Elk Of The Year & Elk Hall of Fame Chair

Chris Hatcher, PER
Lebanon #422

Elk Of The Year

Rex Coldwell, PDDGER
Marion #32

Rex has dedicated his life to the service of others.  His chosen profession was Firefighter/EMT.  He has held all the positions in the Marion #32 Lodge, which includes five years each at Leading Knight and Exalted Ruler positions.

He received multiple recognitions as a contributor for his lodge. He was/is responsible for keeping the Marion Lodge open for a decade longer than expected.  In doing so he helped retire $45,000 in debt, reduced expenses and found a new home for the lodge. 

He has served his district well, including several chairmanships and also filling the DDGER role twice.  He took a state role as FRS facilitator.

The 2024 Elk of the Year is Rex Coldwell, PDDGER of Marion Lodge #32


Elk Hall of Fame Inductee

Roger Crowe, PSP
Kenton #157

Roger is the penultimate Elk.  He is involved in his lodge community and higher Elkdom.  Roger is part of a family team, his wife Julie complements him and he complements her.

Locally, Roger has been a career firefighter; a trustee for his church, the YMCA, and a bank.  He served as Commissioner for the County and also championed the Lake of Lights holiday display. 

He has held all the major positions at his lodge and was a key proponent of Kenton’s winning ritual ways.  He even won the 11 O’clock toast contest for the district.    

At the district he has been Treasurer for more than a decade, and he served as DDGER twice. 

At the state level, he was president and travelled ten years with the state officers, including as a spouse to his wife, the state chaplain. 

He has supported his wife’s Julie’s leadership in the Soccer Shoot program including travelling to and working in the regional soccer shoot competition.

The 2023 Elks Hall of Fame Inductee is Roger Crowe, PSP, PDDGER of Kenton Lodge #157


PROGRAM BEGAN IN 1960

1960 - Dr. E. J. McCormick – Toledo
1961 - James A. Rhodes – Columbus
1962 - W. W. “Woody” Hayes – Columbus
1963 - Billy Southworth – Kenton
1964 - Ted Lewis – Circleville
1965 - Robert “Lefty” Grove – Norwalk
1966 - Jack Cannon – Columbus
1967 - Ray H. Perry – Martins Ferry
1968 - John Laslo – Martins Ferry
1969 - M. E. “Jack” Sensenbrenner – Columbus
1970 - Judge James A. Ravella – Warren
1971- John D. Quinn – Sidney
1972 - William H. Harsha, Jr. – Portsmouth
1973 - Wayne T. “Curley” Smart – Delaware
1974 -Richard Gallagher – Ironton
1975 - Harry C. Bauhan – Dayton
1976 - H. H. “Mike” Stoops – Portsmouth
1977 - Not Awarded
1978 - Frank W. Wiley – Toledo
1979 - Robert J. Secrest – Cambridge
1980 - Earl L. Schreiber – North Canton
1981 - Jackson E. Betts – Findlay
1982 - Donald R. Ford – Warren
1983 - Robert “Joe” Hibbard – Massillon
1984 - Keith Boals - Ashland
1985 - Jerry Dunlap – Ashland
1986 - Richard P. “Rick” Wolfe – Ashland
1987 - Russell K. Doan – Elyria
1988 - William H. Shank – Warren
1989 - Edward C. Arn – Wooster
1990 - Lloyd “Toby” Tobias – Lancaster
1991 - John L. Johnson – Napoleon
1992 - Dr. David S. Goldschmidt – Circleville
1993 - David A. Laslow – Marysville
1994 - Loreto George – Barberton
1995 - Frank C. Dawson – East Liverpool
1996 - J. Warren Battis – Salem
1997 - Thomas D. Lambros – Ashtabula
1998 - Philip E. Hahn, Sr. – Elyria
1999 - Paul G. Basner – North Canton
2000 - Bill Derry – Van Wert
2001 - Michael J. Grigsby – Marysville
2002 - Richard Hougland – Chillicothe
2003 - Susan M. Scott – Port Clinton
2004 - Frederic C. LaFrance – Marysville
2005 - Ralph R. Jones – Wooster
2006 - Edward J. Helt, Jr. – Washington C. H.
2007 - David W. Straight – Parma
2008 - Pamela Shaw – Dayton
2009 - Hon. Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. – Ohio River Valley
2010 - James A. Sommer -- Greenville
2011 - No Awardee
2012 - No Awardee
2013 - Tim M. Churchill − Swanton
2014 - Carl R. Dobbins −Jackson
2015 - W. Eric McCracken – Van Wert
2016 - Debra Bingham – Marysville
2017 - Larry Clement – Willoughby/Cleveland
2018 - Michael C. Stanley – Van Wert
2019 - Lee Young - Elyria
2020 - George Wulfert - Marietta
2021 - Steve “Preach” Pritchard - Newcomerstown
2022 - Jon Felice - Willoughby/Cleveland
2023 - Roger Crowe - Kenton

