Military honorees also served as longtime business owners
For the past eight years, the East Liberty Memorial Day Celebration hasn’t been complete without the recognition of a hometown hero or heroes, local figures who helped shape American history through their military service.
This year, the honor is shared between World War II veteran Marvin “Mitch” Mitchell and Korean War veteran Robert Dean “Bobby” Dill, who returned home to also serve their communities as longtime business owners in East Liberty.
Their legacy and history will be shared during the East Liberty Memorial Day ceremony at 10 a.m. Monday at the East Liberty Cemetery. Previously, this award has highlighted a variety of local military heroes, including Clara Goldsmith, a U.S Army Nurse during World War I; a personal secretary to General John J. “Black Jack” Pershing during World War I; a survivor of the Bataan Death March; a corporal who served in World War II’s Battle of the Bulge; Civil War veteran William Humphreys; and last year’s honorees, four men from East Liberty who served in volunteer infantry and cavalry units in the Spanish American War.
East Liberty resident Jeff Hall and his son, attorney Tyler J. Hall, have researched the lives of these individuals, who displayed patriotism, devotion and a sense of community and its importance.
Tyler will present their detailed research in a speech at Monday’s ceremony.
Mitchell was born October 18, 1921, in Colorado, but he found his way to Ohio and graduated from the Rushsylvania High School, Tyler noted in his speech.
After being drafted at age 20 in 1941, he served his country in the U.S. Army during World War II . He was stationed in England with the Medical Corps. After the war, he returned and settled in East Liberty, and on July 31, 1948, he married the love of his life, Flo Jean. They had two children, John and Janet.
While owning and operating Mitchell’s Service Station in East Liberty, Marvin Mitchell, or “Mitch” as he was called by some, serviced numerous of the town residents’ vehicles so that they could get to their jobs and transport their children.
“Truly, while working at the station was his business, he also thought of it as his hobby,” Tyler said. “A devout man, Marvin was a long-time member and elder of the East Liberty Church of Christ.
“He retired at 73 to lovingly care for Flo Jean for the next 15 years before her passing in 2009. Marvin Mitchell died on July 5, 2016.”
Dill was born Sept. 22, 1929, in East Liberty and was a 1948 East Liberty High School graduate. After high school, he served his country in the Korean War in the U.S. Air Force.
Jan. 2, 1953, in Richmond, Ind., he married the former Evelyn Yvonne Herford. “Bobby Dean” and “Eddie,” as they were known, owned and operated Bob’s Meat Market for 35 years in East Liberty. Together they had three daughters, Barbara, Belinda, and also Brenda, who preceded him in death.
Bobby Dean worked for and eventually purchased the meat market from Paul Ballinger, coincidentally East Liberty’s 2017 Hometown Hero.
In 1998, Bobby ventured into the realm of local politics and ran for Perry Township trustee. The citizens voted him in. Dill served as trustee until late June 2003, before his health prohibited him from continued service. Just two weeks later, Bobby Dean Dill died on July 8, 2003.
“These two men were the very manifestation of what the American Spirit ought to be,” Tyler said. “Exemplifying that Spirit, Mitch and Bobby Dean gave us numerous gifts during their lives.”
Both men displayed patriotism, serving our country during her time of need. Their fidelity to the United States continued after they stopped wearing the uniform, Tyler said.
“Bobby Dean ran for office and, as I am sure our dutiful current trustees can attest, served in the thankless but critical local government position of township trustee. In fact, Bobby Dean’s obituary stated that he would ‘be remembered for his pride in Perry Township.’
“Marvin always valued his country and kept faith with his fellow veterans….In addition to excellent service, Mitchell’s Station was an upstanding establishment, with Marvin even not allowing off-color or crude jokes to be told on the premises.
“Both of these patriotic men took seriously and took pride in their enterprises and their community.”
The second gift they gave is devotion, Tyler related. Serving in this nation’s military branches is an obvious example of their devotion to America, a trait that spilled over into other facets of their lives.
“Combined, these two men were married to their respective spouses for nearly 110 years. What an achievement and testament to the vows they gave to their spouses.
“They also had a devotion to their jobs…to hard work. Bobby Dean and his family often worked through weekends preparing orders for our local schools as they had the contract to supply meat for school lunches to the former Logan Hills Schools.”
Finally, both Dill and Mitchell prioritized their community.
“Each of these men lived in East Liberty for practically their entire adult life. They owned businesses here. They raised their families here. They served and did business with this area’s residents,” Tyler said.
“This sense of community for Marvin meant going above and beyond to assist customers when needed…
“And for Bobby Dean, serving as one of the initial cogs in the veritable machine that is our food production economy was a job that likely went under-appreciated.”
Tyler concluded with a quote from Prime Minister Winston Churchill: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
“Marvin Mitchell and Bobby Dean Dill each gave to East Liberty more than any 10 of us likely ever will. They started when they put the uniform on, and each of them continued to give and invest here until their very last day.
“We can run for office, we can start a business, we can renew in our hearts the promises we made to our spouses, we can hire a veteran, we can clean up our language, we can sponsor a ball team, we can help a neighbor out, we can go to church, we can buy local, we can give without expecting anything back.”