Jane Roland was born and raised in Ashland, attending the Ashland City School System and graduating in the class of 1976. Jane enjoyed music and especially singing from a young age. She was active in the Acappella Choir at the high school under the direction of Cliff Hurst and had leading roles in The Sound of Music and The King and I. She was named Outstanding Musician her senior year in high school.

In later years she was well known for singing the National Anthem at many community events and even on the state and national level with her work in Veterans Benefits. She is a member of Calvary Baptist Church where she sings in the choir.

Jane spent her career at the Ashland County Veterans Service office as a Veterans Benefits Counselor and later as Administrator. She served on the Governor’s Office of Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee as an elected officer of her state association. Nationally, she serves as Conference Director for the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers. Locally, she served on the ACCADA Board, the Ashland County Cancer Association Board, the Oakbrook Condominium Board, the Ashland County Historical Society Board as well as Business Commission and Music Commission at Grace Church. She currently serves as President of the Ashland County Women of Achievement Board and is Vice-Chair of the ACCF Women’s Fund as well as Silent Watch, Veteran Suicide Awareness Board. She has been named as Who’s Who Among American High School Students, outstanding Young Women of America, and received the Ashland County Women of Achievement Award in 2003.

Having no children of her own, Jane’s wish is to enable other children to participate in and enjoy music through the Ashland City Schools high school vocal music programs.

Prepared 2023

K. Ann Ritter was born in Mansfield on May 9, 1918 to Pete and Elizabeth (Fromm) Ritter and passed away on March 16, 2004 in Ashland. She had lived most of her life in Ashland County. Ann had been the Employment Manager for the DefenseElectronic ServiceCenter in Dayton for more than 20 years. She was a member of St. Edward’s Church, and volunteered many years at SamaritanHospital and for the American Red Cross.

Ann was described as a “very generous and special woman who enjoyed life, dearly loved children and valued education.” Only a couple siblings of Miss Ritter’s large family had children, but Ann developed a fondness of children. She made numerous contributions to the hospital, her church, neighbors and charitable organizations.

Even after her passing, Ann’s generosity and concern for children will continue to benefit Ashland County for generations to come. We are grateful for her decision to use ACCF as a base to further her giving for years to come.

Prepared 2005

Chris and Chasta Rhine, lifelong residents of Ashland, are making a permanent tribute to their son, Logan, through the Foundation. Logan Christopher Rhine was diagnosed with Leukemia in June 2000, just prior to his second birthday. After more than three years in remission, Logan relapsed in December of 2003. Following his courageous battle, Logan went to be with God on January 12, 2004 at the precious age of five.

Logan was an adorable, bright eyed child with an infectious laugh. He had an abundant love of superheroes. In fact, you never knew which superhero he would pretend to be from one day to the next. The summer before his death, Logan lived his ultimate dream – meeting his favorite superhero Spiderman – at Walt Disney World.

Knowing the abundant joy meeting Spiderman gave their little boy, Chris and Chasta wish to help make the dreams of other children with life-threatening illnesses come true. To fulfill this desire, the Rhines chose to honor their son with a named fund. They take comfort in knowing their wishes to extend a helping hand to the patients and families dealing with life-threatening illnesses will be professionally honored and managed.

To all who knew and loved Logan, he was without a doubt their SUPERLOGAN. The “SUPERLOGAN” Rhine Memorial Fund will perpetuate Logan’s memory in a way that cares for others battling similar illnesses.

Prepared 2005

Lee Reineke is a graduate of Hobart College in New York. He has been involved in entrepreneurial ventures his entire adult life. These ventures began in steel and gave way to graphite businesses. Today, these five companies – AmeriCarb Machine, Ohio Power Tool Brush Company, RadTech, Pressure Guard, and Reineke Company – are based in Ohio and do business internationally. The Reinekes, with the help of their sons, manage these companies.

Susanne Reineke attended Kent StateUniversity and Walsh University. She spent her career in the real estate and insurance businesses, as well as established her own consulting company. She retired early and now serves the community through volunteer work. In addition, she continues to play a role in her family-owned businesses.

The Reinekes’ genuine care for our Ashland Community has led them to create a donor advised fund using a portion of Susanne’s early retirement payments. In knowing the needs of the Community are ever-changing, they will select the recipient(s) of their Fund’s distribution each year. The Reinekes have designated the dollars be placed in the ACCF Operations Endowment following their lifetimes. They are committed to helping fund the operations and leadership of the Foundation – a much needed support to expand ACCF’s services to meet the increasing needs and demands of the Community…for generations to come.

Prepared 2005

Edward (Bud) Plank was a native of Ashland whose ancestors settled here in the 1850s.

Betty Hood moved to Ashland with her family in 1939. Both graduated from Ashland High School and Ashland College five years apart. The couple married in 1952 and in 1960 took their two nieces to raise following the death of their parents in a private airplane crash.

After a stint in the Air Force during WWII, Bud returned to AHS where he taught Physical Education and later Driver’s Education for 30 years. He also coached baseball for 24 years and was an assistant basketball coach for 18 years. He had been named Teacher of the Year and had the baseball diamond named Bud Plank Field in his honor.

Betty taught at Polk and Wadsworth before being hired to teach American Literature and Journalism at AHS. She also was the advisor to the school paper. She taught here for 16 years and substituted for 18 more. Due to their association with young people in the classroom and gym, as well as their relationship in after school activities, the couple enjoyed their years of teaching.

As a member of the board of the Ashland County Historical Society, Betty became interested in local history. This led to her writing a column for the Ashland Times-Gazette and incorporating these into three books for the benefit of future generations.

She has been recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus of Ashland High School.

Because of their combined years of more than 55 years as teachers and their association with the students they taught, they have established a scholarship available to young people entering the field of education in the hope that they will enjoy teaching as much as they did.

