The Ohio Department of Veterans Services, the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Executive Committee, and the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Foundation will honor the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame 2020 Class during its annual Induction Ceremony at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 5.
In lieu of a traditional public ceremony, this year’s event will be conducted virtually and will feature a compilation of individual recognitions of all 20 members of the class.
The Class of 2020 was chosen from among 136 nominations. The inductees, who range in age from 44 to 95, span 16 different Ohio counties and four major branches of the United States Armed Forces – the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. This year’s class joins 895 Ohio veterans who have been inducted since inception and represent all eras, branches of service, and walks of life.
Kenneth P. Jakubec of Austintown will be inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Class 2020. Jakubec is a veteran the U.S. Marine Corps and has served as a coach, mentor and community volunteer. (His biography appears below.)
Due to safety measures in place during the current pandemic, ODVS reached out to all of the honorees and their families to determine the most meaningful way to safely present them with their Hall of Fame medals and plaques and to allow the newly inducted members to help share their stories before loved ones.
During those recognitions, a video with congratulatory remarks by Gov. Mike DeWine was shown and ODVS Director Deborah Ashenhurst served as emcee. The ODVS staff recorded these memorable and very personal ceremonies, and highlights of those moments will be evident throughout the approximately hourlong induction program.
The unveiling of the official 2020 Hall of Fame Induction will occur online on both OhioVets.gov… and the Ohio Channel website. Biographies for all 20 class members, additional information on the Hall of Fame and past inductees – able to be sorted by class, by county and alphabetically – can be found at OhioVets.gov….
The complete list of 2020 Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Inductees follows:
- Paul G. Butler, Navy, Clinton County
- David W. Chilson*, Navy, Wood County
- Richard D. Ellsworth, Army, Licking County
- Timothy A. Espich, Army/OHARNG, Clark County
- Kimberly D. Frisco, Air Force, Greene County
- William C. Graybill, Army, Brown County
- Glenn H. Grismere, Army, Warren County
- Kenneth P. Jakubec, Marine Corps, Mahoning County
- Thomas J. Jenks, Army, Cuyahoga County
- James D. Kaster, Army, Cuyahoga County
- Daniel R. Kirkpatrick, Air Force, Greene County
- Babe Kwasniak, Army, Cuyahoga County
- David C. Lange, Navy, Carroll County
- Jane M. Lengel, Army/OHARNG, Franklin County
- David G. Meyer, PhD, PE, Air Force, Montgomery County
- Carolyn E. Nagy, Army, Lucas County
- Connie Pillich, Air Force, Hamilton County
- David M. Ridenour, Army, Wood County
- James P. Schear, Navy, Stark County
- Alan R. Wallace, Navy, Fairfield County
*awarded posthumously
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Ken Jakubec biography (from the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame website)
KENNETH J. JAKUBEC (Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame)“Ken joined the Marine Corps in October 1964 as a 17-year-old. His six years of honorable military service instilled an unshakable sense of purpose and commitment in him as well as a deeper understanding of the value of teamwork – attributes that are evident every day in Austintown, where he is a beloved coach, mentor, and driver of charitable contributions to the community.
Throughout the 1970s, Ken served as a volunteer coach for the Arrow Track Club and captured five straight cross country championships. He also was instrumental in the installation of several significant updates to the track field at Fitch High School. He has volunteered for Special Olympics, coached sixth grade basketball, administered the Optimist Club Tri-Star basketball skills contest, developed a 5,000-meter cross country course, and served as Chairman of Toys for Tots.
Ken served on the local Board of Education from 1987-2003 and again from 2014-2017, amassing 20 years in that role and serving twice as board president.
He also has served as a three-time president of the Greater Youngstown Track Officials Association.
Along with providing opportunities for youth, Ken is equally driven to pay homage to military sacrifice. He speaks at veterans’ events, started a local Patriots Day event, and also organized a program that connects students with service members past and present to share their stories.
Ken received the Marine Corps League Meritorious Service Award in 2015 and the following year was named Veteran of the Year by the United Veterans Council of Youngstown. A member of Fitch’s Athletics Hall of Fame as a contributor and the Austintown Growth Foundation Hall of Fame, Ken enters the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame at age 73.”
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Background: The Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame was established in 1992 by former Gov. George Voinovich to recognize outstanding professional achievement, service to the community, and selfless acts of veterans following their military service. Charter members of the Hall’s Class of 1992 include the six Ohio military veterans who were elected President of the United States and all Medal of Honor recipients from Ohio. Honorees include astronauts, volunteers, community leaders, safety officers, veteran advocates, and former government officials.
More information is available at OhioVets.gov… or you can contact
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