News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area
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Loveland, Ohio – On Monday, May 26, the guest speaker at the Loveland Memorial Day ceremony was Judge Gary A. Loxley, a member of the 2021 class of the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame. He was introduced by John Arnold, a member of the Loveland Veterans Committee.
Read more about Judge Loxley…
Loveland, Ohio – The City of Loveland’s Veterans Committee will hold the 2025 Memorial Day Program on Monday, May 26. The guest speaker will be Judge Gary A. Loxley, a member of the 2021 class of the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame.
Judge Gary A. Loxley has served as a judge of the Warren County Court since 2013. Prior to taking the bench, Judge Loxley worked for four years in private practice and nearly 15 years as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office. Judge Loxley first joined the military as an 18-year-old combat engineer in the Ohio Army National Guard. After he was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1987, he received a direct commission as an officer in the Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps. After 36 years of service, he retired from the Army Reserve at the rank of Colonel. His experience includes two tours of duty as a Commander, two tours of duty as a Staff Judge Advocate, and service as a Military Judge in the Army’s 1st and 2nd Judicial Circuits. While he was an assistant prosecutor, he was mobilized onto active duty three times in support of the Global War on Terrorism.
The event will start with a parade at 9 AM from the Loveland Elementary School at 600 Loveland Madeira Road. If you or your organization would like to be in the parade, register online.
Parade Route:
Roads will be closed approx. 8:45 AM until 10:15 AM. for the parade.
– Leaves from the Loveland Elementary School
– Travels Loveland-Madeira Road (toward Quilter’s Studio)
– Turns right on West Loveland Avenue (toward Historic Downtown)
– Turns left on Riverside Drive to Veterans Memorial
Parking:
– No parking at Tufts Schildermeyer and Schutte’s Cleaners
– Veterans Memorial parking lot will be handicap parking only
– No parking along Riverside Avenue
– View city’s parking map to see public lots in the area.
Immediately following the parade, a ceremony will be held at the Loveland Veterans’ Memorial, located at the intersection of West Loveland Avenue and Riverside Drive.
The community is invited to cemetery visits:
– Maineville Cemetery: 11:15 AM
– Union Cemetery: Noon
– Kerr Cemetery: 12:30 PM
The community is invited to a picnic at the American Legion Post 256, 897 Oakland Road.
The deadline for submitting nominations for the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame is set for June 1, which means this spring is an ideal time for Loveland Area residents to identify some of the outstanding former service members who are excelling and making a difference in society.
The Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame recognizes those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces and continue to contribute to our communities, state, and nation through exceptional acts of volunteerism, advocacy, professional distinction, public service, or philanthropy. However, it is up to the public – not the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame – to submit nominations, which are reviewed by the 13-member Hall of Fame Executive Committee that recommends up to 20 Ohio veterans each year. Final approval on each class comes from the Governor of Ohio.
Last year, the Hall of Fame celebrated the Class of 2023 during a public ceremony at Ohio State University’s Fawcett Center in Columbus. The Class of 2024 also will be recognized at that same venue this November. But first will be the matter of accepting nominations that illuminate outstanding service after service.
To be considered, the veteran must meet the following criteria:
(Note: The Hall of Fame accepts nominations for those who would be inducted posthumously.)
You more than likely know a veteran who continues to serve selflessly in his or her post-military life – a former service member who is going above and beyond to impact others.
The Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame is home to more than 300 Medal of Honor recipients and more than 600 amazing men and women since its inception in 1992, including the likes of former presidents Ulysses Grant and William McKinley; astronauts John Glenn, Neil Armstrong, and Kathryn Sullivan; legendary coaches Paul Brown and Woody Hayes; Academy Award-winning actors Paul Newman and Clark Gable; renowned judge and activist Sara Harper; and successful restauranteurs Bob Evans and Dave Thomas.
Still, you don’t have to be famous to be considered for the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame. Honorees come from all backgrounds, eras, and branches of service, and nearly every county in Ohio has produced at least one Hall of Famer.
Again, the nomination deadline is June 1. Nomination guidelines, a sample of a completed nomination form and more information are available at our Hall of Fame Nomination page.