Betty has designated the Ashland County Community Foundation as the recipient of her Assurity Life Insurance Policy to be designated for the Betty and Bud Plank Scholarship because they feel this will be beneficial in carrying out this objective.

Prepared 2013

Betty Perry, the daughter of Frances Barr Laird and John Edgar Laird, was born at Samaritan Hospital. She was educated in Ashland City Schools and graduated from AshlandHigh School in 1957. She married Charles Perry in 1960, who died of colon cancer in 1999. He was the founding President of Florida International University, a state university in Miami, Florida with a current enrollment of over 30,000 students. His entrepreneurial career moved them to seven states during which they reared their two children, Tom and Lynn. Betty completed an Associate Degree in Humanities at Miami-Dade Community College, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Florida International University, and a Master of Science in Health Care Planning and Policy at the College of Urban Affairs at Georgia StateUniversity in Atlanta.

Throughout her lifetime, art and music have been her passion, having been encouraged by her parents, “Doc” Pete, Cal Rogers and Mrs. Garrigus, her voice teacher. A high school Scholastic Art Award honorable mention encouraged her art interest. She has explored studio art, namely water media via university courses and workshops and hopes to complete her BFA in art in the near future.

She believes it is the future generation and their exposure and education which offer the hope of preserving and enjoying fine art, jazz, classical and “show” music. She has chosen ACCF to handle her gift in the most efficient way to underwrite her charitable desires.

Prepared 2005

Charles was born on December 17, 1935 in Jelloway, Ohio. A 1953 Loudonville High School graduate, Mr. Pealer attended The Ohio State University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering.

After graduation, he spent 31 years working on jet engines for General Electric Corporation in Cincinnati, Ohio. Following his career with G.E., Charles returned to the Pealer family home in Jelloway where he currently resides.

Mr. Pealer recalls with much appreciation the financial help he received from Ms. Effie White, his mother’s cousin, which enabled him to obtain his college education. He is forever grateful to Effie and now wishes to give back by establishing a scholarship to assist students graduating from Loudonville-Perrysville High School.

Through his estate plan, Charles is establishing the “Charles A. Pealer and Effie White Endowed Scholarship Fund.” Scholarships will be awarded annually to the Valedictorian and Salutatorian of L-P High School. Charles said, “I chose the Ashland County Community Foundation to hold this scholarship because it is a credible organization and will provide responsible management of the scholarship in keeping with my wishes.”

Inez A. Page, who died in 2004 at the age of 103, was a caring, sensitive individual who valued education and was committed to her profession of educating future generations. She was born in Tescott, Kansas in 1901 to Dennis and Louise Daum O’Brien. Ms. Page graduated from EmporiaState Teachers College in Kansas and served as an elementary school teacher for the Salina Kansas schools for many years. An Ashland resident since 1940, Ms. Page was a member of the Presbyterian Church for more than 50 years and a member of the Eastern Star. She enjoyed playing bridge and traveling throughout the world. Her husband, Hermon, preceded her in death in 1974.

In her later years, Inez found a charitable gift annuity with the Ashland County Community Foundation appropriate to meet her needs. During her lifetime, she received a fixed distribution each quarter; the residual dollars, upon her death, were distributed as she designated. Her love and value of education will be perpetuated through her establishment of a scholarship for education majors, and her foresight and ability to see beyond the present day is represented in her unrestricted gift to help meet the ever-changing needs of the Ashland Community.

Ms. Page was a content, positive, and generous lady – an inspiration to us all.

Prepared 2005

Robert Mitchell and Mary Doughty were born and raised in Spencerville, Ohio. They married on August 11, 1945 and joined the membership of St. Mary’s MethodistChurch before relocating to the Ashland area in 1970.

Mary worked as a secretary while Robert chose the path of a Chemical Engineer. Mr. Mitchell was employed by Ashland Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company for six years and the previous 25 years for St. Mary’s Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. He also served in the chemical division of the U.S. Army during World War II and was a member of American Legion Post 88.

Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell were members of United Methodist Church of Savannah before Robert’s death in December 2003 and Mary’s in July 2005.

In wishing to help make “Ashland County a better place to work and to live…for generations to come,” Mary designated ACCF as a beneficiary of the Mitchell’s trust. Their unrestricted gift to the Foundation will forever help meet the changing needs of the Ashland Community. To Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell, we extend a heartfelt thank you.

Prepared 2006

Jack graduated from Ashland High School in 1954 and Ashland College in 1959. Jack worked in sales following graduation and in 1970 founded Mid-Ohio Cleaning and Supply in Mansfield, Ohio. They provided janitorial services in Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Michigan until 1996 when Jack retired and sold the business. Jack’s interests were sports, especially golf, where he competed in local, state and national tournaments, winning over 50 events. Jack is a member of the A.H.S. Sports Hall of Fame, is on the governing body of the Ohio Golf Association and was a member of the Society of Senior Golf Association.

Barbara graduated from Mt. Vernon High School in 1955 and Ashland College in 1965. Following her high school graduation, she was employed as a private secretary at Cooper-Bessemer in Mt. Vernon. In 1956 she enrolled at AC in the Cadet teaching program and received her B.S. in Elementary Education. She taught at Montgomery School in Ashland, Petworth School in D.C. and Mifflin School in Mansfield, retiring in 1965 to be a full-time mom. Barbara uses her teaching skills to teach the Bible, write her own study guides and mentor young women. Both Jack and Barb enjoy tutoring children and helping with the youth tennis program.

Jack and Barbara were college sweethearts and have been married 52 years, have four children, ten grandchildren and one great-grandchild. They’ve always wanted to set up a foundation to help other people, and they think the Ashland County Community Foundation is a perfect avenue for accomplishing this goal.

Prepared 2011