Notable deaths in the Dayton region in 2023
The Dayton area lost community pillars, educators, athletes and more in 2023. Here, we recognize some of the notable people from the area who died in the past year. Names are listed in alphabetical order.
George Bayless
George Bayless Jr. is remembered for more than 60 years of community service and leadership, including with Holiday at the Home, the Kettering board of education and the area’s regional transit authority board. The Fairmont High School graduate died Jan. 17 at age 85.
“Kettering lost a great supporter of our schools, our community and Holiday at Home,” the organization that plans the city’s traditional Labor Day weekend celebration said on its Facebook page.
Bayless was president of Holiday at Home in 1962 — later being honored as its grand marshal — and was elected to four terms on the Kettering school board, serving as its leader before opting not to run in 2017.
Don Brown
Don Brown, a longtime fixture in Dayton sports broadcasting and known for his work with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, died Sept. 24 at 63.
Brown started his broadcast career around 1980 at WHIO Radio, where he announced high school football games.
Brown then worked in the sports department at WKEF from 1985 to 2003. He returned to WHIO in 2005 where he did sports reporting for WHIO-TV until 2014.
Ron Coleman
Ron Coleman, the longtime and much-beloved Stebbins teacher, coach, and administrator who, in years past, had also mentored students at Middletown, Bellbrook and in the mid1980s at Central State, died Sept. 21 at age 72.
He was a four-sport athlete at Wilmington College. After he got his degree there, he went on to Antioch College and got his master’s degree. Along the way he also teamed with the late Greg Gahris and did the radio broadcasts of Wright State basketball games for nearly a decade.
Ron Cramer
Ronald Eugene Cramer, who was known for his leadership in moving the Dayton Hamvention from the former Hara Arena to the Greene County Fairgrounds, died March 11. He was 75.
A native of Dayton, Cramer was born on Aug. 15, 1947, to parents Donald and Delight (Brooks). He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Liz (Ann Mergler) Cramer. Liz described her husband as “the nicest man I’ve ever met.”
Liz met Ron in the early 1970s while they both worked for the Siebenthaler Company. Soon after he retired from the company in 2009, Ron immersed himself into the world of amateur radio.
Todd Crawford
Well known to anyone who crossed his path in downtown Dayton, Todd Crawford is remembered for his years of volunteer work in Dayton arts organizations and the Oregon District.
Crawford died Oct. 18 at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton after battling colon cancer. He was 57.
“The Dayton Art Institute is saddened to learn of the passing of longtime volunteer and friend of the museum, Todd Crawford. Todd served as a member of the DAI Associate Board since 2016, including his role as Art Ball Chair in 2019 and Oktoberfest Co-Chair this year. It is impossible to tally the countless hours Todd gave to the museum, nor the funds he raised in the nearly eight years of dedicated service to the Associate Board,” a statement from the board reads.
Thomas Dillman
Thomas M. Dillman, a member of the Middletown High School and Butler County sports halls of fame, died Sept. 26 in St. Louis, where he was residing in an assisted living facility. He was 88.
He was the youngest son and last living son of Dewey and Martha Dillman, who owned Dillman Foods in Middletown.
One of the most accomplished athletes in Butler County history, he also served as a veterinarian for 50 years in Trotwood.
Everett “Butch” Elder III
Everett “Butch” Elder III, owner of the Shroyer Inn and Brewski Barrel in Dayton, died on Nov. 19 after battling liver disease for many years. He was 59.
The Dayton native was a businessman who was always looking for a way to make money, said Shelby Elder, Butch’s wife of 26 years. He bought the Shroyer Inn 25 years ago after working in maintenance at Sycamore Square Apartments.
In 2019, Elder bought the Brewski Barrel, located less than half a mile away from the Shroyer Inn.
John Falkenbach
John A. Falkenbach, a 2018 Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame inductee whose specific contributions as a lighting designer accented numerous community theater productions across the Dayton area, died Nov. 23.
He was 65.
Falkenbach was born July 23, 1958, in Mansfield. He was involved in community, educational and professional theatre for almost 50 years. In addition to his outstanding lighting expertise, he served as director, producer, actor and technician.
His local associations included Beavercreek Community Theatre, Dayton Playhouse, Dayton Theatre Guild, Troy Civic Theatre, Xenia Area Community Theater and Springfield Civic Theatre. He also served on the board of Beavercreek Community Theatre as treasurer. He was active in the Ohio Community Theatre Association for over 35 years and was an alumnus of Ohio Northern University.
Herb Hartman
Longtime Troy High School track and field coach Herb Hartman, whose name has adorned an annual meet at Troy Memorial Stadium since 2014, died Sept. 7 at 82 at Hospice of Miami County.
“He set an example in getting things done on a daily basis with his cool, calm demeanor,” said Kurt Snyder, the head girls track coach at Troy. “It was amazing to see how he worked and talked with the kids.”
