John (Jack) Thomas and Barbara Lamson Miller
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