Wright-Dunbar Business Village News

Five people inducted into the Miami Valley Walk of Fame

Suzanne Bassani, Iula Carter, Col. Dean E. Hess, Lloyd Lewis, Jr., and Rev. Edward Puff were inducted into the Miami Valley 'Walk of Fame' on Friday, September, 30th in Dayton, Ohio. Since 1996, the Walk of Fame has recognized people from the Miami Valley who have made outstanding contributions to the community, nation and world. Arts/Culture, Education, Invention/Innovation and Sports represent a few of the fifteen Walk of Fame categories.

Walk of Fame inductees are honored with a granite stone that contains the inscription of their contributions. The stones are installed in the sidewalks of the Wright-Dunbar Business Village, which is the historic neighborhood where the Wright brothers invented the airplane and African American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar began his career.

The ceremony was open to the public and located in the historic Wright-Dunbar Business Village, approximately 250 were in attendance. A luncheon followed in the Ponitz Center at Sinclair Community College and attracted 170 participants, including previous inductees to the Miami Valley Walk of Fame and their families. Next year is the 10 year anniversary of this unique community heritage program and plans are underway for a special celebration.

Further information about the 2005 inductees is below, information taken from the Walk of Fame Walking Tour brochure, which is available at the Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center located at the corner of W. Third Street and Williams Street.

Colonel Dean E. Hess (1917-) is a military leader who used his posting to Korea to provide a profound humanitarian service to his host country. After serving as a fighter pilot in World War II, he was recalled to active duty for the Korean War. He was given the assignment of training the Korean Air Force, and flew 250 missions himself. Colonel Hess became aware of the plight of the many Korean children orphaned by the war. He organized an orphanage at the air base he commanded, and soon his men were providing for over a thousand children. When his base was about to be overrun by enemy forces, Col. Hess determined to evacuate the children. In what became known as "Operation Kiddy Car," all of the children were airlifted to safety. He published his story in a book titled Battle Hymn, which became a movie starring Rock Hudson. The royalties from the book and movie were used to build a new orphanage near Seoul, Korea. This modest hero's exploits have been recognized by numerous awards and an exhibit at the Air Force Museum.

Iula O. Carter (1926-) is a teacher, inventor and writer with a special passion for nurturing creativity in children. She taught in the school system of her native Dayton for over 20 years, and published two books. She is, however, perhaps best known as an inventor. In 1960 she received a U.S. patent for the "portable nursery chair," and in 1990 she was authorized to establish a Dayton affiliate of the National Patent Law Association. This non-profit group fosters the development, training and education of minority business-persons in the patent, copyright and trademark areas; publishes and disseminates information about patents, copyrights and trademarks to minority groups, especially to young people; nurtures minority practitioners in the field; and promotes greater understanding of the fields of intellectual and industrial property. With her lifelong focus on nurturing creativity in the young, Iula Carter has had a key role in insuring that Dayton's climate of invention continues into the next generation.

Lloyd E. Lewis, Jr. (1926-2001) was a civic leader and lifelong advocate for citizen participation in government. In a career that spanned radio, retailing, government and the private sector, he always maintained a focus on the human side of every issue, whether it was customer service at D P & L or constituent service during his terms in the Ohio Legislature and Dayton City Commission. From 1965-69 Lloyd Lewis chaired Dayton's Special Committee on Urban Renewal and wrote a proposal which was one of the first to receive federal funding through the Model Cities program. The project resulted in Dayton's award-winning Priority Board system. He served on the City Plan Board, and helped spearhead the development of Courthouse Square. While Assistant City Manager for the City, he founded paramedic and park ranger programs. While working as a General Manager and then Assistant Vice President at DP&L, he initiated the Volunteer Insulation Program, which forged a partnership between the utility company and volunteer organizations to insulate the attics of needy families. His civic activities were legion, and always focused on innovative ways to improve life in his community.

Reverend Edward A. Puff (1914-), for 40 years pastor of Memorial United Church of Christ, continues a legacy of caring, action, and service to the community that has caused him to be called "the pastor of the entire community." He embraced a broad concept of the mission of the church, and was instrumental in establishing such organizations as the Trinity Retirement Home, the East Dayton Health Center, the Burkhardt Center, and the East Dayton Food Pantry. While other churches moved to the suburbs, his stayed in the city: as he once said, "If the Lord was coming, he would come to Fifth Street!" He has received numerous awards and honors, including the Montgomery County First Peace Bridge Award. Because of his association with the Wright family-he was the last man to gaze upon the remains of Orville Wright-Reverend Puff was asked to speak at the ceremony marking the end of the Centennial of Flight Celebration. At that time, he said the Wrights "set up a dream that hardened into a deed." In his ministry, Reverend Puff has done the same thing.

Suzanne M. Bassani (1940-) has been described as "a catalyst for building partnerships among artists, educators, business and community." She is the founder of the Muse Machine, one of the most successful and widely emulated youth cultural arts organizations in the country. This non-profit is dedicated to providing opportunities for young people to view, experience and participate in artistic activities. The project began in 1982 with involvement from 20 schools: it now operates in more than 130 schools, includes over 1,500 teacher advisors and reaches 70,000 students. This program, invented by Suzy Bassani, has changed the lives of thousands of young people through their exposure to the arts. However, this is not her only contribution to the local arts scene: she was also a founder of the Human Race Theatre Company and helped form the Dayton Visual Arts Center. Suzy Bassani has won the Ohio Arts Council Award for Excellence in Leadership and the Governor's Award for Arts in Education, among other honors. Although she now lives in Colorado Springs, the arts in Dayton continue to flourish through the organizations she nurtured.