(This article, reprinted with permission, featuring residents putting their love of Bexley into words, appeared in This Week in Bexley)  6/16/08

For many, putting love of Bexley into words isn't easy

By Gail Martineau
ThisWeek Contributing Writer

On warm April days, Bexley is alive with activity. Residents are out walking their dogs, pruning shrubbery in their well-kept yards and riding bikes with cheerful children in tow. It is a day like this when the feeling of community radiates. There are so many reasons to love the small oasis, as Bexley Mayor John Brennan would say. For the past 100 years, Bexley has been the center of progressive learning, vibrant religious life and prosperous small businesses. These are just three reasons why Bexley adds up to be one of the best and most popular places to be in central Ohio. But according to the city's movers and shakers, there are so many more.

E. Gordon Gee, president of The Ohio State University

Beginning his second term as president of The Ohio State University, Gordon Gee said he's happy to be back. Though this time he will be living in a different house (right down the street from his old one), the community is all that really matters. "Bexley is such a wonderful community," Gee said. "It has some of the warmest, most welcoming neighbors anywhere, and they are good Buckeyes to boot! I raised my daughter here and feel a deep connection with the community," he said. "I am thrilled to return."

Ted Strickland, governor of Ohio

Though Gov. Ted Strickland has only lived in Bexley for a little over a year, the community has made an impression on him. He said he enjoys the people he meets and the all-around great feel of the community. "There are so many wonderful amenities in Bexley," he said. "It's friendly, it's community-minded, and it's physically beautiful. It has a sense of community."

Diane Peterson, Bexley school board president, lifelong resident of Bexley

Diane Peterson followed in her mother Jan's footsteps when choosing a place to raise her two daughters. She and her husband, Craig, both 1986 Bexley graduates, moved back to their hometown after they got married. "It's great to be part of a small town with a lot of interesting, well-rounded, open-minded people. Craig and I both appreciated and valued our education, and we wanted our daughters to have the same experiences."

John Brennan, mayor of Bexley

John Brennan moved to Bexley 35 years ago to assume the position of director of Bexley recreation, a job he held for 12 years. He has been a prominent member of the community since running against former mayor David Madison in 1995. The newly-elected mayor said one of the reasons he wanted to run for office was to give back to the community he loves. "It's a little oasis in the middle of Franklin County," he said. "I don't have any desire to move anywhere."

Matt Lampke, president of Bexley City Council

Matt Lampke and his wife, Monique, moved to Bexley eight years ago. For six of those, he's served on city council. Last year, Lampke ran for mayor against seven others, and lost by a close margin. He said he was attracted to the community for multiple reasons, but the friends his family has met make the community what it is. "My wife Monique and I were attracted to the community for the school system and the architecture of the houses," he said. "Since being here, we really caught the Bexley spirit."

Bill and Barbara Hoyer, lived in Bexley for 39 years

Bill is a retired teacher from Bexley Middle School and a second-generation resident. Barbara is a real estate agent with the Wagenbrenner Company and sells many homes in the community. If the last name Hoyer sounds recognizable, it may be because there are three generations living in Bexley. Bill got married to Barbara and moved back to teach gym and health in the middle school. Now their two sons are back to raise their own families in Bexley. "I grew up in this community, and when I had the opportunity to come back and teach, I thought it was great," Bill said. "It's more than just a house; you're buying the community," Barbara added.

Jason Soll, Bexley High School student body president

Young and ambitious, Jason Soll has already dug his roots deep into Bexley. The Bexley senior, who will attend Claremont McKenna College in California this fall, said he first articulated his love for Bexley after holding an internship with the Creative Artists Agency in Los Angeles during summer the summer of 2006. "I came back and said to my dad, you know why I love living in Bexley? It's because it's a big puzzle piece,'" he said. "You really feel as if you matter you're a part of the puzzle."

Adie Liefeld, co-editor of the Bexley High School Torch

Adie Liefeld, who will attend Wittenberg University next fall, said she loves Bexley because of the sense of community she gets from her friends and neighbors. "I love the people and the sense of community," she said. "Everyone comes to the football games and supports students. Everyone cares about the schools."

Aaron Briggs, owner of Flavors Eatery on East Main Street

When looking to open a restaurant, Flavors Eatery owner Aaron Briggs said he searched all over central Ohio for the right place. He finally decided on Bexley because of the people who live in the community. "We have a very supportive community."

Larry Heiser, city auditor, lifelong/second generation resident, founder of Yard Barbers

Larry Heiser, a 1979 Bexley High School graduate, has been in the community his entire life. As a second-generation resident, the city auditor now is raising a third generation in Bexley — his son, Evan, and daughter, Allison. For Heiser, Bexley is easy to live in. "Mostly it was the education — that's the main reason why we stayed around," he said. "I graduated here, and I feel comfortable here."

Eric Stewart, Bexley High School class of 1991, owner of Eric Stewart Enterprises

Eric Stewart said the grass was not greener on the other side, so he moved back. "It's the schools," he said. "I lived [elsewhere in Columbus], and I came back." Doug Jackson, director of the Bexley Recreation Department for the last five years Doug Jackson has been a member of the community for the last eight years, five of which he has served as the Bexley recreation director. Though he lives in Hilliard, most of his time is spent in Bexley, supporting and planning for community members. "It's a very tight-knit community," he said. "I like the diversity."

