Mansfield's Doug Theaker Inducted into Veteran's Hall of Fame
By Rusty Cates
Twenty Ohio Veterans, including Mansfield's Doug Theaker, were inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame on Thursday ( November 8, 2018) in Dublin, Ohio.
A bronze plaques representing each of the annual classes inducted are permanently on display at the Vern Riffe Building, 2nd Floor located at 77 South High Street, in Columbus.
Theaker's personal profile is presented below.
Douglas D. Theaker,
Richland County
United States Navy Veteran
Douglas David Theaker, 82, of Richland County, served in the United States Navy during the Korean War. After serving in the military, Doug used his GI Bill to earn his degrees: a bachelor’s degree in social studies from Ashland University and a Master of Science in Education from the University of Akron. After his retirement from education, he served as the Director of Richland County Job and Family Services. Yet, his passion was to help children from K to 12 and he responded with a “yes” when his peers called on him to become a school board member. He devoted 39 years to the education of children; nine years as an American History teacher at Ontario High school and 30 years serving on boards of education including the Ohio School Board Association, the Ontario Board of Education and the Pioneer Career and Technology Board of Education. Doug is the longest serving member of the Richland County Veterans Service Commission – since 1983 – and is currently president of the board. Doug is active in every military post in the county: AMVETS 26 and 31 for 40 years, KWVA Chapter 51 for 20 years and serves as president, Richland County Joint Veterans Council for 30 years and is past-president, American Legion Post 16 for 20 years. For more than 20 years, he has helped raise the flags at the Richland County Courthouse and he has attended every Memorial Day Parade since he returned from the Navy. Doug served as the Memorial Day Grand Marshal. He also is involved in United Way, Boy Scouts Council, Kiwanis and is a 28-year host of the WMFD Rehab Telethon fundraiser.