• /

Ada resident and former Bluffton High School teacher Gary Brown passed away on April 25; his obituary is HERE.

By Fred Steiner
www.blufftonforever.com

Pardon the following recollections. They may be hit-and-miss, because as M. Twain claimed “The older I get, the more clearly I remember things that didn’t happen.”

Funny how you continue to address your high school teachers as “Mr.”, “Mrs.,” or “Miss,” long after your own graduation in the world of adults.

Mr. Brown–also known as Gary Brown–is a perfect example. This past  winter I saw him in the bank, and said, “Hello, Mr. Brown,” as our conversation began. I’d never considered, “Hello, Gary.” That would have the broken unwritten rule number one between student and teacher. At least in my day.

Despite that, here’s what enters the adolescent caverns of my mind when recalling the “Mr. Brown file.”

First, he was unconventional. Junior high students appreciated that. He could joke with us, with a down-to-earth-like honesty.

He once told us that he’d prefer having a black snake in the house to keep the mice at bay rather than using mouse traps. That captured the class attention. Was he telling the truth? We believed so.

CONTINUES

  • /

The February Student of the Month at Bluffton High School was John-Paul Yoder, a junior with a 4.000 GPA. John-Paul is the son of John-David Yoder and Lynda Nyce of Bluffton. 

John-Paul is a member of the Academic Team, Spanish Club, Jazz Band, Pep Band and is an SOS tutor. He was on the Cross Country team and the Basketball team.

  • /

The following article is being shared in memory of Katie Laine by her sister Suzanne Hilty Lind and originally appeared on the blog of writer Greta Holt. Katie's obituary is HERE.

Katie graduated from Bluffton High School in 1966. After the death of her birth mother, Eleanor Keeney Myers in 1949, she grew up in Corpus Christi, TX with her father, George Myers, her brother George Myers, Jr., her stepmother Hannelora, and five half siblings. George and Katie's baby sister, Suzanne (Susie) stayed with the Herman and Celia Hilty family in Bluffton after the death of their mother and was later adopted into the HIlty family. Following a time of disruption in the Myers family in Texas, Katie moved to Ohio and lived with the Hilty family for six years, attending Bluffton Junior and Senior High School. She returned to Texas for university studies and raised family and developed her career there. The two sisters became close friends and continued a loving, often hilarious relationship throughout their adult lives. 

September 8, 2020

My friend (since 6th grade!), Greta Purves Holt, has been writing for many years. I was sharing some writing I was doing with her and she invited me to be a guest writer on her blog. Here is the story I wrote about experiences my German stepmother had during WWII in Nazi Germany.

By Katie Myers Laine
https://gretaholtwriter.com/2020/09/07/through-my-mothers-eyes/

All that came to be in my life began with what occurred to my two mothers.

In 1949 my birth mother, paternal grandmother and paternal great-grandmother were killed in a car accident.  They were buried on my second birthday.  My father, a WWII veteran (paratrooper), left after her death.  When he returned, he had married a German woman, and she became my stepmother.  They arrived in America, the promised land, on July 4, 1951, the nation’s birthday.

CONTINUES

  • /

By Paula Scott

Teachers at Bluffton Elementary School are continuing to earn funds for student health improvement through the Health Action Council’s Healthy Kids Spring 2023 Challenge.  Achieving 640,130 average total steps and earning the title of Top Steppers, team members Missy Smith, Heidi Steiner, Jaime Combs and Ryan Dunlap will receive $1,500 for the school.  

Here’s an example of how challenge funds are used: this month gym teacher Ryan Dunlap introduced the entire elementary to new 9-square sets. He was able to purchase two sets and extra balls with money earned from council challenges.

The game technique is to receive the ball through the top of your square, then return it back up through your square and into another square, hitting the ball once per turn.

CONTINUES

  • /

The March Student of the Month at Bluffton High School is Liam Jordan, son of Matthew and Amy Jordan of Bluffton.  Liam is currently a Junior and has a 4.000 GPA. 

  • /

On Thursday, April 6, Bluffton High School senior Olivia Matthews signed a letter of intent to play Women’s Soccer at Heidelberg University. 

Olivia is a two-time ALL-NWC Defender, and earned All District Honors as a senior. She was a 4-year varsity letter winner for the Pirates and was captain of the 2022 Northwest Conference Championship Girls Soccer Team.

At Heidelberg, she plans to major in Environmental Science and Sustainability.

Heidelberg offers 20 varsity sports in its athletic program and competes in the Ohio Athletic Conference. Division III institutions may use a standard, NCAA provided, non-binding celebratory signing form.

Pages