You can also learn more about the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame and see the complete list of Hall of Fame inductees by going to the Hall of Fame landing page at OhioVets.gov.
by David Miller
Loveland, Ohio – The Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame recognizes the post-military efforts of outstanding Ohioans who contribute to their communities.
The Department has announced the members of the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Class of 2023 including veterans from Clermont and Warren Counties.
Michael P. Monahan, who served in the Army and is from Milford in Clermont County, John C. Looker, who lives in Mason and served in the Army, and Purcell Taylor Jr., who served in the Marine Corps and from Warren County will represent the Class of 2023.
The members of the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame are honored in a permanent display at the Vern Riffe Center for Government and the Arts in Columbus. All 20 members of the class will be honored during the annual Induction Ceremony at 10 AM on Nov. 9 at the Fawcett Center for Tomorrow on the campus of The Ohio State University.
Mike Monahan served as a Scout Dog Handler for the 46th Scout Dog Platoon in Tay Ninh, Vietnam. His partner’s name was Chico. Chico alerted Mike to a trip wire attached to explosives, saving Mike’s life and the lives of others who were on patrol. Following Vietnam, Mike spent 22 years in construction, working as a pipe fitter, becoming a local leader in the industry. Mike was then led to a different calling after attending a life-changing personal growth seminar. He began volunteering with Life Success Seminars to help others achieve their full potential through many avenues, including personal responsibility, trust, forgiveness and leadership. Mike’s volunteerism led to a career change, where he served 19 years as executive director of Life Success Seminars. Mike currently uses his experience as a personal coach to mentor leaders and business owners. After a trip to Vietnam in 2005, he wrote and published the first of his six books, From the Jungle to the Boardroom, and became No. 1 on the Inc. Magazine Best Sellers list. The return trip from Vietnam gave Mike a peace he had long sought, but he still felt indebted to the partner who saved his life. Mike’s latest book, Chico’s Promise, gave him healing and he created a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization by the same name whose mission is to support selected no-kill shelters by paying adoption fees to save 50,000 dogs to honor Chico’s memory. An accomplished leader, speaker, author and activist, Mike enters the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame at age 75.
While John Looker’s dedication to his country was demonstrated by his military service during the Vietnam War, it is his post-military altruism that truly makes him stand out. John has dedicated his life to bettering his nation, his community and the lives of his veteran peers. John has done this through his involvement in a wide variety of committees, advocacy groups and other veteran service organizations, all of which provide insight into his leadership and selflessness. John is an American Legion National Committee Member for Veterans Employment and Education, a position that focuses on improving veterans’ education, employment and economic well-being. John has held many leadership roles in the Commanders Action Network for the Disabled Veterans of America, where his advocacy helped protect the benefits of ill and injured veterans and their families. In addition, John is involved in many other veterans’ advocacy groups including the City of Mason’s Veterans Board of Affairs, where he leads veterans’ activities and programs throughout the Mason community; the Warren County Veterans Court Mentorship program; and the Warren County Suicide Prevention Coalition. John has been instrumental in many community initiatives in Mason, a snapshot of which includes its dedication as a Purple Heart City; developing the Military Banner Program; organizing the POW/MIA Memorial; and orchestrating annual Memorial Day and Veterans Day parades and ceremonies. John’s spirit of generosity and commitment is recognized by his local community, but his efforts impact and extend to others far beyond his city. We recognize John as he enters the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame at age 75.
Purcell Taylor Jr., an enlisted Marine Corps veteran, returned to Cincinnati following his military service in Vietnam, Cuba and Quemoy-Matsu. In the face of adversity, he persisted, and became a lifelong researcher and educator. Purcell has earned prominence as a teacher, counselor, administrator, author and expert forensic psychologist. Throughout his career, he served numerous visiting and adjunct faculty positions in the southwest Ohio region. As a strong leader in his field, Purcell serves as a positive role model for inner city African American youth. Notably, in 1977, Purcell became the first African American at the University of Cincinnati to receive a doctorate degree in school psychology. He has authored or edited 10 books as well as dozens of articles published in professional journals and magazines. Purcell currently serves as Professor Emeritus of Psychology in Forensic Practice at UC. This title is awarded only to faculty members who have demonstrated outstanding service and achievements in teaching, researching and leadership. In addition to his teaching credentials, he has served as an administrator and supervisor in mental health and has served as an expert witness in court hearings, evaluations and trials. Local leaders appointed Purcell to the Cincinnati Human Relations Commission and Hamilton County Task Force for Community Safety. His enduring legacy as founder of the DECLARE Therapy Center, Inc. in Cincinnati treats people suffering from chemical dependency. Among many other community engagements, and professional memberships, he volunteers his time as a peer mentor for the Warren County Veterans Treatment Court. Undeniably worthy of recognition, Purcell enters the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame at age 82.
