A Sense of Centerville and Washington Township
Stories about ordinary and extraordinary residents and places in Centerville and Washington Township, Ohio. This podcast explores local history from the perspective of current and past residents.
Episodes
Chris and Lisa Meyer met while they were both working at Phil and Jerry’s Foodarama, an independent grocery store that was in business 1957 -1989. Chris’ father Phil and his uncle Jerry were the business owners. After being in business for over 30 years on Whipp Road, Foodarama was purchased in 1989 by the owners of Dorothy Lane Market.
Greg Horn is a native of Wooster, Ohio and has been married to Cathy for 49 years. They raised three sons who were all CHS graduates and are now married. He enjoys being a grandfather to six wonderful grandchildren. Greg Horn was the Centerville City Manager from 1992 to 2017. Before coming to Centerville, he served as the city manager for Tipp City for seven years, village manager in Minerva, Ohio, for 5 years and as city administ...
Emily Albright has been active at Centerville High School with volleyball, dance, and tutoring. She has been the Varsity Captain for volleyball and received awards for the Most Improved and Best Offensive Player, while balancing her dance career. After school, Emily tutored three times a week while creating an individual lesson plan. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Early Childhood Education Program, and Spanish Hono...
Kevin O’Brien is one of Centerville-Washington History’s scholarship winners for 2025. He has volunteered with Centerville-Washington History over 40 hours since 2021. In addition to volunteering with CWH, Kevin volunteers with the Miami Valley Down Syndrome Association, Incarnation Parish, and the Special Olympics Track Team. Kevin has been involved at Centerville High School as a member of the Investment Club, Circle of Friends (...
Mike Thonnerieux has been the Washington Township administrator since February 2023. Prior to serving as administrator, Mike served as Director of Public Administrative Services for the City of Beavercreek. Growing up, he lived in Washington Township and graduated from Centerville High School in 1995.
Lee Snyder owns Snyder Concrete Products, a fifth-generation family business that began in 1949 by Milton Snyder. The business continues to expand and has multiple locations around the area. Lee’s father was a volunteer firefighter in Kettering and Lee followed that example through 35 years of service as a volunteer firefighter. He served our community as a zoning commissioner for 18 years and a trustee for 12 years. He has lived i...
Tom Ovington was born in the country of Rhodesia which is present day Zimbabwe. He became an architect and got a master’s degree from Yale. He eventually moved to Centerville where he was employed as an architect. Now retired, Tom spends much of his free time volunteering. He is a 2019 Winner of the Mayor’s Award for Community Service and has completed over 4,000 hours of service at The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.
Toniya Singh was born in India and immigrated from Bombay before settling in Ohio. Toniya is a public speaker, consultant, trainer and coach for schools and Fortune 500 companies. In her public speaking she often shares the perspective of immigrants. She is a Certified Master and Professional Coach and has an MBA from Antioch University. She is fluent in five languages.
Jenell Ross is the daughter of Robert Paul Ross, Sr and Norma J. Ross. Her father, Bob, became the first black automobile dealer in the state of Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and West Viginia. Bob became the first black Mercedes-Benz Dealer in the world. When Bob passed away unexpectedly, Norma successfully ran the business. Jenell has taken over the role since her mother’s passing in 2010. Jenell was recognized in 2022 by the Centervil...
Dr. Thomas Connair owned the Centerville Animal Hospital on Franklin Street. The business opened in the early 1960s, and he began caring for cattle from the surrounding farms. He retired and closed his practice in 2001 after serving the community for almost 40 years. Dr. Connair started studying mechanical engineering at the University of Dayton but transferred to Ohio State University to complete his degree in animal science.
Al Price, a retired engineer, uses his hobby as a metal detector to find historical artifacts. Metal detecting has been an interest for over 20 years. He has created many educational display cases from his local finds which he has donated to Centerville-Washington History. He does extensive research to discover the significance of the artifacts. Beyond metal detecting, Al is also interested in researching the history of his family....
Honorable Mayor Brooks Compton has lived in Centerville with his wife Ruth since 1979. They raised their two sons in Centerville. He has been an attorney for over 40 years and has been involved in local government for over 40 years. His parents were both active in politics with his father serving on the Kettering City council. He became Mayor in 2016.
Carol Kennard was with the Centerville-Washington Park district for almost 33 years with the last 17 years as director. She started in 1982 as the first program director and introduced popular programs such as Hidden Meadows and Winter Woods Day Camps. During her tenure many new parks were acquired and features such as the Nature Nook, skate park, dog park, and an all-access playground. The Nature Nook on McEwan is named after Caro...
Alex and Jane Pearl have been residents of Centerville for 37 years. Growing up in New York, they came to the area when Alex had a job opportunity. The area became their permanent home as they became involved in the community. Alex currently serves as one of the Centerville Washington Park District commissioners. Jane is an avid genealogist. Jane and Alex both volunteer with Dayton History at Carillon Park and they recently became ...
Janet Treadway and Stephanie Wilson are the daughters of Frank and Inez Treadway who started Treadway Gardens in Washington Township. Frank worked at NCR for over 30 years. He gardened to help pay for his children’s college education beginning in 1969. While Frank worked in the fields, Inez worked mostly behind the scenes. Stephanie owns the family business now and has helped run the market operations since 1987. Janet also grows ...
Jim McCutcheon is well known throughout the region as the Guitar Man. He plays various fretted instruments and hosts a local radio program featuring guitar music. He holds a B.S. in Physics and a master’s degree in music education. Jim has an extensive resume of contributions to the world of music throughout the Dayton area. In 2017 he received the Governor’s Award for the Arts. Jim is the co-owner of McCutcheon Music Studios in Ce...
Brady Kress is the President and CEO at Dayton History. Dayton History owns the 65-acre Carillon Park and several other buildings and historical attractions in the Dayton area. Kress holds a BA in Political Science from Wright State University. As a teen, he worked at Carillon Park as a seasonal guide for 5 years. In 2023, the Centerville-Washington Foundation recognized him for his contributions to the local community. He and his ...
Lauren Miller is the 2024 CWH scholarship winner. An excellent student, Lauren also participated in many extracurricular activities, including Key Club, American Sign Language Club, Band, and the Circle of Friends. She is co-founder and President of the Psychology Club. Lauren has also been an active volunteer throughout her high school years, volunteering at the hospital, at church, and with Centerville-Washington History as a tee...
Sande Heck was a police officer in Centerville for 30 years. For the past 18 years, he has served the city as zoning and code enforcement inspector. Officer Edward Skinner is the community relations officer for the Centerville Police Department.
Berry was a Washington Township Trustee from 2008 through 2023. A real-estate professional, Berry used that training in his role as a member of the zoning commission. Berry, also represented Washington Township serving on the board at Centerville-Washington History for over a decade. Before retiring, he was the teacher coordinator of Kettering Fairmont High School’s vocational program. He has been a township resident since 1973. He...
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