Hartman was inducted into the Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches Hall of Fame in 1993. He coached track for 55 years, starting with the boys team in 1968 and then moving to the girls team in 1989. He was also an art teacher at the high school.
Vilma Helms
Vilma P. Helms, the president of Jefferson Twp.’s school board, died Oct. 11, while in hospice. She was 83.
She was also a Dayton Public Schools teacher for 20 years, a gifted and talented supervisor for DPS, and served as a Jefferson Twp. school board member for 19 years, according to her obituary.
“Vilma had a public servant’s heart and was a natural leader,” her obituary said.
Joseph “Zak” Idzakovich Jr.
A former Miamisburg school board member and longtime Miami Valley Career Technology Center official is remembered for his dedication and leadership.
Joseph “Zak” Idzakovich Jr., of Miami Twp., died Sept. 3 after a battle with a shortterm illness. He was 72. Idzakovich was born on May 4, 1951, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He studied business until 1973 at Bowling Green State University, where he met his wife, Nancy.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration, procurement and materials management from BGSU, he landed his first job at Dayton Walther in 1973, kicking off a 44-year career. He then joined Venture Manufacturing Company as an owner and vice president.
Marcus Jackson
Marcus Jackson, one of the first African Americans on Wright State University’s athletics staff and the first Raiders’ basketball coach to lead a WSU team to a 20-win season and an NCAA Tournament appearance, died in August in Kansas. He was 82.
Abdul Shakur Ahmad, the star point guard of Jackson’s first team, the 1975-76 Raiders, said the coach’s wife, Corinne, told him her husband died from Alzheimer’s complications.
“On our first day of practice with him, I remember they rolled out the ball cart and there was a placard on it saying, ‘Team goals: 20 wins, NCAA Tournament bid,’” said Ahmad. “And every day after that, when we went in, we saw that.”
John Jakes
John Jakes, a famous historical fiction writer from Kettering, died March 11 at a hospice facility in Florida. He was 90.
Although best known for his historical fiction, Jakes didn’t like to be pigeonholed into one genre. He wrote more than 60 novels and hundreds of short stories, including mysteries, science fiction, westerns, musicals, plays and children’s books.
While studying acting at Northwestern University, Jakes wrote his first real story. It was a 1,500-word story called “Machine,” about a toaster with a demonic soul which took possession of its owner. It landed in Fantasy and Science magazine.
From that point on Jakes was hooked on writing and gave up acting.
Melvin Johnson
Melvin Johnson, a longtime high school teacher and track and field coach in the area, died May 23 at age 60. He had battled cancer for three years, according to a letter sent to parents Tuesday afternoon by Laura Blessing, the district’s superintendent.
Johnson was hired as the Miamisburg school district’s attendance officer in 2001 and worked in that position for several years while earning his master’s degree in education from the University of Phoenix, Blessing said. Since then, he devoted his life to teaching, serving as a business and keyboarding teacher at MHS and coaching basketball, cross country and track teams throughout his teaching career.
Judge Michael Krumholtz Sr.
Retired Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Michael W. Krumholtz Sr. died April 20. He was 69.
He died while in Fort Collins, Colorado, according to the court. He is survived by his wife, Janis, three children, two grandchildren and five siblings
Krumholtz was first elected to the general division in 2012 and elected again in 2018. He retired Feb. 28, 2022.
Jim Levinson
James Ross Levinson, a former Montgomery County assistant prosecutor best known for his work in the prosecution of notorious crimes such as the 1975 Emoff kidnapping and the 1992 Christmas killings, died Jan. 20 at the age of 80.
A native and lifelong resident of Dayton, Levinson was born to parents Jule and Rose Matusoff Levinson in 1942. He was the youngest of three boys and was preceded in death by brothers Richard and Rabbi Stephen Levinson. Levinson’s loved ones describe him as warm, loving, passionate, and with a lifelong commitment to justice.
Clay Mathile
Clay Mathile, the former owner and CEO of the Iams pet food company and a longtime Dayton philanthropist, died Aug. 19. He was 82.
“Clay was a visionary leader, impassioned philanthropist, devoted husband, father, grandfather, and friend. He profoundly changed the lives of many through his generous heart, his entrepreneurial spirit, and his unwavering belief in others,” the family said in a statement.
Mathile bought part ownership in Iams in the 1970s, then became full owner in the early 1980s, and sold Iams to Procter & Gamble in 1999 for $2.3 billion. According to Forbes, Iams’ annual sales were $500,000 when Mathile joined in 1970, and grew 1,600 times over, to $800 million by 1999.
Ann Focke MischlerStemple
The last of five sisters in line with the Oakwood family that operated the Focke Meat packaging plant in Dayton for nearly 100 years died Aug. 8.
Ann Focke (Mischler) Stemple was born in Dayton on Sept. 18, 1929, to Elmer and
Marie Focke, one of six children. Ann and her four sisters were known in childhood as the “Focke girls.”
