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Class of 2019 / Biographies

Zanesville City Schools \ ZCS Hall of Fame \ Class of 2019 / Biographies

Donald Dozer

Born in 1905, Donald graduated from Zanesville High School in 1923 as president of his class. In addition to being an excellent student, he found time for dramatics and debate. Later, while attending The College of Wooster, he won first place in the Ohio intercollegiate oratorical contest for his speech entitled “Labels.” In it, he argued for tolerance and the rejection of malicious labels for those unlike ourselves. He went on to receive his M.A. and Ph.D. in history and international relations from Harvard University (1936).

Donald’s distinguished career included government service (OSS, Lend-Lease Administration, and U.S. Department of State) as well as teaching and research at Harvard, the University of Maryland, the University of California at Santa Barbara, the American Graduate School of International Management in Glendale, Arizona, and its branches in Mexico and Japan. He authored six books and nearly 100 scholarly articles, and received both national and international distinction as an authority on Latin-American history and U.S.-Latin-American relations. In 1971, he was awarded a Fulbright-Hayes Fellowship to teach in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he received the prestigious Alberdi-Sarmiento Award for his contributions to Inter-American understanding. His acceptance speech, entitled “The Challenge to Pan Americanism,” laid out his vision for sustained economic growth for Latin America.

Donald was active in the Republican Party and was appointed to the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission of California by Gov. Ronald Reagan. He was also a member of numerous professional and honorary organizations including Phi Beta Kappa and the Mont Pelerin Society, an international organization of economists, social scientists and other advocates of free market economic policies. For many years, he was also listed in Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World. At his death (1980), he was eulogized on the floor of the U.S. Senate, and tributes were published in the New York Times and the Washington Post.

We remember him fondly as a devoted husband and loving father who taught us, above all, the importance of education, honor, and family.

Steven Hodge

Steven Hodge was a Zanesville High School Blue Devil from 1986-1990, where he was named All-Ohio twice. He was also a two-time Buckeye Central Conference player of the year, Division I Eastern District Back of the Year, and two-time captain. In 1988, he led the Blue Devils to a BCC co-championship. and became the all-time leading rusher in Blue Devils history in 1989, totaling 3,168 yards with 52 rushing touchdowns, while running the single-wing offense under head coach Whit Parks. He also threw for 1,725 yards and 16 more touchdowns. He was selected as a captain for the 45th Dial Ohio North-South All-Star Game. He also was selected for the Muskingum Valley-Licking County All-Star Game.

Steven was also a three-year varsity basketball letterman and a two-year letterman in track & field. Out of all his ZHS accomplishments, he is most proud of the “Steven Hodge Award,” given annually to the hardest working and most dedicated ZHS football athlete in the weight room and on the field.

He attended Colorado State University on a football scholarship, and was a four-year starter from 1991-1994. Hodge was recruited as a fullback under head coach Earle Bruce, but transitioned to defensive tackle in his sophomore year. Under head coach Sonny Lubick, he was a two-time captain, with 23 sacks in just two seasons, tied for second on CSU’s all-time sack list. He also tied for second for most tackles for a loss. Steven was a two-time first team All-Western Athletic Conference Player. Hodge led CSU to a WAC championship, and played in Holiday Bowl against Michigan.

Hodge also set two school records in the weight room. In his free time, he was a mentor in the Big Brother Program.

After college, he played for Coach Bruce in two Arena Football seasons for the St. Louis Stampede from 1995-1996, going to the playoffs both seasons.

He served in the United States Army from 1996 to 2000 as a transportation sergeant. Following an honorable discharge, he became a Colorado State Trooper in 2001, where he is currently employed by the Governor’s Executive Security Unit.

Steven coached the defensive line at Valor Christian High School, which set a school record for sacks and tackles for a loss on their way to their first Division 3A state championship.

In addition, he is a certified physical fitness advisor with CSP and serves with the United States Air National Guard as a Master Sergeant. He resides in Littleton, Colorado, with his wife Burgandy, son JR, daughter London, and their Rottweiler, Pepper.

W. Jeffrey Hurst, Ph.D.

W. Jeffrey Hurst, Ph.D., retired as Principal Scientist at the Hershey Company Technical Center in 2017. He was the founding editor of Laboratory Robotics and Automation, an international journal with a focus on all facets of automation in the laboratory. He is the founding editor of the Wiley-Interscience book series on laboratory automation, serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Liquid Chromatography and was founding editor of Seminars in Food Analysis. He was a contributing editor for Scientific Computing and Instrumentation and prepared a monthly column on some aspect of instrumention and laboratory operations.

