Call 419-358-5405 to reserve tickets

The Bluffton Lions Club is pleased to announce the 2022 Citizen of the Year Award will be given to William A. (Bill) Herr. Bill has generously given much time and energy to multiple organizations for the benefit of the Bluffton community.

Bill is a very selfless person who has touched many lives in this community.  He was born, raised and educated in Bluffton, Ohio. He has been a farmer almost his entire life, reared on a dairy farm and then living on his own small farm just outside the town of Bluffton, where he continues to farm.

Bill taught mathematics and physics at Bluffton and Riverdale High Schools for 30 years. He was given a Lifetime Service Award in 2014 by Bluffton University.

Bill has been married for 56 years to his wife Gloria, has four children, and seven grandchildren. He was a 4-H member, Allen County Jr. Fair Board member, Bluffton FFA member and Farm Bureau member. He graduated from Bluffton High School and Bluffton College, has two master’s degrees and continues to volunteer in Bluffton at the age of 83. He is currently an active member of Bluffton First United Methodist Church.

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After retiring from teaching, Bill continued to be an influence on those around him. He pursued a Master’s Degree in Religious Communication and began working in ministry. Soon, he found himself as the loved Chaplain of the Mennonite Memorial Home for over 24 years.

Throughout his life, Bill Herr has often been thinking of others and of what he can do to help them. He has bettered the lives of many around him.

A dinner to honor Bill Herr will be held at 6:00 p.m. in the Kreider Room at Bluffton University on April 6, 2023. The public is invited and tickets may be reserved by calling John Rich at 419-358-5405.

Editor's note: Bill Herr is an Icon columnist, writing about Bluffton High School sports history and, in the coming weeks, will be writing about his experiences as a chaplain.