Loren A Shearer

March 26, 1929 - November 5, 2014

SHEARER, LOREN ADAIR Double-diamond National Forensic League speech and debate coach, Loren Adair Shearer, went to his heavenly eternal home on November 5th, 2014. Beloved elder son of Reno Adair and Mildred (Coolman) Shearer, Loren was born on March 26th, 1929, in Wooster, Ohio. Loren is survived by his wife of fifty-two years, Lou Ann (Fox) Shearer; his two sons, Michael Adair (Theresa) Shearer and Geoffrey Charles (Karen Barnes) Shearer; grandchildren Austin Adair, Meghann Alexis, and Christian Elliot Shearer, Sean (Tracey) Barnes, Sarah Barnes, and great-grandson, Charles Buster Barnes, all of Columbus; His brother, Keith (Freddy) Shearer of Wooster, and beloved nieces, Wyn Ellen (Doug) Jones of Lamoni, Iowa, Dawn Elise (William) Stanton of Wooster, and nephew, Todd Randall (Marilu) of Boiling Springs , South Carolina; grand-nephew, Matthew Jones of Lamoni, Iowa, and grand-niece, Kelsey Autumn Shearer, of Akron; sister-in-law, Jacqueline Bess (David) Rogers, of Fremont, and nephew, Erik Weaver, of Springfield, Missouri; like-family neighbors, John, Peggy, Michael, Erin, and Megan Orzechowski, Janet Taylor, and James, Jr., and Amy Ebersol of Toledo. Loren graduated from Wooster High School, where he played trumpet in the band and was introduced to dramatics by Emily (Mrs. Ernest) Infield, and from the College of Wooster, where he had to re-take his senior year due to contracting polio. Loren was a member of the Scots Marching Band, the track team, Section 8, and the college debate team and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in history and political studies. Loren earned his Masters of Speech degree from The Ohio State University. Loren’s first job was as a sixth grade teacher in Valley City, Ohio. He then moved on to Doylestown High School where he taught social studies, started a debate team, and directed plays at the high school and in the community. Loren continued this pattern at Fremont W.W. Ross High School, Canton Lehman High School, Dayton Oakwood High School, and Toledo Whitmer High School, where he taught for twenty-seven years. Loren also taught speech and conference methods for many years at Owens Technical/Community College and earned his ten year certificate teaching speech at Monroe County Community College, Monroe, Michigan. While at Dayton Oakwood, Loren and fellow Centerville speech coach, Ralph Bender, established the Centerville Summer Theater, an artist if not financial success. Loren and his Oakwood speech and debate students made records for the Scott Publishing Company of Dayton. In 1979, Loren was awarded the Speech Communications Association of Ohio’s highest accolade as Ohio Outstanding Speech Teacher of the Year. Soon after Loren was inducted into the Ohio High School Speech League Hall of Fame, in it’s second year of existence. Loren was a lifelong hunter, fisherman, card player and golfer. For several summers he was a counselor and Scuba diving teacher at YMCA Camp Tippecanoe. Loren enjoyed fishing for 44 years at his cabin on Big Lake, Mindemoya Manitoulin Island Ontario. Loren’s chili suppers there were festive occasions for all the around the lake summer resident neighbors. Loren served as president and parliamentarian of the Toledo South Side Sportsmen, where he was a life member. Also for 2 decades, was the parliamentarian for the Northwest Ohio Education Association. Also Loren enjoyed his card group. Loren acted in and directed plays for the Akron Weathervane theater, The Fremont Community Theater, the Canton City Players, the Columbus Theater on the Green, the Gate 10 Theater at OSU, the Kettering Ohio K-O Players, the Dayton Theater Guild and at the Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Loren was a well known local actor and director. He was for many years an active member of the Toledo Repertoire Theater. Loren’s favorite role there was as Dracula in the play Dracula. His longest running role with the “Rep” was as Marley’s Ghost in A Christmas Carol, which Loren played for 12 years. Loren’s most outstanding achievement when he stepped into and learned in 1 week the role of Scrooge when Jim Rudes had a heart attack one week prior to the shows opening. Loren also acted in several plays for the Village Players. His favorite show there was Arsenic and Old Lace with Patricia Rudes. Loren was also Drama Director for Aldersgate United Methodist Church where he directed several dinner theater productions and the musical Little Mary Sunshine, sermon skits, Easter and Christmas plays. Loren also served his church as the Stephen Minister, an Usher and was for many years Head Usher. Loren was also active in the Aldersgate Men’s Golf League, won the very first Men’s Club Chili Cookoff, and was a member of the Emmaus Community. Lou Ann thanks Paul Grosjean for many milestone events; Ralph Bender for being there; Barb Grimm for 41 years of best-friendship; Tom Davis for all the pheasant hunting experiences with Don Grimm and Loren; Loren’s card group friends – especially Dave Givens for transportation-years of togetherness; holly Ruckriegle for her tender care of Loren; and pastors, Lilanthi Ward, Anthony Thomas and Marilynn Schroeder for their mentorings. The family thanks the Aldersgate Church family for ongoing support, family physician, Dr. Thomas P. Cox, nephrologist, Dr. Rahil Kasmani, the ProMedica Hospice nurses and staff, Drs. Joss and Peyton, the nurses and staff of the Ebeid Center for the loving care of Loren. In lieu of flowers memorial gifts are encouraged to Aldersgate united Methodist church Memorial Fund, the Repetoire Theater and the Ebeid Hospice Residence on the Flower Hospital Campus. Friends are invited to visit from 3:00pm to 8:00pm Friday at the Ansberg-West Funeral Home 3000 Sylvania Avenue . Funeral services will be held 11:00am Saturday at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, where friends are invited to visit after 10:00am. Interment will be in Oakwood Cemetery, Fremont, Ohio.