "Mr. Waller was one of those rare individuals who was able to balance full time employment with the needs of a growing and active family, while maintaining a strong passion for his community. Mr. Waller stood by his convictions and was not noted for taking the easy way out.”
George Horvath in writing on behalf of the Minerva Lions Civic Club enumerated the many ways Waller has helped the club and added, "Jim is a good listener, he cares, he always gets the job done and is a good friend.”
David Harp, Minerva’s Village Administrator, said that what Minerva has accomplished over the past 30 years would not have been realized had it not been for Waller's unselfish dedication of his time and efforts in service to the community. To name just a few improvements: the renovation of the downtown area, park improvements, Minerva’s Industrial Park, a new fire station, a new sewage treatment plant, water improvements, a new police station, creation of over 300 jobs for our community, and many more.
Richard Everett in his nomination of Waller said, “James B. Waller may not have a master's degree and he may not be rich, but he has accumulated a wealth of gratitude from the residents of Minerva and surrounding communities. The accomplishments that have taken place in Minerva during the past 30 years have been many....I believe that a lot would not have happened, except for Mr. Waller's constant persistence and leadership.”
Michael Gallina said, “Jim will not compromise his values ... Rather, he wills those values into all facets of his life so that you truly have the word priceless when you define his character...The community of Minerva is a better place because of Jim's service, his unwavering passion for doing the right thing, and his deep love for the overall good of the community.”
Dr. Samuel L. Weir, Class of 1926, was nominated by Ruth Richardson, a member of his office staff. He grew up on a farm near Mechanicstown. He walked two and one-half miles to the New York Central Railroad and rode the train into Minerva to attend high school. Passable roads were non-existent in the winter in those days. If you could get there, you could go there. There were no boundaries of school districting to worry about.
After high school graduation, he attended The Ohio State University. After one quarter, an attack of appendicitis sent him home, and then in August of 1927, he and his brother developed polio. He suffered on paralysis, but his brother was left paralyzed in the right arm and leg. He returned to Ohio State the fall quarter of 1928 and knew what he wanted o do with his life--become a doctor. In 1935 he received his doctor of medicine degree and began is internship at Mercy Hospital in Canton.
On July 14, 1936, he married his wife Irene, and on July 20 of that year, he set up his first practice in Minerva. A short time later, he moved a few houses down the street where he stayed until 1941. In 1941 he built a home and office at 500 N. Market Street, and stayed there for nine years. In 1950 Dr. Robert Hines joined him in his practice, and Dr. Weir had a new clinic built at 625 N. Market Street. After 36 years at that location, he retired at the age of 77.
Dr. Weir was on the Aultman Hospital Medical Staff for 41 years and a member of the Alliance Hospital Staff from 1950 until his retirement in 1986. He is a charter fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians as well as the Carroll and Stark County Medical Societies, the Ohio Medical Society and the American Medical Association.
He is a charter member of the Minerva Lion's Club. He served as club president in 1947 and 1948. He and his wife adopted and raised her sister's son, Joe Weir, a local businessman.
Dr. Weir is known for his medical charisma, as many patients say that all Dr. Weir needs to do is come into the room and they feel better.
Richardson said that her nominee has truly lived up to his high school class motto, "Give the world the best you have and the best will come back to you."
Helen LeBeau Freed Whiteleather, Class of 1924, was nominated to the Minerva High School Alumni Hall of Fame by her daughter Carol Whiteleather Thomas. Additional nominations were received by Ruby and Arthur Guy, Bertha Hawn, Martha Gartner, and Robert McMillan. Carol says of her mother, "She was a credit to her Alma Mater, her community and her church."
Helen was born August 23, 1907, to Elmer and Emma Lebeau Freed. She died October 1988 in Minerva.
While attending Minerva High School she was involved in many extracurricular activities, including debate, Glee Club, and Crescent staff. Helen was also an accomplished pianist, and was salutatorian of her graduating class. She then became a student of the College of Wooster where she was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and graduated with a major in French and a minor in English.
She returned to Minerva High School to teach French and English. She also coached debate from 1928 to1934. Carol wrote that she must have been an excellent teacher because she was able to encourage Eddie Niuman to quote Shakespeare from memory. Helen was the Patroness of the Class of 1932 and the 1932 Crescent was dedicated to her.
On June 24, 1932, Helen secretly married Plirmey Scott Whiteleather, and taught at MHS for two more years to help Scott through medical school. Scott began his medical practice in 1934. Helen and Scott became the parents of two children, Richard and Carol.
Besides being a full-time bookkeeper of Scott's records and being his assistant in the medical office, she was active in many organizations. Helen's church and community involvement was outstanding. Although she was handicapped with a hearing loss, her accomplishments were great. A member of the First Christian Church, she was a Sunday School teacher for forty years, Sunday School superintendent for many years, organized a small church youth orchestra, served on the 1949 church building committee, and was church historian for many years.
Her community work included helping to organize the Minerva Grade School PTA, and becoming a member of the library board to help make her dream of a separate library building for Minerva come true. She was a member of Eastern Star and Past Matron’s Club. Woman’s Club, Minerva Garden Club, Entre Nous, Chairman of the Red Cross, DAR, and the Minerva Area Historical Society.
