Samuel W. Diller will receive the Bluffton Lions Club 2018 Citizen of the Year award during a  dinner in his honor on Tuesday, April 16, in the town hall.

A life-long resident of Bluffton, Diller has been an attorney for more than 45 years. He has serving on many community boards, including Mennonite Memorial Home, Bluffton Public Library, Triplett Foundation, Bluffton Community Assistance, Easter Seals, and as village solicitor of Bluffton, Arlington and Jenera for many years.  In 2017 the Bluffton Sportsmen's Club named tagged trout number in his honor.

He has been a lifetime member of First Mennonite Church, serving on multiple committees, teaching Sunday school and singing in the choir.

A 1952 Bluffton High School, 1956 Bluffton College grad and 1960 ONU law grad, Diller has practiced law since 1960. In 1971 he returned to Bluffton and opened his law practice, which he sold to Scott Basinger in 2013.

He and his wife, Joan, have four children, 11 grandchildren and one-great grandson.

His family’s connection to Main Street reaches back over 90 years. His grandfather William Iutzi was an independent insurance agent with an office on Main Street from 1924 to 1944. Diller’s father, Leland, and mother, Helen, took over the business in the 1940s.

After Leland’s death in 1960, Helen continued to operate the business until 1968 when she sold it to Richard Jordan.

Reservations for the April 16 dinner and program may be made by calling Barbara Plaugher at 419-204-2242.

Lions Citizens of the year
2018 - Samuel Diller
2017 - Fred Steiner
2016 - Barbara Plaugher
2015 - Oliver Lugibihl
2014 - Dennis Morrison
2013 – Richard Ramseyer
2012 – Bob and Beverly Amstutz
2011 – Elaine Harris
2010 – Jerry and Lori Lewis
2009 – Jean Muller
2008 – Maurice Fett
2007 – Dr. Howard Shelly
2006 – Richard and Margaret Weaver
2005 – Fred Rodabaugh
2004 – Richard and Betty Cookson
2003 – Ropp Triplett
2002 – Morris Groman
2001 – Jim and Jean Szabo
2000 – Don and Nancy Schweingruber
1999 – Roger Mullenhour
1998 – Richard Boehr
1997 – Wayne Matter
1996 – Jean Triplett
1995 – Helen Tschantz
1994 – Herman Hilty
1993 – Leland Lehman
1992 – Lois Rodabaugh
1991 – Earl Lehman
1990 – Howard Raid
1989 – Dr. B.W. Travis
1988 – Mary Emma Triplett
1987 – James F. West
1986 – Paul Stauffer
1985 – Forrest Steinman
1984 – Eugene Benroth
1983 – James Ehrman
1982 – A.C. Burcky
1981 – Dr. F.D. Rodabaugh