Family, friends remember Stacy's service to others

Former county commissioner Dale Stacy is remembered by family and friends for his lifelong service to Seneca County. He died Sunday, 11 days shy of his 97th birthday. Dale served as county commissioner for 16 years, from 1966 to 1982, served on the board of elections and as chairman of the county's Republican party. But that only scratches the surface of Dale's community involvement. "He had a good life and he did a lot of things," said his daughter, Doris Herringshaw of Bowling Green. "He liked to be with people. It seemed he could accomplish more if there were more than one or two people." She said he cared about other people and doing things that would help the "bigger good, the bigger cause." "Many of the things he did he organized for the betterment of everybody," she said. Herringshaw said he and his wife, Velma, were involved in agriculture-related organizations. "He did a lot of traveling, which is wonderful, and the Grange things and Jersey Breeders," she said. One year, she said he traveled to Greece on an airplane with a load of bulls. "He was the farmer that went along," she said. "A plane full of bulls flew from New York City to Greece." The bulls then were distributed to Greek farmers. "The stories he had to tell about that," she said. "I would just a hoot to hear his story. I just cracked up." On the same trip, he said he and Velma visited the Price is Right TV show. "He won a washer and dryer and 12 dresses," she said. During some of those trips, usually agricultural tours, she remembers babysitting for her younger brothers, Dennis and Doug, while their parents were away. And she remembers his fairness and straightforwardness. "You always knew how he felt about topics," she said. During high school, Dale earned his State Farmer Degree through FFA before he graduated from Old Fort in 1942. He was named Outstanding Young Farmer in Seneca County and helped organize the local Dairy Herd Improvement Association and the Jersey Breeders. He served as president of Ohio Jersey Breeders Association as well as president of Vel-a-Da Inc. He also was active in Farm Bureau and served as president of Seneca County Junior Fair Foundation. He was inducted into the Seneca County Agriculture Hall of Recognition in 1989. In the Old Fort community, he served on the Old Fort Elevator Board, Old Fort Community Grange and master for Seneca County Pomona Grange. He was a member of Green Springs Masonic Lodge, Tiffin Shrine Club and a founding member of Old Fort Lions. Dave Omlor, secretary-treasurer of the Old Fort Lions, said Dale had been the last surviving charter member of the organization, which he had joined in 1944. "He came to just about every meeting," Omlor said. "Even in the past two years he would make it to the meetings." He said he helped with many projects during his 77 years as a member and received the Lion of the Year Award as well as a Melvin Jones Fellowship, in which the club donated $1,000 to Lions Club International's foundation in his honor. Dale's political career started when he was elected to the Seneca County Republican Central Committee in 1966. He was chairman of the local Republicans for many years. He served as county commissioner for 16 years, and during those years he served as president of Northwest Ohio Commissioners & Engineers Association, as a director of the Ohio County Commissioners Association and on the Ohio Planning and Zoning Committee. Dale followed the example of his father, Clyde, who served as county commissioner from 1942-1956 as well as school board member and township trustee. Dale passed along the family farming tradition to his sons, Dennis and Doug. His daughter, Doris, has been a Wood County commissioner for nearly 10 years, Doug is a Pleasant Township trustee, and daughter-in-law Holly served as a Seneca County commissioner from 2015-2019. Holly said her father-in-law made a tremendous difference through his community service, and he is the reason she got involved in service. "The legacy that Dale has left his community in his family and through his works to me clearly demonstrates what his purpose was - enjoying life and doing things for the greater good," she said. In addition to three children, Dale and Velma's family includes eight grandchildren and 13 great-greatgrandchildren. He made an impression on his grandchildren as well. Granddaughter Diana Podach said, "My grandpa showed me the true definition of 'community,' through all of his years of service and involvement. Seeing him be active in every group he was a part of and passionate for the group's mission showed me that he was a great man. That was loyalty." But he wasn't all about work. Grandson Daniel Stacy said, "One thing I always will remember is that as much as he loved his community activities, he loved OSU basketball. I took him to a lot of Buckeye games over the years. "Grandpa was a great community leader and a great role model for all eight of us grandkids," he said. Today's county commissioners remember Dale as helpful and as a longtime servant. Commissioner Mike Kerchner remembers him as "a very likeable, approachable, knowledgeable fellow. "He had a servant's heart is the best thing I can say," he said. "He loved to serve his community and serve his family. He lived a good, long life." Commissioner Tyler Shuff said he knew Dale as a member of the Republican party. "He was a very good person," he said. "He's been a big part of the local party. He was always very supportive and all-around good guy." "He's a legend," said Commissioner Tony Paradiso. He said he and Dale both lived in Pleasant Township so he knew him a long time. "I first got to know him way back when Paul Gillmor ran his first race for Congress and he won by 30-some votes," Paradiso said. "Dale and PM were buddies. "There's lots of time and commitment when you're that involved in the community," he said. "He lived it his whole life. He was just part of it." Paradiso said he was a genuinely nice guy. "He's from the World War II generation," he said. "He was always Mr. Stacy to me. He was a true gentleman. You can never replace them. You can just remember them." Read Stacy's obituary in The Advertiser-Tribune here, or in Wednesday's print edition.