He is a member of the American Chemical Society (ACS), a member the Institute of Food Technologies, American Society of Mass Spectrometry (ASMS), a Fellow of the American Institute of Chemists (FAIC), a member of the Society of Ancient Medicine, and a Diplomate of the American Association for Integrative Medicine (DAAIM). He is a member of the Board of Directors of SMPAC, Southern Maya Project for Archaeology, and a member of the FAMSI Botanical Working Group. He has served as a co-leader of the Chemical Measurement Subgroup in the ACS/AIChE/CMA Chemical Industry Technology Roadmap, and was Co-PI on an NSF grant exploring the use of cacao in the American Southwest. Until 2013, he served as adjunct Professor of Comparative Medicine at Hershey Medical Center.

In 1986, he was awarded a Pioneer in Laboratory Automation award by the International Symposium on Laboratory Robotics, and in 2000 was named a Fellow of AOAC International. He is senior author of Laboratory Robotics, A Guide to Planning Programming and Applications. He wrote and co-edited two books on cocoa, titled “Chocolate as Medicine” and “Chocolate and Health.” He has edited or written 11 books. He is an author on numerous papers and presentations, with papers in Nature and Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. He also serves on the Analytical Methods Review Committee of the American Herbal Pharmacoepia (AHP). He has participated in a peer review panel of the Institute for Regulatory Sciences on Chemical Analysis Automation and also participated on NSF Review Panels for Educational Chemical Instrumentation.

He retired from the Air Force at the rank of Major. He is Vice President of Mt. Gretna Arts Council and Chair, Scholarship Committee. In 2019, he and his wife Deborah will celebrate a 50th anniversary. They are the parents of two daughters and have one grandson.

Cindy Linn

Cindy Paisley Linn, daughter of Robert and Marilyn Paisley, was raised in Zanesville and graduated from Zanesville High School in 1976. While in school, Cindy was a member of the Devilettes. She served as the captain her senior year and was named Miss Drill Team of America that same year. After graduation, Cindy went on to teach dance team summer camps throughout the country. She served as the Tri-Valley Flingers dance team coach from 1977-1981, leading them to two state championships.

Cindy earned her bachelor’s degree in Communications and her masters in Community Counseling, both from Ohio University. Cindy is a licensed professional counselor and is employed at Ohio University-Zanesville as an academic advisor and adjunct faculty. In addition to teaching Public Speaking, Human Communications, and Women and Leadership, she presents workshops and speaks to various groups and organizations on topics of leadership, birth order personality, introductions and handshakes, communication skills, women and stress, and healthy relationships.

For 27 years, Cindy was the director of the Social Dancing program along with Barbara White. The program, which was started by her husband’s grandmother, Mrs. Helen Linn, taught ballroom dancing as well as manners and etiquette to students from the fourth through eighth grades. Cindy has also been involved with the Zanesville Concert Association, United Way of Muskingum, Perry and Morgan Counties, the Women of Achievement steering committee, and the Muskingum Family Y.

Cindy has been married to Tim Linn for 38 years. They are the parents of Katie, Emily and Ryan and grandparents to Molly, Myles and Grey. She and her husband enjoy golf, hiking and travel.

John McIntire

John McIntire was born in 1759 in Alexandria, Virginia, and passed away at the age 56 on July 29, 1815. John was survived by his wife Sarah and his daughter Amelia at the time of his death. He began his vocational life as a shoemaker, traveling the western frontier to practice his trade. These travels eventually took him to Wheeling, West Virginia, around 1779, where he married Sarah, the daughter of Ebenezer Zane. Ebenezer Zane had earned Revolutionary War land warrants, and, following the war, he had asked his son in-law to travel west and establish a ferry service at the Muskingum as required by Congress to maintain the land warrants. Ebenezer sold John a one-mile-square tract of land at the Muskingum crossing for $100, as payment for his efforts with this venture.

Once established, John cIntire operated his home as an inn, and when he met individuals passing through the territory who possessed talents that could be beneficial, he offered them land to stay. Muskingum County was soon established and “Zanesville” grew into the county seat. By 1809, Zanesville was prosperous and growing. However, John had higher expectations for the region, and through his efforts, Zanesville was named Ohio’s state capital between 1810 and 1812. This was no easy task as it was said, “Politics at the time was full of lies, name calling, dirty tricks and attempts to appear to be pure while all around you were deceitful.”

McIntire’s influence in the area was far reaching and impactful standing the test of time: McIntire Street, John McIntire Elementary School, the John McIntire Library, McIntire Terrace; McIntire Park; McIntire Children’s Home; and, the Zanesville Canal and Manufacturing Company that still offers scholarships to students today. In 1818, after his death, the surviving proprietor executed a deed for grounds specifically identified by John McIntire for school purposes.

John McIntire’s grave site is located between Zanesville Middle School and Zanesville High School.

Whit Parks

Coach Whit Parks was head football coach at Zanesville High School from 1984 to 1989 and again from 1994 to 1998. His record was 76-31. During his tenure at ZHS, his football teams won four conference championships, and they were 9-1 in 1985 when the school did not have a conference affiliation. That team finished fourth in the state in Division I, and was one of the all-time great ZHS teams. The 1997 and 1998 teams also finished in the Top 10 in the state. Coach Parks had a record of 8-3 against archrival Newark High School.