The 20-person class will be honored with medals by Ohio Department of Veterans Services (ODVS) Director Deborah Ashenhurst. Many other distinguished guests, including previously inducted Hall of Famers, will be present.
Twenty inductees will be honored for their accomplishments and achievements at the 32nd annual Induction Ceremony in November for their post-military service. This class represents 14 Ohio counties and four branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine recently approved the entire class and will offer his congratulations during the official ceremony.
Living members of the class range in age from 56 to 86 and there are three posthumous inductees: Korean War veteran and globally successful entrepreneur Donald Keehan; famed Tuskegee Airman and Brigadier General Charles McGee; and Iraq War veteran Heath Robinson, who is credited as the inspiration for the PACT Act that provides funding and health care access for veterans who are dealing with illness related to toxic exposure.
The 2023 Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Inductees are:
Darrin M. Adams, Army, Shelby
Michael L. Close, Army, Delaware
Carolyn L. Destefani, Air Force, Greene
Terry Johnson, Air Force, Montgomery
Donald J. Keehan*, Marine Corps, Lorain
Paul M. Keller, Air Force/Air Force Reserve, Greene
John C. Looker, Army, Warren
Lester L. Lyles, Air Force, Montgomery
Laurel A. Mayer, Air Force, Greene
Charles E. McGee*, Army Air Corps/Air Force, Cuyahoga
Timothy E. McMonagle, Army, Cuyahoga
Michael P. Monahan, Army, Clermont
Jack L. Patterson, Army, Coshocton
Heath M. Robinson*, Ohio Army National Guard, Fairfield
Stephen L. Rosedale, Army, Hamilton
David L. Scheffler, Army, Fairfield
Donald P. Scott, Army Reserve, Mahoning
Purcell Taylor Jr., Marine Corps, Warren
Bruce K. Thorn, Army, Franklin
Robert A. Walkup, Navy/Army Reserve, Williams
* Posthumous Award
“Each year I am awed by the contributions of our nominees to their communities, to the State of Ohio, and to the nation,” said ODVS Director Deborah Ashenhurst. “They represent the powerful difference Ohio’s veterans make to the heart of it all.”
The Class of 2023 joins 954 Ohio veterans who have been inducted since 1992 and represent all eras, branches of service, and walks of life.
The Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame was established in 1992 by former Gov. George Voinovich to recognize the post-military achievements of outstanding Ohio veterans. Charter members of the Hall of Fame’s Class of 1992 include the six Ohio veterans who were elected President of the United States as well as Medal of Honor recipients from Ohio. Honorees of the past 31 years include astronauts, entrepreneurs, volunteers, community leaders, safety officers, veteran advocates, and government officials.
The Ohio Department of Veterans Services, on behalf of and in collaboration with the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Executive Committee, administers the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame. Comprised of 13 veteran volunteers, the Executive Committee members serve as advisors to the Hall of Fame, and their primary purpose is to select up to 20 honorees annually.
The Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame was created in 1992 to recognize the post-military achievements of Ohio’s outstanding veterans. Since its inception, 895 Ohio veterans have been inducted into the Hall of Fame representing all eras, branches and walks of life.
Honorees include astronauts, volunteers, community leaders, safety officers, veteran advocates, and former government officials.
The Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Executive Committee reviews nominations and selects up to 20 finalists who are inducted into the Hall of Fame during a November ceremony. In May, an Enshrinement Ceremony is held and the bronze plaque listing current class members is permanently installed in the second-floor lobby of the Riffe Center for Government & the Arts, 77 S. High Street, Columbus, Ohio.
Nominate an Ohio Veteran for the Hall of Fame
Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Rules