When her children attended Wooster College, she because district president of the Woman’s Club. She gave many speeches and visited many clubs in her district. She gave book reviews as a member of the College Book Club in Canton and was also a member of the Canton Medical Wives’ Auxiliary.
Roby Guy wrote that Helen strove for excellence, which was her way of life, combined with her love of family, community, God and her church. Martha Gartner added that she found Helen to be, “intelligent, compassionate, patient and always ready to serve.”
Carol said that her mother’s motto could have been, “Bloom where you are planted.” Helen enjoyed being with people and was interested in learning throughout her life. Carol concluded by saying, “She was a wonderful mother. She was the ‘wind beneath my wings’ as I was growing up. I miss her very much.”
Dr. Plinny Scott (or P.S. as he was known) Whiteleather, Class of 1924, was nominated by his daughter Carol Thomas and fourteen other friends and relatives. He was born and raised in the Minerva area and spent his entire life in the Minerva community. After completion of undergraduate studies at Wittenberg College, he obtained his medical degree from Ohio State University, and returned to Main Street to practice medicine. The old red brick Victorian house where he and his family lived also served as his office. He was a dedicated doctor in Minerva for over forty years.
Dr. Whiteleather always held education in the highest esteem and encouraged many to receive a good education. He married Helen Freed, and they had two children. His son Richard became a doctor and his daughter, Carol, holds a music degree from Wooster College. He was open to learning everyday of his life.
There are many acts of kindness and deeds that Dr. Whiteleather completed that would serve to merit his induction into the Minerva High School Alumni Hall of Fame. He knew the importance of education and, being from humble means, he and his parents and ten siblings worked very hard at truck farming to help pay his expenses through college. That hard work enabled him to relate to many patients who would come to him practically penniless, and their fee was often reduced, waived or put on the long-term payment plan. He delivered many babies (with Twila Carmen as his assistant nurse) and took an interest in each as they grew up. One winter night during a blizzard, he rode a neighbor’s farm tractor back a snowbound lane to deliver a baby because his auto could not get through. He even had to bring wood and coal into the home to keep the new mother and baby warm by keeping the fire going.
During the terrible scare of polio in the late 40s and 50s, he, along with Drs. Weir and Hines, was instrumental in bringing the polio vaccine to the Minerva Elementary Schools.
He had an interest in farming and livestock. He was known for helping area farmers in more ways than one. Short-term notes of money were loaned to start some farm operations, and he always had words of encouragement and advice and wisdom for area farmers.
Dr. Whiteleather was active in the community by serving in his church, The First Christian Church, and in area service clubs. But mainly he was active with his patients. He was an old fashioned doctor that gave beyond 100% to know the family, care about them, and follow up on their care and well-being. There are many people in the Minerva area that hold Dr. Whiteleather in high esteem and as truly a remarkable friend and individual who was their helper in times of sickness and despair.
Colonel David R. Wolf, U. S. Army Retired, Class of 1974, was nominated by Delilah "Dee" Arnold, Carol W. Thomas, James Filliez, and Gregory Mills.
While in high school, he was a four-year member of the National Forensic League, and a four-year member of the Debate Team, qualifying for the Ohio State Debate Tournament in 1972 through 1974. He was one of two boys chosen to represent Minerva High School at Buckeye Boys’ State in 1973. He was a charter member of the Minerva DeMolay Chapter, serving as its first Master Counselor and as Ohio State Marshall of DeMolay in 1973 to 1974.
In her nomination of Colonel Wolf, Dee Arnold said, "In the fall of 1970, Dave was one of 190 students enrolled in my freshmen science classes during the first year I taught at Minerva High School. During the remainder of his years at MHS, I was impressed with his scholastic achievements and his involvement in activities at MHS and in the community."
Wolf graduated summa cum laude from Bowling Green State University in 1978 earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in History/Political Science from the College of Education, and an Army officer's commission in the Regular Army from the BGSU Army ROTC program.
Much of his Army career was summarized in the June 14, 2007, edition of The News Leader. After completing the Air Defense Artillery Officer's Basic Course, he returned to Bowling Green to marry the former Joan Deagan. He then departed for his assignment in Korea where he stayed until 1980. He and Joan then lived in El Paso, Texas, where he held several positions and completed the ADA Officer's Advanced Course at Fort Bliss. From there it was back to Bowling Green as an Army ROTC Instructor. He and Joan lived in Bowling Green as university faculty from 1984 to 1987.
Having been promoted to major, he and Joan lived in Germany from 1987 to 1990, at the time the Iron Curtain fell. From Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, to Saudi Arabia; Germany to Bosnia; and then back to the United States in 1998, where he attended the National War College at Fort Leslie J. McNair, Washington, D. C. He earned a master's degree in National Security Strategy in 1999. He was promoted to Colonel on March 1, 2000.
In August 2004, Wolf was selected to serve as the Chief of Staff, Missile Defense Agency. He held this position until his retirement in May 2007.
In April 2005, he was inducted into the Bowling Green State University Army ROTC Alumni Hall of Fame.
He and his wife now live in Woodbridge, Virginia.