Ann’s great grandmother Bernadette Focke founded Focke Meats in 1874 and the business was open until 1971. At one point, the plant employed 180 people. Her great grandmother Bernadette has been recognized as the first business woman of Dayton by the historical society.
George Montgomery
Dayton native George Montgomery, a member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame, died at 90 on Aug. 24 in Tipp City.
Nicknamed “Ohio George,” Montgomery was “one of the first superstars” in National Hot Rod Association history, according to his obituary. He ranked 28th on a list of the top 50 NHRA racers in 2000. Montgomery was inducted into the NHRA North Central Division’s Hall of Fame in 1983 and the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 1992.
Ralph Morrow
Ralph Morrow ran the Dayton Daily News sports department during the glory years of the Don Donoher era at the University of Dayton. He had the job throughout the entire run of the Big Red Machine and saw the Cincinnati Bengals grow from an expansion franchise into a Super Bowl contender. He edited everyone from Hal McCoy to Marc Katz to Chick Ludwig to Tom Archdeacon in a 29-year tenure at the newspaper.
Morrow, who died of natural causes July 31 at 87 in Key West, Florida, was hired by the Dayton Daily News in 1964 as a general assignment reporter. He moved to the sports department in 1965 and was named executive sports editor, a newly created position, in 1966.
When Morrow retired from the paper in 1993, he wrote, “I’m proud of the accomplishments of the writers, page designers and copy editors with whom I worked. I’m proud that they were able to win awards. My theory was I wanted to let the writers write and the copy editors edit, and I didn’t want one confused with the other.”
Chirag Patel
Dr. Chirag Patel, chief medical officer at Ohio’s Hospice, was described as a doctor who deeply cared for his patients and anyone he came into contact with. Patel, 48, died Aug 23.
“Dr. Patel dedicated himself to ensuring patients were not only well cared for but respected and heard,” said Kent Anderson, CEO of Ohio’s
Hospice.
“He was an active listener and the most kind human I have ever had the privilege of serving with. Our mission will forever be stronger and better because of Chirag’s service,” Anderson said.
Patel was chief medical officer of Ohio’s Hospice and Pure Healthcare, joining the staff of Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton in 2009. Patel was also previously a staff hospitalist and specialist in hospice and palliative care at Dayton Veteran’s Affairs Hospital.
Carson Robbins
The Tipp City schools and the community mourned the death of high school senior Carson Robbins.
Robbins, 17, died April 14, after what was described in his obituary as a “brief, hardfought illness.” He is the son of Jammie and Carrie Robbins.
Robbins was a scholar-athlete who participated in football and wrestling.
Amy Snyder
Piqua native and Winans Chocolates + Coffees COO Amy Snyder died unexpectedly from medical complications on April 12. She was 44.
CEO of Winans Chocolates + Coffees Wilson Reiser said all Miami and Shelby County Winans locations, as well as the chocolate factory, coffee roastery and offices, were closed April 20 in remembrance of Snyder.
“Amy began working with Winans as a barista at the age of 18 and was with the company for 26 years,” said Reiser. “During this time, she helped build the brand from just two to 19 locations across the Dayton and Columbus markets. Most recently, Amy served as the director of operations and, in March of 2021, was elevated to the role of chief operating officer.”
Roy Thobe
Former area teacher and coach Roy Thobe died Oct. 1 at St. Rita’s Hospital in Lima. He was 60. Thobe was a math teacher and a coach of both high school track and football at several schools in the Hamilton and Dayton areas, his obituary said.
The Fairborn City Schools district said, “Thank you Coach Thobe for helping our young student-athletes learn about work ethic, humility, kindness and strength and fortitude. You will forever be a part of Skyhawk Nation!”
Arthur Thomas
Former Central State University president Arthur Thomas died Feb. 9 at a hospital in Silver Spring, Maryland. He was 82. Thomas served as the president of Central State University in Wilberforce from 1985 to 1995. As a member of the class of 1962, he was the first CSU alumnus to lead the school as president.
The Philadelphia native enrolled at Central State after serving two years in the U.S. Army. Shortly after graduation, he became a teacher in the Dayton Public School District. It was there where he began to further develop as a educator who sought ways to elevate the academics of students who were poor and underserved.
Robert Lee (Bob) Willette
Robert Lee “Bob” Willett, former president and CEO of Kettering Medical Hospital (now Kettering Health), is remembered for his leadership in the community and at the health system.
Willett died on Aug. 4 in Ringgold, Georgia. He was 87.
Willett arrived at Kettering Health in 1962 when the hospital was still under construction, Kettering Health said. He joined the administrative staff of Kettering Health Main Campus, then known as Kettering Medical Center, as the director of patient business. He moved through the ranks, becoming president of Kettering Health Main Campus in 1979. He was president and CEO for 15 years, his obituary said.