Elks Hall of Fame Inductees

1960 - William Routsong – Cleveland
1961 - Fred Lees – Toledo
1962 - Roy Terrell – Piqua
1963 - Tom Price – Zanesville
1964 - Eldon Brown – Columbus
1965 - Norman K. Funni – Lima
1966 - Nick Kovic – Warren
1967 - Lloyd “Cy” Varner – Alliance
1968 - Ivan R. Hesson – Tiffin
1969 - Carl S. Jackson – Van Wert
1970 - Ed Turner – Dayton
1971 - Leslie A. Douglas – Martins Ferry
1972 - Edward Patris – Barberton
1973 - Ralph Curfman – Galion
1974 - Marshal N. Shere – Bowling Green
1975 - Francis Cupp – Chillicothe
1976 - John F. Harmon – Columbus
1977 - Donald N. Wilkin – Newark
1978 - William E. Platten – Parma
1979 - Rev. Charles D. Hering, Sr. – Tiffin
1980 - Harry E. Schultz – Alliance
1981 - Irwin “Irv” Cohen – Toledo
1982 - Leo J. Reuss - Marysville
1983 - John M. Eccleston - East Liverpool
1984 - Louis Crow – Van Wert
1985 - Charles Newell – Ashland
1986 - Michael Gerig – Wooster
1987 - J. Kenneth Klinck – Marietta
1988 - John W. Bosart, Jr. – Marysville
1989 - Carl R. Dobbins – Jackson
1990 - E. L. “Gene” Koerber – Parma
1991 - Jack F. Stabner – Springfield
1992 - Peter Zeidner – Barnesville
1993 - Edward H. Murphy – Elyria
1994 - Robert E. Powell – Springfield
1995 - Clyde Bray – Ashland
1996 - Basil P. Wallace – Delaware
1997 - Jacob H. Frowine – Portsmouth
1998 - Donald W. Peters – Dover
1999 - Donald Flitcraft – Alliance
2000 - Dane Dysert – Wellsville
2001 - James E. Ekelberry – Delaware
2002 - Edward Kalmers – Conneaut
2003 - William J. Ashton – Martins Ferry
2004 - Edward J. Kentner – Ravenna
2005 - Allen D. Zimmerman – Van Wert
2006 - Donald L. Garling, Sr. – Dayton
2007 - Scott Procopio – Washington Court House
2008 - Garrison “Muggs” McGinnis – Marion
2009 - George “Sonny” King – Chillicothe
2010 - William Willis – Alliance
2011 - Donald Winter – Willoughby/Cleveland
2012 - Deb Bingham – Marysville  
2013 - Charles VanDyne – Kenton
2014 - Kevin Richardson − Findlay
2015 - Jerry Michael – Lebanon
2016 - David Noren – Elyria
2017 - Mike Mason – Springfield
2018 - Larry D. Wise – Newark
2019 - Sue Fox Buroker - Kenton
2020 - P. R. Marshall - Washington C. H.
2021 - David L. Ryan - East Liverpool
2022 - Alvie Pelfrey - Jackson
2023 - Harry J. Crooks - Maumee/Bowling Green
2024 - Rex Coldwell - Marion

Elk of the Year Recipients