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Local News

Friday, December 18, 2009

$1.9M gift to benefit UF students
By MICHELLE REITER

STAFF WRITER

A former Bloomdale couple, Emerson and Laura Pelton, left $1.9 million from their estate to the University of Findlay, university officials announced Thursday.

The money will be used for scholarships.

In 1993, the Peltons established the Pelton Scholarship Endowment Fund with a gift of stock. In 1995 they contributed their 120-acre farm near Bloomdale to the university, in exchange for a trust which provided income to them for the rest of their lives.

Upon their deaths, the remainder of their estate was to go into the endowment fund they had established earlier.

Emerson Pelton died in 1999, and Laura Pelton died in July.

The Pelton Scholarship Endowment Fund will be the largest endowed scholarship fund of the university.

University President DeBow Freed, who is the executor of the Peltons' estate, said he admired the couple's generosity.

"These scholarships will help many, many deserving University of Findlay students in the future," he said.

Freed said he visited Laura Pelton not long before she died.

"She's a lovely person," he said Thursday, "an individual who smiles when she talks. She was so sincere about leaving this legacy."

Freed said the Peltons, who had no children, were dedicated to helping young people. He said the $1.9 million donation will push the Pelton Scholarship Endowment Fund to more than $20 million.

The university will award scholarships to Ohio residents with excellent academic credentials who can demonstrate financial need.

The Peltons were not University of Findlay alumni, Freed said. In fact, they both attended Bowling Green State University.

Freed said the couple grew up outside of Bloomdale, and developed close ties with the University of Findlay.

The couple grew crops and raised cattle on their farm, and both Peltons had a love of horses. They were members of the Buckeye Horse Club in Findlay.

They did not spend all of their time in northwestern Ohio, however. The couple worked a cattle ranch for five years near Bartlesville, Okla., before returning to Ohio.

For a while, the couple lived in Findlay, where Laura worked at the Alice Dress and Beauty Shop, a women's dress shop downtown. At one time, Emerson worked at Producers Livestock auction in Findlay and was in charge of the cattle department.

When they retired, they traveled and lived in Bradenton, Fla. and Green Valley, Ariz., before moving to Tucson, Ariz.

The Peltons had been married 62 years when Emerson died. They still have family members in the area.

Freed called the couple's commitment to young people "unwavering."

"The person who handled their investment account in Tucson said they talked about investing in young people in a way that many of them could benefit," Freed said.

Reiter: 419-427-8497,

Send an e-mail to Michelle Reiter


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News Briefs Firefighters discover 20 marijuana plants in house
After fighting a house fire early Monday at 815 Howard St., firefighters found 20 marijuana plants in the residence.

"They ran across it and called us," said police Sgt. Justin Hendren with the Hancock County METRICH Drug Enforcement Unit.

Police seized all 20 plants, and Hendren said charges are pending.

High-powered growing lights, fans, and a box filled with dried marijuana were also found in the house, according to a police report.

Investigators said an electrical short started the fire before 3 a.m. Monday.

The blaze caused an estimated $12,000 in damage to the residence, owned by Amanda Crawford. No one was injured, according to the Findlay Fire Department.

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The curbside recycling program will be held Tuesday through Thursday, Sept. 7-9.

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Fletcher began his patrol career in 2002 after graduating from the 139th Academy class and has been assigned to the Findlay post since.

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The Toledo and Findlay campuses of Owens Community College will be closed Saturday through Monday for the Labor Day holiday.

There will be no classes and the college offices will be closed.

Classes will resume and offices will open again on Tuesday.

Holiday changes ad deadlines
The Courier won't be published on Monday, in observance of the Labor Day holiday.

Because of the holiday, some advertising deadlines have been moved up this week:

Black and white display advertising for Tuesday's newspaper must be placed by noon Friday. Display advertising for Wednesday's newspaper must be placed by 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Color display advertising for the Thursday, Sept. 9 newspaper must be placed by Friday.

Classified advertising and City and Country advertising for Saturday's newspaper must be placed by 2 p.m. Friday. Classified ads for Tuesday's newspaper must be placed by 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Courier business and advertising offices will close at 3 p.m. Friday for the holiday.