Barb Greiner, 40-year community resident

Almost 40 years ago, Barb Greiner moved to Bexley. Since then, she has spent 20 years working for the Bexley Recreation Department. She said she loves how everyone in the community cares about the well-being of others. "I love the sense of community and being responsible for each other," she said. "When issues need to be addressed, people step up. Everyday, we try to do what we can to promote quality of life."

Kiana Upchurch, Montrose student, 9 years old

Nine-year-old Kiana Upchurch, a student at Montrose Elementary, said she likes Bexley because it's safe. But that's not the only reason. "I like it because there's not too much violence," she said. And I also like the ice cream."

Brad Kastan, lived in the community since 1984

Brad Kastan has lived in the Bexley community since 1984 with his wife, Holly, and his children. He said he loves the differences that the people and the neighborhood bring to the table. "Bexley is a diverse and caring community, and I like that all the people and all the houses don't look the same."

Dr. Michael Johnson, superintendent of the Bexley City School District, lived in the community for seven years

Selflessness is the quality Michael Johnson, Bexley schools superintendent, said about the community. He said he loves that residents go above and beyond for others. "The mental and intellectual power of the community is extraordinary," he said. "Each and every one of us is interested in more than the self."

Jeff and Kathy Frank, owners of the Drexel Theatres and the Radio Café in Bexley

The aesthetics were what originally drew Jeff and Kathy Frank, owners of the Drexel Theatre and the Radio Café, to Bexley. Since then, they've found a few more things to love about their community. "When we first moved here, the first things I loved were the sidewalks and the trees," Kathy said. "I picked it for the way it feels to walk up and down the street. I just feel privileged that I live here." Jeff added, "The real part of it is that it has not been overdeveloped. It's very livable—you're not assaulted by traffic."

Rick Weber, Bexley city council member for 19 years, 1966 graduate of Bexley High School

Rick Weber said he loves the community for the diversity of homes and styles of architecture. A member of city council for the last 19 years, he has been able to see the city evolve into what it has become in its centennial year. "I've spent my whole life here," he said. "There's a tremendous sense of community. It's a comfortable location."

Nancy Beck, secretary and board member for the Bexley Historical Society

More than 100 years ago, Nancy Beck's great-grandfather, Odis Blose, was building homes around the small but growing community of Bexley. These homes are still standing, and their histories can be told through the Bexley Historical Society, for which Beck is a board member and secretary. "I think the location of Bexley is just so easy," she said. "All you have to do is just look at the area —what's not to like?"

Dr. John Kellogg, principal of Bexley High School

John Kellogg moved to the Bexley City School District from Grove City six years ago to assume the position of high school principal from Earl Focht. He now lives in Bexley with his wife, Kim, and their two children. For Kellogg, the appeal of Bexley stems from the support he sees given to children. "There's a real commitment to the conditions of youth—beyond the scope of a good school system," he said. "The town collectively does really good things."

Sara Pfaff, former English teacher at Bexley High School

Not only has Sara Pfaff enjoyed teaching students in the district, she has enjoyed raising her own in the community. Pfaff, who retired from teaching English at BHS in 2002, said she loves the sense of security she feels. "What I appreciate is the police department," she said. "I walk in the morning with a friend, and a couple of times a day I take the dog out. That gives me a sense of security."

Molly Porter, 2005 graduate of Columbus School for Girls, junior at Denison University

Molly Porter said she loves the community because there's a lot to do. Porter is now a junior at Denison University in Granville. "It's really easy to get around," she said. "It's an active community, and it's a great place to live and grow up."

Megan Byers, 2007 Bexley High School graduate, freshman at Ohio University

Whether she's playing sports or working at the School Closet on Main Street, Megan Byers has always been an active member of the Bexley community. Through her various activities, she's gotten to know many residents. For her, that's what makes Bexley worthwhile. "I love living in Bexley because it's the type of community where you know everyone."

Daniel Carroll, 2005 Bexley High School graduate, junior at Harvard

Now far away in Cambridge, Mass. for college, Daniel Carroll, a Harvard junior, knows that he can always come home to Bexley. "I love how Bexley is both rich in tradition and, at the same time, vibrant," he said. I know I can come back in 10 years and Johnson's Real Ice Cream will still be there."

Rev. Frank Luchsinger, senior pastor at Bexley United Methodist Church

Rev. Frank Luchsinger, his wife Beth, and sons, Joe and Adam, have become active members in both the religious community in Bexley, as well as the academic community. He said Bexley is what it is because of the people. "I love living in Bexley because of the cultural diversity, the interesting mix of people, folks of different faiths and backgrounds encouraging each other—valuing each other. I like the positive interaction between churches, synagogues, schools and the city. This is a place where faith and family are valued and where we are not all expected to be the same—and that is a very good thing."

Gail Martineau is a junior English literature major at Denison University in Granville. She is a 2005 graduate of Bexley High School, where she was a co-editor of the Torch. Gail has been writing for ThisWeek Community Newspapers for over a year, and interned with the Columbus Dispatch last summer. When she graduates in December, Gail hopes to continue to pursue a career in journalism.

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