Coach Parks retired from coaching with an overall record of 213-161-3. He has been conference Coach of the Year six times; district Coach of the Year eight times; Ohio High School Football Coaches Association regional Coach of the Year six times; and, in 1997 while coaching at ZHS, he was named the Division II Ohio Coach of the Year.

During his tenure, many of Coach Parks’ players went on to play football and graduate from Division I, II, and III colleges and universities. Many players received All-Ohio status, and former Blue Devil Buster Howe was named Ohio’s first-ever Mr. Football.

Coach Parks was selected to coach in Ohio’s North/South All-Star Game twice, and coached his last game as the victorious coach in that prestigious game. In addition, he was chosen to coach in the Ohio-Pennsylvania Big 33 All-Star Classic in 1994, and in the Muskingum-Licking All-Star game twice. He also served as director of the OHSFCA.

In 2000, Coach Parks received the Franklin B. Walter Educator of the Year award in Auglaize County. In 2012, he was inducted into the inaugural class of the Muskingum Area Forever Dads Hall of Fame.

Coach Parks is a 1969 graduate of Newcomerstown High School, where he earned 10 varsity letters and was named first-team All-Ohio in football. He was a four-year starter playing college football, first at Grand Rapids Junior College and then at the University of Mount Union, where he graduated in 1973. He received his Master’s Degree in Education from Xavier University in 1978.

Coach Parks is a member of St. Thomas Catholic Church, and he and his wife, Beth, have three children – Wendi, Ty, and Troy.

William Shinnick

William M. Shinnick was born in 1846 and attended Zanesville City Schools. He entered his father’s rope and cordage works at an early age and eventually became manager. His executive ability was widely recognized and his peers elected him to the positions of city clerk for ten years, assistant postmaster, clerk of the Waterworks Board, and member of the Board of Education for 27 years. Later he served as vice president of The First Trust and Savings Bank, and director of The First National Bank.

He became secretary and treasurer of the Mosiac Tile Company in 1894. He brought to the company his gift of leadership and executive experience. Through close association with the production of tile, he became familiar with all phases of manufacturing and marketing of ceramic products. As manager, he laid the foundations of quality products and fair dealing resulting in the company becoming one of the largest tile factories in the world.

William Shinnick was deeply invested in the welfare of his employees. He knew personally and helped hundreds of workers through his countless acts of kindness. This generosity and public spirit continued through his philanthropic contributions to local charities and provisions for educational funding for Zanesville’s young people. Upon his death in 1923, his widow ordered that distribution of the income begin at once. Some of Shinnick’s beneficiaries are The Zanesville Welfare Association, Zanesville Day Nursery, The Helen Purcell Home, Bethesda Hospital, and the Shinnick Education Fund.

William Straker

John William “Bill” Straker was born in Lima, Ohio, in 1921. His family moved to Zanesville in 1925. Bill graduated from Lash (now Zanesville) High School in 1939. He attended The Ohio State University and received a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering in 1943. That same year, Bill joined the U.S. Army Air Corps and served as a commissioned officer at various stations in the U.S. He then served in the occupation of Japan from 1945 to 1946. After his discharge from the Army, Bill began his career in the oil and gas division of the Zanesville Tool and Supply Company, later named Oxford Oil Company. He served as president and general manager of Oxford Oil from 1948 until he retired in 1986.

In 1951, Bill married Mary Helen Cleary. Together they had four children: Susan, John, Jane, and Anne; eight grandchildren; and seven great grandchildren.

From 1953 to 1972, Bill was a trustee of the Ohio Oil & Gas Association. He served two terms each as treasurer, vice president, and president. He received the association’s Yellow Dog award in 1984 and was elected to the Ohio Oil & Gas Hall of Fame in 1989.

Bill became a director of the National Gas and Oil Corporation in 1973, now The Energy Cooperative. He served as president and CEO and was chairman of the Board of Directors until 1991.

Bill was the founding chairman of the Muskingum Area Technical College Foundation, now Zane State College Foundation, and was one of the founding directors of the Muskingum County Community Foundation. In 1991, Bill received the honorary Associate of Public Service degree from MATC.

Bill served on the Zanesville City Council and was a member of the Board of Directors of First National Bank of Zanesville. He has been a member of Grace United Methodist Church since 1951.

Bill and Mary Helen Straker founded the J.W. and M.H. Straker Charitable Foundation in 1994. Since then the Foundation has distributed funds to schools and non-profit organizations across Muskingum County. A strong believer in the power of education and the first in his family to graduate from college, Bill was instrumental in starting Scholarship Central, housed at the Muskingum County Community Foundation.